The Smithsonian's collections represent our nation's rich heritage, art from across the globe, and the immense diversity of the natural and cultural world.
The scope of objects in Smithsonian collections is staggering—from ancient Chinese bronzes to the Star-Spangled Banner; from a 3.5 billion-year-old fossil to the Apollo lunar landing module; from the ruby slippers featured in The Wizard of Oz to presidential memorabilia. Scholars and scientific researchers at the Smithsonian, and around the world, use these vast collections in their research to expand human knowledge.
Collections At A Glance
- 154 million artifacts, works of art, and specimens in the Smithsonian's collections
- 145 million of these specimens and artifacts are held by the National Museum of Natural History
- 10 million digital records available online through the Collections Search Center
- 2 million library volumes held by Smithsonian Libraries
- 156,830 cubic feet of archival material held by Archives across the Smithsonian
