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History
In Search of Siddhartha
The birthplace of the Buddha beckons worshipers from around the world, as well as researchers hoping to dig up new evidence about the revered spiritual leader
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The Many Myths of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the 19th-Century Royal Whose Beauty and Tragic Death Transformed Her Into a Legend
The reluctant empress known as "Sisi" painstakingly crafted her image through portraits and photographs, ensuring she would be remembered in a specific way
Smart News
This Complete Set of Shakespeare’s Four Folios Could Sell for $6 Million
Valerie the Miniature Dachshund Has Been Rescued After Surviving for 529 Days on a Rugged Australian Island
Scientists Discover the Oldest Known Ant Fossil, a 113-Million-Year-Old ‘Hell Ant’ Preserved in Rock in Brazil
See the Colorful Flags That the Patriots Unfurled as They Fought in the American Revolution
Researchers Discover a Rare, Carnivorous Caterpillar That Wears Dead Insect Parts to Fool Spiders
Latest Features
Science
Can a Forgotten Bean Save the Brew?
One leading botanist is scouring remote corners of the earth to find new species that could keep our mugs full
Arts & Culture
Larger Than Life: Smithsonian Magazine’s 22nd Annual Photography Contest
By toying with perspective, this year’s best photos capture the sublime—and the uncanny
Most Popular
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Special Report
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America’s 250th Anniversary
To mark the 250th anniversary of America’s founding on July 4, 1776, Smithsonian magazine is highlighting the people, places and events that shaped the United States’ fight for independence from Great Britain
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Photo of the Day
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Podcast
Smithsonian Podcast: There’s More to That
Smithsonian magazine covers history, science and culture in the way only it can — through a lens on the world that is insightful and grounded in richly reported stories. In There’s More to That, meet the magazine’s journalists and hear how they discover the forces behind the biggest issues of our time.
Latest Episodes
Dive Into the Deeper Story of the American Revolution on How New England and Virginia United Against the British
April 17, 2025 | 29 minutes
A Field of Dreams Built in an Unlikely Place: A Japanese American Internment Camp
April 3, 2025 | 38 minutes
History
Was Talos, the Bronze Automaton Who Guarded the Island of Crete in Greek Myth, an Early Example of Artificial Intelligence?
The mythical sentry was depicted as thinking like a human and showing some human-like tendencies
Science
The Long, Strange History of Nitrous Oxide, a Popular Drug Users Have Been Inhaling for Hundreds of Years
Galaxy Gas has brought the drug back into the spotlight, and scientists are raising alarms about its health risks
Innovation
Synthetic Voices Shed Light on the Deep-Rooted Gender Biases Embedded in our Tech
An expert on the impacts of information technologies on society considers how talking machines got their male- and female-sounding voices
Travel
Two Centuries Ago, Batteaumen on Virginia’s James River Ended Long Work Days With a Taste of Freedom
The James River Batteau Company, an outdoor recreation-meets-historical tour business, has designed a dinner cruise that honors the resilience and culinary ingenuity of enslaved boatmen
Arts & Culture
Why the World Became So Obsessed With William Morris’ Colorful Floral Prints
The British artist’s designs appear on mugs, plates, shoes and more. A new exhibition explores how his signature style became so ubiquitous—and how Morris would feel about his 21st-century legacy
At the Smithsonian
The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride