This week I’ve chosen to look at the Smithsonian Institution. 13 facts barely scratches the surface of a place like that. I mean, they have more than thirteen museums for goodness sakes. So, let’s see what I managed to dig up.
13 Facts About the Smithsonian Institution:
1. The Smithsonian offers a variety of podcasts, including one called the “ZooGoer Podcast.”
2. According to their website, “the Washington, D.C. museums are open everday except December 25.”
3. There are currently 19 museums in the Smithsonian complex.
4. The Smithsonian also includes 9 research centers.
5. The money to create the Smithsonian came from a bequest in the will of one James Smithson, a British Scientist. Said scientist had never been to the United States, and the reason for this bequest – “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men” is something of a mystery.
6. The Smithsonian has a presence on Twitter, flickr, and YouTube.
7. If you want to work at the Smithsonian, check out their H.R. page. They need a Museum Building Manager and Accountant…
8. One of the magazines that the Smithsonian puts out is…Smithsonian Magazine.
9. The Smithsonian Astrophysics Observatory is one of the Smithsonian’s research centers.
10. Written in Bone is one of the current exhibitions at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
11. Among the other things to see at the National Air and Space Museum is the Albert Einstein Planetarium.
12. Can’t make it to the National Zoological Park to see the pandas? Try the PandaCam. (you may need to scroll down a bit to get to it.)
13. Want to spend a little time learning something new? Why not try the Encyclopedia Smithsonian?
