Description: The Secretary’s Gold Medal for Exceptional Service was created in 1964 and is the highest honor given to Smithsonian staff for exceptional service over a long period of time. On December 4, 2014, Secretary G. Wayne Clough presented this award to Pam Henson for a lifetime of exceptional service to the Smithsonian Institution. She began her career here in 1973 and has been in
Description: [view in Spanish][edan-image:id=siris_sic_6874,size=185,left]Alexander Wetmore was the sixth secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He developed an early interest in natural history and published his first paper on birds at the age of thirteen. He received a B.S. from the University of Kansas (1912) and and M.S. and Ph. D. from George Washington University (1916 &
Description: The Smithsonian Institution’s first building, the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick. Until 1881, it housed all aspects of Smithsonian operations, including research, administration, lecture and exhibit halls, library, laboratories, collections storage, and living quarters for the Secretary. Today, the Castle houses administrative offices and the Smithsonian
Description: A biography of Joseph Henry (1797–1878), noted U.S. scientist and first Secretary, or chief executive officer, of the new Smithsonian Institution in 1846.