224- THE WORLD'S MOST FASCINATING HISTORY MYSTERIES #8...JAMES SMITHSON!.....

James Smithson....oh, where have you heard that name before?
This successful scientist from the late 18th and early 19th century was a naturalized British citizen (French) who never once set foot in our America, BUT, leaves all Americans, and the world, forever, his name and absolute curious fascinating for....natural science!...and $$$$. Ready to discover how and why?....soon!
He inherited, after his parent's death, a goodly sum of money, but did not let him simply live the good life. He was an avid and diligent researched, determinted to earn a name for himself among the world's scientists....at a young age! His voluminous notes were published from his expert scientif experiements. He even wrote his Last Will and Testament with expert details in 1826.
He left all to a nephew, and state that if his nephew died without an heir the money would go "to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowlege...."

And take a gander, today, along the Washington Mall, what encompasses our Smithsonian Institution. I am told that the huge amount of collections are stored away in nondescript warehouses throughout the D.C. suburbs and not in familiar exhibitions along the Mall.

The museums are numerous, and many I have explored. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur Sackler Gallery have Asian American art. The National Museum of African Art, National Museum of American History and National Museum of Natural History. The latter one is one of my faves, with the huge elephant in the main lobby. And yes, there is quite a collection of mummies inside this one. The Nationa Museum of the American Indian, National Portrait Gallery and National Postal Museum. And the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery, with folk art, crafts and photography from the 18th C. to the present.
But, since kidhood, my absolute fave is the National Zoological Park, with over 400 animals spread out over a 163-acre park. Little secret: the REAL title of this zoo is...The Rock Creek Zoological Park. When you check out your trusty and good maps of D.C., you'll notice that there is a narrow green space running for quite a distance in town...that's Rock Creek Park!
Oh, I forgot the Smithsonian Institution Building know as "The Castle", along the Mall. The distinct looking redstone building is now the Info Center. There's also the Hishhorn Museum and Sculture Garden and the popular National Air and Space Museum...both near each other on OUR National Mall!

Thanks, James Smithson, who never visited our America and had NO concept of what today is America's premiere SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION...you done good!