Editing Smithsonian Institution (section)

===Collections===
{{Expand section|date=September 2012}}
Smithsonian collections include 156&nbsp;million artworks, artifacts, and specimens. The [[National Museum of Natural History]] houses 145&nbsp;million of these specimens and artifacts, which are mostly animals preserved in formaldehyde. The Collections Search Center has 9.9&nbsp;million digital records available online. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries hold 2&nbsp;million library volumes. Smithsonian Archives hold {{convert|156830|cuft}} of archival material.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.si.edu/Collections|title=Smithsonian Collections |work=Smithsonian|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204031426/http://si.edu/Collections|archive-date=December 4, 2015 |access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://collections.si.edu/search/about.htm|title=Smithsonian|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614050316/http://collections.si.edu/search/about.htm|archive-date=June 14, 2017 |access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref>

The Smithsonian Institution has many categories of displays that can be visited at the museums. In 1912, First Lady [[Helen Herron Taft]] donated her inauguration gown to the museum to begin the [[Ball_gown#First_Ladies_Collection|First Ladies' Gown]] display at the [[National Museum of American History]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/first-ladies/tradition-of-the-gowns|title=The First Ladies at the Smithsonian: The Tradition of the Gowns (page 1 of 3)|work=The National Museum of American History|date=April 4, 2012|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|access-date=March 8, 2017 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308221145/http://americanhistory.si.edu/first-ladies/tradition-of-the-gowns |archive-date=March 8, 2017}}</ref> one of the Smithsonian's most popular exhibits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/first-ladies/introduction|title=The First Ladies at the Smithsonian: The First Ladies: Introduction |work=The National Museum of American History|date=April 4, 2012 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution|access-date=March 8, 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301223434/http://americanhistory.si.edu/first-ladies/introduction |archive-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> The museum displays treasures such as the [[Star-Spangled Banner (flag)|Star-Spangled Banner]], the stove pipe hat that was worn by President [[Abraham Lincoln]], the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard Of Oz]]'', and the original Teddy Bear that was named after President [[Theodore Roosevelt]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.teddybearandfriends.com/archive/articles/history.html|title=The History of the Teddy Bear|first=Marianne|last=Clay|year=2002|magazine=Teddy Bear & Friends|publisher=Madavor Media, LLC|access-date=December 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723184018/http://www.teddybearandfriends.com/archive/articles/history.html |archive-date=July 23, 2011}}</ref> In 2016, the Smithsonian's Air & Space museum curators restored the large model ''Enterprise'' from the original ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' TV series.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/06/28/483281249/smithsonian-sets-phasers-to-restore-on-original-starship-enterprise |title=Smithsonian Sets Phasers To Restore On Original Starship Enterprise|date=June 28, 2016|work=Morning Edition|publisher=NPR: National Public Radio|access-date=July 1, 2016|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701072340/http://www.npr.org/2016/06/28/483281249/smithsonian-sets-phasers-to-restore-on-original-starship-enterprise|archive-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref>

Following international debates about the [[decolonisation of museums]] and the legal and moral justifications of their acquisitions, the Smithsonian adopted a new "ethical returns policy" on April 29, 2022. This will permit the [[Deaccessioning|deaccession]] and restitution of items collected under circumstances considered unethical by contemporary standards and thus places moral over legal arguments. A month before, the Smithsonian's [[National Museum of African Art]] had announced the planned return of most of its 39 [[Benin Bronzes]] to [[Nigeria]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGlone |first=Peggy |title=Smithsonian to give back its collection of Benin bronzes |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/03/08/smithsonian-benin-bronzes-nigeria-return/ |access-date=May 18, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> as well as of other cultural items to [[Turkey]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ludel |first=Wallace |date=May 4, 2022 |title=Smithsonian adopts new 'ethical returns policy' to handle artefacts with problematic histories |url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/05/04/smithsonian-new-ethical-returns-policy |access-date=May 18, 2022 |website=The Art Newspaper - International art news and events}}</ref>

On October 11, 2022, Benin Bronzes from the [[National Museum of African Art]], as well as the [[National Gallery of Art]], were formally returned to Nigerian cultural officials in a ceremony held in Washington D.C. The Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, [[Lai Mohammed]], and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, representing the [[Oba of Benin]] Kingdom, spoke at the ceremony. Mohammed said the "decision to return the timeless artworks is worth emulating."<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Smithsonian Returns 29 Benin Bronzes to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria |url=https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-returns-29-benin-bronzes-national-commission-museums-and-monuments |website= Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>