The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, welcoming visitors from every state and country to its doors, free of charge. For generations it has been established as one of Washington’s most cherished and highly sought-after attractions, making it one of our capital’s highest-profile institutions. While our republic may be younger compared to other ancient civilizations, our history is an exceptional one, and the Smithsonian has been where history comes alive for many Americans, including myself.