What would you add to the Smithsonian Life List?
Add your own itinerary to the Smithsonian's list of places to visit in your lifetime
- Smithsonian magazine, April 2008, Subscribe
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Your Additions to the Smithsonian Life List
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Experience the rich diversity of America's national parks
Editor’s Note: We’ve since expanded our life list to 43 sites around the world for wildlife lovers, adventure seekers and those seeking just a respite from their busy schedules.
A growing number of Americans of all ages are renewing their resolve to live life to its fullest.
Exhibit A is the recent popularity of "life lists"—itineraries of things to do and places to go before taking the ultimate trip to the Great Beyond. In our January 2008 issue, the staff of Smithsonian—as diverse a group of travelers as you're likely to meet—put their heads together and came up an exclusive list of 28 places the Smithsonian reader might wish to visit before...it's too late.
The response was tremendous—and since many Smithsonian readers themselves have traveled the globe, we received quite a bit of mail recommending additional, must-see places.
So, Smithsonian readers, now it's your turn. In this special, web-exclusive series, we present your additions to the Smithsonian Life List.
Sacred Places
Temples, churches and palaces that inspire
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet
Notre Dame in Paris, France
Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia
Building Big
Experience feats of engineering on a grand scale
Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona
Pantheon in Rome, Italy
Alhambra in Granada, Spain
Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
Stonehenge in England
Terracotta Army at Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China
Natural Wonders
Discover breathtaking vistas and scale new heights
Papua New Guinea
Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yosemite National Park, California
Glacier National Park, Montana
Himalayas of Nepal
Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia, Turkey
Niagara Falls, New York
Must-See Cities
Metropolises that offer superb art, history and entertainment
Havana, Cuba
Las Vegas, Nevada
New York City, New York
San Francisco, California
Vatican City in Rome, Italy
Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.
Comments (101)
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The Grand Mosque of Muscat,Oman & The Sunderbans of India & Bangladesh must be added to the list.
Posted by Sansaptak De on August 31,2012 | 03:39 AM
I would add to list the Swiss Alps Jungfraujoch- Sphinx Observatory.
Posted by sarah siegel on November 13,2011 | 03:17 AM
Mt. Everest, with out a doubt!!
Posted by Yemoja B Fola on September 14,2011 | 08:37 PM
AFRICA: Blown away by "Vic" (Victoria) Falls in Botswana and Table Mountain in Cape Town as well (try bunging jumping at Vic Falls for the adventurous--amazing to watch--or a heli ride over the Falls for full effect!). In N. Africa/Ethiopia add the obelisks at Aksum and the citadel at Zandar to the churches at Lalibela....
RUSSIA: Add 3 cathedrals in St. Petersburg (St. Isaac's, Church of the Blood & Kazan Cathedral) and, of course. St. Basil's in Moscow to "must sees."
Posted by Stephen Sternheimer on August 29,2011 | 03:16 PM
I would like to make the trip from Mandalay to Bhamo Burma
on a paddle wheel steam boat again which I made with my mother in 1940.
It was so beautiful and peaceful.Perhaps Myanmar as the country is known now , will someday soon be accessible to Americans again
Posted by jeanne medley on August 23,2011 | 05:56 PM
One of the great national wonders of the world is Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world (392 miles and still counting). Most of it is contained in Mammoth Cave National Park, and tours are offered year round. Tours are offered for everyone, from short to long walking tours, to the crawling tours for visitors from eight years old and up (no upper age limit). It is truly a magnificent place.
Posted by Janet Bass Smith on August 10,2011 | 01:27 PM
How about Jerusalem? One of the most special, historical and meaningful cities in the world.
Posted by Sofia on July 22,2011 | 10:10 AM
The roman city of Jerrash in Jordan, on your way down to Petra be sure to stop at Jerrash.
Posted by Nick on July 20,2011 | 11:02 AM
To FRANK DEL CASTILLO: The day my brother and I drove up Haleakala, we learned the secret of the rainbow. You drive up from sea level to 10,000 feet on a narrow switch-back road, ascending through five or six types of climate and ecology.
We hiked down to the bottom of the crater and became completely coated in red volcanic dust. When we descended, we drove through the clouds. Each time we turned back west facing the setting sun, a complete rainbow would appeear. Because the horizon was at such a low angle relative to us, the rainbows appeared as full circles.
That evening, during a tropical downpour, we took the road to Hana. Hana is a small, untouched town on Maui's eastern coastline. To get there, you must travel one of the world's most scenic drives. From the airport you drive along the coast line, which quickly becomes cut into a 200 ft cliff and "saw-toothes" back and forth. Each indentation has been cut by a waterfall falling from the plateau above. The walls of the cliff are some of the most verdant jungle on earth. On the other side, the cliff falls a hundred feet to the waves crashing onto the rocks below. There is no beach, as this is the north side of Maui where surfers sometimes challenge 50 foot waves.
We didn't arrive in Hana untill midnight and found that the only place open was the Sea Ranch Resort. Sea Ranch is a favorite hideaway of many celebrities. Charles Lindbergh and his wife are buried nearby. Although we were still covered in dust, the staff was gracious enough to let us in. Two steaks and a bottle of wine only ran us $450.00 (thank you American Express).
When we tried to leave, the road back was blocked by fallen trees, so we decided to return to Lahaina by completing a circumnavigation of the east half of Maui. It was 3:00 am in the morning and we stopped at the seven sacred pools for a moment. When we continued, the road soon ran into the beach, and we drove along the sand and surf before we found pavement again.
Posted by steve jenkins on July 14,2011 | 03:47 PM
The temples at Paestum, Italy. Three of the best preserved examples of Greek 6th century BC doric temples.
Posted by Steve Jenkins on July 14,2011 | 01:57 PM
I heartily second the Versailles and Yellowstone recommendations, and would add Kizhi and Church on the Spilled Blood (both in Russia, both spectacular)
Posted by Heidi on July 13,2011 | 05:22 PM
Copper Canyon Mexico- amazing that it is not on your list- deeper and more vast than Grand Canyon and has one of the world's greta railroads right through it- and the Tarahumara barefoot runners!
Posted by Dave Hensleigh on July 8,2011 | 11:03 AM
Under the palaces category, I would also add Versailles in France.
It has historic significance, and has some of the most amazing gardens and fountains to be found anywhere in Europe, or the world for that matter.
Posted by odyssey8 on June 29,2011 | 02:20 PM
Camp Leakey in Kalimantan, island of Borneo: I felt like I had stepped back in time. It is life changing to witness first hand the intelligence and gentle nature of the orangutans.
Posted by Rebecca Reeder on June 22,2011 | 02:58 PM
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