How do I connect Smithsonian MCP Server to Claude?

The listing records `docker run --rm -e SMITHSONIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key -p 3010:3010 smithsonian-mcp-server` as its setup step. Run it, then follow the repository's instructions for the client configuration; the listing names Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code as compatible clients.

Is Smithsonian MCP Server free?

The listed licence is Apache-2.0. Check the upstream terms for permitted use and commercial requirements; a public repository does not by itself mean the software is free or open source. Connected APIs and hosted services may have separate charges.

What can Smithsonian MCP Server do?

Smithsonian MCP Server documents 6 tools to the agent, including smithsonian_browse_category, smithsonian_find_related, smithsonian_get_media. The descriptions above come from project documentation. A live handshake does not test individual tool behavior.

Smithsonian MCP Server

Unclaimed

by cyanheads

Search 14.5M Smithsonian Open Access objects across 20+ museums via MCP, and retrieve CC0 images for the 5.2M that carry openly-licensed media. STDIO or Streamable HTTP.

Install

$docker run --rm -e SMITHSONIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key -p 3010:3010 smithsonian-mcp-server

Set up this server

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This server needs project-specific setup. Follow the project instructions; no reusable public launch command is available yet.

Project instructions

ai-agentsai-toolsartcyanheadsmcpmcp-servermodel-context-protocolmuseumopen-accesssmithsoniantypescript

Is this your MCP server?

This listing was auto-indexed from the public record. Claim it to edit the page, set compatibility and unlock growth tools. Takes under two minutes.

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Security profile

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6 of 6 tools

Documented tools (6)

From project documentation. A server handshake does not verify each tool’s description or behavior.

smithsonian_browse_category

Browse objects within one exact category (museum, culture, period, medium, topic) with total count, a page of objects, and museum breakdown. Requires an exact indexed category term.

smithsonian_find_related

Discover cross-collection objects related to an anchor, matched on shared culture, named-party, topic, and period signals.

smithsonian_get_media

Return all CC0-licensed images for an object at multiple resolutions (thumbnail, screen, high-res JPEG/TIFF). Only CC0 images returned, never an empty list — a distinct error reason names why, whether the object has nothing digitized, only non-image media, or only restricted images.

smithsonian_get_object

Fetch a normalized catalog metadata projection for an object by ID: title, dates, materials, dimensions, exhibition history, credit line, and identifiers.

smithsonian_list_terms

Enumerate the valid term vocabulary for an indexed filter field (unitcode, culture, place, date, onlinemediatype, topic). Call before filtering to avoid empty results from invalid values; pass contains to resolve a guessed value to its exact term(s). unitcode terms come back with their museum names.

smithsonian_search_objects

Search across 14.5M objects by text query with optional filters (museum, type, date term, culture, place, topic, name, online-only, CC0). Returns curated summaries with total count.

Tool change history

Compared across complete checks of the same configuration. Tools were listed, not invoked. Input-schema changes are not measured here.

No complete tool checks yet.

FAQ

Questions about Smithsonian MCP Server

How do I connect Smithsonian MCP Server to Claude?: The listing records `docker run --rm -e SMITHSONIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key -p 3010:3010 smithsonian-mcp-server` as its setup step. Run it, then follow the repository's instructions for the client configuration; the listing names Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code as compatible clients.
Is Smithsonian MCP Server free?: The listed licence is Apache-2.0. Check the upstream terms for permitted use and commercial requirements; a public repository does not by itself mean the software is free or open source. Connected APIs and hosted services may have separate charges.
What can Smithsonian MCP Server do?: Smithsonian MCP Server documents 6 tools to the agent, including smithsonian_browse_category, smithsonian_find_related, smithsonian_get_media. The descriptions above come from project documentation. A live handshake does not test individual tool behavior.