Editors' Picks
The Best Visuals from Smithsonian and the Web
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The Stalking of the President
Charles J. Guiteau said he wanted to kill President James A. Garfield "in an American manner." He passed up several opportunities before he thought the time was right.
Could the Death Star Destroy a Planet?
Students in England concluded that the Star Wars space station could easily have destroyed an Earth-like planet
The Sistine Chapel of the Andes
Just miles from Peru’s Incan ruins lie artifacts from another era—beautiful Baroque churches that married Spanish design with indigenous culture
The Midday Ride of Paul Revere
Longfellow made the patriot’s ride to Lexington legendary, but the story of Revere’s earlier trip to Portsmouth deserves to be retold as well
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Past Imperfect Blog
The Most Terrible Polar Exploration Ever: Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic Journey
A century ago, Douglas Mawson saw his two companions die and found himself stranded in the midst of Antarctic blizzards. His epic three-week march to safety is one of the greatest survival stories in the history of polar exploration
By Mike Dash
Reel Culture Blog
The Never-Ending Tussle Between Box Office Hits and Award Winners
Blockbuster movies often lose out at the Oscars, while winners can't find enough viewers
By Daniel Eagan
Paleofuture Blog
Sunday Funnies Blast Off Into the Space Age
When Dr. Athelstan Spilhaus met President Kennedy in 1962, JFK told him, "The only science I ever learned was from your comic strip."
By Matt Novak
Science & Nature
The Orchid Olympics
Breeders from 19 countries put their creations to the test at the 20th World Orchid Conference in Singapore
By Somali Roy
Dinosaur Tracking Blog
Best of the Worst Roadside Dinosaurs
From New York to California, America's roads are haunted by bad dinosaurs
By Brian Switek
Arts & Culture
Going Mad for Charles Dickens
Two centuries after his birth, the novelist is still wildly popular, as a theme park, a new movie and countless festivals attest
By Joshua Hammer
Food and Think Blog
Saving the Whales (And Eating Them Too?)
What does whale meat taste like, and is it anything like jojoba oil, prosciutto or jellied crustaceans?
By Peter Smith
History & Archaeology
Revisiting The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Recently reissued, William L. Shirer's seminal 1960 history of Nazi Germany is still important reading
By Ron Rosenbaum
Arts & Culture
How One Mummy Came to the Smithsonian
An American diplomat’s memento takes center stage after 125 years
By Owen Edwards
People & Places
The Devastating Costs of the Amazon Gold Rush
Spurred by rising global demand for the metal, miners are destroying invaluable rainforest in Peru's Amazon basin
By Donovan Webster
Travel
The Mystique of Route 66
Foreign tourists and local preservationists are bringing stretches of the storied roadway back to life
By David Lamb
History & Archaeology
Diving for the Secrets of the Battle of the Atlantic
Off the coast of North Carolina lie dozens of shipwrecks, remainders of a forgotten theater of World War II
By Jim Morrison
Science & Nature
Meet Lucy Jones, "the Earthquake Lady"
As part of her plan to prepare Americans for the next "big one," the seismologist tackles the dangerous phenomenon of denial
By Amy Wallace
Arts & Culture
How Old is That Silk Artifact?
A chemist from the Textile Museum is perfecting a new technique for understanding the past
By Joseph Stromberg
Science & Nature
Nine Ways to Lure a Lover, Orchid-Style
Beauty, mystery and deceit—the Smithsonian's collection of nearly 8,000 live orchids has it all
By Megan Gambino
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AT THE SMITHSONIAN
Scenes and Sightings from the Museums
- Around the Mall
- Visitor's Guide
Ancient Popcorn Unearthed in Peru
New discoveries indicate people were eating our favorite movie snack far longer ago than we thought
By Joseph Stromberg
Weekend Events Jan 27-29: Iranian Film Festival, Renwick Birthday Party, and Silkscreening Demo
This weekend, the Iranian Film Festival features Abbas Kiarostami, the Renwick Gallery turns 40, and artist Kristina Bilonick leads a silkscreening de...
By Aviva Shen
At the American Art Museum: Annie Leibovitz’ Personal Journey
The world-famous photographer takes her career in an entirely different direction with her new show, "Pilgrimage"
By Joseph Stromberg
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