Smithsonian Affiliations offers museums and nonprofit educational and cultural organizations across the country the opportunity to have greater access to Smithsonian collections and resources. Through the Smithsonian Affiliations program, the Smithsonian shares its artifacts, programs and expertise.

Smithsonian Affiliations has established partnerships with more than 150 museums and cultural institutions in 39 states, Panama and Puerto Rico since it was established in 1996. Smithsonian Affiliations hosts a national affiliations conference every spring in Washington, D.C.

The Smithsonian's collections-based affiliations program permits the long term loan of artifacts and enables program participants to incorporate Smithsonian collections in more than one format, allowing for alternative means of exhibiting the Institution's more than 136 million object collection. Smithsonian affiliates may integrate Smithsonian artifacts and collections into their exhibitions, their educational initiatives and their research programs.

In addition to borrowing objects from the Smithsonian's collections, many affiliates are incorporating the outreach services the Institution offers—for curriculum development in local schools, lectures, traveling exhibitions, workshops, study tours and other programs. The Smithsonian also shares its staff expertise in areas of conservation, collections care and exhibition development with affiliate partners.

The success of the program is reflected in the visitor numbers:

• 2007 estimates indicate that more than 33 million people visited Smithsonian affiliates and gained exposure to the Smithsonian via programs, performances, events, media recognition and business initiatives; more than 12.8 million visitors saw Smithsonian artifacts at affiliate venues.
• Attendance at some affiliates has increased as much as 48 percent as a result of loaned Smithsonian collections.

"Today, Smithsonian Affiliations is doing more than sharing its treasures with the museums of America," said Harold A. Closter, director of the program. "We are building relationships with people in neighborhoods from coast to coast, ensuring that all Americans can enjoy a quality Smithsonian experience, regardless of their proximity to Washington, D.C."

Since 1997, affiliates have borrowed more than 7,500 artifacts from the Smithsonian collections including the Apollo 13 space capsule (Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, Hutchinson, Kan.), Amelia Earhart's flightsuit (The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, Dallas), Ray Bolger's scarecrow costume from "The Wizard of Oz" (Durham Western Heritage Museum, Omaha, Neb.) and more than hundred minerals (Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, Bisbee, Ariz.; Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach, Fla.).

The goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to establish long-term, meaningful relationships with affiliate partners to maximize the cultural and educational benefits that both the Smithsonian and affiliate can impart to a community. The affiliations Web site—affiliations.si.edu—describes all the institutions that are active Smithsonian affiliates and their programs and provides potential affiliates with information about the program.

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