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The third Secretary of the Smithsonian, Samuel Langley, held a strong interest in aeronautics, astrophysics and astronomy. It is not surprising then that during Langley's 1887-1906 tenure the Institution began a concentrated effort to start collecting material on these subjects. The growing aviation collection was housed in different locations within the Smithsonian complex until 1946, when The National Air Museum (NAM) was created as a separate bureau of the Smithsonian Institution by Act of Congress, Public Law 722. Twenty years later the Museum's name was changed to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) to reflect the need to document space topics.
NASM.XXXX.0379
Arnold, Henry Harley, 1886-1950
1932-1946
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0379, unknown
0.2 Cubic feet ((4 folders))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of 'Report on the Status of Aircraft Museums, 1932,' and correspondence (mostly copies) sent to General Henry 'Hap' Arnold discussing the establishment of a National Air Museum (1945-1946).
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
No restrictions on access
Military museums
Aeronautics
Astronautics
Aeronautics, Commercial
Aeronautics, Military
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Publications