• DATA
  • ASSETS
  • CONTEXT
  • HUMAN

How to retrieve artifact metadata with your AI

Connect to the Smithsonian Open Access collection once. After that, your AI handles the heavy lifting of searching and pulling specific record details.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I get museum record details using my AI?

Give your AI a unique identifier or a specific search term. It uses the Smithsonian Open Access tools to pull provenance, descriptions, and direct links to digital assets. You'll get structured data ready for your research.

The results you get

Where your data lands

The AI turns raw museum identifiers into usable information.

DATA

Detailed provenance

The AI pulls the history and origin of an object. You get the full story behind the record without manual searching.

ASSETS

Digital asset links

Your agent finds direct URLs to high-resolution images or digital files. This connects your text research to visual media.

CONTEXT

Rich descriptions

Get the full museum description for any record. The AI extracts the most relevant details for your specific query.

HUMAN

Manual verification

You decide which records are worth deep diving. The AI finds the data, but you make the final call on its relevance.

The workflow

What your AI does when a request arrives.

The AI acts as the bridge between your chat interface and the Smithsonian's database.

  1. Identify the record

    Your AI parses your request to find specific IDs or search terms needed to query the collection.

    get_content

  2. Fetch metadata

    The agent calls the Smithsonian API to grab the specific fields you asked for, like provenance or descriptions.

    get_content

  3. Locate digital assets

    It scans the returned data for direct links to images or digital objects associated with the record.

    get_content

  4. Format the output

    The AI cleans up the raw museum data into a readable summary or a structured list for your use.

    get_content

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the connection.

Starting points

Swap the bracketed text for the specific museum ID or object name you are looking for.

Smithsonian Open Access Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Smithsonian Open Access capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "smithsonian-open-access-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Get the full provenance and description for Smithsonian record [ID NUMBER].

  • Find the digital asset links for the [OBJECT NAME] in the Smithsonian collection.

  • Search the Smithsonian Open Access for records related to [HISTORICAL PERIOD] and list their descriptions.

  • Pull all available metadata for the artifact with identifier [ID NUMBER].

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Smithsonian Open Access once, then ask.

One click connects the MCP to your client. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can start querying immediately.

Connect Smithsonian Open Access to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can my AI update or edit museum records?

    No. The AI can only read and retrieve existing data from the Smithsonian Open Access collection.

  • 02

    Do I need to provide the exact ID every time?

    No. You can use descriptive names or search terms, and the AI will attempt to find the correct record for you.

  • 03

    Can the AI download the images for me?

    No. The AI provides the direct links to the digital assets, but you must click the links to download them.

  • 04

    Does the AI store the museum data locally?

    No. The AI retrieves the data in real time through the MCP to ensure you get the most current information.

  • 05

    Can I use this with any AI client?

    Yes, as long as your client is MCP-compatible, like Claude, Cursor, or Windsurf.

  • More questions about Smithsonian Open Access? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Smithsonian Open Access Connector can do

Connect Smithsonian Open Access to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more