Psychiatr News February 15, 2008
Volume 43, Number 4, page 4
© 2008 American Psychiatric Association
Surprise Gift Keeps on Giving After More Than 160 Years
Joan Arehart-Treichel
It's still not clear why a British scientist named James Smithson
bequeathed money for what became the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.
But countless local residents and visitors are glad he did.
You might call it "tit for tat." During the War of 1812, the
British burned the White House and other public buildings in Washington, D.C.
But a few years later, the Americans got even in an unexpected
way—British scientist James Smithson bequeathed money to the United
States for the "increase and diffusion" of knowledge. So in 1846,
the Smithsonian Institution was established in Washington, D.C.—not in
Britain.
In the 162 years since, the Smithsonian Institution has mushroomed into a
collection of fabulous museums. Today they are among the marvels of the
nation's capital and, most notably, are open to the public at no charge.
| |
The Hope Diamond and an enormous African bull elephant are among the
treasures that can be found in the National Museum of Natural History. The
diamond is supposedly cursed.
Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution
|
|
In the National Museum of Natural History, you can get up close and
personal with ancient dinosaur bones and stuffed predators. A new
exhibit—"Butterflies and Plants: Partners in
Evolution"—showcases live butterflies and plants in an enclosed
pavilion. A zoo of live insects can be found on the second floor. There,
volunteers conduct tarantula-feeding demonstrations, work with live insects
that visitors may touch and hold, and answer questions. A film in the museum's
IMAX theater offers "Sea Monsters 3D: A Prehistoric Adventure." It
weaves together a story about an ancient and mysterious ocean world containing
some of the most formidable creatures of all time.
The National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection
of historic air- and spacecraft in the world, making it the most popular
Smithsonian museum. You can view the original Wright 1903 Flyer, Charles
Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module, and
breathtaking IMAX films about flying. You can also touch a lunar rock, and you
can visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium. It has been upgraded to include a
Sky Vision dual digital projection system and six-channel digital surround
sound, so that you'll be not only overwhelmed with spectacular images and
spine-tingling sounds, but also actually feel as if you are zooming through
the cosmos.
The National Museum of the American Indian is new since the last APA
annual meeting in Washington, D.C. (see 500 Years of Triumph, Tragedy in Focus at Newest Museum).
And if that is not enough to walk your legs off, flood your senses, and
stuff your brain with knowledge, you might also want to stop by some other
Smithsonian museums, such as the Anacostia Community Museum, Arthur
M. Sackler Gallery, Freer Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden, National Museum of A frican Art, National
Portrait Gallery, National Postal Museum, and the National
Zoo.
In the Anacostia Community Museum, you can experience a
living-history presentation of Frederick Douglass, a noted 19th-century black
social activist who lived in Washington, D.C. Or you can view an environmental
video about restoring the Anacostia River and the depressed riverside
communities fronting the
river.
In the National Postal Museum, you can see one of the world's
largest collections of stamps, postal-history material that predates stamps,
vehicles used to transport mailboxes and mailbags, and postal uniforms and
equipment. 
Related Article:
-
500 Years of Triumph, Tragedy in Focus at Newest Museum
- Joan Arehart-Treichel
Psychiatr News 2008 43: 4.
[Full Text]
Get information about faster international access.
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2008
American Psychiatric Association.
All rights reserved.
Home
| Search
| Current Issue
| Past Issues
| Subscribe
| All APPI Journals
| Help
| Contact Us
|
