Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, 1912-1971

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0162
Creators:
National Air and Space Museum
Dates:
1912-1971
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
27 cu. ft. (27 record storage boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
Important correspondents include Paul E. Garber, Esther Goddard, Philip S. Hopkins, and S. Paul Johnson. Institutions collaborating with NASM include the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force, NASA, and the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

Historical Note

Historical Note
The National Air Museum (NAM) was created as a separate bureau of the Smithsonian Institution by Act of Congress in 1946. Twenty years later its name was changed to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) as part of the Congressional Act authorizing construction of a separate building to house its collections.
Previous to 1946 the NASM collections were under the custodial care of the Department of Anthropology, Division of Mechanical Technology, 1887-1919, and the Department of Arts and Industries, Division of Mechanical Technology, 1919-1931, then the Division of Engineering, 1931-1946.
With the creation of NAM, Carl W. Mitman, head curator of the Division of Engineering, became Assistant to the Secretary for NAM. Mitman retired from the Smithsonian in 1952 and Philip S. Hopkins was appointed as the Museum's first director in 1958. Hopkins was succeeded by S. Paul Johnson, 1964-1969, Frank A. Taylor, acting director, 1969-1971, and Michael Collins, 1971 to the present.
Though the first accessioned artifact in the collection was the John F. Stringfellow engine in 1889, the NASM collection dates back to the close of the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia when the Smithsonian received a group of kites from the Chinese Imperial Commission.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 162, National Air and Space Museum, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Garber, Paul Edward, 1899-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Johnston, S. Paul (Samuel Paul), 1899- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mitman, Carl Weaver, 1889- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Goddard, Esther C. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hopkins, Philip S. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Navy Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Air Force Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Civil Aeronautics Board Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Astronautical museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautical museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics -- History Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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