Description: S. Dillon Ripley, the eighth Secretary of the Smithsonian, wanted the Smithsonian to have a contemporary art museum. He worked tirelessly to persuade Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899-1981) to donate his collections to the Smithsonian. On November 7, 1966, the collections of Hirshhorn officially came under the auspices of the Smithsonian. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Description: The history of the Smithsonian’s Children’s Room, a project led by Smithsonian Secretary Langley and famous interior designer Grace Lincoln Temple.
Description: The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) are two different museums that had their origins in the Smithsonian’s National Gallery of Art. They have been housed in the old Patent Office Building since 1968. The American Art Museum was established in 1907 under the name “National Gallery of Art.” The National Portrait Gallery was