Joseph Henry Statue
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One of America's premier scientists, and the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Joseph Henry (1797-1878), is memorialized in this statue just outside the Smithsonian Castle. John Phillips Sousa wrote an original musical piece, Transit of Venus March, for the statue's dedication in 1883. In 1934 the statue was moved to its current location, but it faced toward the Smithsonian Castle. The statue was turned around in 1965 to look towards the Mall to symbolize that the museum was not a closed, elite site, but a place that welcomed people to share the nation's heritage.
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Description
One of America's premier scientists, and the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Joseph Henry (1797-1878), is memorialized in this statue just outside the Smithsonian Castle. John Phillips Sousa wrote an original musical piece, Transit of Venus March, for the statue's dedication in 1883. In 1934 the statue was moved to its current location, but it faced toward the Smithsonian Castle. The statue was turned around in 1965 to look towards the Mall to symbolize that the museum was not a closed, elite site, but a place that welcomed people to share the nation's heritage.