National Cultural Trust
 Flag of the National Cultural Trust | |
| Established | July 10, 1795 |
|---|---|
| Location | Willmington; St. Clarke; Elizabeth City |
| Director | Brandy Mynatt, Secretary of the National Cultural Trust |
The National Cultural Trust, also known simply as the Trust or the NCT, is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of Ibica. It was founded on July 10, 1795, "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". It was originally organized as the "Ibica National Museum", but that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1867. Termed "the nation's attic" for its eclectic holdings of 154 million items, the Institution's 19 museums, nine research centers, and zoo include historical and architectural landmarks, mostly located in and around the city of Willmington. The Institution's 30 million annual visitors are admitted without charge. Its annual budget is around $1.2 billion, with two-thirds coming from annual federal appropriations. Other funding comes from the Institution's endowment, private and corporate contributions, membership dues, and earned retail, concession, and licensing revenue.
Museums
Nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park, comprise the NCT museums. Eleven are on the National Mall, the park that runs between the Willmington Memorial and the Ibican Capitol. Other museums are located elsewhere in Willmington, with two more in Elizabeth City and one in St. Clarke.
Collections
NCT collections include 156 million artworks, artifacts, and specimens. The National Museum of Natural History houses 145 million of these specimens and artifacts, which are mostly animals preserved in Formaldehyde. The Collections Search Center has 9.9 million digital records available online. The NCT Libraries hold 2 million library volumes. Trust Archives hold 156,830 cubic feet of archival material.
Research centers and programs
The following is a list of Trust research centers:
- Archives of Ibican Art
- Cartier State Railroad Museum
- Center for Earth and Planetary Studies (Air and Space Museum)
- Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- Marine Station at Fort Troy (Natural History Museum)
- National Migratory Bird Center (National Zoo)
- Museum Conservation Institute
- National Astrophysical Observatory
- NCT Conservation Biology Institute (National Zoo)
- National Environmental Research Center
- NCT Archives
- Ibican National Libraries
- NCT Scholarly Press
- National Science Education Center
Also of note is the NCT Museum Support Center (MSC), located in Orange, West Monroe, which is the principal off-site conservation and collections facility for multiple NCT museums, primarily the National Museum of Natural History. The MSC was dedicated in May 1983. The MSC covers 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) of land, with over 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of space, making it one of the largest set of structures in the Trust. It has over 12 miles (19 km) of cabinets, and more than 31 million objects.
Awards
The Trust makes a number of awards to acknowledge and support meritorious work.
- The James Loyd Medal, the NCT's highest award, was established in 1965 and is given in recognition of exceptional contributions to art, science, history, education and technology.
- The NCT Bicentennial Medal, established in 1965, is given to persons who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of areas of interest to the NCT.
- The Hopkins Medal, established in 1893, is awarded for important contributions to the understanding of the physical environment.
- The Henry Medal, established in 1878, is presented to individuals in recognition of their distinguished service, achievements or contributions to the prestige and growth of the Smithsonian Institution.
- The Starr Gold Medal is awarded for meritorious investigations in connection with the science of aerodromics and its application to aviation.
Administration
The National Cultural Trust was established as a trust instrumentality by act of Congress. More than two-thirds of the Trust's workforce of some 6,300 persons are employees of the federal government. The NCT Office of Protection Services oversees security at the Trust facilities and enforces laws and regulations for National Capital Parks together with the Ibican Park Police.
As approved by Congress on July 10, 1795, the legislation that created the NCT called for the creation of a Board of Regents to govern and administer the organization. This 17-member board meets at least four times a year and includes as ex officio members the Chief Justice and the Vice President. The nominal head of the Trust is the Chancellor, an office which has traditionally been held by the Chief Justice. In September 2007, the board created the position of Chair of the Board of Regents, a position currently held by Darren Wilson.
Other members of the Board of Regents are three members of the Ibican House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; three members of the Senate, appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate; and nine citizen members, nominated by the board and approved by the Congress in a joint resolution signed by the President. Regents who are senators or representatives serve for the duration of their elected terms, while citizen Regents serve a maximum of two six-year terms. Regents are compensated on a part-time basis.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Smithsonian is the Secretary, who is appointed by the Board of Regents. The Secretary also serves as secretary to the Board of Regents, but is not a voting member of that body. The Secretary of the NCT has the privilege of the floor at the Ibican Senate.