Support Your Smithsonian
The Smithsonian began with a single philanthropic gift
James Smithson believed knowledge benefited everyone, and that sharing it freely could change the world for the better. That's why he left his legacy to America with instructions to create an establishment "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." More than 178 years and generations of donors later, the Smithsonian is the largest museum, research, and education complex in the world. That's the power a single gift can have. Your support makes today's Smithsonian possible.
Join the campaign for our shared future
The Smithsonian has launched an ambitious campaign to raise $2.5 billion to build a better shared future. Learn more about the institution’s unique public-private partnership and how we plan to our plan extend our reach and impact across four priority areas: Advancing Sustainability and Discovery; Illuminating the Nation’s Past; Opening Pathways to New Knowledge; and Powering Creativity and Innovation.
Ways to Give
Friends of the Smithsonian Membership
At the heart of the Smithsonian’s achievements in preservation, conversation, and discovery are the people who sustain our commitment to celebrating our nation’s history and fostering future knowledge.
Benefits and membership levels
Leave a Legacy
Create a lasting impact through your will, charitable gift annuity, donor advised fund, gift of real estate, and more.
Employer Matching Gifts
Double the impact of your gift through your employer's matching gift program.
Corporate Membership
Meet your business and philanthropic goals with unparalleled access to the Smithsonian.
Have questions about supporting the Smithsonian?
The Impact of Your Gift
Your gift fuels innovation, inspiration and exploration for lifelong learners everywhere. See recent highlights in our latest issue of IMPACT.
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Featured Donor Stories
Cherishing Cultural Heritage
Gretchen and David Welch endowed the Welch Head of Conservation and Scientific Research at the National Museum of Asian Art to bolster the museum's critical conservation work.
Safeguarding a More Resilient Future
Adrienne Arsht made a gift to the Smithsonian to launch the Adrienne Arsht Community-Based Resilience Solutions Initiative, a program to advance conservation resilience and education.
America's Story in Portraits
The Perlins have been committed donors to the National Portrait Gallery for more than a decade. Their $1 million gift to America's Presidents will ensure the museum can continue to make presidential history dynamic, engaging and accessible for all ages.
Leaving a Meaningful Legacy
Charles and Helen Moriyama made a planned gift designated across several Smithsonian museums to help visitors understand the Japanese-American experience.
