20 U.S.C. § 80b (2024)
This is the official text of 20 U.S.C. § 80b (2024), part of Federal (US Code)’s United States Code — the codified general and permanent federal statutes of the United States, organized into more than 50 numbered titles by subject.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Selection of site
Official statutory text
(a) Authorization of Board of Regents; submission of recommendations to Congress
The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized and directed, with the advice and assistance of the Board, to investigate and survey lands and buildings in and near the District of Columbia suitable for the display of military collections. The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution shall, after consulting with and seeking the advice of the Commission on Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the General Services Administration, submit recommendations to the Congress with respect to the acquisition of lands and buildings for such purpose.
(b) Public exhibits and study collections; exhibits of military and naval operations
Buildings acquired pursuant to recommendations made under subsection (a) of this section shall be used to house public exhibits and study collections that are not appropriate for the military exhibits of the Smithsonian Institution on the Mall in the District of Columbia. Facilities shall be provided for the display of large military objects and for the reconstruction, in an appropriate way, on lands acquired pursuant to recommendations made under subsection (a) of this section, of exhibits showing the nature of fortifications, trenches, and other military and naval facilities characteristic of the American colonial period, the War of the Revolution, and subsequent American military and naval operations.
(Pub. L. 87–186, §3, Aug. 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 415.)
The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized and directed, with the advice and assistance of the Board, to investigate and survey lands and buildings in and near the District of Columbia suitable for the display of military collections. The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution shall, after consulting with and seeking the advice of the Commission on Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the General Services Administration, submit recommendations to the Congress with respect to the acquisition of lands and buildings for such purpose.
(b) Public exhibits and study collections; exhibits of military and naval operations
Buildings acquired pursuant to recommendations made under subsection (a) of this section shall be used to house public exhibits and study collections that are not appropriate for the military exhibits of the Smithsonian Institution on the Mall in the District of Columbia. Facilities shall be provided for the display of large military objects and for the reconstruction, in an appropriate way, on lands acquired pursuant to recommendations made under subsection (a) of this section, of exhibits showing the nature of fortifications, trenches, and other military and naval facilities characteristic of the American colonial period, the War of the Revolution, and subsequent American military and naval operations.
(Pub. L. 87–186, §3, Aug. 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 415.)
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Federal (US Code)?
Find a Federal (US Code) lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.