They have about 30 million visitors every year that are admitted free of charge. They have a budget, that comes practically from the United States government, of 1.25 billion dollars.
And, it was founded in 1846, hence, this vision of expanding knowledge from the core of the United States comes from a while back.
An interesting fact about the Smithsonian is that it was started by a British person. James Smithson (1765-1829), who, by the way, left all his state to the United States.
Where to watch on DirecTV?
They even have a TV channel that you can watch if you have DirecTV. If you do have DirecTV, you can watch Smithsonian on channel 570.
You can also watch it directly from the Smithsonian app, or their webpage. There, they have free programming.
You can also get the Smithsonian Channel plus, which costs 4.99 dollars per month, and it has no commercials. This, of course, is only in the United States.
What to watch?
There are many shows. One of them, for example, is called Aerial America, and, just as its name indicates, is all about the United States. People hopped on a plane and taped the United States from a plane. So you can see big states and small towns from a different perspective.
There is also a show called: Air Disasters. And, it deals with exactly that, planes that went down. It has interviews and analyses of what went wrong in each of these flights.
You can also watch The Obama Years: The Power of Words. Where they will show you statements and speeches of the former president of the United States.
Or even shows such as The Crown’s Ancient Forest. In England, there is a Forest that King William claimed as his hunting grounds 900 years ago, and to this day, it is respected.
But they also have shows like: The Hate We Can’t Forget: A Holocaust Memorial Special, where survivors of this terrible event talk about their experience.
As you can see, their programming is diverse, profound, and interesting.
What else is on the Smithsonian?
They have a magazine that you can get, and also exhibitions of all kinds in all of their museums. You can even take trips! They have over 350 tours and cruises all over the world. And they also have an online shop, so you can get stuff there. It is cool, and you help them out.
The exhibitions
One of their exhibitions is Orchids: Hidden Stories of Groundbreaking Women. This is on the Smithsonian located in Washington DC. This one is from January 29 to April 24, 2022.
Or you have the exhibition called: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Original “I have a dream” speech. Also in Washington DC, where they will show you the famous speech of Martin Luther King Jr. and other objects as well. You can catch this one from January 13 to February 27, 2022.
And here you have yet another one. Falcons: The Art of the Hunt. Where you will learn all about falcons. This one is also in Washington DC and it is set from January 15 to July 17.
And they have many more, all year long, so you can cultivate and entertain yourself.
Latinos in the Smithsonian
There is a Smithsonian Latino Center. And they are set to open a gallery of all things Latino in the United States. The gallery opens in May. Even Microsoft donated 1 million dollars.
The Smithsonian Latino Center is where all things Latin are preserved. Their history and culture and more.
In fact, the Smithsonian Latino Center was just recently approved by Congress, in 2020. So it is a new thing.
Impact of the Pandemic
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Smithsonian was closed during all of 2020 and opened in the spring of 2021. Yes, the pandemic has hit us all.
So, remember, channel 570 to watch the Smithsonian on DirecTV.
Or, watch directly from the app if you live in the United States. There are many shows to watch, a magazine, an online shop, and travels.
The Smithsonian truly does have the whole package. And they are also doing research all year long in their centers, so that means that they are always discovering something new to show for.
Take advantage of it, not every country has one.
