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Arts & Culture

King and Queen, Henry Moore, bronze, 1952-1953

For Over Four Years, the Hirshhorn Worked to Revitalize Its Sculpture Garden. Today, It’s Home to a ‘King and Queen,’ a ‘Wish Tree’ and a 55,000-Pound Vertical Swimming Pool Artwork

Newly refreshed by Japanese artist-architect Hiroshi Sugimoto, the sunken garden welcomes National Mall visitors with bronze masterpieces, contemporary stunners and a stage set for creative performances

Kayla Randall

Catharina van Hemessen's 1548 self-portrait is on view in a new exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium.

She Painted the First Known Self-Portrait of an Artist at Work—and Signed It—Nearly 500 Years Ago. Who Was Catharina van Hemessen?

The first rooms of the "Art of Manga" exhibition introduce visitors to manga, which is read right-to-left and usually published in black and white.

Manga Are Black, White and Read All Over. Treasures of the Globally Popular Japanese Comic Book Medium Are on View in New York

The green gas emanating from this small jack-o’-lantern alludes to the spread of Covid-19. Fittingly, the photographer’s subject dons a beaked mask based on the ones worn by physicians treating bubonic plague victims in 17th-century Europe.

Treat Yourself to 20 Eerie Images Celebrating Halloween, From Pet Costumes to Mysterious Illusions to Spooky Shadows

Kermit the Frog and Miss Mousey in "The Muppets Valentine Show"

Kermit the Frog Was Just Trying to Put on a Variety Show. Fifty Years Later, the Muppets Are Some of the Biggest Stars in Television History

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The green gas emanating from this small jack-o’-lantern alludes to the spread of Covid-19. Fittingly, the photographer’s subject dons a beaked mask based on the ones worn by physicians treating bubonic plague victims in 17th-century Europe.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Treat Yourself to 20 Eerie Images Celebrating Halloween, From Pet Costumes to Mysterious Illusions to Spooky Shadows

These highlights from the Smithsonian Photo Contest are sure to scare up some smiles

Pan de muerto is an orange-scented sweet bread traditionally prepared and eaten during Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday celebrated each year from October 31 to November 2.

Mexico’s Bread of the Dead Kneads Together Indigenous and Catholic Traditions

Pan de Muerto, a Mexican sweet bread eaten for Día de los Muertos, is more than just a festive treat. Its history mirrors the holiday itself, a combination of cultures that breathes life back into the dead

This relief on a fourth-century sarcophagus from Gaul depicts scenes from the Bible, including the famous miracle of Christ multiplying the loaves (center).

A Cult Grew Around the First Emperor of Rome in 27 B.C. A New Book Argues His Followers Might Have Created the Template for Christianity

Augustus was seen as a descendant of the gods who would go on to redefine authority. New research posits that his rule paved the way for Jesus

Caspar David Friedrich’s The Evening Star is noteworthy for its Romantic sweep—and for the elusiveness of the stellar body (Venus) in its title. 

How Astronomers and Art Historians Are Working Together to Identify the Inspiration Behind Famous Works of Art

Researchers study paintings and literature to uncover untold history of the works, sometimes finding themselves trying to discern celestial bodies from dust

Wildwood, the latest film from stop-motion animation studio Laika, features handcrafted sets

‘Wildwood’ Is the Longest Stop-Motion Animated Film Ever. Each Frame of the Movie Is a Marvel of Handcrafted World Building

Deborah Cook, costumer designer at stop-motion animation studio Laika, discusses creating tiny costumes for puppets in a fantastical world set in the forests of Portland, Oregon

Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was a Depression-era outlaw who earned the title of the nation's "public enemy No. 1."

‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd, One of the Most Notorious Outlaws of the Great Depression, Was Shot and Killed in an FBI Raid 92 Years Ago

Some Americans lauded the 30-year-old bank robber as a Robin Hood-esque folk hero. Others castigated him as a violent criminal whose misdeeds were emblematic of the troubled era

Physician Joseph Bell (left) inspired Sherlock Holmes (center, as portrayed by actor Basil Rathbone), the detective created by writer Arthur Conan Doyle (right).

Arthur Conan Doyle Based Sherlock Holmes on a Real-Life Scottish Surgeon Who Used Deduction to Diagnose Patients and Investigate Crimes

A new book chronicles the exploits of Joseph Bell, an Edinburgh lecturer whose lessons sparked the creation of the world’s most famous detective

A member of the Muscogee Creek Nation pauses at the edge of the dance circle in traditional regalia at an event in Nashville.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day With These 15 Dramatic Images of the Rich, Enduring Traditions of Native Americans

These photographs from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest showcase Native Americans taking part in their respective tribal customs

Ghostface, the primary antagonist of the Scream franchise, is one of the many horror icons featured in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' latest exhibition.

