Television

Elle Fanning portrays the eponymous empress in Hulu's "The Great."

The True Story of Catherine the Great

Hulu's "The Great" offers an irreverent, ahistorical take on the Russian empress' life. This is the real history behind the period comedy

"Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" was a funky, lighthearted alternative to the action cartoons that, for years, had dominated Saturday morning lineups.

How Scooby-Doo's Origins Are Related to the RFK Assassination

The senator's death changed Saturday morning cartoons and paved the way for the gang of "meddling kids" to become a TV hit

A Labrador retriever, but you probably knew that already, given that this pooch is America's most popular breed

Labrador Tops Most Popular Dog Breed List for 29th Year in a Row

The rankings stay much the same from year to year, but in 2019, Pembroke Welsh corgis broke the top ten for the first time

Charles Lindbergh, Walter Winchell and Franklin D. Roosevelt (L to R) are among the public figures fictionalized in Philip Roth's The Plot Against America.

The True History Behind 'The Plot Against America'

Philip Roth's classic novel, newly adapted by HBO, envisions a world in which Charles Lindbergh wins the 1940 presidential election

Left: Walker in 1912; Right: Octavia Spencer as the inspiring businesswoman in the Netflix series “Self Made,” which debuts this month.

Madam C.J. Walker Gets a Netflix Close-Up

A turn-of-the-century hair-care magnate who shared her wealth gets the spotlight

Presenting Smithsonian magazine's top ten stories of 2019

Our Top Ten Stories of 2019

From a 16-million-year-old tree to Confederate soldiers’ diaries, voracious snakes and England’s warrior king, these were the most-read stories of 2019

When the special finally aired in 1964, it became such a hit that it has been rebroadcast every year since, making it the longest-running Christmas special in history.

The Magical Animation of 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'

The Christmas television special—the longest running in history—was groundbreaking in its use of stop-motion animation with puppets

Mrs. Maisel's pink wool house coat and peignoir nightgown, worn in the pilot episode, and black dress, worn in the season one finale

Two Dresses From 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Are Coming to the Smithsonian

Though plans aren't finalized, the costumes might feature in the National Museum of American History's upcoming "Entertaining America" exhibition

Helpers fill sandbags on the tip above the shattered Pantglas Junior School to divert a spring and avert the risk of further landslides at Aberfan, South Wales.

The True Story of the Aberfan Disaster

The 1966 Welsh mining tragedy claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults and features heavily in the third season of Netflix's "The Crown"

The design of "Sesame Street" was based on rows of brownstones found in Manhattan's Harlem and Upper West Side and the Bronx.

The Unmistakable Black Roots of 'Sesame Street'

Making its debut in 1969, the beloved children’s television show was shaped by the African-American communities in Harlem and beyond

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A Conversation With Katie Couric and 23 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in November

A Conversation with Katie Couric and 23 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in November

Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies portray Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Watch the New Trailer for Season Three of 'The Crown'

The hit Netflix show returns November 17 with a new cast and will focus on events from the 1960s and '70s

The fifth season of BBC drama "Peaky Blinders" is available now on Netflix

Who Were the Real 'Peaky Blinders'?

The Shelby family is fictional, but a real street gang operated in Birmingham at the turn of the 20th century

Netflix's animated series, Carmen Sandiego, just released its second season.

How a Generation Became Obsessed With Tracking Down Carmen Sandiego

The globe-trotting thief of the popular 1985 computer game is back at it in a second season of an animated Netflix series

The cast of 'The Addams Family' poses for a publicity shot.

The Cultural History of 'The Addams Family'

As the spooky clan makes a new appearance on the big screen, a look back on the mystery of their longevity

Fred Rogers, wearing his usual uniform of a cardigan and a tie, in the 1980s.

The Behind-the-Scenes Quest to Find Mister Rogers' Signature Cardigans

The USPS, a $70 soup pot and whole lot of effort went into finding the perfect zip-up cardigan for Fred Rogers

TV's "Julia" premiered on September 17, 1968 and the show was an instant hit, winning actress Diahann Carroll (above with Marc Copage as Corey Baker) the Golden Globe Award for best actress in a comedy in its first season.

Was the 1968 TV Show 'Julia' a Milestone or a Millstone for Diversity?

Diahann Carroll's award-winning series was a hit, but it delivered a sanitized view of African-American life

The museum will be housed in a former brothel known as the Shasta Room

Deadwood Is Getting a Brothel Museum

A non-profit is telling the local history of prostitution in the Wild West town, popularized by the HBO show of the same name

When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent.

Laugh Tracks Make Bad Jokes Funnier, According to Science

The bursts of audience laughter hated by TV critics do induce laughter, meaning the sit-com giggles are here to stay

The incomparable Bob Ross

New Investigation Answers Pressing Question: Whatever Happened to All of Bob Ross’ Paintings?

The artist produced almost 30,000 paintings over the course of his lifetime

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