Company Profile
Smithsonian Institution Office of the Inspector General
Company Overview
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities.
Company History
The Smithsonian Institution was established with funds from James Smithson (1765-1829), a British scientist who left his estate to the United States to found “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
Smithson, the illegitimate child of a wealthy Englishman, had traveled much during his life, but had never once set foot on American soil. Why, then, would he decide to give the entirety of his sizable estate—which totaled half a million dollars, or 1/66 of the United States' entire federal budget at the time—to a country that was foreign to him?
Some speculate it was because he was denied his father's legacy. Others argue that he was inspired by the United States' experiment with democracy. Some attribute his philanthropy to ideals inspired by such organizations as the Royal Institution, which was dedicated to using scientific knowledge to improve human conditions. Smithson never wrote about or discussed his bequest with friends or colleagues, so we are left to speculate on the ideals and motivations of a gift that has had such significant impact on the arts, humanities, and sciences in the United States.
Smithson died in 1829, and six years later, President Andrew Jackson announced the bequest to Congress. On July 1, 1836, Congress accepted the legacy bequeathed to the nation and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust. In September 1838, Smithson's legacy, which amounted to more than 100,000 gold sovereigns, was delivered to the mint at Philadelphia. Recoined in U.S. currency, the gift amounted to more than $500,000.
After eight years of sometimes heated debate, an Act of Congress signed by President James K. Polk on Aug. 10, 1846, established the Smithsonian Institution as a trust to be administered by a Board of Regents and a Secretary of the Smithsonian. Since its founding, more than 164 years ago, the Smithsonian has become the world's largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums, the National Zoo, and nine research facilities.
Benefits
The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits program . See www.sihr.si.edu for details. We also offer a rich program of services and opportunities to balance and enhance your work life. They include: Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (an accredited educational program for children between the ages of 3 months to 6 years), transportation benefits, professional interest groups, employee advocacy groups, special events such as brown bag lunches, an annual picnic on the Mall, an annual holiday party, free lectures, behind-the-scenes tours and employee discounts at our theaters, shops and after hours events. These and other programs have made the Smithsonian one of the top 10 places to work in the government.