Contact Us
- Anacostia Community Museum
- Arts and Industries Building
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- National Air and Space Museum (DC and VA)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Museum of African Art
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of the American Indian (DC and NY)
- National Museum of the American Latino
- National Museum of Asian Art
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Portrait Gallery
- National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
- Smithsonian American Women's History Museum
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)
- Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute
I would like to donate an object to the Smithsonian Institution. What should I do?
The Smithsonian acquires thousands of objects and specimens each year for its collection holdings through donation, bequest, purchase, exchange, and field collecting. Each museum and curatorial department decides on a case-by-case basis which objects to add to its collections. Donations are accepted only when the item truly complements the collection. We also consider whether we can properly care for an intended donation, as our collections are held in trust for the American people.
If you are interested in donating objects to one of the following Smithsonian museums, please visit the appropriate webpage:
- Anacostia Community Museum
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- National Museum of African Art
- National Air and Space Museum and its Udvar Hazy Center
- Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American Indian
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Portrait Gallery
- National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
- Archives of American Art
If you would like to donate objects to one of the following museums, please email directly:
- National Museum of Asian Art: [email protected].
- National Museum of Natural History: [email protected].
The following museum/s are not currently accepting offers of object donation:
How can I find out if the Smithsonian holds a particular object in its collections and where it might be?
The Smithsonian holds nearly 157 million objects in its collections, distributed among its 21 museums, the National Zoo, libraries, research centers, and storage facilities. Many artifacts are donated to the Smithsonian by individuals, private collectors, and federal agencies; others come to the collections through field expeditions, bequests, exchanges with other museums and organizations, and purchases.
Only a small percentage of the Smithsonian’s vast holdings are on view. Many artifacts not on display are stored in collection study areas in the museums and are available to researchers by appointment. Air- and spacecraft are conserved and stored at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the National Air and Space Museum, in Chantilly, Virginia. Other research collections are housed in Landover and Suitland, Maryland, facilities.
Most of our collections have been cataloged in our Collections database. If you don’t find the object you are interested in listed there, please send as much information about the object as you have to [email protected]; such information as a complete description of the item, its history, how and when it came to the Smithsonian, who donated it, and the museum or facility to which it was donated can help us refer your inquiry to the appropriate collections staff.
Some museums and units may be contacted directly. To either conduct research or inquire about a collection, either send a detailed email or follow instructions at any of the following:
- Anacostia Community Museum (email only)
- Archives of American Art
- Asian Art Museum
- National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian Gardens
Air & Space Quarterly
- Web: Air & Space Quarterly
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 800.513.3081
Smithsonian Magazine
- Web: Contact and manage your account
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 800.766.2149
The Smithsonian does not maintain a centralized mailing list; each membership program maintains its own membership database.
Supporting Members, Smithsonian Associates, and Friends of the Smithsonian may look up their membership online.
For specific inquiries, including a change of address, or to stop receiving mail, please contact the appropriate membership program:
- Supporting Members (Smithsonian Magazine)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800.766.2149 - Smithsonian Associates
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.3030 - Friends of the Smithsonian
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800.931.3226 - Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 212.849.8349 - Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.2836 - National Air and Space Museum (DC and VA)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800.513.3081 - National Museum of African American History and Culture
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 844.750.3012 or 202.633.9539 - National Museum of African Art
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.4603 - National Museum of American History
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.0398 - National Museum of the American Indian (DC and NY)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800.242.6624 or 202.633.6984 - National Museum of the American Latino
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.8711 - National Museum of Asian Art
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.0417 - National Museum of Natural History
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.0821 - National Postal Museum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.7900 - National Zoo
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.2922 - Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.8420 - Smithsonian American Women's History Museum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.633.5000
Submit a Lost Property Report to the Office of Protection Services.
Please review the FAQ about our IMAX theaters.
If there are additional questions not otherwise covered in our FAQ guide, please email us at [email protected]. Our group sales office can also assist Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (excluding federal holidays) at 202.633.4629
- Web: Office of Human Resources
- Phone: 202.633.6370
- Contact Us
Smithsonian Store (smithsonianstore.com)
(Please note that merchandise sold online and in the catalog varies from what is available on site in the Museum Stores)
Email: [email protected]
Web: Contact Form
Phone: 800.322.0344
Museum Stores
Smithsonian Licensing
License a product with the Smithsonian brand or pursue a promotional opportunity.
Product Submissions
Items must reflect the mission of the Smithsonian, generally through a relationship to subjects covered by the Smithsonian's collections.
Smithsonian Books
- Web: www.smithsonianbooks.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone Orders: 800.733.3000 (Penguin Random House Customer Service)
Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
- Web: scholarlypress.si.edu
- Email: [email protected]
Note: DK Smithsonian published by Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. (not Smithsonian)
Smithsonian Journeys
- Website: Smithsonian Journeys
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 855.330.1542
- International callers: 989.702-2515
- Reservations: [email protected]
Smithsonian Channel
- Website: Smithsonian Channel
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 844.764.8488
- Contact Us
- For general information on using Smithsonian content, please visit Terms of Use.
- Each museum and office grants rights to reproduce objects and images in its collections.
- To determine which museum holds the object or image you are interested in, search our Collections database.
- For information on how to contact the appropriate office to request rights, please see Rights, Restrictions, and Security Contacts.
- To explore and access Smithsonian content that you may download and use without permission visit Smithsonian Open Access.
For visit-planning and Smithsonian-related inquiries
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 202.633.1000 (recorded information/live voice Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.)
- Address:
Smithsonian Information
MRC 010, PO Box 37012
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 - Staff Mail:
Employee name
Smithsonian Institution
Building name, MRC (if known)
PO Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012