Smithsonian
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This is part of my Bay View Porches album. Located in Bay View, Michigan, a summer resort community near Petoskey, Michigan, this house is named Smithsonian above the steps leading onto the porch. It has a second level porch with flags attached to is bannister. The lower porch has a swing hanging on chains, a rocking chair, and a couple of other items. Of special notice on this porch is the rolled-up plastic sheeting beneath the eaves. This plastic which is on many of these homes may be to block the occasional chilly breezes, keep rain off the porch to reduce rotting, or even to prevent snow accumulation during the off season.
This Historic Victorian community of nearly 500 public and private buildings is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every summer, Bay View offers world class presentations of music, theater, internationally renowned lectures and educational seminars, all of which are open to the public. In October 2012, Bay View was awarded with a great honor of being selected as one of America’s “Prettiest Painted Places” by the Paint Quality Institute and is a 'must see' destination.
Available in the Bay View Michigan collection at:
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Many of the skeletons in the Bone Hall have been on view since 1881—first in what is now known as the Arts and Industries Building, and since the 1960s in their current form. The skeletons represent an unparalleled study collection of every major group of vertebrate animals. (3/27/2022)
Miniature artistic model of the Smithsonian Castle made from plant parts. On display at the "Season's Greenings: Dino-Mite!" 2025 holiday exhibit in the United States Botanic Garden, Washington DC.
Please note the more restrictive Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license for this image. It can only be used personal, educational, or editorial purposes. For the credit requirement, you can otherwise cite my name Nicolas Raymond or Bold Frontiers, along with a link to this image on my Flickr account whenever possible.
Resolution: 3000 x 2250 pixels
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Many of the skeletons in the Bone Hall have been on view since 1881—first in what is now known as the Arts and Industries Building, and since the 1960s in their current form. The skeletons represent an unparalleled study collection of every major group of vertebrate animals. (3/27/2022)
Digital art depicting Smithsonian Castle, a National Historic Landmark on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The Castle houses the administrative offices of the Smithsonian Institution, a group of museums and education and research centers created by the United States federal government in 1846.
It was far too hot to walk all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building, so we made it this far, and turned back to see the White House before heading for the car and the comfort of air conditioning.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Many of the skeletons in the Bone Hall have been on view since 1881—first in what is now known as the Arts and Industries Building, and since the 1960s in their current form. The skeletons represent an unparalleled study collection of every major group of vertebrate animals. (3/27/2022)
Statue of Spencer Fullerton Baird, Second Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and "pioneer in American natural history," outside the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building in Washington DC
This is the oldest part of the Smithsonian Institution, built in 1846. It is referred to locally as 'The Castle'.
The Smithsonian Institution Building was designed by prominent New York architect James Renwick, Jr. and erected between 1847 and 1855 on the Mall. It was built to house the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian was established following the generous bequest of approximately $500,000 by James Smithson, an English scientist.
By the terms of the will, Smithson’s estate was to pass to his nephew following Smithson’s death in 1829. If the nephew should die without direct heirs, the will ordered, the estate was then to become the property of the United States government. The United States acquired the funds when the contested bequest was settled in the British courts in London in 1838 after the death of Smithson’s nephew. Smithson had merely stated that the funds were to be used for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge”.
As the first building created for the new institution, this structure—now known as the Castle—was designed to house many types of activities, including a large storage room on the first floor designed for the exchange of scientific publications with other institutions and museums, a suite of rooms for the family of the Institution’s Secretary, various natural history research rooms and laboratories, a reading room, a library, and a large lecture room. Two small rooms saw use as a museum of scientific instruments and an art gallery.
The Arts and Industries Building has a special role among Smithsonian buildings as the first United States National Museum opened in 1881. After being closed for nearly 12 years, the Arts and Industries Building reopened for special events fall of 2015 and has hosted several activities, including the 2016 Folklife Festival Marketplace and the Asian Pacific American Center’s “Crosslines Culture Lab.” Plans are being developed for the next chapter of this amazing building.