Official name: The Smithsonian Institution Building Built: 1847-1855 Designed by: James Renwick, Junior Type: Museum Location: 1000 Jefferson Drive, Southwest, Washington, United States
T he Smithsonian is one of America's great scientific and cultural landmarks, and wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of an Englishman. In 1846 James Smithson, an English scientist and son of the Duke of Northumberland, donated half a million dollars to found the Institution. With this heritage, it is only fitting that the building should resemble some sort of castle. But it is also ironic that it takes that form because when Congress chartered the Smithsonian, specific orders were given to make it very plain and "without unnecessary ornament." Instead they got James Renwick's interpretation of medieval revival.
In spite of what you see at first glance, this is not a uniform building. It is a work of subtle asymmetry with one end done in a fortress motif, the other as a cathedral. In between there are a number of chimneys and ramparts, no two the same. Still, the intent and the effect is that of an English college.
At the time of its completion, the Castle held offices, a lecture hall, library, chemical laboratory, natural history laboratory, art gallery, science museum, archives, and even for a time the home of its first secretary. It wasn't until the 1960's that the Smithsonian moved beyond its original building. Today the Castle is the administration building, and an information center. The rest of the institute and its 140,000,000 artifacts are scattered among 16 museums and galleries, the National Zoo, and a number of research facilities around the world.
The Smithsonian's features have inspired the architecture at a number of colleges, from the University of Chicago to Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. More importantly, its architecture used a number of old world styles to give American builders permission to break away from the copies of old world buildings they were producing.
A polka about the Smithsonian was written in 1855.
Karen Moellenberndt
Wednesday, October 13th, 2004 @ 5:22pm
Rating: One star. My grandmother, Margaret M. Pflieger was the Executive Secretary to building administration. She worked there for many years. She retired on July 10, 1970. A few years after her retirement I visited her in Washington D.C. and she took me to see the Smithsonian Castle Building. I thought it was a wonderful place that anybody would want to work. I enjoyed visiting several of the Smithsonian Museums while I was in Washington D.C. in 1979.
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Karen Moellenberndt
One star.