Dashboard Introduction and Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the Smithsonian Dashboard!

As a public trust, the Smithsonian is committed to using data and empirical evidence to assess its performance and report results to its stakeholders.

The Dashboard presents metrics used to assess performance results and organizational accountability across the major programs and functions of the Institution, as well as numbers that tell the story of the Smithsonian’s amazing scope and reach.  

Metrics are organized under three major areas where the Smithsonian carries out its mission – the increase and diffusion of knowledge:

• Research: We create knowledge through high-impact research in science, art, history, and culture.

• National Collections: We preserve our national and natural heritage, as well as aspects of other cultures, by caring for and expanding the National Collections.

• Public Engagement: We share knowledge and engage with the public on-site, online, and across the nation and world through compelling exhibitions, educational programs, and media products.

The Dashboard presents metrics in two additional areas:

• People and Operations: Our mission-supporting functions.

• One Smithsonian: Qualitative examples of interdisciplinary and cross-Smithsonian activities that bridge the other areas and tackle big issues.

To learn more, see the Smithsonian Strategic Plan.

Navigating the Smithsonian Dashboard

Navigation aids

The navigation bar at the top of each page (under the section title) will take you to the five sections of the Dashboard and back to Dashboard Home.

Smaller navigation bars below the introductory text will take you to the performance areas in each section.

Clicking on the “up” arrow located at the lower right side of the page will take you back to the top of the page.

How can I get more information from the displays? 

Frequently the Dashboard provides more information from second and third level information platforms or sources. 

• Sometimes the Dashboard offers further information from other Smithsonian websites. Look for the light blue hyperlinks.

• The metrics often provide the option of filtering by Smithsonian unit or other units of measure. Click on the “down” arrow on the right to see the drop-down selection.

• Sometimes the graphic displays on the right have an option for additional metric presentations. Click on the gray buttons.

• “Hand” icons indicate there is more information when you place your cursor over an object (or click on the object if you are using a mobile device).

Accessibility

• For a list of keystrokes for navigating the graphic visualizations, refer to the following link:  http://onlinehelp.tableau.com/v10.3/pro/desktop/en-us/access_keyboard_navigation.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Smithsonian Unit?

For administration purposes, the Smithsonian refers to individual museums, research centers, education centers, and offices as "units".

What is a Fiscal Year?

A Fiscal Year (FY) is the 12-month period that defines the U.S. government budget. It runs from October 1 through September 30. For example, FY 2017 began on October 1, 2016 and ends on September 30, 2017. FY 2018 is from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018.

What is a Quarter?

A Quarter (Q) is a three-month period of the financial calendar. The four Quarters that define the U.S. government budget are Q1 = October to December, Q2 = January to March, Q3 = April to June, and Q4 = July to September. 

Other Questions?

Contact us at: dashboard@si.edu

Museums, Research Centers, and other Units/Locations

Acronym	Full Name	Short Name
OSEC	Office of the Secretary	Secretary
ODI	Office of Diversity Initiatives	Diversity/OEEMA
OGC	Office of General Counsel	General Counsel
BoR	Board of Regents	Regents
OREG	Office of the Regents	Regents Office
OIG	Office of the Inspector General	Inspector General
OUSMER	Office of the Under Secretary for Museums, Education and Research/Provost	Provost
AAA	Archives of American Art	Archives American Art
ACM	Anacostia Community Museum	Anacostia
AIB	Arts & Industries Building	Arts & Industries
APAC	Asian Pacific American Center	Asian Pac American Ctr
CFCH	Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage	Folklife
CHM	Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum	Cooper Hewitt
DWRC	Donald W. Reynolds Center	Reynolds Ctr
FS	Freer Gallery and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art	Asian Art
HMSG	Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden	Hirshhorn
MCI	Museum Conservation Institute	Museum Conservation
MSC	Museum Support Center	Museum Support Ctr
NASM	National Air and Space Museum	Air and Space-Mall
NASM-UHC	National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center	Air and Space-Udvar Hazy
NCP	National Collections Program	Collections Program
NMAAHC	National Museum of African American History & Culture	African American
NMAFA	National Museum of African Art	African Art
NMAH	National Museum of American History	American History
NMAI	National Museum of the American Indian	American Indian-DC
NMAI-NY	National Museum of the American Indian–New York, the George Gustav Heye Center	American Indian-NY
NMAI-CRC	National Museum of the American Indian Cultural Resources Center	American Indian-Cult Res
NMNH	National Museum of Natural History	Natural History
NPG	National Portrait Gallery	Portrait Gallery
NPM	National Postal Museum	Postal
NZP	National Zoological Park	National Zoo
OFI	Office of Fellowships and Internships	Fellows & Interns
RC	Dillon Ripley Center	Ripley
RG	Renwick Gallery	Renwick
SAAM	Smithsonian American Art Museum	American Art
SAO	Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory	Astrophysical Observatory
SCBI	Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute	Conservation Biology
SERC	Smithsonian Environmental Research Center	Environmental Research
SIA	Smithsonian Institution Archives	SI Archives
SIB	Smithsonian Castle	SI Castle
SIL	Smithsonian Libraries	SI Libraries
SISP	Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press	Scholarly Press
SLC	Smithsonian Latino Center	Latino Ctr
SMSFP	Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce	NMNH-Fort Pierce
STRI	Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute	Tropical Research
OUSFA COO	Office of the Under Secretary for Finance & Administration/Chief Operating Officer	Under Sec Fin & Admin
AP	Accessibility Program	Accessibility
OCIO	Office of the Chief Information Officer	Chief, Information
OCon&PPM	Office of Contracting & Personal Property Management	Contracting
OF&A	Office of Finance & Accounting	Finance
OFMR	Office of Facilities Management and Reliability	Facilities Mgmt
OHR	Office of Human Resources	Human Resources
OPMB	Office of Planning, Management and Budget	Budget
OSP	Office of Sponsored Projects	Sponsored Projects
SE	Smithsonian Enterprises	Enterprises
SF	Smithsonian Facilities	Facilities
SG	Smithsonian Gardens	Gardens
SIE	Smithsonian Exhibits	Exhibits
SOAR	Smithsonian Organization and Audience Research	Org. & Audience Research
SOPS	Smithsonian Office of Protection Services	Protection Serv
OAPEA	Office of the Associate Provost for Education and Access	Asst Sec Educ & Access
SA	Smithsonian Affiliations	Affiliations
SCLDA	Smithsonian Center for Learning & Digital Access	Learning & Digital Access
SA	Smithsonian Associates	Associates
SITES	Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service	Traveling Exhibits
SSEC	Smithsonian Science Education Center	Science Education
OASCEA	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Communications & External Affairs	Asst Sec Comm & Ext Afr
OGR	Office of Government Relations	Govt Relations
OIR	Office of International Relations	Intl Relations
OPA	Office of Public Affairs	Public Affairs
OSEP	Office of Special Events and Protocol	Special Events
OVS	Office of Visitor Services	Visitor Services
OASA	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Advancement	Asst Sec Advance
OA&PG	Office of Advancement & Philanthropic Giving	Advancement
Other
SEEC	Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center	Early Enrichment Ctr