Discover the incredible history of the Smithsonian as it grew to meet the needs of a nation

The English chemist and mineralogist James Smithson never visited the United States, yet he bequeathed his estate to the country to establish the Smithsonian Institution. The rest is history, told in rich detail in Smithson's Gamble. Follow the fascinating growth and development of the world's largest museum and research complex during its first 60 years. This book reveals how, as it defined a role rooted in curiosity and exploration, the Smithsonian helped to shape the nation's developing identity.

The Smithsonian evolved from a small, narrowly focused organization into an institution leading the way in fields from astrophysics to zoology, dedicated to sharing knowledge with the citizens of a democracy through publications, the National Museum, and expositions and fairs across the country. Smithsonian researchers, and the hundreds of citizen scientists that they recruited, created a collection that documented the natural and human history of a continent. The American conservation movement and a national weather service are rooted at the Smithsonian. It is a story filled with fascinating characters, twists and turns, and moments of triumph and tragedy, complete with political machinations, a bit of backstabbing, accusations of murder, and the occasional scandal.

Tom D. Crouch, a Smithsonian veteran of almost 45 years, paints a robust picture of a unique American establishment and its lasting legacies. He chronicles the trials and errors of an increasingly complex institution and all the incredible joys and innovations resulting from Smithson's gamble.