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Latest Features

Camp III with Everest rising above the flank of Changtse mountain.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

See Photos From the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition That Led to the Vanishing of Two Explorers

Rosy cheeks and warm garments are reasons to smile for this mother-daughter duo.

ARTS & CULTURE

Celebrate Moms This Sunday and Everyday With Moving Photos of Motherhood

That Mary consigned some 280 Protestants to the flames is both indisputable and indefensible. But as historians have increasingly argued, this number is just one element of a much larger story that warrants contextualization.

HISTORY

The Myth of 'Bloody Mary,' England's First Queen

In the late 1960s, Bob Paine described the Pisaster sea star as a “keystone species” in Pacific Northwest tide pools. The concept has since taken on a life of its own.

SCIENCE

Has the Term 'Keystone Species' Lost Its Meaning?

Bruce McCandless floats freely in space with Earth 170 miles beneath him.

SCIENCE

The Inside Story of the First Untethered Spacewalk

The London National Gallery will celebrate its 200th birthday on May 10, 2024.

HISTORY

At 200 Years Old, the London National Gallery Is Redefining What It Means to Be a 'National' Museum

A bat clings to the roof of an abandoned cellar—an unlikely but vital habitat type for Europe’s bats.

SCIENCE

How a Fantastical Labyrinth Became a Crucial Habitat for Europe’s Bats

The Old Lahaina Courthouse was destroyed in a wildfire on August 11, 2023.

INNOVATION

University Students in Hawaii Use Cutting-Edge Technology to Digitally Restore Historic Buildings Damaged by Maui Wildfires

Current Issue

Smithsonian magazine April/May 2024 issue cover

Most Popular

1.

Smart News

Scientists Imaged and Mapped a Tiny Piece of Human Brain. Here's What They Found

With the help of an artificial intelligence algorithm, the researchers produced 1.4 million gigabytes of data from a cubic millimeter of brain tissue

2.

At the Smithsonian

See Photos From the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition That Led to the Vanishing of Two Explorers

A century later, a new book captures the grand scale of the mountain and uncovers more about the expedition and the people at its center

3.

Smart News

Hallucinogenic Plant Unearthed Beneath an Ancient Maya Ball Court

Researchers have found evidence of a nearly 2,000-year-old ceremonial offering at the site in present-day Mexico

4.

Science

The Inside Story of the First Untethered Spacewalk

On February 7, 1984, astronaut Bruce McCandless ventured out into space and away from shuttle Challenger using only a nitrogen-propelled, hand-controlled backpack

5.

Smart News

This Ship Mysteriously Vanished 115 Years Ago. Now, It's Been Found at the Bottom of Lake Superior

Nobody knew what happened to the "Adella Shores," which disappeared with 14 crew members aboard in 1909

Smithsonian Voices
National Museum of American History

A Mother’s Day Tribute in Six Objects From American History

National Air and Space Museum

Where to See World War II Aircraft Up Close

National Museum of American History

Anna May Wong's Long Journey From Hollywood to the Smithsonian

Smithsonian Education

13 Innovative Programs That Invite Early Learners to Explore the Smithsonian

National Museum of Natural History

Celebrate Cellphones, Birds and Old Jazz Favorites at the National Museum of Natural History this May and June

National Museum of the American Indian

Connecting Community and Collections

See All

Special Report
Lofoten Islands, Norway

Northern Europe and the British Isles

Explore the region's history, culture and natural wonders

View Full Report

Featured Stories

The English Farmers Who Harvest Rhubarb by Candlelight

Hoyma Is Bringing Music Home in the Faroe Islands

Get an Eyeful of Iceland in These 15 Photos That Capture Its Natural Beauty

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Photo of the day

In a rich-and-famous admiring society, we often overlook the contributions of everyday heroes who make our communities function. These raw but tender portraits are my humble attempt to acknowledge and celebrate my heroines - their stories and extraordinary strength of spirit in the face of hardship. “Everyday Saints” are a series of portraits of domestic workers from wealthy Cape Town suburbs. They take the hard life with patience and acceptance, giving all and expecting nothing in return. Not only do these women make life for their employers easier, but their work continues in their own homes, where they carry on roles of mothers, wives, caregivers, and being (often unseen) pillars of their communities. Capturing the essence of these individuals and giving them a voice through these photographs, I hope to celebrate them as appreciated and treasured members of society and let them be seen. These are not ordinary people; these are Everyday Saints. Everyday Saint Mary

