John Varden

John Varden was an American collector of antiquities and museum pieces in the Washington D.C. area. He opened a commercial museum called the "Washington Museum of Curiosities" but was forced out of business by the free National [Institute for the Promotion of Science|National Institute] which started in 1840. He sold his collection to the National Institute, where he became an assistant curator. He worked at the Smithsonian [American Art Museum|Smithsonian] from 1858 until his death in 1865.
His collections formed the core of the Smithsonian's museum.