This Day in History: Smithsonian Institute created

On August 10, 1846, James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States signed the Smithsonian Institution Act into law.

The institution was established as a result of the funds from James Smithson, a British scientist. Smithson left his estate to the U.S. to found "at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge."

Smithson died in 1829, and six years later, President Andrew Jackson announced the bequest to Congress.

Since the institution's founding, more than 164 years ago, the Smithsonian has become the largest museum and research complex in the world. The Smithsonian Institution includes 19 museums, the National Zoo, and nine research facilities.

See the gallery below for a glimpse into the amazing exhibits at the Smithsonian Institute:

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