Grover C. Sherlin Washington Academy of Sciences (Washington, D.C.) records

In 1882, a federation of the Philosophical, Anthropological, and Biological societies in Washington gathered to form a joint venture titled The Washington Academy of Sciences. The purpose of this formation was to promote joint publications, periodic meetings of these three societies, and to manage courses of popular lectures. The Washington Academy of Sciences formally filed articles of incorporation in 1898. The articles were filed by J.R. Eastman, F.W.Clarke, G.K. Gilbert, Arnold Hague, L.O. Howard, C. Hart Merriam, J.W. Powell, George M. Sternberg, H.N. Stokes, Charles D. Walcott, Lester F. Ward, W. J. McGee, Frank Baker, and Bernard R. Green.

The articles defined the promotion of science as the primary function of the Academy and the specifics discussed the publishing and distributing documents for conducting lectures, conducting, endowing, and assisting investigations in any department of science.

The 21st century objectives of the Washington Academy of Sciences mirror those 19th Century goals and are defined as working to stimulate interest in the sciences and to promote the advancement and the development of the philosophical aspects of science by the Academy membership and through cooperative action by the Affiliated Societies.

Membership in the Washington Academy of Sciences is open to all individuals with an interest in science and concerned with the affairs of science and technology. The Academy is managed by a Board of Managers.

The Academy brings together the entire panoply of local scientific societies and provides individual members the opportunity for face-to-face interaction with a wide variety of scientists and organizational members society-to-society interaction.