Smithsonian Open Access Connector for AI agents.
3 live capabilities
Access millions of historical artifacts and museum records for research.
Waiting for input…
Why people use Smithsonian Open Access
Smithsonian Open Access for accurate historical research.
With this Connector, you just tell your agent what you need. It scans the Smithsonian's records and pulls the data directly into your workspace, letting you focus on writing instead of clicking.
What Vinkius changes
You get instant, programmatic access to millions of Smithsonian records without leaving your workspace.
Use it from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or another AI client you already have.
One account · 5,900+ Connectors
- Real-world use case 01
Fact-checking a history blog
A writer asks the agent to find the specific year and location of a historical artifact to ensure their blog post is accurate.
- Real-world use case 02
Building a science lesson
An educator asks for a list of lunar samples and their descriptions to show students during a space science unit.
- Real-world use case 03
Sourcing art for a gallery
A curator searches for 19th-century impressionist works to find specific artist names and provenance for a new exhibit.
Complete set · 3capabilities
The complete Smithsonian Open Access capability set.
These are the exact actions your AI can choose when you ask it to work with Smithsonian Open Access.
01—03
3 capabilities in this set.
Part of 3 available through Smithsonian Open Access.
- 01 Capability
Search category
Search within specific museum categories or units to find more precise results. This helps you isolate art or science data.
- 02 Capability
Get content
Retrieve a specific museum record by its unique identifier to see full details. Use this to get deep metadata on a single item.
- 03 Capability
Search records
Search for museum records across all Smithsonian units to find images and artifacts. This is the primary way to browse the collection.
Set up in minutes
One URL. Then ask Smithsonian Open Access to work.
Claude and ChatGPT only need the Connector URL. Copy it once, add it in settings, and use Smithsonian Open Access from the conversation.
Choose your client
Live previewAdvanced clients IDE · CLI
Claude · Web + desktop
Connector URL · ready to paste
Streamable HTTPhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp - Step 01
Open Connectors
In Claude Web or Claude Desktop, open Settings and choose Connectors.
- Step 02
Add the URL
Choose Add custom connector, name it Smithsonian Open Access, and paste the URL above.
- Step 03
Turn it on in chat
Select +, open Connectors, and enable Smithsonian Open Access for the conversation.
ChatGPT · Web + desktop
Connector URL · ready to paste
Streamable HTTPhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp - Step 01
Open MCP settings
On desktop, open Settings and MCP servers. On web, open your workspace app or connector settings.
- Step 02
Add the URL
Choose Add server with Streamable HTTP, or create a custom MCP app, then paste the Smithsonian Open Access URL.
- Step 03
Save and start
Save the connection and enable Smithsonian Open Access in your conversation. Desktop may ask you to restart once.
Cursor · IDE configuration
Advanced setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"smithsonian-open-access": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"
}
}
}- Step 01
Open MCP Settings
Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"
- Step 02
Add the server config
Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens
- Step 03
Save the file
Cursor will automatically detect the new Connector
- Step 04
Start using Smithsonian Open Access
Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using Smithsonian Open Access, help me...". 3 tools available
VS Code Copilot · IDE configuration
Advanced setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"smithsonian-open-access": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"
}
}
}- Step 01
Create MCP config
Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root
- Step 02
Add the server config
Paste the JSON configuration above
- Step 03
Enable Agent mode
Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown
- Step 04
Start using Smithsonian Open Access
Ask Copilot: "Using Smithsonian Open Access, help me...". 3 tools available
Windsurf · IDE configuration
Advanced setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"smithsonian-open-access": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"
}
}
}- Step 01
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
- Step 02
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
- Step 03
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
- Step 04
Start using Smithsonian Open Access
Open Cascade and ask: "Using Smithsonian Open Access, help me...". 3 tools available
Cline · IDE configuration
Advanced setup
{
"mcpServers": {
"smithsonian-open-access": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"
}
}
}- Step 01
Open Cline MCP Settings
Click the Connectors icon in the Cline sidebar panel
- Step 02
Add remote server
Click "Add Connector" and paste the configuration above
- Step 03
Enable the server
Toggle the server switch to ON
- Step 04
Start using Smithsonian Open Access
Ask Cline: "Using Smithsonian Open Access, help me...". 3 tools available
Claude Code · Terminal command
Advanced setup
claude mcp add smithsonian-open-access --transport http "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_7j2t3t1NMbIvdD0t9iU54C7jgRX5886q0Eol0bDi/mcp"- Step 01
Install Claude Code
Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code if not already installed
- Step 02
Add the Connector
Run the command above in your terminal
- Step 03
Verify the connection
Run claude mcp to list connected servers, or type /mcp inside a session
- Step 04
Start using Smithsonian Open Access
Ask Claude: "Using Smithsonian Open Access, show me...". 3 tools are ready
Where the request belongs
Work Smithsonian Open Access can move forward.