History

Alicia Vikander as Catherine Parr in Firebrand, an upcoming film from director Karim Aïnouz

Watch the Trailer for 'Firebrand,' a New Drama About Henry VIII's Sixth Wife, Catherine Parr

Karim Aïnouz’s film features Alicia Vikander and Jude Law as the Tudor queen and king

The London National Gallery will celebrate its 200th birthday on May 10, 2024.

At 200 Years Old, the London National Gallery Is Redefining What It Means to Be a 'National' Museum

The wreck of the Isabella and Newton Providence camp, as shown in Charles Barnard's narrative of his experiences in the Falklands, 1829

Why the Wartime Rescue of the Survivors of a British Shipwreck Ended in Betrayal

Science

Bruce McCandless floats freely in space with Earth 170 miles beneath him.

The Inside Story of the First Untethered Spacewalk

On February 7, 1984, astronaut Bruce McCandless ventured out into space and away from shuttle Challenger using only a nitrogen-propelled, hand-controlled backpack

A bat clings to the roof of an abandoned cellar—an unlikely but vital habitat type for Europe’s bats.

How a Fantastical Labyrinth Became a Crucial Habitat for Europe’s Bats

Exceeding 50 feet in length, Mosasaurus hoffmannii was among the largest mosasaurs.

Massive Mosasaurs May Have Evolved More Than Once

Innovation

The Old Lahaina Courthouse was destroyed in a wildfire on August 11, 2023.

University Students in Hawaii Use Cutting-Edge Technology to Digitally Restore Historic Buildings Damaged by Maui Wildfires

A new course at University of Hawaii at Manoa rethinks historic preservation, having enrollees design digital twins of notable structures so that people can experience them virtually

A number of people deserve credit for the birth of the Pop-Tart.

The Contentious History of the Pop-Tart

Two X-wing CAVs flew over the opening ceremony of an attraction at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World Resort in December 2019. 

How Engineers Created a Flying 'Star Wars' X-Wing

Arts & Culture

American video artist Brian Fridge created a five-billboard series in Dallas called View Finder that portrayed a solar eclipse.

The Long History of Art Inspired by Solar Eclipses

For centuries, curious artists have been trying to make sense of the celestial event

An oak peacock moth lands on a window behind dancing wedding guests, illuminated in red light. This photograph won the category for butterflies and dragonflies.

See 11 Winning Images From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Awards

The latest winner of a Japanese literary prize said she used ChatGPT to write parts of her novel.

ChatGPT Helped Write This Award-Winning Japanese Novel

Travel

More than 1,000 sea lions gathered at San Francisco's Pier 39 last week, marking the largest congregation of the marine mammals at the city's Fisherman's Wharf in about 15 years.

More Than 1,000 Sea Lions Gather at San Francisco's Pier 39, the Largest Group in 15 Years

The pinnipeds came to the area to feed on anchovies and herring as they prepare for breeding season

Close-up showing the Archaeopteryx fossil’s skull, neck, spine, rib cage and wing bones. The fossil will go on view at Chicago's Field Museum on May 7.

Chicago Museum Unveils the 'Most Important Fossil Ever Discovered': the Feathered Dinosaur Archaeopteryx

The Campfire Hotel—a revamped 100-room motel lodge tucked away in Bend, Oregon's industrial stretch—first opened in October 2020.

Across the United States, Vintage Motels Are Being Imagined for Modern Times

At the Smithsonian

Camp III with Everest rising above the flank of Changtse mountain.

See Photos From the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition That Led to the Vanishing of Two Explorers

A century later, a new book captures the grand scale of the mountain and uncovers more about the expedition and the people at its center

Sylvia Beach, Paul-Emile Bécat, oil on canvas, 1923

These American Women Left Their Country and Took Their Talents to Paris

Two X-wing CAVs flew over the opening ceremony of an attraction at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World Resort in December 2019. 

How Engineers Created a Flying 'Star Wars' X-Wing