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Latest Features

Workers converting a 15th-century granary (large brown building pictured) into a parking garage in Erfurt, Germany, uncovered graves from a medieval Jewish cemetery.

HISTORY

How Construction of a Parking Lot Uncovered New Insights About Medieval Jews

Natovenator likely swam to catch small prey.

SCIENCE

World’s First Swimming Dinosaur Discovered in Mongolia

Algoa Bay, South Africa, is home to nearly half of the world’s remaining African penguins, whose numbers have fallen as much as 98 percent since 1900.

INNOVATION

These Artificial Nests Are Helping African Penguins Beat the Heat

Fungi and bacteria play a big part in shaping the flavor and texture of cheese.

SCIENCE

The Science Behind Your Cheese

This year's titles include I Was Better Last Night, Accidental Ecosystem and Winslow Homer: American Passage.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Smithsonian Scholars Pick Their Favorite Books of 2022

Benjamin J. Burton was a trailblazing entrepreneur once thought to be the wealthiest Black businessman in Rhode Island. His killing on October 6, 1885, polarized the Newport community.

HISTORY

A Gilded Age Tale of Murder and Money

Art Hiding in Paris is an homage to the city's veiled masterpieces.

TRAVEL

Eight Works of Art Hiding in Paris

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 44 titles this year.

ARTS & CULTURE

The Best Books of 2022

Current Issue

Smithsonian magazine November/December 2022 issue cover

Most Popular

1.

Science

World’s First Swimming Dinosaur Discovered in Mongolia

Natovenator was a streamlined hunter with jaws full of tiny teeth

2.

Smart News

A Surprising Amount of Magma Is Under Yellowstone’s Supervolcano

New research suggests more melted rock lies beneath the Yellowstone Caldera—but it’s still not likely to erupt anytime soon

3.

Smart News

Archaeologists Find 1,900-Year-Old Snacks in Sewers Beneath the Colosseum

Spectators at Rome’s ancient amphitheater enjoyed olives, figs, nuts and more

4.

Smart News

Scientists Revive 48,500-Year-Old Virus, Setting World Record

As temperatures rise because of climate change, melting permafrost could cause dormant diseases to re-emerge, researchers warn

5.

Innovation

These Are the Highest Resolution Photos Ever Taken of Snowflakes

Photographer and scientist Nathan Myhrvold has developed a camera that captures snowflakes at a microscopic level never seen before

Smithsonian Voices
National Museum of Natural History

Viking Women and Black Footed-Ferrets are Coming to the Museum This Holiday Season

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

St. Bride’s Church’s Ministry to Journalism, Where War Correspondents and Clergy Converge

Smithsonian Education

To Reimagine the Future, Start by Expanding the Stories of Our Past

Smithsonian Associates

Birding in a Winter Wonderland and More Seasonal Programs in December

Smithsonian Education

'We Are Here' Introduces Readers to 30 Inspiring Profiles

Smithsonian Associates

Get Ready for the Holiday Season With These Festive Programs

See All

Special Report
The famed Ruby Slippers were worn by by Judy Garland in her portrayal of Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

The Stars Are Aligned at the National Museum of American History

Artifacts from the stage, screen and sports highlight how what we watch defines who we are

View Full Report

Featured Stories

The Enduring Legacy of Celia Cruz, the 'Queen of Salsa'

The Rise and Fall, and Rise Again, of America’s First Celebrity—a Woman Who Loved Other Women

A Portrait of Eliza Hamilton and a Costume Worn by Lin-Manuel Miranda for 'Hamilton' Arrives at the Smithsonian

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Smithsonian Channel

Preview thumbnail for video 'A Biologist on an Underwater Scooter Delights Young Dolphins

A Biologist on an Underwater Scooter Delights Young Dolphins

Play
Preview thumbnail for video 'Journey to the Dark Side of the Moon

Journey to the Dark Side of the Moon

Preview thumbnail for video 'You’re Not Ready for How Playful Komodo Dragons Can Be

You’re Not Ready for How Playful Komodo Dragons Can Be

Photo of the day

The sparrow in the flowers Enjoying Flowers

History

Workers converting a 15th-century granary (large brown building pictured) into a parking garage in Erfurt, Germany, uncovered graves from a medieval Jewish cemetery.

How Construction of a Parking Lot Uncovered New Insights About Medieval Jews

A new DNA study suggests Ashkenazi Jews living in 14th-century Germany were surprisingly genetically diverse

Throne 1, KK'in Lakam Chahk (785)

Rarely Seen Ancient Maya Masterpieces Go on View at the Met

This year's picks include Half American, Saving Yellowstone and River of the Gods.

The Ten Best History Books of 2022

Science

Natovenator likely swam to catch small prey.

World’s First Swimming Dinosaur Discovered in Mongolia

Natovenator was a streamlined hunter with jaws full of tiny teeth

A brain scan of a person with Alzheimer's disease

Second Death Tied to Experimental Alzheimer’s Treatment

An aerial photo taken at 7:15 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time on Monday shows the northeast rift zone eruption of Mauna Loa. 

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Volcano Gushes Lava, Threatening Major Highway

Innovation

The top ten toys rated by Purdue University engineers help children build spatial reasoning, problem solving, coding and design thinking skills, among others.

Engineers Pick the Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2022

Children can build strategy, critical thinking and resilience during expert-approved play

Chicken nuggets made from lab-grown meat in Singapore, the only country where lab-grown meat can currently be sold. 

Lab-Grown Meat Is Safe to Eat, FDA Says

Under the right conditions, researchers say, some crop yields could increase by 50 percent or more.

Is Hacking Photosynthesis the Key to Increasing Crop Yields?

Arts & Culture

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 44 titles this year.

The Best Books of 2022

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 44 titles this year

Rhea L. Combs (left) and Ava DuVernay (right) share a laugh in front of DuVernay’s portrait during the National Portrait Gallery's 2022 Portrait of a Nation Gala on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

See Stunning Portraits of Ava DuVernay, José Andrés and the Williams Sisters

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap has been running at London's West End since 1952.

Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap' Is Coming to Broadway

Travel

Art Hiding in Paris is an homage to the city's veiled masterpieces.

Eight Works of Art Hiding in Paris

In her new book, Lori Zimmer invites readers to experience the artistic gems hidden in plain sight throughout France’s capital city

View of the Grand Canyon showing the Bright Angel Trail, which leads to Havasupai Gardens, formerly known as Indian Garden

Officials Rename Popular Grand Canyon Site to Honor Havasupai Tribe

A scene from the Goodnight Moon immersive exhibition

Step Inside the Colorful Pages of 'Goodnight Moon'

At the Smithsonian

“Dale Chihuly is one of the most important artists of the 21st century,” says Stephanie Stebich, the director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, who is among the experts interviewed in a new documentary, "Master of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly."

The Unrivaled Legacy of Dale Chihuly

The pioneering glassmaker and octogenarian is the subject of a new Smithsonian Channel documentary

The famed Ruby Slippers were worn by by Judy Garland in her portrayal of Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

It's Showtime at the National Museum of American History

Rhea L. Combs (left) and Ava DuVernay (right) share a laugh in front of DuVernay’s portrait during the National Portrait Gallery's 2022 Portrait of a Nation Gala on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

See Stunning Portraits of Ava DuVernay, José Andrés and the Williams Sisters