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Archives Office, Smithsonian Institution Building

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Object Details

Author
Unknown
Subject
Henry, Joseph 1797-1878
Smithson, James 1765-1829
Smithsonian Institution Building East Wing
Smithsonian Institution Building (Washington, D.C.)
Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA)
Category
Historic Images of the Smithsonian
For information see: Stamm, Richard E., The Castle, An Illustrated History of the Smithsonian Building, 2nd edition, p. 65.
Summary
In 1894 a room on the fourth floor, East Wing of the Smithsonian Institution Building (SIB), the "Castle," was converted for use as the Smithsonian Institution Archives. It was furnished with walnut cabinets for storage of early manuscripts and correspondence as well as drawings, photographs, and plans of the Institution. Over a large worktable in the center of the room, a combination gas-electric chandelier hangs from the pressed tile ceiling. Beneath the two framed pictures to the right of the door can be seen the mouth-piece of an "oral-annunciator," an early type of intercom installed throughout the East Wing in 1884.
A bust of the first Smithsonian Secretary, Joseph Henry, is on the wall to the right. A replica of the James Smithson memorial plaque in Genoa, Italy, can be seen on the floor to the right of the door.
Contained within
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 562, Box 1, Folder Photographs - Interior - SIB
Contact information
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu
c. 1897
Standard number
2003-9567
Restrictions & Rights
No restrictions
Type
Photographic print
Interior
Physical description
Color: Sepia; Size: 10w x 8h; Type of Image: Interior; Medium: Photographic print
Smithsonian Archives - History Div
Topic
Fourth Floor
Intercom
Museum archives
Record ID
siris_sic_10805
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

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