Smithsonian Founded: America's Museum Opens Its Doors
President James K. Polk signed legislation on August 10, 1846, establishing the Smithsonian Institution after eight years of Congressional debate over how to interpret James Smithson's vague mandate for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. This act transformed a defaulted Arkansas bond investment into a permanent federal trust that now administers a vast network of museums and research centers across the nation.
August 10, 1846
180 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on August 10
Nineveh fell in 612 BCE. The Assyrian Empire had been the most powerful military machine in the ancient Near East for centuries — they used mass deportations, s…
The Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the angel Jibril within the cave of Hira, initiating the descent of the Qur'an. This night, known as Lay…
Pope Eugene I was elected in 654 while his predecessor Martinus I was still alive in exile — arrested by the Byzantine Emperor for opposing imperial theology. E…
The Battle of Lechfeld in 955 ended fifty years of Magyar raids into Western Europe. Otto I of Germany met a Magyar force on the Lech River with a cavalry charg…
The Battle of Maldon in 991 is famous because it failed so completely and someone wrote a poem about it. The English earl Bryhtnoth faced a Viking raiding party…
The Battle of Maldon in 991 saw the English forces, led by Byrhtnoth, defeated by Viking raiders near Maldon, Essex. This battle is significant in English histo…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.