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The Icebergs, Frederic Edwin Church, oil on canvas, 1861

‘The Icebergs’ Is One of Frederic Edwin Church’s Most Spectacular Paintings. For Decades, No One Knew Where It Was

In the 1970s, the administrator of a boys’ home in England wound up finding the missing 19th-century piece and bringing it back into the spotlight

Kat Long

These proboscis bats have chosen to roost under the soft roof of a pavilion.

These Small, Stealthy Bats Use High-Frequency Vocalizations to Keep Their Chatter Out of the Range of Predators and Prey

The exterior of the National Museum of African American History and Culture during its opening ceremony in 2016

For Years, the Smithsonian Strove to Bring the African American History and Culture Museum to the National Mall. Now, It Celebrates a Decade as a Beacon of Understanding, Community and Resilience

Galaxy NGC 1386, which hosts an active supermassive black hole that was analyzed in a new study

Active Supermassive Black Holes May Be Engines of Star Formation, Not Just Destruction, Study Suggests

Missing Caption

Smithsonian Voices

National Zoo and Conservation Biological Institute

To Restore Montana’s Prairie Streams, Smithsonian Researchers Are Thinking Like Beavers

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A vintage image of author Amaris Castillo's mother, Damaris, working at a bodega

At the Bodega, Customers Can Get Pork Rinds, Plantains and Just About Anything They Need. Here’s How These Stores Became a ‘Community Anchor’ of Latino Life

For immigrants, bodegas provide daily necessities and cultural connections to the homelands they left behind. The recent book “Bodega Stories” paints a picture of one Florida family’s history working in and operating the stores

Masten, from the Buffalo, New York Documentary Survey Project, David Seman, gelatin silver print, 1979

In the 1970s, the U.S. Commissioned Photographers to Document the Country’s People and Places. You Can Now See More Than 200 of the Powerful Images

At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, a “national portrait” reveals what the United States looked like during its bicentennial period

A screenshot from the live online cheetah cam feed on October 9 shows the mother, Zura, with her five cubs.

Watch Five Adorable Newborn Cheetah Cubs Grow on a Livestream From the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute

The healthy and active babies are being cared for by first-time mother Zura, and the public can keep up with their antics through an online cheetah cub cam

This artist’s concept shows the Beta Pictoris system, about 63 light years away.

Researchers May Have Directly Glimpsed an Exoplanet’s Magnetic Field for the First Time, Building Hope of Peering Deeper Into Faraway Worlds

Radio signals emanating from Beta Pictoris b suggest that this young and massive exoplanet has a strong magnetic field and intense auroral show

The specimen of the last known passenger pigeon, Martha, preserved in the Smithsonian’s collection. Martha died in 1914 at the Cincinnati Zoo.

These Five Birds Have Disappeared Forever. Their History Offers a Valuable Lesson for the Future

In an exhibition celebrating the natural history of the United States, a small group of taxidermy birds stands as a reminder of loss—and a symbol of hope

A giant panda peers through the trees and gazes at the photographer at a nature reserve in China’s Qinling mountain range.

These 15 Adorable Photos of Pandas Will Make You Want to Visit the Zoo Immediately

Members of the fluffy and adorable but vulnerable species are often cared for in zoos and breeding centers around the world, and these snapshots may make you jealous of the caretakers’ jobs

The Icebergs, Frederic Edwin Church, oil on canvas, 1861

‘The Icebergs’ Is One of Frederic Edwin Church’s Most Spectacular Paintings. For Decades, No One Knew Where It Was

In the 1970s, the administrator of a boys’ home in England wound up finding the missing 19th-century piece and bringing it back into the spotlight

These proboscis bats have chosen to roost under the soft roof of a pavilion.

