Do you know where the name "Smithsonian" came from? Me neither.
It started with a British scientist named James Smithson, who left some resources to the U.S. government that were directed to be dedicated to the "increase and diffusion of knowledge." Considering the 21 museums and some research centers, I'd say this worked out quite well.
The Smithsonian does a wonderful job of collecting a variety of items representing America. There are historically significant items such as flags that are more than 200 years old and a replica of the first atomic bomb.
Then there are pop culture items, like Fonzie's jacket from "Happy Days." It's easy to figure that everyone takes this picture -- the chairs that the Bunkers used in "All in the Family." You can almost hear Archie saying, "Get out of the chair, Edith."
Better still, it's all free. Thank you, Mr. Smithson.
No comments:
Post a Comment