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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Washington, D.C. 20560
U.S.A.

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE SERVICE
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK
NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS
FREER GALLERY OF ART
CANAL ZONE BIOLOGICAL AREA
NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM
JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

March 31, 1965

Mr. Lawrence A. Fleischman, President
Detroit Institute of Arts
19655 Grand River Avenue
Detroit 23, Michigan

Dear Mr. Fleischman:

On behalf of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, I should like to invite you to attend the Bicentennial Celebration of the birth of James Smithson, in Washington, on September 17 and 18 of this year.

James Smithson's bequest of his fortune to the United States for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men" made possible the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution and the development of its programs of research and interpretation in science, history and the arts.

We are planning an outstanding program of addresses, papers and discussions which will consider areas of knowledge pertinent to man's understanding of himself and of his environment and culture.  The Chief Justice of the United States, as Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution, will participate in the ceremonies, and hopefully both the President and Vice-President will speak.

A detailed program will be sent to you at a later date.  Since the dates of this observance have been established, however, I hasten to inform you of them in the hope that we may be honored with your presence at an event which we believe will make a major contribution to the intellectual and cultural life of our society.

Sincerely yours,

[[signature]]

S. Dillon Ripley
Secretary