This is for the person who needs accurate historical data but doesn't have hours to spend digging through archives manually. It's for those who need to ground their work in real, verifiable museum records.
Academic Researcher
Pulling primary source metadata for scholarly papers and historical analysis.
Museum Educator
Finding high-quality images and records to build interactive learning materials for students.
Content Creator
Sourcing authentic historical artifacts and scientific data to ensure accuracy in digital storytelling.
Build the capability set
Add more capabilities.
Each Connector adds new actions and data without changing how you work.
Browse ConnectorsCooper Hewitt
Access the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum collection. search objects, explore exhibitions, and retrieve detailed metadata about design history.
Library of Congress
Search and retrieve millions of historical items, maps, photos, and manuscripts from the world's largest library.
Harvard Art Museums
Search museum collections. audit art objects, artists, and exhibitions via AI.
National Archives Catalog
Search and explore millions of historical documents, photos, and records from the US National Archives (NARA) directly from your AI agent.
Europeana
Explore millions of cultural heritage items. search artworks, books, and records from European museums and libraries directly through your AI agent.
Rijksmuseum
Explore the Rijksmuseum's world-class art collection and research library. Search for masterpieces, access high-resolution image metadata via IIIF, and query linked open data.
Bring your own AI
Change the model, client or framework. Keep Smithsonian Open Access connected.
-
Claude -
ChatGPT -
Gemini -
Cursor -
VS Code -
Windsurf -
ZCode -
Cline -
Zed -
Continue -
Kiro -
Roo Code -
Zencoder -
Goose -
Void -
Augment Code -
Amp -
Qodo -
Tabnine -
Pieces -
Sourcegraph Cody -
JetBrains -
Warp -
Amazon Q -
Antigravity -
BoltAI -
Raycast -
Jan -
LM Studio -
AnythingLLM -
Open WebUI -
Msty -
Cherry Studio -
LibreChat -
TypingMind -
Chorus -
5ire -
n8n -
LangChain -
LlamaIndex -
CrewAI -
Vercel AI SDK
Before you connect
Questions about Smithsonian Open Access.
The practical details behind the request, access and result.
What is Smithsonian Open Access?
It is a gateway to millions of records, images, and historical artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution's massive collection.
Can I use Smithsonian Open Access for school projects?
Yes, it is a great way to find primary source documents and verified museum data for student research and history projects.
Does Smithsonian Open Access include images?
Yes, it allows you to find high-quality digital assets and images of museum objects for use in your work.
Is the data from Smithsonian Open Access accurate?
Yes, the data comes directly from the Smithsonian's official Enterprise Digital Asset Network, ensuring high reliability.
Can I search specific categories with Smithsonian Open Access?
Yes, you can narrow your search down to specific areas like art, science, or history for more precise results.
Can I find specific historical events with Smithsonian Open Access?
You can search for records related to major events, like the Apollo 11 mission, to gather authentic historical information.
Can I search for specific historical figures across all Smithsonian museums?
Yes! Use the search_records capability with your query (e.g., 'Abraham Lincoln'). It will return matching records, images, and artifacts from across all Smithsonian units.
How do I get the full metadata for a specific museum object?
Use the get_content capability with the unique identifier (ID) of the record. This will fetch detailed metadata, including descriptions, dates, and media links.
Is it possible to limit my search to just art or science categories?
Yes, the search_category capability allows you to specify a category (like 'art', 'history', or 'science') along with your search query to get more targeted results.
One connection away
Give your agent a direct line to Smithsonian Open Access.
Connect Smithsonian Open Access once. Keep it beside 5,900+ managed Connectors when the next task needs more.
Explore every Connector No credit card required · Free tier available