Arts
Creative achievements in literature and the visual and performing arts
Weekend Events Feb 10-12: Mourning, The Power of Chocolate Festival, and the Emerson String Quartet
This weekend, go to the Iranian Film Festival, taste and learn why chocolate was called the "food of the gods" by the Aztecs and Mayans, and enjoy a performance by the Emerson String Quartet.
February 09, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
When Uncle Sam Backs Your Film
How Act of Valor is only the latest in a long history of official military involvement in the film industry
February 08, 2012 |
By Daniel Eagan
Charles McIlvaine, Pioneer of American Mycophagy
"I take no man's word for the qualities of a toadstool," said the man who took it upon himself to sample more than 600 species
February 08, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
How Much the Hope Diamond is Worth and Other Questions From Our Readers
From American art, history and culture, air and space technology, contemporary art, Asian art and any of the sciences from astronomy to zoology, we'll find an answer
February 07, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Bedtime Reading From Beatrix Potter: Amateur Mycologist
Would Flopsy, Mopsy and Peter Cottontail have been conceived had it not been for the biases of Victorian era science?
February 06, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
What Ever Happened to the Short Film?
Why short films still win Oscars.
February 06, 2012 |
By Daniel Eagan
Events Feb 7-9: Water Matters, Multiplicity, and Touki Bouki
This week, learn why water matters, take a guided tour of the American Art Museum's exhibition, Multiplicity, and enjoy a free film at the African Art House Film Festival.
February 06, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Giants and Patriots at the Smithsonian
Just in time for the Super Bowl, take a look at giants and patriots of all kinds in the Smithsonian
February 03, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Super Bowl’s Love Affair With Jetpacks
Thankfully, this Super Bowl spectacle never had a wardrobe malfunction
February 03, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Weekend Events Feb 3-5: Under the Stars, Black History Month Family Day, and The Big Sleep
This weekend, explore the night sky at the Air and Space Museum, celebrate Black History Month at the American Art Museum, and watch The Big Sleep at the new Warner Brothers theater in the American History Museum.
February 02, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Celebrate Black History Month with the Smithsonian
From Kenyan storytelling performances to Black Power film screenings, February on the Mall is buzzing with Black History Month events.
February 01, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Super Bowl Guide to Football Films
The sport was initially fodder for slapstick comedy, but as the technology evolved, so did the way in which filmmakers portrayed the gridiron on the big screen
February 01, 2012 |
By Daniel Eagan
The Top Five Most Anticipated Exhibits of 2012
Take a look at the five upcoming exhibits we're most excited about.
February 01, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Q and A With Architect David Adjaye
The designer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture talks about his vision for the new building
February 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Oldest Modernist Paintings
Two thousand years before Picasso, artists in Egypt painted some of the most arresting portraits in the history of art
February 2012 |
By Smithsonian Magazine
Revisiting The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Recently reissued, William L. Shirer's seminal 1960 history of Nazi Germany is still important reading
February 2012 |
By Ron Rosenbaum
The Other Vitruvian Man
Was Leonardo da Vinci's famous anatomical chart actually a collaborative effort?
February 2012 |
By Toby Lester
Going Mad for Charles Dickens
Two centuries after his birth, the novelist is still wildly popular, as a theme park, a new movie and countless festivals attest
February 2012 |
By Joshua Hammer
Events Jan 31-Feb 2: Draw and Discover, Great Spies of WWII, and February Daily Films
This week, sketch at the Luce Foundation Center, learn about espionage during WWII, and enjoy a Cree film at the American Indian Museum.
January 30, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
The Never-Ending Tussle Between Box Office Hits and Award Winners
Blockbuster movies often lose out at the Oscars, while winners can't find enough viewers
January 27, 2012 |
By Daniel Eagan
