Smithsonian American Art Museum, A Haven of Knowledge and Culture

1300 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA

3.9

Introduction

The Smithsonian Institution is one of the largest museum systems in the world, with 18 museums, galleries, and the National Zoo. It displays 136.5 million art and specimen collections for people to enjoy and is an academic research center dedicated to public education, national service, and the fields of art, science, and history. The museum was established in 1846, with funding donated to the United States by British scientist James Smithson, with the aim of accumulating and disseminating knowledge. Ten museums and galleries in the Smithsonian Museum system are located on either side of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. between the Washington Monument and the United States Capitol, while an additional six museums and the National Zoo are scattered throughout other parts of the city. Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum, and the George Gustav Heye Center of the National Museum of the American Indian are located in New York City. Currently, the Smithsonian is preparing to construct the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the only closed building is the Arts and Industries Building, which is undergoing renovations.