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Welcome Welcome to the Smithsonian Photography Initiative. We hope this website will introduce you to Smithsonian's extraordinary collections of photographs and to an understanding of the integral roles photographs play in our lives. Photography and the Smithsonian were born within a decade of each other in the mid-19th century. The fledgling Smithsonian was quick to adopt the camera to advance its mission, cataloging plant and animal species and documenting the grandeur of the American landscape as well as its original inhabitants. Photography brought the faraway near and made visible the previously invisible. Today we have more than 13 million images in some seven hundred collections throughout our museums and research centers. The collections are organized by museum and discipline—for instance, the National Museum of Natural History holds natural science images in its collections, the National Air and Space Museum houses images of flight in its archives, and the National Museum of African Art holds photographs of Africa in its collections. We believe that the Smithsonian's ability to look at photography broadly and in context makes the Institution unique. Beyond locating and describing the hundreds of Smithsonian photography collections, the SPI website lists all the current and upcoming photography programs that happen at the Smithsonian, both online and on the ground. The strengths of the Photography Initiative derive from the innovative ideas behind it. Interactive, online programs such as Enter the Frame and click! photography changes everything, allow website visitors to contribute to an ongoing dialogue about photographs and the active role they play in shaping our lives. Future programs will add publications, educational curriculum, and an opportunity to add your own images and stories about photography to the site. Through all of these programs, SPI serves anyone who wishes to study, explore, and enjoy photographs of many kinds. I hope you enjoy your experience here! Merry A. Foresta, Director
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