Love it or hate it, the bow-tied hat will live on in infamy.

Aretha Franklin’s gospel-infused rendition of the anthem “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” during President Barack Obama’s inauguration played second fiddle to her Swarovski jewel-studded heather grey wool church hat ($179 from Mr. Son Millinery)

It was the topic of conversation and jokes on Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show,” “The View,” and ay Leno’s “The Tonight Show.”

Ellen DeGeneres wore an exaggerated version of the hat on her show. Women’s Wear Daily, the fashion-industry trade journal, wrote about the hat having a life of it’s own. On the Internet, people have created dozens of sites devoted to the hat and, using software, it has been placed on mug shots of Dick Cheney, dogs, President George Washington and the heads of Mt. Rushmore, among many others. The hat even has its own Facebook page with more than 90,000 fans. Many of whom think the bow should have been “a lil bit bigger.” Check it out here.

So, it’s no wonder the Smithsonian Institution has now asked the Queen of Soul if she will donate the head piece to the museum to become a part of an exhibit of President Obama’s Inauguration, joining other items scheduled for display including First Lady Michelle Obama’s Inaugural night gown.

In response to the Smithsonian’s request, Franklin released a statement sayings, “I am considering it. It would be hard to part with my chapeau since it was such a crowning moment in history. I would like to smile every time I look back at it and remember what a great moment it was in American and African-American history. Ten cheers for President Obama.”