A woman stands at a podium in a theater with "Celebrate Smithsonian Education" projected on the screen

Smithsonian Education

2025 Smithsonian Education Awards Honor Collaborative and Innovative Programs That Enhance Learning for All

Through innovative approaches and significant collaboration, these programs enhance learning and make educational resources widely available and relevant. The staff and partners promote science, art, cultural, and historical awareness, showcasing the Smithsonian's commitment to education and teamwork.

Visitors look at the Star Spangled Banner. It is dimly lit in its gallery at the museum.

National Museum of American History

What's Happening in May 2025 at the National Museum of American History

New on exhibit, music and more!

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National Museum of Natural History

How a 162-Year-Old Specimen Helped Prove the Existence of an ‘Incredulous’ Lizard Species

A serendipitous find in the National Museum of Natural History’s collections yielded just the second known specimen of a mysterious Cuban anole

More From Smithsonian Voices
A woman with long dark hair and dark outfit plays a white electric guitar on a dimly blue lit stage. She and her guitar are slightly blurry.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

A Q&A With Musician Gretchen Gonzales Davidson on Arts and Advocacy

“For all of the art that is consumed by everybody, everywhere, every day, it’s a shame that art is often undervalued”

A white man in his 30s stands in front of a restored biplane displayed on a polished concrete floor inside a museum. He is wearing glasses and a dark suit with a white shirt and burgundy tie.

National Air and Space Museum

A Beautiful Biplane Represents a Future That Never Was

The U.S. Navy once dreamed of floating airships that could launch clusters of tiny fighter airplanes.

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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Meet the Asian Small-Clawed Otter, an Adorable and Social Carnivore

There’s a lot to discover about the smallest species of otter — here are some fun facts about them.

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Smithsonian Books

Witness the Drama and Spectacle of Stellar Death With the Chandra X-Ray Observatory

These Chandra images reveal how stars end their life in majesty

Seven copies of the Impact Report are fanned out on a wood table.

Smithsonian Education

2024 Education Impact Report Released

Newly released report chronicles innovative programs and partnerships that bring Smithsonian learning to communities across the United States

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National Museum of Natural History

How Do Diamonds Get Their Fancy Colors?

From brilliant blues to fiery reds, discover how nature crafts diamonds in every color, and why some shades are rarer than the rest

Hilly green farmland with sheep grazing in the foreground and a few farm houses in the distance. Low gray clouds descend on the hills.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

'Hardwired for Folktales': An Evolution of Storytelling in Ireland

The perseverance of the Irish people in maintaining their language, history and values created a world of oral tradition filled with both mythical adventures and practical wisdom

A military airplane painted in black sits on an airport ramp at sunset.

National Air and Space Museum

A P-61 Black Widow Pilot Finds a Way to Survive the Horrors of War.

A son discovers the emotional complexities of his father's service In World War II.

Excavations at Cerro Juan Diaz in 1994

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Archaeologists Study the Connections Between the Deceased Buried at Cerro Juan Díaz, Panama

Individuals recovered at the archaeological site of Cerro Juan Díaz shed more light on how the local communities buried and honored their dead

A large hand-carved teakwood chest with scalloped edges and four round feet. The chest appears to be stained a rich reddish brown. The front panel on the chest has a bas-relief globe pattern flanked by a pair of airplane wings.

National Air and Space Museum

This Trophy Chest Belonged to Amelia Earhart

A husband's holiday present for his famous wife is now a museum artifact.

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Smithsonian Books

Indigenous Artist DY Begay Conjures the Magic of Nature With Her Tapestries

Experience the artist’s stunning work in the first book dedicated to her career

Painted portrait of Juliette Gordon Low seated with her hands resting in her lap.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

New Quarter Honors Juliette Gordon Low, Founder of Girl Scouts

The newest quarter in the American Women Quarters Program honors the contributions of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Learn about her life and what inspired her to create the organization.

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National Museum of Natural History

How Do You Clean an 11-Ton Elephant? One Brushstroke at a Time

The National Museum of Natural History recently spruced up its iconic African elephant mount, which has greeted visitors since 1959

beadwork art of the solar systm captured by the Hubble Space Telescope

Office of the Secretary of the Smithsonian

This Stellar Smithsonian Program Will Bring the Wonders of the Universe to the Classroom

The new initiative will help students in rural areas learn more about astronomy. Can it inspire the next generation of scientists?

From behind, a woman holds up a flag in front of a memorial monument with a central flame. Her brown hair is braided with a purple butterfly barrette, and she wears white regalia with silver sequins and ribbons across the shoulders.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

Native American Women Warriors Protect Culture, Community and the Future

For many, this coexistence of American patriotism and Indigenous pride may seem contradictory

Fungi in Barro Colorado Island

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

How Even the Smallest Organisms Can Shape Entire Ecosystems and Inspire Lasting Change

From sonic tomographies to global biodiversity negotiations, this journey through research, resilience, and connection reveals how small organisms, death and decay bring about new life

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National Museum of American History

Museum Happenings This April: Jazz Appreciation Month, Events & More

This April, at the National Museum of American History, we’re celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month! Check out the calendar to learn more!