Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary

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The Secretary of the Smithsonian, appointed by the Board of Regents, is the Institution's chief executive officer. Secretaries have included Joseph Henry, 1846-1878; Spencer F. Baird, 1878-1887; Samuel P. Langley, 1887-1906; Charles D. Walcott, 1907-1927; Charles G. Abbot, 1928-1944; Alexander Wetmore, 1944-1952; Leonard Carmichael, 1953-1964; S. Dillon Ripley, 1964-1984; Robert McCormick Adams, 1984-1994; Ira Michael Heyman, 1994-2000; Lawrence M. Small, 2000-2007; Cristiâan Samper, Acting Secretary, 2007-2008; and G. Wayne Clough, 2008 - .

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Agency History. Record 218077

Bureaus and offices which were created or underwent substantial change during this period and which are represented here include the United States National Museum; the Museum of Natural History; the Museum of History and Technology; the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; the National Cultural Center, now the John F. Kennedy Center; the Bureau of American Ethnology; the National Portrait Gallery; the National Collection of Fine Arts; the National Zoological Park; the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center; and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Subject headings appearing in these records include: the Arctic Research Laboratory; the Armed Forces Museum and the National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board; the earth satellite program; the Canal Zone Biological Area, now the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; the Smithsonian's centennial; modernization of Smithsonian exhibits; the Link Foundation; the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics; the National Air Museum, now the National Air and Space Museum; the National Gallery of Art; the Research Corporation; the Century 21 Exposition, Seattle, 1962; the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange; and the Smithsonian Scientific Series.

From the description of Office of the Secretary (Alexander Wetmore, Leonard Carmichael), 1949-1964 Records. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78080331

For an administrative history of the Office of the Secretary during the tenure of S. Dillon Ripley, see record unit 99.

From the description of Office of the Secretary (S. Dillon Ripley), 1972-1984 Records. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79016779

These records chiefly document the policy and administration of the Smithsonian under Charles G. Abbot, 1928-1944, though they overlap parts of the administrations of Secretaries Walcott and Wetmore.

Smithsonian bureaus which were founded, enlarged, or significantly changed during these years, and which are represented here, include the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; the National Gallery of Art, now the National Museum of American Art; the National Gallery of Art, founded by Andrew Mellon; the National Zoological Park; the National Air Museum, now the National Air and Space Museum; and the Canal Zone Biological Area, now the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Abbot's tenure was complicated by the Depression and World War II, which restricted many of the developments which seemed so promising under his predecessor. The principal event of his administration was Andrew Mellon's gift of a national art museum. Abbot created a Division of Radiation and Organisms within the Astrophysical Observatory, always his personal interest. With the use of Works Progress Administration funds he was also able to produce major improvements for the National Zoological Park. The Smithsonian continued its ties with the National Academy of Sciences, the Carnegie Institution, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the National Research Council, the National Geographic Society and similar organizations. During the war, the Smithsonian was instrumental in operating the Ethnogeographic Board and co-operated with the Office of Scientific Research and Development. Its co-operation with such bodies, and new ones like the Atom.

Ic Energy Commission, continued in the postwar years. Miscellaneous topics in the records include: the Johnson-Smithsonian Deep-Sea Expedition to the Puerto Rico Trench, 1933; the Eighth American Scientific Conference, Washington, 1940; the Smithsonian Scientific Series; North American Wildflowers; the Langley-Wright controversy; the River Basin Surveys; the abortive design competition for a museum of modern art, won by Eliel Saarinen; THE WORLD IS YOURS radio broadcasts; Robert H. Goddard's rocket research; awarding of the Langley Medal; private funding of the Smithsonian, especially the Tamblyn and Brown conferences and the 1927 conference on the future of the Smithsonian; and Charles G. Abbot's research in solar radiation and climatic studies.

From the description of Office of the Secretary (Charles D. Walcott, Charles G. Abbot, Alexander Wetmore), 1925-1949 Records. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 83717811

