The Smithsonian Institution is an American scientific research institution headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded by British scientist James Smithson in 1846 and is the world’s largest museum complex and research organization, with 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. The Institution’s collections contain more than 142 million objects, making it one of the largest museums in the world.
Smithsonian Institution researchers conduct scientific research on a wide range of topics, from astrophysics to zoology. The Institution also supports education programs for students of all ages and operates several public outreach initiatives. The Smithsonian Institution is a trust instrumentality of the United States government and receives federal funding each year to support its operations.