{"exhibit":{"title":"Why is the Department of Agriculture on the National Mall?","description":"
When the first Department of Agriculture building opened on the Mall in 1868, its programs of research and experimentation complemented those of the Smithsonian. The Mall in the late 1800s was a place for scientific discovery as much as education, and the Department of Agriculture grew experimental crops on the Mall and in greenhouses, conducted research in the labs indoors, and shared their findings with the nation. Although the newer Agriculture building only houses administrative offices, the grounds are still used for education and discovery.<\/p>","credits":"","featured":0,"public":1,"theme":"","theme_options":null,"slug":"agriculture","added":"2013-04-08 04:35:44","modified":"2015-07-10 19:50:52","owner_id":3,"use_summary_page":1,"cover_image_file_id":null,"id":23},"item":{"item_type_id":6,"collection_id":null,"featured":0,"public":1,"added":"2013-04-18 05:07:14","modified":"2015-11-02 15:18:44","owner_id":3,"id":292}}