Research Resources

The Smithsonian Institution Archives collects, preserves and makes available the official records of the Institution and special collections documenting Smithsonian staff, artifacts, benefactors, events, exhibits, structures and research supported by the Institution. The resources below are available at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Unless otherwise noted, access to the materials below requires the assistance of a Reference Archivist. Make the most of your visit to the Archives by using these and other resources here at your disposal.

Biographical File:
Record Unit 7098 -- This collection contains biographies of individuals associated with the Smithsonian as either administrative officers, curators, collectors, donors, regents, or research associates. The biographical file, accessible by personal name, consists primarily of news clippings, photographs, press releases and obituaries. Biographical subjects include Howard I. Chapelle, maritime and naval historian; Joseph Henry, scientist and first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; and photographer Thomas William Smillie. Return to top

History of Smithsonian Institution Bibliography -- An annotated bibliography, it contains approximately 1,000 citations to articles and books documenting the history of the Institution and the lives of its staff. Each entry contains a full bibliographic citation, summary of the contents, notes on important information about the publication, and index terms. The SI History Bibliography is available on the Internet in SIRIS, the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System, at www.siris.si.edu. Return to top

Image Database --The image database provides textual descriptions of more than 3,500 images in the Smithsonian Institution Archives or which document the history of the Smithsonian. The database provides caption information, a physical description, location, creator, and negative number, if available. Images described include Smithsonian buildings, artifacts, specimens, exhibits, and events; individuals involved in the history of the Smithsonian; and documents significant in Smithsonian history. Return to top

Information File -- A collection of assorted materials documenting and relating to the Smithsonian Institution. Arranged alphabetically, the collection includes exhibit catalogs, museum programs, brochures, news clippings and copies of legislation pertaining to the creation and development of the Institution. Examples of these materials are models and drawings of The Quadrangle, A Center for African, Near Eastern and Asian Cultures; Guidebooks to the National Museums; and Sybil E. Hamlet's manuscript, The National Zoological Park: From Its Beginnings to 1973. Return to top

Joseph Henry Papers Database -- A computerized, item-level index of documents related to Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Each document is described by author, recipient, date, repository, and number of pages, thus allowing for greater search flexibility and the quick delivery of customized reports. For additional information, please consult a member of the Joseph Henry Papers Project. Return to top

Name Index -- One half of the Index to Finding Aids, the name index is an alphabetical list of personal names appearing in the Smithsonian Institution Archives' historical records and manuscript holdings. Use it in conjunction with the Guide to the Smithsonian Archives (1996) and the Smithsonian Institution Research Information Service (SIRIS) to locate records by or about secretaries, regents, Smithsonian staff, benefactors of the Smithsonian, United States political figures, notable foreign and domestic scientists, and other prominent individuals. (See also Subject Index) Return to top

News Clippings Files:
Record Unit 96 -- These records consists of news clippings and magazine articles concerning persons and events in Smithsonian history. The clippings were collected between 1852-1968. There is no finding aid for this collection. Clippings are arranged chronologically.

Record Unit 372, Office of Public Affairs -- These records consist entirely of newspaper clippings concerning the Smithsonian Institution. Collected between 1956-1991, the collection includes clippings concerning the Smithsonian Bicentennial, the Festival of American Folklife and the Johnson Sea-Link accident. The collection is arranged alphabetically. Return to top

Photograph Collection:
Record Unit 95 -- The collection consists of ten (10) series of photographs of people, places, things and events related to the Smithsonian Institution or United States history. The majority date from the mid- to late-19th century. To order copies of photographs and negatives see the photographic services brochure.

Series 1- Portraits. This collection division contains photographs of persons important in Smithsonian or United States history. The subjects include Smithsonian Institution secretaries, regents, staff, United States political figures, benefactors of the Smithsonian, notable foreign and domestic scientists, and other prominent individuals. The collection is arranged alphabetically.

Series 2 - Group Portraits. This collection division contains photographs of prominent scientific groups, Cornell University faculty, political groups and Smithsonian staff. The collection is arranged alphabetically.

Series 3 - Buildings and Facilities. This collection division contains photographs documenting the planning, construction, architecture and use of Smithsonian Institution buildings, grounds, and facilities. The materials are arranged by building, as are photographs related to building exteriors, floor plans and interiors. Photographs of ground breaking and cornerstone laying ceremonies are in Series 6, Events.

Series 4 - Exhibits. This collection division contains photographs of permanent and special exhibits of the Smithsonian and its museums. For photographs of exhibit openings, see Series 6, Events.

