The papers of sculptor, writer, and earthworks artist Robert Smithson and his wife, sculptor, filmmaker, and earthworks artist Nancy Holt measure 15.1 linear feet and date from 1905 to 1987, with the bulk of the material dating from 1952 to 1987. The papers consist of Smithson's biographical material; business and personal correspondence, much of it with artists; interview transcripts; extensive writings and project files; financial records; printed material; a scrapbook of clippings; holiday cards with original prints and sketches; photographic material; and artifacts. Also found are project files related to Nancy Holt's motion picture film Pine Barrens and her seminal environmental work of art Sun Tunnels, including a video documentary about Sun Tunnels.

The Robin Forbes Slides of SoHo collection measures 0.4 linear feet and consists entirely of 35mm color slides of the SoHo District of New York City, taken between 1975-1976. Depicted are street scenes of Spring Street, Prince Street, West Broadway, and other streets in SoHo; SoHo faces taken on West Broadway; businesses including the Spring Street Bar, the OH HO SO bar, Fanelli's Bar, Parocelso, The Cheese Store, Clockmaker/Miso, and the SoHo Weekly News staff; gallery installations, including Robert Morris and Robert Smithson exhibitions; artists working in SoHo studios including Margery Bihan, Rosemarie Castoro, Marisol, and unknown artists, and dance performances and poetry readings.

The Dwan Gallery records measure 2.3 linear feet and consist primarily of files of exhibitions curated by Virginia Dwan at Dwan Galleries in Los Angeles (1959-1967) and New York (1965-1971). Found within this nearly comprehensive set of exhibition files may be lists of exhibited works, price lists, photographs, slides or color transparencies of installations, invitations, full-size posters, magazine and newspaper clippings and exhibition catalogs.

The James Smithson Collection lacks a great deal of his original papers. Richard Rush brought Smithson's personal effects to the United States in 1838, along with the proceeds from his estate. A fire in the Smithsonian building in 1865 destroyed many of the manuscripts originally acquired by the Institution. Correspondence a...

In this accession, series one consists of miscellaneous biographical files, mainly of persons affiliated with the Smithsonian, and is comprised of newspaper clippings, obituaries, biographies from Who's Who, SI announcements and press releases, curriculum vitae, and accompanying memoranda, c. 1968-1987. Series two consists of documents relati...

These records consist of public inquiries about scientific instruments; layout plans, scripts, and photographs for exhibitions; proposals for the Hall of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy in MHT; general correspondence with domestic and foreign science museums, universities, manufacturers and collectors of scientific instruments, and profess...

This record unit documents the first four International Symposia sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, with some documentation of the fifth. The first symposium celebrated the bicentennial of James Smithson's birth and was organized by Philip C. Ritterbush, Special Assistant to the Secretary. The records consist of correspondence, mem...

This collection consists of records, mostly 1840-1844, concerning the founding and operation of the National Institute by Joel Roberts Poinsett, Peter Force, John James Abert, Francis Markoe, Jr., and others, particularly efforts to obtain federal subsidies, to collect specimens of natural history and manufactures, to provide space for housing...

These records consist primarily of extensive publicity materials relating to the building and opening of the Quadrangle complex. They include photographs at many stages of construction, fundraising booklets, donor lists, press kits, press releases, and interviews. Also included in the collection are publicity materials relating to the Smithson...

These records consist entirely of newspaper clippings concerning the Smithsonian Institution. Arrangement generally follows an alphabetic file plan. Clippings concerning the Sea-Link submarine disaster, the Smithson Bicentennial, and, in recent years, the Festival of American Folklife, were kept separately, but have been combined here with ...