Whenever suitable arrangements can be made from time to time for their reception, all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States, which may be in the city of Washington, in whosesoever custody they may be, shall be delivered to such persons as may be authorized by the Board of Regents to receive them, and shall be so arranged and classified in the building erected for the institution as best to facilitate the examination and study of them; and whenever new specimens in natural history, geology, or mineralogy are obtained for the museum of the institution, by exchanges of duplicate specimens, which the Regents may in their discretion make, or by donation, which they may receive, or otherwise, the Regents shall cause such new specimens to be appropriately classed and arranged. The minerals, books, manuscripts, and other property of James Smithson, which have been received by the Government of the United States, shall be preserved separate and apart from other property of the institution.
(R.S. § 5586.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
R.S. § 5586 derived from act Aug. 10, 1846, ch. 178, § 6, 9 Stat. 105.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Laboratory Space, Gamboa, PanamaPub. L. 111–11, title XV, § 15102, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1456, provided that:
“(a) Authority To Construct.—The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to construct laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program of the Smithsonian tropical research institute in Gamboa, Panama.
“(b) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section a total of $14,000,000 for fiscal years 2009 and 2010. Such sums shall remain available until expended.”
Veritas Astrophysical Observatory Project; Authorization of Construction and AppropriationsPub. L. 108–331, Oct. 16, 2004, 118 Stat. 1281, as amended by Pub. L. 110–341, § 1(2), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3738, provided that:
Collection and Preservation of Artifacts Relating to September 11th AttacksPub. L. 107–117, div. B, § 701, Jan. 10, 2002, 115 Stat. 2311, provided that:
“(a) In General.—The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution shall collect and preserve in the National Museum of American History artifacts relating to the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
“(b) Types of Artifacts.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution shall consider collecting and preserving—“(1) pieces of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon;
“(2) still and video images made by private individuals and the media;
“(3) personal narratives of survivors, rescuers, and government officials; and
“(4) other artifacts, recordings, and testimonials that the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution determines have lasting historical significance.
“(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Smithsonian Institution $5,000,000 to carry out this section.”
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Submillimeter Array; Authorization of Construction and AppropriationsPub. L. 106–383, Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1459, provided that:
Smithsonian Institution Transportation ProgramPub. L. 105–178, title I, § 1214(b), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 204, provided that:
“(1) In general.—The Secretary [of Transportation] shall allocate amounts made available by this subsection for obligation at the discretion of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in consultation with the Secretary, to carry out projects and activities described in paragraph (2).
“(2) Eligible uses.—Amounts allocated under paragraph (1) may be obligated only—“(A) for transportation-related exhibitions, exhibits, and educational outreach programs;
“(B) to enhance the care and protection of the Nation’s collection of transportation-related artifacts;
“(C) to acquire historically significant transportation-related artifacts; and
“(D) to support research programs within the Smithsonian Institution that document the history and evolution of transportation, in cooperation with other museums in the United States.
“(3) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1998 through 2003 to carry out this subsection.
“(4) Applicability of title 23.—Funds authorized by this subsection shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code; except that the Federal share of the cost of any project or activity under this subsection shall be 100 percent and such funds shall remain available until expended.”
National Health MuseumPub. L. 105–78, title VII, Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1524, known as the National Health Museum Development Act, which provided that the National Health Museum would be located on or near the Mall and established the National Health Museum Commission and its duties, was repealed, except for section 702, by Pub. L. 107–303, title III, § 303, Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2361. Section 702 of Pub. L. 105–78 amended section 1067 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 176 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
West Court of National Museum of Natural History BuildingPub. L. 103–151, Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1515, provided that:
East Court of National Museum of Natural History BuildingPub. L. 101–455, Oct. 24, 1990, 104 Stat. 1067, as amended by Pub. L. 103–98, § 1(a), Oct. 6, 1993, 107 Stat. 1015, provided that:
[Section 1(b) of Pub. L. 103–98 provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending section 2 of Pub. L. 101–455, set out above] shall take effect as of October 24, 1990.”
]
Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. Laboratory for Environmental ResearchPub. L. 111–11, title XV, § 15101, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1456, provided that:
“(a) Authority To Design and Construct.—The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to design and construct laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.
“(b) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section a total of $41,000,000 for fiscal years 2009 through 2011. Such sums shall remain available until expended.”
Pub. L. 99–617, § 1, Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3488, provided that:
“(a) Construction Authorization.—The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to construct the Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. Laboratory for Environmental Research.
“(b) Location.—The Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. Laboratory for Environmental Research shall be located at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution, located at Edgewater, Maryland.
“(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—Effective October 1, 1986, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution $1,000,000 to carry out the purposes of this section.
“(d) Transfer of Funds.—Any portion of the sums appropriated to carry out the purposes of this section may be transferred to the General Services Administration which, in consultation with the Smithsonian Institution, is authorized to enter into contracts and take such other action, to the extent of the sums so transferred to it, as may be necessary to carry out such purposes.”
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Authorization of Construction and AppropriationsPub. L. 99–423, Sept. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 963, provided:
Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory; Purchase of LandPub. L. 98–73, Aug. 11, 1983, 97 Stat. 406, provided:
Construction of National Museum of African Art, Center for Eastern Art, and Structures for Related Educational FacilitiesPub. L. 97–203, June 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 129, provided:
Smithsonian Institution; Development of Property Adjacent to Original BuildingPub. L. 96–36, July 20, 1979, 93 Stat. 94, provided:
Smithsonian Institution Plans for and Construction of Museum Support Facilities; Approval of Plans and Specifications; Situs; Transfer of Land; Appropriations; Contracts by General Services AdministrationPub. L. 111–11, title XV, § 15103, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1456, provided that:
“(a) In General.—The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to construct a greenhouse facility at its museum support facility in Suitland, Maryland, to maintain the horticultural operations of, and preserve the orchid collection held in trust by, the Smithsonian Institution.
“(b) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 to carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until expended.”
Pub. L. 94–98, Sept. 19, 1975, 89 Stat. 480, as amended by Pub. L. 95–569, Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2444; Pub. L. 108–72, § 2, Aug. 15, 2003, 117 Stat. 888, provided that:
[Amendment of section 3 by Pub. L. 95–569 effective Oct. 1, 1979.]
National MuseumThe National Museum was not created by any express statutory provision for that purpose. It was first mentioned in an appropriation for postage for “the National Museum in the Smithsonian Institution,” contained in act June 20, 1874, ch. 328, § 1, 18 Stat. 103. An appropriation for a building for the use of the National Museum was made by act Mar. 3, 1879, ch. 182, § 1, 20 Stat. 397, and annual appropriations have continuously been made for expenses of heating, etc., such building.
National Museum ExhibitRes. Feb. 28, 1922, ch. 86, 42 Stat. 399, authorized Secretary of State to transfer to custody of Secretary of Institution for safekeeping and exhibition in National Museum the sword of George Washington and the staff of Benjamin Franklin, presented by Samuel T. Washington, and the sword of Andrew Jackson, presented by family of General Robert Armstrong.
Transportation of PropertyQuartermaster-General and his officers were required to receive and transport property for National Museum by a provision of act July 5, 1884, ch. 217, 23 Stat. 107.