Series 5 - Specimens, Artifacts, Equipment. This collection division contains photographs of specimens in the Smithsonian collections and of equipment used in research and other activities of the Institution, as well as some photographs of other artifacts. Examples include an African Big-Eared Fox; boat and ship models; and Peruvian feather ponchos.

Series 6 - Events. This collection division contains a chronological file of photographs documenting events in the Smithsonian's history. The majority of photographs are of exhibit openings, specimen presentations, dedications, and other ceremonies held between 1871 and 1981. Photographs include the Shanidar Cave Excavation (Northern Iraq); Smithsonian African Expedition; and the Hope Diamond Presentation.

Series 7 - Expositions. This collection division contains photographs of expositions, mainly those in which the Smithsonian and its museums took part. Especially well-documented are the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893; Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, 1895; and the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, 1901.

Series 8 - Smithsonian Insignia and Medals. This collection division contains photographs of badges of office, documents, flags, insignia, medals, and other emblems of significance to the Institution.

Series 9 - Washington, D.C. and Vicinity. This collection division contains photographs of non-Smithsonian buildings and sites in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. Subjects include Mount Vernon, the White House, and the Old Executive Office Building.

Series 10 - Slides. This collection division contains slides of people, groups, buildings, and exhibits. Some of these slides are reproductions of photographs found in other series. Subjects include Joseph Henry's living quarters in the East Wing of the Castle, James Smithson, and James Renwick. Return to top

Prints and Drawings:
Record Unit 92 -- A collection of original drawings and reproductions documenting over thirty structures, primarily Smithsonian buildings. The collection documents the work of the architects who helped develop not only the Smithsonian Institution's buildings and grounds, but also Washington landmarks such as the Washington Monument and Rock Creek Park. Noted architects and firms represented include: Henry Bacon, Hornblower and Marshall, and James Renwick. Use the in-house database, the Architectural Drawings Database System, to perform a variety of searches. Return to top

Research File -- This is a collection of files for quick referral to frequently asked questions about the Smithsonian Institution, research supported by the Institution, Smithsonian staff, and benefactors. Among the files maintained are materials relating to the National Air and Space Museum's Enola Gay exhibit; names of the members of the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents; and the Smithsonian Institution-Peace Corps Program to provide assistance to developing countries on natural and environmental issues. Return to top

Smithsonian Institution Chronology -- A list of significant events in the history of the Smithsonian Institution, from the life of James Smithson in the 1700s to the present. Each entry consists of an event title, date, abstract, references, notes, and index terms. There are approximately 2,500 entries compiled from primary sources in the Smithsonian Institution Archives and secondary sources documenting the history of the Institution. The database is available on the Internet through SIRIS, the Smithsonian Institution Research Information Service, at www.siris.si.edu. Return to top

Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) -- An interactive, integrated system of research catalogs maintained by the Smithsonian Institution's archives, libraries and research units supporting the Smithsonian's research community. SIRIS has five catalogs available for searching. They include: Library Catalog; Art Inventories Catalog; Archives and Manuscripts Catalog; Research/Bibliographies Catalog and the Smithsonian Chronology. SIRIS is accessible through the Internet at www.siris.si.edu. For a demonstration of SIRIS in the Archives Reading Room, contact a Reference Archivist for assistance. Return to top

Subject Index -- The second half of the Index to Finding Aids, the subject index is an alphabetical list of non-personal names and subject terms appearing in the Smithsonian Institution Archives' historical records and manuscript holdings. The index lists the dates for which subjects appear and the record unit in which they appear. Use it in conjunction with the Guide to the Smithsonian Archives (1996), SIRIS, the Smithsonian Chronology and a variety of other information files and databases listed in this brochure to find records on the subjects you are interested in. (See also Name Index) Return to top

Topical Databases -- The Institutional History Division has prepared a series of databases on special topics to provide access to documents and images in our collections on the history of African Americans at the Smithsonian, the history of women at the Smithsonian, and on the Smithsonian's relationship to Latin America. Entries in these databases describe letters, expedition journals, images and other archival materials relating to the special topic. Not all collections have been surveyed for the topical databases, but a wide and typical range of materials, such as administration, art, astrophysics, botany, ecology, geology, history, and zoology, have been surveyed. To search one of these databases, contact the Institutional History Division. Return to top

For more information contact a Reference Archivist at osiaref@osia.si.edu or (202) 357-1420.