June 2, 1858

June 2, 1858 The U.S. Congress appropriates $4,000 for the preservation of the collections from government exploring and surveying expeditions, and an additional $1,000 for the transfer of the collections to the Smithsonian’s U.S. National Museum. Under this arrangement, the Smithsonian will become curator of the national collections, and Congress will continue an annual appropriation for the care and exhibition of the collections. Attorney General J. S. Black rules that, based on the Smithsonian enabling act, 9 Stat. 102, objects of natural history belonging to the government are to be placed in the care of the Smithsonian. Transfer of the collections is completed in June of 1858.

Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives

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