Collections

Butterfly collections at the Smithsonian. Established in 1846 for "the increase and diffusion of knowledge," the Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex, with 29 museums, nine research centres, and more than 140 affiliated museums around the world.

Photo found in an e-book about the digital future of museums, by Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough, available at http://www.si.edu/BestofBothWorlds.

"At 137 million objects, scientific specimens, and works of art, Smithsonian collections pose a challenge to digitization because of their vastness and complexity."