Relation Name
associatedWith Abbot, C. G. 1872-1973. person
associatedWith Abbot, C. G. (Charles Greeley), 1872-1973. person
associatedWith Adams, Robert McCormick, 1926- person
associatedWith Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 person
associatedWith Barro Colorado Nature Monument (Panama) corporateBody
associatedWith Canal Zone Biological Area. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. corporateBody
associatedWith Cardwell Collection of Egyptian Antiquities. corporateBody
associatedWith Carmichael, Leonard, 1898- person
associatedWith Carnegie Institution of Washington. corporateBody
associatedWith Centennial of the Smithsonian Institution. corporateBody
associatedWith Centennial Smithsonian Institution. corporateBody
associatedWith Center for African, Near Eastern and Asian Cultures. corporateBody
associatedWith Century 21 Exposition, Seattle, 1962. corporateBody
associatedWith Clough, G. Wayne person
associatedWith Conference on the Future of Smithsonian (1927) corporateBody
associatedWith Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. corporateBody
associatedWith Daniel Giraud Elliot Fund. National Academy of Sciences. corporateBody
associatedWith Department of Industries (NMHT). National Museum of History and Technology) corporateBody
associatedWith Department of National Museum of Natural History NT Vertebrate Zoology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith Division of Aeronautics (USNM). National Air Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Division of National Air Museum RT Aeronautics (NASM) corporateBody
associatedWith Division of Radiation and Organisms. Radiation Biology Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Division of Radiation and Organisms. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. corporateBody
associatedWith Eighth American Scientific Congress, 1940. corporateBody
associatedWith Ethnogeographic Board. corporateBody
associatedWith Exposition. corporateBody
associatedWith Goddard, Robert Hutchings, 1882-1945. person
associatedWith Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. corporateBody
associatedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Heyman, Ira Michael, 1930-2011 person
associatedWith Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. corporateBody
associatedWith John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Johnson-Smithsonian Deep-Sea Expedition to the Puerto Rico Trench, 1933. corporateBody
associatedWith Langley Medal. corporateBody
associatedWith Langley, S. P. 1834-1906 person
associatedWith Link Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Mellon, Andrew. person
associatedWith Multiple-Mirror Telescope (SAO) corporateBody
associatedWith Museum Support Center. corporateBody
associatedWith National Academy of Sciences. Daniel Giraud Elliot Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. corporateBody
associatedWith National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. corporateBody
associatedWith National Air and Space Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith National Air Museum. Division of Aeronautics (NASM) corporateBody
associatedWith National Air Museum. National Air and Space Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Art. Department of Contemporary Art (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Dept. of Contemporary Art (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Dept. of Contemporary Painting and Sculpture (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Dept. of Painting and Sculpture (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Dept. of Twentieth Century Painting and Sculpture (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Editorial Office (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. International Art Program. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. National Gallery of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. National Museum of American Art. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Office of Exhibition and Design (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Office of Exhibitions Abroad (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Publication Editor (NCFA) corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Renwick Gallery. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Smithsonian Gallery of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith National Collection of Fine Arts. Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service. corporateBody
associatedWith National Gallery of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith National Gallery of Art. National Collection of Fine Arts. corporateBody
associatedWith National Geographic Society (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of African Art. corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Anthropology (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Applied Arts (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Arts and Industries (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Arts and Manufactures (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Civil History (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Cultural History (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Engineering and Industries (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of History of Science (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Industries (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of National and Military History (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. Department of Science and Technology (NMHT) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of History and Technology. United States National Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Anthropology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Biology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Botany (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Entomology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Geology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Invertebrate Zoology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Mineral Sciences (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Department of Zoology (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian Office of Ecology (NMNH. corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of Natural History. United States National Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith National Portrait Gallery. Catalog of American Portraits (NPG) corporateBody
associatedWith National Portrait Gallery. Charles Willson Peale Papers (NPG) corporateBody
associatedWith National Portrait Gallery. Office of the Historian (NPG) corporateBody
associatedWith National Research Council. Institute for Research in Tropical America. corporateBody
associatedWith National Zoological Park. corporateBody
associatedWith National Zoological Park. Department of Living Animals (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith National Zoological Park. Dept. of Living Animals (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith Office of Scientific Research and Development. corporateBody
associatedWith Office of the Secretary. corporateBody
associatedWith Office of the Secretary. corporateBody
associatedWith Radio Smithsonian. corporateBody
associatedWith Research Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Ripley, S. Dillon. person
associatedWith River Basin Surveys. corporateBody
associatedWith Saarinen, Eliel. person
associatedWith Sackler, Arthur M., Collection of Oriental Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Science Information Exchange, Smithson. corporateBody
associatedWith Scientific Event Alert Network. corporateBody
associatedWith Small, Lawrence M. person
associatedWith Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Assistant Provost for the Arts and Humanities. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary (Alexander Wetmore, Leonard Carmichael) corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service. Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian-Johnson Deep-Sea Expedition to the Puerto Rico Trench, 1933. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center. Assistant Director for Oceanography (NMNH) corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center (NMNH). National Museum of Natural History. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center. Oceanography and Limnology Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center. Office of Oceanography and Limnology. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Science Information Exchange. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Scientific Series. corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Scientific Series. corporateBody
associatedWith Tamblyn and Brown Conferences. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Arctic Research Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. Chief Clerk. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. Disbursement Clerk. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. Division of Correspondence and Documents (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. National Museum Building. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. National Museum of History and Technology. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. National Museum of Natural History. corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. Registrar (USNM) corporateBody
associatedWith United States National Museum. Superintendent of Construction. corporateBody
associatedWith U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Walcott, Charles D. person
associatedWith Walcott, Charles D. 1850-1927 person
associatedWith Wetmore, Alexander. person
associatedWith Wright-Langley Controversy. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Museums
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1972

Active 1984

Active 1949

Active 1964

Information

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