Every Collection has a Story. The Archives holds records that document the Smithsonian’s people, events, buildings, and research. The history of the Smithsonian is a vital part of the history of American experience, scientific exploration, and international cultural understanding.
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The Smithsonian Institution Archives Reading Room is open to the public by appointment Tuesday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Please contact OSIAREF@si.edu to schedule an appointment.
Appointment times are currently filling up 3-4 weeks in advance. For more information about Smithsonian Libraries and Archives locations, see Library Locations and Smithsonian Institution Archives Reference. To requests an appointment at another location, use Contact Us.
Appointment times are currently filling up 3-4 weeks in advance. For more information about Smithsonian Libraries and Archives locations, see Library Locations and Smithsonian Institution Archives Reference. To requests an appointment at another location, use Contact Us.
Explore all 58,418 records that document the Smithsonian's people, events, buildings, exhibits, and research:
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Capturing, preserving, and sharing the history of the Smithsonian Institution
Explore the history of the Smithsonian Institution:
May 8, 1995
The Smithsonian Institution launches its Home Page (www.si.edu) on the World Wide Web. The site is officially opened with a demonstration in House Speaker Newt Gingrich's office. The site contains more then 1,500 electronic pages and contains overviews in Spanish, German, and French. Within the first twenty-four hours the page receives about 100,000 hits.
