This Day in History: Remembering James Smithson (1765-1829)

James Smithson died on June 27, 1829, setting in motion a series of circuitous events that would lead to the eventual creation of the Smithsonian Institution
June 27, 2011 | By Arcynta Ali Childs

Weekend Events June 24-26: Castle Tour, Stories for Children and Portrait Gallery Exploration

The weekend of June 24-26, take a look inside the Smithsonian Castle, a story you and your children will love and a new way to view the National Portrait Gallery
June 23, 2011 | By Brittany Dant

Weekend Events: Asian Pacific American Heritage, Garden Fest, Mother's Day

Friday, May 6 Garden Fest!Family-friendly celebration of plants, gardens and gardening. Add to a garden mural, build a puppet, make a miniature Japanese garden and take home seeds for your garden. Saturday will include live music and a stilt walker. Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, south of the C...
May 06, 2011 | By Michelle Strange

It's Time to Garden at the Smithsonian

April showers bring May flowers. Or maybe, just mosquitoes. But the horticulture folks who bring you the Smithsonian gardens want you front and center tomorrow and Saturday (May 6 and 7). Bring your wellies and gloves to this year's Garden Fest for tips and techniques to make your flowers and veggi...
May 05, 2011 | By Madeline Andre

The List: What You Didn't Know About the Smithsonian in the Civil War

By now you know that this year marks the sesquicentennial of the beginning of the Civil War. And you're probably aware of the variety of events, exhibitions and programs taking place across the Smithsonian Institution commemorating that pivotal time in United States history. But what you may not kn...
April 13, 2011 | By Arcynta Ali Childs

The Smithsonian Museums and The National Zoo Are Open

All Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are open.Don't miss out on all the events and happenings, all scheduled as planned. Tarantula feedings at the Natural History Museum. A special tour of the Kinsey Collections at American History. An Earth Day celebration at the American Art Museum.And he...
April 08, 2011 | By Beth Py-Lieberman

A Smithsonian Holiday Story: Joel Poinsett and the Poinsettia

It's that time of year, and the Smithsonian Institution is leaving no corner undecorated for the holidays. Garlands spiral up the banisters of several Smithsonian museums, and Douglas fir trees tower inside the museum entrances. At the very least, almost every Smithsonian building has what is perha...
December 06, 2010 | By Jess Righthand

Weekend Events: Madeleine Albright, Exhibit Closings and a Hong Kong Film Fest

Friday, July 23: Made in Hong Kong Film Festival: Rule Number OneIn this police drama cum supernatural thriller, a young cop assigned to the Miscellaneous Affairs Department investigates incidents of paranormal activity—only to find himself targeted by a mysterious spirit. This film is presented in...
July 23, 2010 | By Jesse Rhodes

Play on: The goSmithsonian Trek Ends July 24

Our mobile adventure goSmithsonian Trek ends this Saturday, July 24. In its short one-month run, the goSmithsonian Trek has inspired players to explore, create and interact with Smithsonian Museums like never before. Trekkers are encouraged to answer questions, write haikus and slogans and take pho...
July 19, 2010 | By Jamie Simon

The Best of Smithsonian Magazine's Photo Contest on View at the Castle

This summer, come on out to the Smithsonian Castle where you can see a selection of the best and brightest photographs in Smithsonian Magazine's 7th Photo Contest. Over 4,500 photographs flooded in from all over the world—105 countries in all—to compete in five categories: Altered Images, Americana...
July 07, 2010 | By Jacqueline Sheppard

"Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection" Opens Friday

Yesterday morning, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright paid a visit to the Smithsonian Castle where she unveiled "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection," an exhibition of over 200 of her famous brooches.During Secretary Albright's diplomatic career, lapel pins became her trademar...
June 16, 2010 | By Megan Gambino

Madeleine Albright on Her Life in Pins

The former Secretary of State reflects on her famous collection of brooches and pins, now the subject of an exhibition
June 2010 | By Megan Gambino

Lights Out at the Castle

The National Mall was more dark than usual on Saturday night, when buildings around the city and the world—including the Smithsonian Institution's Castle and the Reynolds Center—turned off the lights for 60 minutes as part of Earth Hour, a global effort by the World Wildlife Fund to draw attention ...
March 29, 2010 | By Erica R. Hendry

Earth Hour: Lights Out at the Castle and Reynolds Center

This Saturday, promptly at 8:30 p.m., all the lights at the Smithsonian Castle will be turned off. Half a mile north of the Castle, at the very same moment, the Reynolds Center, which houses the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum, will go completely dark.George Washington...
March 24, 2010 | By Megan Gambino

Dan Brown's Smithsonian: Fact or Fiction?

Towards the beginning of his new thriller The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown introduces his main character Peter Solomon, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Peter’s phone number is mentioned twice in two pages (a detail that struck this reader as odd). And if by chance you should happen to call the ...
October 14, 2009 | By Megan Gambino

Cooper-Hewitt's National Design Awards; Events on the Mall

A 10th anniversary is at hand. The Cooper-Hewitt's much vaunted National Design Awards turns 10. To celebrate, the New York City-based museum is bringing to Washington, D.C., a number of free public programs, featuring guest appearances from some of this year's award winners, design mavens such as ...
July 14, 2009 | By Abby Callard

Smithsonian Magazine 6th Photo Contest: Winners Go on View in the Castle

In 2003, Smithsonian magazine launched its first photo contest, which garnered 12,000 entries from all over the world and the contest has since been a forum for people to share their artistic vision with us. Last week, an exhibition of the 50 finalists' eye-popping entries opened at the Smithsonian...
July 08, 2009 | By Jesse Rhodes

Text President Lincoln

Back in January, the New York Post reported that a 13-year-old girl in Silverado Canyon, California, sent 14,528 text messages in one month. (The average number of texts per month for 13- to 17-year-old cell phone users is 1,742.) And in March, two Pennsylvania men attempted to set a world text-mes...
June 17, 2009 | By Megan Gambino

Weekend Events: Byzantine Music, Garden Fest and Hawaii!

Friday, June 12: Dimitre Cantemir: A Life in MusicNot a fan of today's over-sexualized, pyrotechnic-laden popular music performances? For those of you longing for the music of a simpler—but nonetheless glorious—age, come on out to the Freer where you can enjoy the hit parade of the Ottoman Empire! ...
June 12, 2009 | By Jesse Rhodes

American Idol Desk Goes to the Smithsonian

I tuned in to American Idol last night, waiting on bated breath to hear whether Danny Gokey or Kris Allen (Adam Lambert was a shoo-in) would be moving on to next week's finals. But instead of squeaky clean Ryan Seacrest, Ben Stiller was the first to grace the screen. Soon joined by fellow Night at ...
May 14, 2009 | By Megan Gambino

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