Description: The National Postal Museum was established by an agreement between the Smithsonian and the United States Postal Service in 1990. However, its extensive collections of stamps and other philatelic materials date back to 1886. The Postal Museum is housed in the lower level of the former Washington City Post Office Building, which was built in 1914. The postcards in this gallery
Description: [view:sia_slideshow==75408]Scientific research has been integral to the Smithsonian, from its founding to today. The Smithsonian's founder, Englishman James Smithson, saw in the U.S. (according to his biographer, Heather Ewing) "a place of the future" that could support "science and progress for humanity." He believed that scientists were "citizens of the world" and that the
Description: The Freer Gallery of Art’s collections were donated to the Smithsonian in 1906 and its building opened in 1923. It was the first Smithsonian museum specializing in fine arts. The building was designed by Charles A. Platt in the Italian Renaissance style. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery was established in 1982 to complement the Freer, and it opened in 1987. Together, the Freer