Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: Italy or the Smithsonian?
The Smithsonian came first, in 1846 (founded). Italy followed 15 years later, in 1861 (unified).
- Second1861
Italy
country · unifiedItaly became one kingdom in 1861; Rome only joined it in 1870.
- First1846
The Smithsonian
museum · foundedThe Smithsonian was founded in 1846 with money British scientist James Smithson left to the United States.
More pairs that fool people
- Which came first: the birth of Albert Einstein or the Smithsonian?
- Which came first: The Picture of Dorian Gray or the Smithsonian?
- Which came first: Italy or Moby-Dick?
- Which came first: Für Elise or the Smithsonian?
- Which came first: Italy or Jane Eyre?
- Which came first: Italy or the birth of Nikola Tesla?
- Which came first: the Golden Gate Bridge or Scientific American?
- Which came first: Disney's Snow White or Scientific American?
All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games
Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.