Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the Stupid Distruman. I'm your host,
Speaker 1: Cap Pound. Today we're talking about the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian
Speaker 1: Institution exists because of a man who never even visited America.
Speaker 1: In eighteen twenty nine, English scientist James Smithson left his
Speaker 1: fortune to the United States to create an establishment for
Speaker 1: the increase in diffusion of knowledge. Congress accepted the unusual gift,
Speaker 1: and in eighteen forty six President James K. Polk signed
Speaker 1: the Act creating the Smithsonian Institution. Today, the Smithsonian includes
Speaker 1: twenty one museums, the National Zoo, Librariy's research centers, and
Speaker 1: more than one hundred and fifty million artifacts, from dinosaur
Speaker 1: fossils to the Wright Brothers airplane to Dorothy's ruby slippers.
Speaker 1: Not a bad gift from a guy who never even
Speaker 1: set foot here. This has been the stupid histry Mint
Speaker 1: and I'm kept Pound. This podcast is a production of
Speaker 1: Unfiltered Studios. If you would like to know more about
Speaker 1: joining Unfiltered Studios, please visit our website at unfpod dot
Speaker 1: com for more information.