Something exciting just happened – The Smithsonian just released “Smithsonian Open Access” which allows you you to download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images—right now, without asking.
Why is that exciting? This includes nearly 3 million 2D and 3D digital items from their existing collections by way of the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.
Within a few moments – you can search for just about anything (my first search was George Washington) and find all sorts of really cool paintings, coins, statues, and any other related object you would expect from the Smithsonian. You then have the option to download it and use it as you would like.Not only is this fun/interesting for someone like me who loves history and would rather search though this than social media – but it is a great tool for kids to be able to look up/use items for their school projects.
A huge thanks to the Smithsonian! Time to check it out: https://www.si.edu/openaccess
