Description: The Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick, Jr. Construction began in 1847 and was finished in 1855. The statue in front of the Castle, which is visible in many of these postcards, is of Joseph Henry, who was the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. The postcards in this gallery provide exterior views of the Castle.
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