# Smithsonian Open Access

> Use this tool when you need to access and explore the Smithsonian Institution's vast cultural collections, solving problems of research, education, and exhibition planning by providing a searchable interface to 3+ million objects with filters and detailed metadata output. It takes search queries and filter inputs, returning relevant object information, images, and 3D models. Ideal for educators, researchers, and curators seeking to delve into American cultural heritage through museum collections.

Canonical page: https://skillsregistry.net/skills/molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access  
JSON: https://api.skillsregistry.net/v1/skills/molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access

## Description

Provides access to the Smithsonian Institution's Open Access collections through their API, enabling search across 3+ million cultural objects from museums like NMNH, NPG, and SAAM. Built by Justin Molano using FastMCP and the Smithsonian's api.data.gov endpoint, it offers search tools with filters for object type, creator, materials, and licensing status, plus detailed object retrieval with metadata, images, and 3D models. The implementation includes educational prompt templates for research, exhibition planning, and lesson development, making it valuable for educators, researchers, curators, and anyone exploring American cultural heritage through museum collections.

## Trust

- **Trust score (0–1):** 0.68
- **Verification tier:** scanned
- **Last scanned:** 2026-09-28

## Facts

- **Version:** 1.0.0
- **Skill type:** atomic
- **Execution layer:** mcp-remote
- **Runtime environment:** api
- **Category:** media
- **Updated:** 2026-09-28

## Source

- **Source listing:** [PulseMCP](https://www.pulsemcp.com/servers/molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access)
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/molanojustin/smithsonian-mcp>

## Use it

Resolve this record through the SkillsRegistry MCP server (no auth, read-only):

```
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user skillsregistry https://api.skillsregistry.net/mcp
```

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "get_skill",
    "arguments": {
      "slug": "molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access"
    }
  }
}
```

REST: `GET https://api.skillsregistry.net/v1/skills/molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access` · pull for local use: `GET https://api.skillsregistry.net/v1/skills/molanojustin-smithsonian-open-access/pull`

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SkillsRegistry indexes agent skills from public registries and GitHub. Skills we have analysed are scanned with Circle-IR and scored on six dimensions; each listing states its scan coverage. More: https://skillsregistry.net/llms.txt