It was originally organized as the United States National Museum, but that name ceased to exist administratively in 1967. The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Founded on August 10, 1846, it operates as a trust instrumentality and is not formally a part of any of the three branches of the federal government.
Government 'for the increase and diffusion of knowledge'.
The Smithsonian Institution ( / s m ɪ θ ˈ s oʊ n i ə n/ smith- SOH-nee-ən), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Smithsonian Institution (the United States) Show map of the United States
