In 1846, when Congress authorized an institution "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge," no one could have predicted what the Smithsonian Institution would eventually become. Today, on our 175th anniversary, the Smithsonian is the world"s largest museum, education, and research complex. And in the decades that I have worked here—as an educator, curator, museum director, and now as Secretary—I have watched us grow into a vital and vibrant 21st-century institution: conducting groundbreaking research, becoming a national leader in K-12 education, creating new museums that represent the American experience more fully, and equipping our audiences to tackle the world"s most pressing challenges.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the institution s 175th anniversary
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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International Rock Day
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Celebrating the Acadians
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Saint Nicholas Day in Verbier, Switzerland
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Black Fell in England s Lake District
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Travel Sunday: San Francisco
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Splügen Pass, Switzerland
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Does this shark have an Irish accent?
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World Rhinoceros Day
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Wild scene on the Merced River
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The largest living organism on Earth
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What kind of bird laid these eggs?
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Great horned owl fledglings
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A truly American monument
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Bridge to infinity
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A day to take a moment
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Fall comes to Pando
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Don’t get lost in there
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Mute swans
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Acadia transformed
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Classical music takes center stage
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St. Patricks Day
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Unbearable cuteness
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Can you see the family resemblance?
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Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting
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World Childrens Day
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A hermitage with a view
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Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
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Spotted Lake emerges
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Happy Easter!
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Big-wave hunters watch Nazaré