From Slasher Films to Vampire Flicks, Horror Movies Are More Popular Than Ever. Relive the Genre’s Scariest Moments—if You Dare—at a New Exhibition

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ latest show features nearly 350 props, costumes and artifacts from such films as “Psycho,” “The Shining” and “Sinners”

All of the sites on the Shikoku Pilgrimage are associated with Kobo Daishi, a Japanese monk who lived during the ninth century and founded Shingon, a major school of Buddhism that focuses on the attainment of enlightenment during a practitioner’s lifetime.

Japan’s Smallest and Least-Populated Major Island Is a World of Pilgrimages, Delicious Food and Plenty of Forest Bathing

Each year, more than 100,000 people hike at least part of a 750-mile route on Shikoku that connects 88 Buddhist temples and other sacred sites

On Scotland's uninhabited island of Staffa, Fingal’s Cave is formed from tall basalt columns created by ancient volcanic activity.

Seven Places in Europe That Legends Say Were Built by Giants, Devils or Dragons

Bridges, mountains, caves and rock formations that seem impossible to explain become magnets for folklore

The structure is a nod to clouds and tree canopies, not the starship that many imagine when they first see the building, according to its architect Ma Yansong.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a New Endeavor From the Creator of ‘Star Wars,’ Is a Story in Itself

Almost two decades in the making, the institution centers on art that shapes our everyday lives and reveals the craft behind it

The New York Times building, with its newspaper logo sign above the entrance, seen in New York City on August 6, 2026

The Founders of the ‘New York Times’ Pledged to Cover ‘Every Subject of Public Importance.’ 175 Years Later, the Paper Continues to Publish ‘All the News That’s Fit to Print’

Much has changed since the publication debuted on September 18, 1851. What hasn’t changed, staff members say, is the paper’s mission

Focaccia di Recco is a thin flatbread filled with gooey cheese—usually crescenza or stracchino—and baked in a super-hot oven until crispy and golden brown.

A Tiny Town in the Italian Riviera Has Its Own Version of Focaccia, and Let This Be a Warning—It’s Addictive

Unlike the pillowy-soft focaccia that’s more widely known, focaccia di Recco is thin, crispy and filled with gooey cheese

An illustration from the 1720 text The History of Witches and Wizards, featuring witches offering wax dolls to the devil as part of a ritual

Six Ways That People of the Past Used Magic to Protect Their Homes, From Witch Bottles to Mystical Symbols

Throughout history, humans around the world have employed protective talismans such as special stones, herbs and plants, and decorative demon tiles

The center opened in December 2025.

Montana Built a $107 Million Museum. Its Smallest Room Says a Lot About the Thought That Went Into Designing the Space

The Montana Heritage Center in Helena has a smudge room. It is open to the public and teaches non-Native visitors why a room dedicated to the burning of cleansing materials, a practice of many Indigenous cultures, is needed

A man in New York City reads a copy of the September 19, 2001, issue of the Daily News, featuring Milton Glaser's updated "I ♥ NY More Than Ever" logo.

In the Aftermath of 9/11, Milton Glaser, Creator of the ‘I Love NY’ Logo, Declared That He Loved New York City ‘More Than Ever’

The graphic designer revamped his world-famous emblem in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The updated design underscored the city’s resilience in the face of tragedy

From left to right: Thomas McKenzie as Alyce, Jamie Bell as John Ball and Andrew Garfield as the Ploughman in The Uprising, a new film by Paul Greengrass

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind ‘The Uprising’ and the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, When Thousands Marched on London to Demand a Fairer Society

Paul Greengrass’ new film stars Andrew Garfield as a fictionalized, unnamed farmer who leads a rebellion against unfair taxes and the system of serfdom

Kermit the Frog and Miss Mousey in "The Muppets Valentine Show"

Kermit the Frog Was Just Trying to Put on a Variety Show. Fifty Years Later, the Muppets Are Some of the Biggest Stars in Television History

The first episode of Jim Henson’s “The Muppet Show” premiered in the United Kingdom on September 5, 1976. Enthusiasm for the eclectic ensemble has endured ever since

Palaka represents the many cultures that have come to create the Hawaiian Islands of today through their traditions and hard work.

A Signature Hawaiian Textile With a Rich History Is Making a Splash in the Fashion World

The blocky, plaid palaka design has evolved beyond its roots as simple workwear, crossing over ethnic and class lines as a symbol of local pride

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