The Smithsonian Began With James Smithson’s Legacy Gift. Today, the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society Invites Others to Carry His Vision Forward

The Smithsonian introduces a new way for individuals to recognize the transformative power of learning and help sustain the diffusion of knowledge for generations to come

Nearly two centuries ago, British scientist James Smithson left his estate to the United States to establish an institution in Washington, D.C. dedicated to the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” His extraordinary bequest led Congress to establish the Smithsonian Institution in 1846. 

Though Smithson never lived to see the institution that bears his name, his generosity and belief in the power of knowledge created an enduring legacy of education, discovery, and learning far beyond what he may have imagined.  

Today, the Smithsonian’s Office of the Under Secretary for Education (OUSE) builds upon that founding purpose by providing leadership and a shared vision for education across the Institution. Through this Smithsonian-wide approach, the Institution’s extraordinary collections, scholarship, expertise, and educators come together to create meaningful learning opportunities in its museums and far beyond the National Mall—advancing the Smithsonian’s role as a national educational resource. 

 At the heart of this work is a defining vision: the Smithsonian is the nation’s museum, and its resources belong to everyone. Through partnerships with districts, schools, libraries, and national youth development organizations, the Smithsonian is extending its reach far beyond Washington, D.C., connecting educators and learners across the country to multidisciplinary resources, regardless of where they live. 

Now, the Smithsonian is introducing a new way for individuals to help sustain the diffusion of knowledge for generations to come.

Introducing the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society 

The Office of the Under Secretary for Education is delighted to announce the establishment of the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society, which recognizes individuals who have chosen to include Smithsonian Education in their estate and legacy plans.  

Through a bequest, beneficiary designation, or other planned gift, individuals can help ensure Smithsonian Education continues to reach students, educators, families, and communities long into the future. 

Carrying Forward Smithson's Vision

Among the Society’s founding members are Jane and Phil Skuta, longtime advocates for education’s transformative power. 

“Throughout our lives, we've believed that education is the greatest investment we can make in the future. That's why we chose to include Smithsonian Education in our estate plans. As one of the world's most trusted institutions, the Smithsonian combines authentic objects, world-class scholarship, and fact-based learning to inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and discovery.”  

For the Skutas, supporting education is deeply personal. Educators have played an important role in their lives, including Phil’s father, a high school civics teacher, making their legacy commitment a meaningful way to honor the teachers who devote their lives to helping young people learn, question, explore, and better understand the world around them. 

Their commitment also reflects one of the Smithsonian’s greatest opportunities: expanding access to the Institution’s educational resources for learners who may never visit a Smithsonian museum in person. 

“What excites us most is the Smithsonian's vision to extend those extraordinary educational resources far beyond its museum walls—to bring the power of Smithsonian learning into every classroom and every home across America. Every student, every teacher, and every family should have access to the Institution's unparalleled collections, expertise, and object-based approach to learning, regardless of where they live.”

Nancy Pasternack, a founding member of the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society and leader on the Smithsonian National Education Outreach Working Group, shares the commitment to extending one of Smithsonian Education’s defining goals: that access to the Institution’s collections, scholarship, experts, and learning experiences does not depend on a learner’s ZIP code or ability to travel to Washington. 

Pasternack has seen firsthand how Smithsonian Education’s pan-Institutional approach can connect the breadth of the Smithsonian with learners and communities nationwide. As a result, she has included the Office of the Under Secretary for Education in her will.  

“Supporting OUSE allows the Smithsonian to expand its reach across the country, enabling students who may not have the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., the ability to experience the resources many of us take for granted.”

From Legacy to Opportunity 

Legacy gifts can help ensure these opportunities endure. Donors may support Smithsonian education broadly or direct their legacy toward a priority area especially meaningful to them, such as internships, educator programs, science education, civic learning, rural engagement, or youth development. 

For Laura Peebles, an endowed Smithsonian internship offered a meaningful way to honor the remarkable life of her mother, Reverend Barbara Hebner. 

Before Hidden Figures made the term widely known, Hebner worked as a “human computer,” using her mathematical skills at Ryan Aeronautical and later as an engineering technician for Douglas Aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base. Her career and curiosity took her in extraordinary directions: conducting bat research in the Southwest and Mexico, working as a speechwriter and research associate, becoming an award-winning short-story writer and science editor, serving as a Unitarian minister, and later working and teaching at the University of Delaware.  

“I selected an endowed internship as a way of honoring her legacy of teaching even into her ‘retirement years.’ She made it a point to educate her seven grandchildren in nature, science, finance, and philanthropy. She didn't stop with her grandchildren—she visited schools and fairs with her slide rule and drafting tools and a sign that read ‘Meet a Computer.’ She had said that if she'd been born later she'd have been able to pursue a career in astrophysics. This will give someone else a chance in her name and memory.” 

Building on that spirit, the Reverend Barbara Hebner Internship Endowment will carry forward curiosity, exploration, and possibility. By providing resources for a paid internship in one of the Smithsonian’s science museums or research centers, it gives future students opportunities that may once have seemed beyond their reach—just as Barbara Hebner spent a lifetime reaching beyond the expectations of her own era.

An Investment in Generations to Come 

James Smithson’s legacy gift reflected a belief in the future and in sharing the power of knowledge with people and generations he would never know. Nearly two centuries later, his vision still inspires discovery and learning around the world. 

At the heart of the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society are people who believe that investing in learning is one of the most powerful investments in the future. 

For Jane and Phil Skuta, that means helping ensure that future learners can continue to be inspired by the Smithsonian. 

“We hope our legacy will help make that vision a reality for generations to come. It is an investment not only in education, but in a more informed, curious, and engaged society. We are honored to be founding members of the Smithsonian Education Legacy Society and to help ensure that the Smithsonian continues to inspire learners everywhere.” 

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To learn more about including the Smithsonian’s Office of the Under Secretary for Education in your estate plans, visit https://www.si.edu/education/support/legacy. 

Mark Mills | Read More

As Director of Advancement for the Office of the Under Secretary for Education (OUSE), Mark helps connect people who believe in the power of education with opportunities to make a difference through philanthropy at the Smithsonian. He works with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other partners to expand access to the Smithsonian’s extraordinary educational resources and bring them to learners and communities everywhere.