ABSTRACT
The Smithsonian Institution was established in 1846 for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” It now consists of an array of 9 research institutes, educational resources, and 19 museums and a zoo; indeed, it is the largest museum complex in the world. The Smithsonian serves as the national museum of the United States, with collections in the arts, cultural studies, humanities, and science, welcoming 24.2 million visitors and 183.6 million Web visits in 2007. Since the 1970s, the Institution has been automating access to its collections and since 1995 has been disseminating information via its Web site at https://www.smithsonian.org.
