After the federal government was established in Washington, the court was housed in a basement room in the US Capitol until 1929, when Chief Justice Taft argued successfully for their own building.
Created in 1800 the library is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution & the largest library in the world. In 1815 Thomas Jefferson sold his entire personal collection of books to the library
On April 1 1845, Samuel Morse opened the world's first telegraph office on this location. Messages were sent in a coded alphabet consisting of electronic dots & dashes which became known as Morse Code
On the second floor of the Theater, you can see the boxseat where Abe Lincoln was sitting when he was killed. On the lower level the museum displays exhibits about Lincoln’s life and his tragic death.
The National Geographic Society formed in 1888 for the advancement and diffusion of geographical knowledge. You'll find artifacts ranging from expeditions to temporary exhibits on the world's cultures
Congress established the National Archives Establishment in 1934 to centralize federal record keeping & holds Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights & a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta
The Smithsonian Institution was founded for the "increase and diffusion" of knowledge from a bequest to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson, who had never visited the US himself.
The Smithsonian Institution was founded for the "increase and diffusion" of knowledge from a bequest to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson, who had never visited the US himself.
