Smithsonian

Smithsonian The Smithsonian Institute was established in 1846 with funds left to the United States by James Smithson. While the institution named after James Smithson enjoys worldwide fame and distinction, very little is actually known about the man who left $508,318 to the people of the United States to found such an institution. An English scientist who conducted research in the academic areas of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology, Smithson lived and traveled in several European countries. His schooling and interests afforded him the opportunity to mix with many noted scientists. Smithson was born in France in 1765. Named James Lewis Macie, he was the illegitimate son of Hugh Smithson, who later became the first Duke of Northumberland, and Elizabeth Keate Hungerford Macie, a widow of royal blood. Smithson and his half brother Henry Louis Dickinson inherited a considerable amount of estate from their mother’s family. The Institute is an independent trust instrumentality of the United States, holding more that 140 million artifacts and specimens in its trust for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” The Institute is also a center for research dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, sciences, and history. smithsonian, national, museum, museums, institute, american, smithson, arts, united, history, galleries, very, states, research, located, gallery, building, art, washington, places, mall, known, james, internet, institution, information, centers, center, zoological, wonderful, websites, virtual, trust, student’s