Description: As World War II raged throughout the world, many feared the threat of another attack on American soil. Washington, D.C., and the National Mall were obvious targets for the Axis countries which put the Smithsonian buildings and collections located there in danger. In order to protect the Smithsonian’s collections, staff took action and moved many materials off of the National
Description: Smithson's Gift EnduresWhat would James Smithson think if he saw today's Smithsonian Institution—the world's largest museum and research complex?The activities of the Smithsonian Institution 150 years after its founding embody "the increase and diffusion of knowledge" in virtually all the modern interpretations of those words. Millions of sightseers each year enjoy Smithsonian