Adams, sec up a unique combination of public and private 

 governance and support as the structure of the Smithsonian, 

 the Institution became a way that the nation could respond to 

 unexpected opportunities in the many fields of cultural and 

 scientific discovery and support. Like the political process set 

 in motion by the Constitution, and the pattern of the market 

 economy, growth within the Smithsonian over the years has 

 sprung from ideas, energy, and circumstances. 



Among the many opportunities that shaped the Smithsonian, 

 the most important was that provided by our greatest ongoing 

 donor, che United States government. As early as 1857, the 

 Smithsonian was asked to take on the care of the many federal 

 collections coming in from such sources as continental and 

 international expeditions. As we continued to expand, taking in, 

 for example, the collections presented at the 1876 Centennial 

 Exposition in Philadelphia, federal support grew to its present 

 level of about 70 percent of our budget. 



But opportunities continued to flow from the private sector 

 as well. Many of che loch-cencury museums, collections, and 

 public spaces we now see as so fundamental co the modern 

 Smithsonian emerged through acts of generosity by such 

 individuals as Charles Freer, Joseph Hirshhorn, and Arthur 

 Sackler, all of whom enriched the scope and depth of the arts 

 represented in che Smichsonian. 



Other aspects of che modem Smithsonian have been shaped by 

 such models of cooperation as chat becween ourselves and 

 Harvard in che supporc of che Smichsonian Ascrophysical 

 Observacory, or chac wich che governmenc of Panama co enable 

 che work of che Smithsonian Tropical Research Insticuce. The 

 Nacional Museum of che American Indian provides another 

 model of cooperation, both public-public in working with 

 federal, state, and local auchoncies and public-private in the 

 creation of a joint supporc base. The museum also has an 

 opporcunicy co shape its program for the future in partnership 

 wich chose whose cultures are represenced in its colleccions. 

 Crowded inco che hiscory of che Smithsonian are literally 

 thousands of ocher instances of collections, programs, research 

 initiatives, and other imporcanc purposes energized by the 

 commicmencs of individuals who chose chis place co pursue and 

 affirm a passion of che mind and of che spine. 



Because chere has been no rigid master plan, because we have 

 kept ourselves flexible in response co changing needs, 

 opporcunicies, and solucions, chere can be no one simple 

 definition of what che Smichsonian is or does. I count this as a 

 blessing. The Smichsonian can never encompass all fields of 

 knowledge, and ic need noc winnow itself down co a particular 

 discipline, purpose, or field of inquiry. Its screngch lies in whac ic 

 represencs, in the scacemenc ic makes abouc our nation's 

 commitment to values of memory, curiosicy, exploracion, inquiry, 

 and explanation. 



But there is no denying that the Smithsonian's 

 development over time has left ic wich a multiplicity of tasks, 

 resource bases, and perspectives chac, day co day, provide an 

 enormous number of challenges. On certain days, I might 

 even wane co call chem censions. The firsc Secretary, Joseph 



Henry, set out to fulfill Smichson's balanced mandate for 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge with a program of 

 research and publication. His lack of encouragement for 

 museum-based collecting and exhibition seems shortsighced 

 in retrospect. As the museum function grew under his 

 successors, che Smithsonian managed to flourish as both a 

 research center and a collection of public museums. Yet, 

 Henry may have foreseen that the balancing of research and 

 education commitments would not be easy. 



And as far as balancing goes, what would Henry have 

 thought of a place that encompasses, to an extent he never 

 would have dreamed, art and history as well as science; a place 

 increasingly interested in folk and popular culture, no less 

 than traditional museum subjects; a place that presents more 

 and more the multiplicity of cultures and experiences within 

 the Uniced Scaces and around che world; a place at the same 

 time local, national, and global? 



Like che nacion chac produced ic, che Smichsonian mighc 

 besc be seen noc as a planned produce, buc as an ongoing, 

 inclusive process of working out the many goals, values, 

 subjects, and experiences important to the American people. 

 As we have expanded what we are, whom we serve, what we 

 aspire to do, we have become more interesting and useful than 

 any master plan could have ancicipaced. Inclusion is noc cidy 

 or ever complece, buc ic is dynamic and democraric. 



One grear advancage of che 150th anniversary is that it has 

 allowed many of us here to see the forest as well as the trees. 

 Each day, we operate as museums, research centers, programs, 

 and offices. We sometimes forget that there is a Smithsonian 

 as an overall framework and symbol. But when we saw what 

 was possible when objects usually separated across our 

 museums were brought together in the "America's 

 Smithsonian" exhibition, when we presented programs from 

 across the Institution togecher at one place on the Mall, when 

 we consulted and negotiated with each other in countless 

 tasks, we saw that greater whole, that shared purpose. 



My vision for the future of this great Institution is to find 

 more ways to tap into that collective purpose and framework 

 without stifling the initiative and creativicy within our 

 individual museums, research institutes, and offices. In 

 structure, I plan a judicious decentralization of the functions 

 best performed away from the center, while focusing on more 

 opportunities for cooperation across our units, our disciplines, 

 and our staff communities. There are things, I am convinced, 

 that we can best deliver as an entire Insticucion. 



For one, I believe chere is a symbolic role we can play in 

 serving as a common ground for the multitude of cultures and 

 perspeccives chat make up our modern democratic sociecy. This 

 Institution has for many years played a vital pan in Americans' 

 sense of their nationhood. As the United States becomes an even 

 richer composite of cultures and peoples, che Smithsonian's role 

 as a national meeting place will become even gteater, 

 representing the satisfying possibilities of our diverse society. 



I glimpsed this recently in a surprising way. At a state 

 dinner given for visiting Japanese dignitaries in the Castle, 



