A new movie called "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" made its big-screen debut last weekend (and had the highest gross of the weeked). Name actors appear in this comedic fantasy, but the real star is the world's largest museum complex, in the heart of Washington, D.C.: The renowned Smithsonian Institute.

Regardless of whether you enjoy the movie, consider visiting the genuine article while traveling to the Nation's Capital for SABR 39. If it's so big, where do you start? Tourists generally head toward the most famous building of the bunch, which is the National Air and Space Museum. A better first stop is the original “castle” building, now called the Smithsonian Information Center; here you can get the lowdown of where to find the treasures that really perk your interest.

The Smithsonian got its start in 1846, thanks to a British chemist named James Smithson (1765-1829), who earmarked monies in his will for the establishment of a science center in the United States. Curiously, Smithson never visited the United States. More than 139 million items are cataloged as part of the Smithsonian's vast collection. In addition to science, the collection houses artifacts relating to art, people, history and animals. More than a dozen of the museums are on (or near) the National Mall between Constitution and Independence Avenues and 4th and 14th Streets NW. The Smithsonian museums are a short Metro ride from the J.W. Marriott Hotel, the convention hotel for SABR 39, and should not be missed during your stay in D.C. Information is available by calling 202-633-1000 or going on-line to www.si.edu.