SMITHSONIAN, Smithsonian

Hello, my name’s Marcy, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world: the Smithsonian, the most important cultural institution on the entire American continent.

It was founded in 1835, following a bequest worth 500,000 dollars at the time made to the US by the British scientist James Smithson for the purpose of spreading knowledge. Today the Institution is a government body with study centers spread throughout the country. It also manages a zoo and a total of 19 museums, most of them in Washington.

The 156 million pieces displayed in its museums make up the largest collection of rarities in the world. In total, the Smithsonian Museums are visited by over 30 million tourists a year. Entry to all the museums is free....