A Bill to invest the proceeds of the Smithsonian fund and establish the Smithsonian Institution

Summary

Mr. Preston from the Committee on the Library reported the bill which was read and passed to a second reading. There shall be a superintendent and no more than six professors. The number of curators and assistants shall be approved by the President. The board of management of the Smithsonian shall consist of the board on managers of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science and the superintendent of the Smithsonian. Powers of the board include to erect buildings, procure books, arrange collections etc. All works of art, books and all collections belonging to the United States should be transferred to the Smithsonian.

Subject

• Smithson, James 1765-1829
• Preston, William C. 1794-1860
• United States Congress
• National Institution for the Promotion of Science
• Board of Regents

Category

Smithsonian Legal Documents

Legal document information

• S. 259
• Title 20, Education
• Bill

Notes

for other bills relating to the act establishing the Smithsonian Institution see S. 18, S. 245, S. 293, S. 292, H. R. 5, H.R. 863, H.R. 386, H.R. 418, H.R. 1, H.R. 1160, H.R. 1161

Contained within

(Documents)

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

02/17/1841

Topic

• Smithson Bequest
• Act to establish the "Smithsonian Institution," for the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge Among Men
• Board of Managers
• SI, Early History
• Museums
• Management
• Museum exhibits
• Management--Museums

Form/Genre

Bill

Physical description

Number of pages: 3; Page Numbers: 1-3

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