The Smithsonian Institution has not only warehouses but once a new
curator has a job they work very hard until they have tenure with the
good old Government.  Once they are secure and have the job for life
they no longer seem interested in making any changes (improvements).

At one time I got regular phone calls asking me to leave my collection
to them as I had no heirs.  Now that I have a daughter I no longer get
the letters or calls.  I was told I could come to Washington and see
the vast warehouses except for one.

The one warehouse you can't go into has been sealed for years with no
inventory list as the warehouse has an asbestos ceiling.  Yes, the last
scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is a very accurate representation
of the Smithsonian warehouses.

At one time I had a list of their music collection but from what I
remember it was not that impressive.  I have a Link Piano from the
Smithsonian collection that was on loan to them that the previous owner
requested be returned.

Don Teach - Shreveport Music Co.
Shreveport, Louisiana