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This astonishing institution is located on Jefferson Drive at 10th Street SW. It would be a crying shame to miss out on it during your visit to Washington. Many misguided people believe it simply consists of a building and some pretty gardens. How wrong they are! It all began when an English gentleman donated his estate "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". The offer, which was estimated to be worth $515,000 at the time, was accepted in 1846. Today it boasts the biggest cluster of museums in earth, the National Zoo and more than 140 million specimens and objects. It is also the centre for varying worldwide projects, including endangered species in the rainforests, molecular biology, aerodynamics and much more. The Smithsonian Institution's yearly budget is not far off $400 million and employs in excess of 6000 people. The 1855, turreted, red-sandstone castle is an ideal place to begin your tour. It is full of state of the art interactive maps, which help you navigate. There are also guides at hand if you are unsure of anything. The opening hours of the institution are from 10am to 5:30pm daily and admission is free. |