These Small, Stealthy Bats Use High-Frequency Vocalizations to Keep Their Chatter Out of the Range of Predators and Prey

New research shows that proboscis bats communicate with each other and echolocate at higher frequencies than scientists expected. This could help the animals sneak up to their targets and evade creatures that want to eat them

The exterior of the National Museum of African American History and Culture during its opening ceremony in 2016

For Years, the Smithsonian Strove to Bring the African American History and Culture Museum to the National Mall. Now, It Celebrates a Decade as a Beacon of Understanding, Community and Resilience

The museum lovingly called the “Blacksonian” chronicles the past and present and envisions the future to tell the stories of Black life in America

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Did Thomas Jefferson Father Sally Hemings’ Children? After More Than a Decade of Research, the Answer Is Finally Firmly in Hand

A lock of hair, advances in genetic science and a community of descendants all contributed to solving an American mystery

Galaxy NGC 1386, which hosts an active supermassive black hole that was analyzed in a new study

Active Supermassive Black Holes May Be Engines of Star Formation, Not Just Destruction, Study Suggests

Scientists mapped out the structure of nine bright cores of galaxies located near the Milky Way and revealed common patterns that could shed light on how the universe evolved

A man in New York City reads a copy of the September 19, 2001, issue of the Daily News, featuring Milton Glaser's updated "I ♥ NY More Than Ever" logo.

In the Aftermath of 9/11, Milton Glaser, Creator of the ‘I Love NY’ Logo, Declared That He Loved New York City ‘More Than Ever’

The graphic designer revamped his world-famous emblem in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The updated design underscored the city’s resilience in the face of tragedy

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian, at the Natural History Museum

Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III Announces Retirement as Head of the Smithsonian After 38 Years of Service to the Institution

With a storied career dating back to the 1970s, Bunch leaves a remarkable legacy, most notably the founding of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Kermit the Frog and Miss Mousey in "The Muppets Valentine Show"

Kermit the Frog Was Just Trying to Put on a Variety Show. Fifty Years Later, the Muppets Are Some of the Biggest Stars in Television History

The first episode of Jim Henson’s “The Muppet Show” premiered in the United Kingdom on September 5, 1976. Enthusiasm for the eclectic ensemble has endured ever since

Man on the Moon (Portrait of an Astronaut), Norman Rockwell, oil on canvas, 1967

To Capture the Beauty and Wonder of Flight, These Celebrated Artists Created Spectacular Visions of Astronauts, Aviators, Rocket Launches and the Moon

At the National Air and Space Museum, a recently opened gallery space features artworks by Norman Rockwell, Alma Thomas, Francisco Goya and other luminaries

Flight attendant Lorraine Bay carefully recorded every flight she worked in this log book, found near the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

September 11

Thirty-Seven Smithsonian Artifacts That Tell the Story of 9/11, From a Flight 93 Logbook to a Squeegee Handle Used While Escaping From the World Trade Center

The National Museum of American History houses hundreds of objects linked to the attacks. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, learn the stories behind some of the most poignant items in the collections

A male Cope's gray treefrog is smaller than a female and attaches to her back as she looks for a spot to lay eggs.

Female Treefrogs Experience ‘Choice Overload’ Amid Too Many Mating Calls From Males

Faced with a chorus of potential mates, female Cope’s gray treefrogs may be overwhelmed by the number of options and struggle to make a careful decision, a study suggests

A large pumpkin sculpture by Yayoi Kusama, on view at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in 2023. The Japanese artist died this month.

Yayoi Kusama Created Fantastical ‘Infinity Mirror Rooms’ That Became the Art World’s Most Famous Backdrops. Her Work Spanned Counterculture to the Cosmos

The Japanese artist, who died on August 14 at 97, sought solace from hallucinations in her art, developing a visual language of polka dots, pumpkins and mirrors that entranced the world

Baptistery of Saint Louis basin, engraved and inlaid copper alloy, silver, gold and black compound, Egypt or Syria, Mamluk dynasty, c. 1325-1340

For the First Time, a Selection of Islamic Masterpieces From the Louvre Is Coming to the United States. See the Treasures Soon to Be Displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

Twenty-six works spanning many centuries and regions will form the September exhibition titled “From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art”

Dolly Parton in 1978

Dolly Parton Was One of the Biggest Stars in the History of Country Music. She Wanted to Be Remembered as a Songwriter

After growing up in poverty, she became famous for her legendary songs, big heart and larger-than-life style. But the iconic musician insisted that “the songs lead to everything else”

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