Quiz of the Day
Smithsonian Institution Founded
Monday, 10 August 2026
Founded on August 10, 1846, the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum complex — explore its treasures, science, and America's cultural heritage
1. Who founded the Smithsonian Institution, and what was unusual about the donation?
- Congress, using public funds
- James Smithson, a British scientist who never visited America
- Andrew Carnegie, a US industrialist
- Abraham Lincoln, to celebrate the Union
The Smithsonian was founded with a bequest from James Smithson, an English scientist who never set foot in America but left his entire estate — about $508,000 in gold sovereigns — to 'the United States of America to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.' Nobody knows exactly why.
2. How many museums and research centers does the Smithsonian Institution operate?
- 26
- 8
- 14
- 19
The Smithsonian operates 19 museums and galleries, 21 libraries, 9 research centers, and a zoo across the United States and Panama. With 154 million objects in its collection, it's impossible to display more than 1% at any time. Admission to all Smithsonian museums on the National Mall is free, thanks to James Smithson's endowment and federal funding.
3. What famous aircraft is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington DC?
- The Wright Brothers' Flyer
- Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia
- The Spirit of St. Louis
- Neil Armstrong's spacesuit
The Wright Brothers' original 1903 Flyer — the first powered, controlled airplane — hangs in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The Smithsonian and the Wright Brothers had a complicated relationship: the museum initially credited someone else for the first flight, and Orville Wright kept the Flyer in England for 20 years until the dispute was resolved.
4. The Hope Diamond, one of the most famous gems in the world, is housed in which Smithsonian museum?
- National Air and Space Museum
- National Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- National Museum of American History
The Hope Diamond is a 45.52-carat deep-blue diamond believed to have originated in India. It carries a legendary curse — previous owners included a French king, Marie Antoinette, and several others who reportedly suffered terrible fates. Jeweler Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian in 1958, mailing it via regular US postal service insured for $1 million.
5. What is the oldest Smithsonian building, known as 'The Castle'?
- The National Portrait Gallery
- The Freer Gallery
- The Smithsonian Institution Building
- The National Zoo
The Smithsonian Institution Building — nicknamed 'The Castle' for its red sandstone Norman-revival architecture — was completed in 1855 and designed by architect James Renwick Jr. (who also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York). The crypt of James Smithson himself is located in a chamber inside the Castle, his remains having been transported from Italy in 1904.
6. Which Smithsonian museum holds the original Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the US national anthem?
- National Archives
- National Museum of American History
- National Portrait Gallery
- Smithsonian Castle
The original Star-Spangled Banner — the 30x42 foot flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the British bombardment in 1814 — is preserved in a climate-controlled chamber at the National Museum of American History. Francis Scott Key saw the flag still flying after the night-long battle and wrote the poem that became the national anthem. The flag has lost 8 feet of its original length to souvenir cuts.
7. What percentage of the Smithsonian's collection is on public display at any given time?
- Less than 1%
- About 30%
- About 5%
- About 15%
With 154 million objects, the Smithsonian can only display a fraction at any time — well under 1%. The vast majority is stored in research facilities, including a massive off-site storage center in Maryland called the Museum Support Center. Items in storage are available to researchers worldwide and many are accessible through the Smithsonian's online digital collections.
8. What is the Smithsonian's National Zoo famous for in terms of wildlife conservation?
- The first zoo to breed pandas outside China
- Being the first zoo to open in the US
- Housing the last living ivory-billed woodpecker
- Its giant panda conservation and breeding program
The National Zoo in Washington DC has had giant pandas since 1972 when China gifted Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing to the US following Nixon's historic visit. The zoo's giant panda program has been central to global panda conservation research. Giant pandas are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity — the zoo's scientists developed artificial insemination techniques now used by zoos worldwide.
9. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory operates what famous telescopes?
- The James Webb Space Telescope
- The Chandra X-ray Observatory
- The Very Large Array
- Hubble Space Telescope
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) co-manages the Chandra X-ray Observatory, launched in 1999. Chandra has provided unprecedented views of black holes, neutron stars, and galaxy clusters. SAO also operates dozens of ground-based telescopes worldwide and was the institution that coordinated the first-ever photograph of a black hole, released in 2019 by the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration.
10. Which American president's top hat is part of the Smithsonian's collection?
- George Washington
- John F. Kennedy
- Abraham Lincoln
- Theodore Roosevelt
Lincoln's stovepipe top hat, worn on the night of his assassination at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, is preserved at the National Museum of American History. Inside the hatband was a black mourning band he wore for his son Willie, who died in 1862. Lincoln habitually stored documents and letters inside his tall hat.
11. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian opened in which year?
- 2010
- 1994
- 2004
- 1980
The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) opened on the National Mall in 2004 after over 20 years of planning with Native American communities. Critically, the museum's design, content, and programming were developed with — and largely by — indigenous peoples themselves. It is built on the last open piece of land on the Mall and its curvilinear limestone exterior echoes natural rock formations.
12. What is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival?
- A Smithsonian TV documentary series
- A traveling exhibition of indigenous art
- An annual performance art event in New York
- A free outdoor cultural festival on the National Mall since 1967
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival has been held on the National Mall every summer since 1967, presenting living cultural traditions from the US and around the world. It features craftspeople, musicians, storytellers, and cooks sharing traditions with visitors for free. Over 50 years it has presented more than 90 countries and all 50 US states.
13. Which famous dinosaur skeleton is nicknamed 'Nation's T. rex' and is displayed at the Smithsonian?
- Tristan
- Stan
- The Wankel T. rex
- Sue
The Smithsonian's T. rex, nicknamed 'The Nation's T. rex,' was discovered in Montana in 1988 by rancher Kathy Wankel on Bureau of Land Management property. After nearly 30 years in the US Army Corps of Engineers collection, it was loaned permanently to the Smithsonian. At over 38 feet long and displaying a uniquely healed fibula fracture, it's one of the best-preserved T. rex specimens ever found.
14. The Smithsonian opened its first museum on the African continent in which country?
- South Africa
- Nigeria
- Egypt
- Ghana
The Smithsonian opened a partnership museum in Ghana — a significant choice given Ghana's history as a major departure point during the Atlantic slave trade. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule in 1957, under Kwame Nkrumah, whose vision of pan-African unity still resonates across the continent.
15. What is the newest Smithsonian museum, which opened in 2016?
- National Museum of Asian Pacific American History
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Museum of Women in the Arts
- National Museum of the American Latino
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) opened on September 24, 2016, and was the most-visited museum on the National Mall for years afterward. Its distinctive bronze-latticed exterior is inspired by Yoruba crown architecture from West Africa. The museum covers African American history from slavery through the civil rights movement to contemporary culture and contributions to American life.