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Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient
S. Dillon Ripley
S. DILLON RIPLEY
Awarded by
President Ronald Reagan
May 23, 1985
Upon becoming Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, S. Dillon Ripley ordered the statue of Joseph Henry turned so that it faced not inward toward the castle but outward toward the Mall, thereby signaling his intentions to open the Institution to the world. During the next 20 years, S. Dillon Ripley did just that, opening eight museums and doubling the number of visitors to the Institution. With dedication and tireless effort, S. Dillon Ripley made the Smithsonian one of the greatest museums and centers of learning on Earth.
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Medal History
