Months? Try 179 years. The Smithsonian was officially created on this day in 1846. One of the first things on the to-do list? Construct a building! The 1850 glass lantern slide at the end of this video is the earliest-known photo of our Smithsonian Institution Building, known as the Castle, and the only image we have of it under construction. 📷: Smithsonian Libraries and Archives | Smithsonian

You may have traveled to D.C. to visit the Smithsonian, but did you know we travel to you, too?! 🚗💨 Hop in! We’re headed to visit one of our Museum on Main Street (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service) traveling exhibitions in Alabama. Last month, we packed a tractor trailer with 16 crates of exhibition materials. One long ride and five hours of setup later and voila! “Spark! Places of Innovation” was ready for visitors at the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum and Arts Center in Syl