Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is a government entity responsible for preserving cultural heritage and sharing art, history, and culture with the American people and the world. It is a complex comprising 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo. It was established in 1846.

In FY 2024,

$1.42B

was spent by the Smithsonian Institution
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Smithsonian Institution

How much does the Smithsonian Institution spend?

The Smithsonian Institution spent $1.42 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.021% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 30th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Smithsonian Institution accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of SI net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Smithsonian Institution’s federal spending has increased from $559.8 million in 1980 to $1.42 billion in 2024.

The Smithsonian Institution’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by SI, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Smithsonian Institution's spending has increased 154.2%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, SI accounted for 0.021% of all federal spending. That’s 0.0079 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.0033 points lower than in 1980.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Smithsonian Institution's share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to SI, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Smithsonian Institution's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net SI spending.

How did the Smithsonian Institution spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to SI, FY 2024

How many people work for the Smithsonian Institution?

Some 4,507 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Smithsonian Institution as of September 2024. This is 9.4% fewer people than the institution staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Smithsonian Institution has decreased 9.4% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for , September 2010–2024

Smithsonian Institution accounts for 0.2% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. Smithsonian Institution constituted a similar share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.2%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Smithsonian Institution’s share of the workforce (0.2%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.021%).

Who leads the Smithsonian Institution?

The Smithsonian Institution is led by the Secretary of the Smithsonian. The Secretary is appointed by the Board of Regents, which is the governing body of the Smithsonian Institution. The board has 17 members, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the vice president of the United States.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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