The Resident Keeper of the Smithsonian Institution : Books: The first secretary of the castle literally lived above the store. That’s one of the facts in a new bio of the building.

Once upon a time when the nation’s Capital was a simpler place, the head of the Smithsonian Institution lived over the store. The medieval-style red-brick castle on Jefferson Drive housed the first secretary, Joseph Henry, and his family from 1855 until his death in 1878.

Although Henry’s wife, Harriet, complained of the chemical odors that drifted up from the laboratory underneath, the Henrys’ apartment in those days had a cachet similar to that of the second floor of the White House, according to Cynthia R. Field, director of the Smithsonian’s office of architectural history and historic preservation.

Field is the lead author of a new book titled, “The Castle: An Illustrated History of the Smithsonian Building” (Smithsonian Institution Press, $15.95). It is a compilation of 200 photographs, plans and drawings spanning the institution’s life since it was created by Congress in 1846.

Few of the photographs, assembled by James Goode, curator of the Castle from 1970 until 1987, have been published before. The authors have used historical accounts, desk and personal diaries and contemporary guidebooks to supplement the images.

Besides many architectural drawings and photographs of the Castle’s public galleries through the years, the book contains unique images of the private quarters. The eight-room Henry residence had a parlor, music room and dining room where they often entertained, plus two bedrooms and Henry’s private study. The floors were covered with floral carpet; the rooms were lit by gas. The Henrys’ furniture ranged from “Grecian” to wicker.

Of particular interest in the black-and-white photographs, said Field, are objects that have survived and are still in the Smithsonian. In daughter Mary Henry’s painting studio stood one of the massive neo-Gothic chairs designed by the museum’s architect, James Renwick Jr., for the Regents’ Room.

“It says that the residents were comfortable about carrying pieces where they could be used, even in a domestic setting,” she said.

Perhaps thanks to Henry, some of the chairs, delivered in 1848, survived the great fire of 1865 that destroyed the main hall, Field added. The residential quarters were in the East Wing, which was not damaged.

Also visible in the photo of Mary Henry’s studio is a plaster bust of the Belvedere Apollo that is on view on the first floor of the Castle. The bust of George Washington in the music room was mentioned in one of Henry’s letters.

“We are all well,” he wrote, “except Mary, who met with an accident, in the falling on her head of a bust of Washington from the top of a clothes press. She was shutting the door of the press, when the bust came down, cut her temple and broke in one of the side bones of her nose.”

The book also contains a color lithograph of the exhibit room for children in the South Tower in 1901. At the turn of the century, when the Smithsonian was constructing one of the first natural history museums in this country for young people, Secretary Samuel Pierpont Langley tried to make it user-friendly. He banned the use of Latin labels for the species and had them replaced with poetic inscriptions he deemed more conducive to education.

Children should not be overwhelmed, he reasoned, so the number of specimens in eye-level cases was reduced. There were cages of songbirds and an aquarium. He invented a kaleidoscope that had live fish in it. The text notes that “Langley felt that if children had a chance to view natural objects in a comfortable environment, their interest would be spontaneous and genuine, and they would be more likely to learn about the wonder of the natural world.”

So the interior decoration of the Children’s Room in the South Tower, designed by Grace Lincoln Temple, had stylized birds in bright colors stenciled on wall friezes. The ceilings were painted with arbors and perching birds.

Over the years, the room served a variety of purposes--from publishing activities to war office to information center. In 1988, the South Tower room was restored to its original appearance sans fishy kaleidoscope.

“We didn’t know the ceiling still existed,” said Field. “It was a remarkable find.”

Today the room, with its mosaic floor and peacock-feather decorations, serves as a reception area.