11 Captivating Details About the Smithsonian’s Remarkable Collections

Spanning 21 museums and a zoo across the East Coast, the Smithsonian Institution stands as the nation’s most extensive treasury of American heritage. Encompassing culture, science, wildlife, and space exploration, this federally supported institution has dedicated nearly two centuries to preservation and education. Discover intriguing facts about its history and how its founder became a part of its exhibits.

Interestingly, the Smithsonian’s founder never visited the United States during his lifetime.

British explorer James Smithson (1765-1829), a wealthy traveler, accumulated a fortune of approximately $500,000 by the time of his death. He willed his estate to his nephew, Henry James Dickinson, with a unique condition: if Dickinson passed away without an heir, the fortune would be transferred to the United States to establish an institution dedicated to the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Dickinson died at 24, just six years later, prompting President James K. Polk to sign the legislation creating the Smithsonian Institution in 1846. Intriguingly, Smithson never set foot in the U.S., leaving historians to speculate that his decision stemmed from admiration for democracy or a desire to support a nation with limited educational resources at the time.

Smithson’s true intentions remain a mystery.

The phrase “increase and diffusion of knowledge” was open to wide interpretation, leading to a decade-long debate in the U.S. about how to utilize Smithson’s bequest. Educators, politicians, and the public proposed various ideas, such as founding a university, library, or observatory. The Smithsonian Institution emerged as a compromise, incorporating elements of these proposals. By 1855, the main building—now known as the Castle—was completed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and was officially named the National Museum in 1858 [PDF].

During World War II, Smithsonian curators safeguarded their collections from the Axis Powers.

During the peak of U.S. engagement in World War II, Smithsonian curators anticipated that Axis powers might target the cultural treasures housed at the museum’s National Mall location. To safeguard these invaluable artifacts, the Smithsonian organized their transfer to a secret site—later revealed to be near Luray, Virginia—where they were stored in a climate-controlled facility. The items remained there until their return in 1944.

Smokey Bear once called the National Zoo his home.

Indeed, the famous Smokey Bear (note the absence of the in his name) resided at the National Zoo. In 1950, a bear cub rescued from a devastating forest fire in Capitan, New Mexico, was taken in by the U.S. Forest Service and named Smokey, inspired by the era’s beloved advertising icon. As a living emblem of wildfire prevention, he spent 26 years at the zoo, delighting visitors and receiving countless jars of honey.

At any given time, the Smithsonian showcases only 1 percent of its vast collection.

To fulfill Smithson’s vision, the Smithsonian has become the world’s most extensive collector, amassing an estimated 137 million artifacts, specimens, and rare items, with official counts reaching 154 million. Despite this immense collection, only 1 percent is ever on display to the public.

An exhibit featuring the nuclear bomb sparked significant debate.

In 1994, museum organizers faced backlash for a planned exhibit featuring the Enola Gay, the aircraft responsible for dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II. Critics, including veterans' groups and congressional members, argued that the displayed material was politically biased. As a result, the museum decided to remove text near the exhibit that highlighted the bomb's devastating impact and omitted estimates of potential U.S. and Axis casualties had the bomb not been used.

Among the Smithsonian’s vast collection, one of the most unexpected items is a poorly received video game.

Among the myriad of unusual items listed in the Smithsonian’s catalog—ranging from taxidermied animals to beards—the 2014 addition of a 1982 Atari video game based on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial stands out as particularly odd. Known for its rushed production and its role in the early 1980s video game industry collapse, this game gained further notoriety when numerous cartridges were unearthed from a New Mexico landfill. One of these cartridges now resides in the museum's archives.

Jimmy Durante’s nose was rejected by the Smithsonian.

During the 1950s, actor and comedian Jimmy Durante became famous for his distinctive, large nose, measuring three inches from bridge to tip, earning him the nickname “the Great Schnozzola.” Seeing a chance for publicity, Durante’s team organized the creation of a plaster cast of his nose, proposing it as a piece of Americana for the Smithsonian. However, Frank Setzler, the museum’s anthropology head, dismissed the idea, reportedly stating, “Heavens, no. Who would want that? The only place we could use it would be in the elephant display.”

A previously unknown species of dolphin was discovered among the Smithsonian’s vast collection.

The Smithsonian’s extensive storage facilities hold countless specimens, some of which can astonish even seasoned scientists. In 2016, two researchers examining fossilized marine mammals unexpectedly found the skull of a 25-million-year-old river dolphin, which they named Arktocara yakataga. Believed to have been discovered in Alaska, this dolphin might have lived in the Arctic. The skull, described as “cute” by one researcher, had likely been sitting unnoticed on a shelf for 50 years before its identification.

The Smithsonian is dedicated to safeguarding Dorothy’s iconic slippers.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz are arguably the most famous shoes in pop culture and a hallmark of the Smithsonian. To prevent their deterioration, the institution raised more than $300,000 through Kickstarter to create an advanced preservation case. Although Judy Garland wore multiple pairs during filming, and the Smithsonian’s pair doesn’t match, it’s evident that visitors are eager to preserve them for future journeys down the yellow brick road.

Smithson’s remains eventually became part of the Smithsonian’s collection.

In 1904, nearly 75 years after his death in Italy, Smithson’s grave was threatened by a nearby stone quarry expansion. Smithsonian officials seized the opportunity to bring his remains to America, ensuring he could rest at the institution he inspired. Accompanied by Alexander Graham Bell, his casket journeyed for 14 days by sea before being entombed at the Smithsonian. Today, a marker designates his resting place, accessible to the public.