National Portrait Gallery

American Cool at the National Portrait Gallery

Join curators Frank Goodyear and Joel Dinerstein in a sneak peek of their new show

Before Miley, Bob Fosse Elevated the Sleaze in Dance to an Art Form

The choreographer and director sparked this curator's imagination with his trademark razzle dazzle

The Natural History Museum is open today

DC Museums are Open, Zoo Closed

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill by Yousuf Karsh, 1941

The Day Winston Churchill Lost His Cigar

Thanks to a gift of over 100 photographs, the National Portrait Gallery celebrates Yousuf Karsh's iconic photography with an installation of 27 portraits

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How Much Do We Really Know About Pocahontas

Historian Tony Horwitz tries to separate the truth from the myths that have been built up about the Jamestown “princess”

What is the Origin of Hollywood's Red Carpet?

Curator Amy Henderson has rolled out the red carpet to a host of America's dancing superstars in a new show at the Portrait Gallery

East face of the Smithsonian Castle on July 4, 2010

Smithsonian Museums and the Panda Cam are Back in Business Today

After the 16-day government shutdown, visitors can once again visit the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo relaunches the panda cam

5 Smithsonian Scientific Research Projects Shut Down by the Shutdown

The federal government shutdown has affected astronomy, paleontology fieldwork and research into animal behavior at the Smithsonian

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Remembering an Iconic Era Lost to Time: The Stars and Films of the Silent Pictures

Curator Amy Henderson reminds us of power and influence and glory of the celebrities that pioneered the silent film era

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Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and the War That Changed Poetry, Forever

The two titans of American poetry chronicled the death and destruction of the Civil War in their poems

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When America Entered the Modern Age

Obsolescence yaps at the heels of every dazzling invention, says curator Amy Henderson as she considers the birth of modernism a century ago

This gold and pearl hair ornament from the days of China’s Qing Dynasty shows the symbolic significance of the phoenix in Chinese culture. Come see an exhibit at the Sackler Gallery showcasing materials from the creation of Chinese artist Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project, on display until September 2.

Hurry In! These Smithsonian Exhibitions Won’t Be Here Much Longer

Spend your remaining summer days at the museums, and don't miss out on the Smithsonian's soon-to-be-closed exhibits

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Smithsonian Displays Its Own AIDS Memorial Quilt Panel

Created by Smithsonian volunteers and staff, the panel will be on view in the Kogod Courtyard one day only, July 17

Grab some popcorn for this summer’s blockbusters.

Minions! Did You See How Much a Movie Ticket Might Cost One Day?

Best way to beat the heat, says curator Amy Henderson, is the summer blockbuster, but are they going the way of the dinosaurs

Continue the patriotic celebration Friday, July 5, with the United States Air Force Band, which will perform at the Air and Space Museum.

Events July 5-7: Listen to Air Force Tunes, Dance the Day Away and Get Local with Art

This weekend, listen to sounds of the U.S. Air Force Band, participate in a day of dance and get a glimpse of a local artist's perspective on art

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photos of MLK at Work: The Civil Rights Leader Before and After His “I Have a Dream” Speech

The National Portrait Gallery looks at the work of Martin Luther King beyond his most famous hour

A horticulturist from the Natural History Museum will give a tour of the Butterfly Garden and provide tips on how to attract butterflies to your own backyard greenery.

Events June 25-27: Electrical Inventions, Revolutionary Knowledge and Butterfly Gardens

This weekend, take a glimpse into Nikola Tesla's life, sharpen your knowledge on revolutionary figures and tour the Butterfly Garden

Elvis on the Southern Railroad between Chattanooga and Memphis, Tenn. July 4, 1956

Hanging Out with Elvis in Fort Worth

Hitting the road this month, curator Amy Henderson follows her show "Elvis at 21" to Texas

The Meade brothers worked above a bank in this Williamsburg building in Brooklyn before moving into Manhattan. Half-plate daguerreotype by Meade Brothers Studio, circa 1853.

How One New York City Studio and the Brothers Behind It Helped Popularize the Daguerreotype

Two brothers and their sister built an early photography empire alongside Mathew Brady but watched in crumble in tragedy

This statue of King Kamehameha in Honolulu is paired with another that resides in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

Happy King Kamehameha Day!

Celebrated in Hawaii and in D.C., June 11 honors the unification of the Hawaiian islands

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