HistoricSiteMarkers
Early Republic

Smithsonian Institution Building

Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia

Marker Inscription

Smithsonian Institution Building has been designated a Registered National Historic Landmark under the provisions of the Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935. This site possesses exceptional value in commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States. U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service.

Erected by National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior

The Story

This plaque marks the Smithsonian Institution Building — the red-sandstone "Castle" on the National Mall — as a Registered National Historic Landmark. The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 with a bequest from British scientist James Smithson, and its first building, completed in the mid-1850s, became the seedbed of America's national museums and research collections. The National Park Service confers the landmark designation under the Historic Sites Act of 1935.

Why it matters

The Smithsonian embodies the young republic's ambition to gather and share knowledge for "the increase and diffusion" of learning, and it grew into the nation's premier complex of museums and science.

Plan your visit

Nearby

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  • Refreshments
    nearby
  • Dunkin'
    0.2 mi away · 1400 Jefferson Drive Southwest, Washington, DC
  • Refreshments
    0.2 mi away
  • Sushi Nakazawa
    0.3 mi away · 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC
  • Starbucks
    0.4 mi away · 1201 Maryland Avenue Southwest, The Portals, DC
  • The Bazaar
    0.4 mi away · 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC

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Related people

  • · James Smithson

Themes & tags

EducationInnovation & FlightLandmark

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