Top 10 Astonishing Facts about the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Research Institute was founded in honour of James Smithson. Smithson was an English scientist who left his wealth to his nephew when he died in 1829. In his will Smithson indicated that in the event his nephew died without an heir, the assets were to go to the United States. In 1835, his nephew died without an heir and the assets were passed to the US Government.

At the time, the US federal government could not accept such a gift. Nonetheless, through John Quincy Adams’s efforts Smithson’s estate was liquidated. The total amount was USD 508,318.46 which all went to the US Government. It was not clear what Smithson’s directive was. His will indicated the funds should be used for the ‘increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.’

After disagreements, the congressional act of 1846 established a private institution in the trust of the US Government. Although the initial concept was to have a university, additional ideas incorporated an observatory, research centre, library, and museum. In 1847, the Smithsonian Institution Building cornerstone was laid on the National Mall in Washington D.C. In 1855, the building which was designed by James Renwick and inspired by Norman architecture was completed.

Below are 10 amazing facts about the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

1. James Smithson never set foot in the United States

James Smithson (ca. 1765-1829). Portrait by Henri-Joseph Johns/Wikimedia Commons

Smithson who was born in 1765 was a wealthy British adventurer. At the time of his death in 1829, Smithson had amassed an estate worth about USD 500,000.

Smithson left his estate to his nephew Henry James Dickinson who was 18 years at the time. Dickson died heirless six years later and the Smithson’s estate, as per his will, went to the US government.

The act which approved the Smithsonian institute was signed into law by President James Polk signed in 1846. Smithson had never set foot in the United States and it’s not clear why he chose to bequeath his wealth to the US government.

2. Smithson’s instructions on how to utilize the funds were a bit vague

1896 marble grave marker for James Smithson in the crypt of the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jonathunder/Wikimedia Commons

Smithson’s instructions were for the funds to ‘Increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.’ It took about a decade for the politicians, educators and civilians to come to a consensus.

A compromise on the ideas led to the 1855 completion of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1858, the institution was designated as a National Museum.

3. The Smithsonian Collection was hidden during World War II

The Smithsonian Building in Washington D.C. Photo by Wikimedia Commons

During the Second World War, it was believed that Axis forces would endeavour to destroy the museum’s collection. To safeguard the collection, the museum moved them to an undisclosed location.

The artefacts were returned to the museum in 1944. It is now known that the artefacts had been stored in a climate-controlled warehouse near Luray in Virginia.

4. The Smithsonian National Zoo was Smokey Bear’s home for 26 years

Smokey Bear enjoying the honey and berries that are dispensed from his new automated dispensing tree put in his exhibition area in the summer of 1984. Photo by Jessie Cohen/Wikimedia Commons

In 1950, a forest fire razed Capitan in New Mexico. The U.S. Forest Service rescued and adopted a bear cub and named him Smokey Bear after their ad campaign of that era.

Smokey Bear was taken to the National Zoo where he spent his remaining 26 years.

5. The Smithsonian Museum displays only one per cent of its artefacts

A field trip to the Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston/Wikimedia Commons

The Smithsonian’s artefacts are estimated to be about 154 million pieces. Only 1 per cent of these diverse artefacts and specimens are displayed at any given time.

6. Not all artefacts are open for public viewing

A display at the Smithsonian Museum. Photo by J. Amill Santiago on Unsplash

The Smithsonian has a unique and diverse collection of artefacts in its possession. Among them are human remains which include shrunken heads. The remains also include what is referred to as the soap man.

Due to a chemical reaction with the soil, the body created a soap-like substance. Over the years the Smithsonian has become a bit cautious and now keeps most of the human artefacts closed off to the public.

7. The exhibit on the Hiroshima bombing stirred controversy

The Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C. Photo by David Bjorgen/Wikimedia Commons

In 1994, the museum organizers were criticised for displaying the Enola Gay. The Enola Gay is the bomber plane used during World War II to drop bombs on Hiroshima.

Members of Congress and veteran groups felt the display would elicit political outcry. As result, the museum omitted text that highlighted the horrific outcome of the bomb.

The museum also removed text indicating the US and rival casualties that may have occurred had the bomb not been dropped.

8. An undiscovered dolphin species lay at the Smithsonian for half a decade

In 2016, two researchers came across the skull of a dolphin that had been in the Smithsonian for 50 years. The researchers who were looking for marine mammals at the time named the dolphin Arktocara yakataga.

Believed to have inhabited the arctic, Arktocara yakataga’s skull is said to be that of a river dolphin that was estimated to be 25-million-year-old.

9. The Smithsonian has a mismatched pair of slippers from the Wizard of Oz

A Smithsonian specimen from Kelly Mine, Socorro County, New Mexico. Millions of small, needle-like crystals form each mound on this specimen. The mineral is named after James Smithsonian, founder of the Smithsonian Institution. He first recognized smithsonite as a distinct mineral. It is mined for zinc. Photo by Sanjay Acharya/Wikimedia Commons

A pair of slippers from the 1939 adaptation of The Wizard of Oz is on display at the Smithsonian. In 2016, the Smithsonian raised more than USD 300,000 to build a case that would prevent the slippers, though mismatched, from deteriorating.

The actress Judy Garland wore several pairs of slippers in the film nonetheless, the Smithsonian wants to preserve this part of history.

10. Smithson’s remains were moved to the US in 1904

James Smithson’s remains are in the Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle) in Washington, DC. Photo by Daderot/Wikimedia Commons

75 years after Smithson died, a stone quarry expansion would have led to the displacement of his remains. US officials were informed and they decided to move Smithson’s casket to the Smithsonian Institute.

The casket which travelled by sea was escorted by Alexander Graham Bell. After 14 days of travel, the casket was entombed at the Smithsonian Institute in a crypt known as the castle. This area is open to the general public. 

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest collection of natural history. With 19 museums spread along the East Coast and millions of artefacts and specimens, the Smithsonian holds America’s richest history. The institution provides advanced research facilities and a library as well as state of the art storage facilities.