Arts
Creative achievements in literature and the visual and performing arts
The General is in the House; Colin Powell’s Portrait Goes on View
The gallery commissioned a portrait of the first African American Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
December 04, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Grandpa Jetson is Way Cooler Than Grandpa Simpson
Montague Jetson is 110 years old--and loving it
December 04, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Dress Codes and Etiquette, Part 3: The Death of the Dinner Jacket on Open Water
Are the days of wearing just a tuxedo t-shirt just over the horizon?
December 03, 2012 |
By Emily Spivack
Have GPS Devices Taken the Fun out of Navigation?
With the rise of the digital age, the fascinating skills of map reading and celestial navigation are becoming lost arts
December 03, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
What Do Alicia Keys, the Boss and Wagner Have in Common?
From the classical era to modern music, flames have lent a spark to some of the greatest tunes of all time
December 2012 |
By Zachary Woolfe
Why Oliver Sacks is One of the Great Modern Adventurers
The neurologist’s latest investigations of the mind explore the mystery of hallucinations – including his own
December 2012 |
By Ron Rosenbaum
A Scholarly Approach to Innovation
The Secretary of the Smithsonian draws the connection between the Clovis tools and Silicon Valley
December 2012 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Karen Cusolito Lights Her Artwork on Fire
Meet the artist who burns her creations to amazing effect
December 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Penn Jillette Reveals the Secrets of Fire-Eating
The more talkative half of the famed magic duo says that even for professionals, this magic act is a tough act to swallow
December 2012 |
By Penn Jillette
Esperanza Spalding Took on Bieber, Now Takes on Jazz
The innovative bassist and winner of the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for performing arts is taking jazz to a whole new place
December 2012 |
By dream hampton
How Benh Zeitlin Made Beasts of the Southern Wild
The Oscar nominee for Best Director transformed filmmaking as he assembled a new myth out of Hurricane Katrina
December 2012 |
By Franz Lidz
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Dinosaurian Oddities
A new book argues that dinosaur reconstructions, which stretch skin over bone, are bound to be inaccurate and imagines what the creatures may have looked with more fat, feathers and accessory adornments
November 30, 2012 |
By Brian Switek
In the 1920s, Shoppers Got Punk’d By Fake Televisions
Don't touch that dial....really, don't
November 30, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
The Insane Amount of Biodiversity in One Cubic Foot
David Liittschwager travels to the world's richest ecosystems, photographing all the critters that pass through his "biocube" in 24 hours
November 30, 2012 |
By Jeff Greenwald
Drawing on the Edge: Six Contemporary Portraitists Challenge Convention
Six young artists leave their mark on portraiture with the National Portrait Gallery's new exhibit
November 30, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
1 Million Dollars Worth of Rare Dictionaries About to Go on Sale
On December 4, a collection of rare old dictionaries will go on auction at Bonhams in New York City
November 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Amazing Modernist Sandcastles Sculpted by Calvin Seibert
Seifert uses simple tools to craft the details: two plastic putty knives and a five-gallon bucket to fill with extra sand.
November 30, 2012 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
A Holiday Shopping Reminder: Do We Really Need That Extra Pair of Jeans?
Meaningful purchases trump frenetic shopping and closets bulging with new clothes
November 29, 2012 |
By Emily Spivack
In Denmark, Cinderella Wore Galoshes
Cinderella isn't a Disney story, and earlier versions are, well, different
November 29, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Events Nov. 30-Dec. 2: Africa’s Space Programs, the Middle East’s Diva and Ang Lee’s Wedding Banquet
This weekend, explore a continent's long history with the stars, hear the vocal stylings of Karima Skalli and watch another classic in a series of film screenings
November 29, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
