Smithsonian

Marvin, a trailblazer in more ways than one, surveys the Antarctic terrain on her meteorite-hunting expedition of 1978-79.

The Rockstar Geologist Who Mapped the Minerals of the Cosmos

A professor told Ursula Marvin she should learn to cook. Instead she chased down meteorites in Antarctica

Discussion of our March Issue

Feedback from our readers

In Asia, the biggest threat to elephant survival isn't ivory poaching but habitat loss. Here, men ride Asian elephants in Thailand.

In a Horrifying New Twist, Myanmar Elephants Are Being Poached For Their Skin

In Asia, the biggest threat to elephant survival has long been habitat loss. That may be changing

Can you spot Sheila?

How Smithsonian Helped Solve the Twitter Mystery of the Unknown Woman Scientist

Sheila Minor was a biological research technician who went on to a 35-year-long scientific career

These black- and red-colored pigments reveal that humans were using pigments, potentially to communicate status or identity, by around 300,000 years ago.

Colored Pigments and Complex Tools Suggest Humans Were Trading 100,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Believed

Transformations in climate and landscape may have spurred these key technological innovations

The handbones seen in the whale model in the center of this image tell the curious story of how whales went from land to water.

What’s a "Missing Link"?

While some still use the term, experts abhor it because it implies that life is a linear hierarchy

"Now," says the American Indian Museum's director Kevin Gover (right with Lonnie Bunch, director of the African American History museum) "some of these institutions are able to produce excellent scholarship that tells a vastly different story from what most Americans learn.”

Two Museum Directors Say It’s Time to Tell the Unvarnished History of the U.S.

History isn’t pretty and sometimes it is vastly different than what we’ve been taught, say Lonnie Bunch and Kevin Gover

Kinorhynchs (aka mud dragons) range in size from about 0.13 to one millimeter. Like other meiofauna species, they are integral parts of marine food chains in sediments throughout the world.

King of the Mud Dragons

Robert Higgins has spent his career dredging out tiny creatures from dirt and obscurity

Many of the fascinating stories tied to women across history are preserved in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution.

This Museum Tour Is the Perfect Guide to Celebrating Women’s History in Style

From the National Portrait Gallery to the Air and Space Museum, here’s where to find the stories of wondrous women come March

Who Was the First First Lady to Adopt a Cause and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

Krzysztof Wodiczko; 1988-2000; C-print face-mounted to acrylic; Museum Purchase, 2000

A Powerful, Three-Story Video Installation Will Transform the Hirshhorn

The giant projection by Polish artist Krzysztof Wodiczko returns to the museum for the first time in 30 years

Secretary Adams and his wife Ruth contemplate his official portrait, which to this day resides at the Smithsonian Institution "Castle" Building.

Smithsonian Leader Who Helped Launch the American Indian Museum Dies at 91

With a mission to create a diverse and dynamic Smithsonian, Robert McCormick Adams is remembered as an intense but humble leader

Dr. Kevin Olival and the USAID PREDICT wildlife team surveying areas for bat trapping at the entrance to a cave in Thailand.

Can Virus Hunters Stop the Next Pandemic Before It Happens?

A global project is looking to animals to map the world's disease hotspots. Are they going about it the right way?

Lava cascades down the slopes of the erupting Mayon volcano in January 2018. Seen from Busay Village in Albay province, 210 miles southeast of Manila, Philippines.

Geology Makes the Mayon Volcano Visually Spectacular—And Dangerously Explosive

What's going on inside one of the Philippines' most active volcanoes?

All Smithsonian tourist sites in Washington, D.C. and New York are guaranteed to stay open through Monday, January 22, regardless of the government shutdown.

Smithsonian Museums Will Remain Open this Weekend and Monday

The days ahead may be uncertain, but for the time being, the show goes on

January Happenings At the Smithsonian

Blow away winter blues with our recommended list of film, lectures, concerts and more

The Smithsonian started its "Morning at the Museum" program in 2011.

How Museums Are Becoming More Sensory-Friendly For Those With Autism

An increasing number of institutions are developing programs that make exhibitions more accessible to those with developmental disabilities

An African lion enjoying an afternoon snack in the falling snow of 2012 at the National Zoo.

How Zoo Animals Stay Safe and Warm in the Arctic Blast

From flamingo 'hot tubs' to heated termite mounds, zoos have plenty of tricks to keep creatures safe when the forecast freezes over

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery

Happy Holidays! The Smithsonian is Closed on Christmas Day

'Twas the Night Before Christmas' on the National Mall

Artist’s representation of “neglected story on Smithsonian.com.”

The Ten Stories You Didn't Read in 2017 But Should Have

From music behind prison bars to a San Francisco building with a dark past, here are the top 10 pieces we published last year that deserve another look

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