Today is the Smithsonian's 164th birthday! It's hard to believe that the world's largest museum complex has been around for so long. With over 19 free museums to enjoy, you'll never get tired of visiting this must-see DC attraction. In honor of the Smithsonian's birthday, I put together a few fun facts that you may or may not know about this popular destination:
*The Smithsonian's first building, commonly known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick Jr, whose other works include St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC.
*The founding father, James Smithson, was a British Scientist who left his entire estate to the United States to establish the Smithsonian Institution. For an interesting article on Smithson, click here.
*The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History.
*There were more than 30 million visitors to the museums and the National Zoo in 2009.
I highly recommend visiting this wonderful institution next time you're in Washington, D.C.
-Stacey
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