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The Smithsonian's mission is "the increase and diffusion of knowledge." It was established in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by James Smithson. The Institution is as an independent trust instrumentality of the United States and holds more than 137 million artifacts and specimens in its collections. It is a center for scientific research and scholarship in the arts, history, and culture.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a state agency and a privately endowed educational institution created for the citizens of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the art of world cultures from all periods of history, to encourage the study of the arts, and to enrich lives. The VMFA Foundation exists solely to support the activities of VMFA and to manage assets held in trust. Support includes transfers to the museum and direct expenditures to further VMFA's mission.

The purposes for which the Art Institute of Chicago is formed are: to found, build, maintain, and operate museums, schools, libraries of art, and theaters; to provide support facilities in connection therewith; to conduct appropriate activities conducive to the artistic development of the region; and to conduct and participate in appropriate activities of national and international significance; To form, conserve, research, publish, and exhibit a permanent collection of objects of art of all kinds; to present temporary exhibitions that include loaned objects of art of all kinds; and to cultivate and extend the arts by appropriate means; To establish and conduct comprehensive programs of education, including presentation of visual artists, teachers of art, and designers; to provide educational services in written, spoken, and media formats; To provide lectures, instruction, and entertainment, including dramatic, film, and musical performances of all kinds, which complement and further the general purposes of the institute; To receive in trust property of all kinds and to exercise all necessary powers as trustee for such trust estates whose objects are related to the furtherance of the general purposes of the institute or for the establishment or maintenance of works of art.

Connecting all our communities’ children, and those who care for them, to one another and to a life of wonder, imagination and exploration. Here, children discover their passions and their relationship to the world we share.Core Values • We value creativity and the importance of play.• We embrace diversity.• We are dedicated to respect and access for all.• We are committed to excellence.• We nurture cooperation and kindness.• We value the trust of our community and continually seek to earn it.

Our mission is to transform communities through innovative, child-centered learning that improves the trajectories of all children in Greater Houston. Goals aligned with this mission include: 1) providing child-centered learning experiences that are valued by families; 2) supporting parents’ confidence and skills as children’s first teachers; 3) advancing children’s learning to further grade-level readiness; 4) building partnerships to increase educational equity and reduce opportunity gaps; 5) furthering trust across communities through diversity, equity, inclusion and access; and 6) engaging with children to broaden their future career interests and options.