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Secretary Lonnie Bunch Says the Smithsonian Keeps 'The Nation’s Memory' in an Exclusive Essay for America’s 250th Birthday

The acclaimed historian and head of the Institution argues that the semiquincentennial presents the perfect opportunity for Americans to consider their nation’s past and future

Workers install a horse in the refurbished Smithsonian carousel

The Smithsonian’s Renovated Carousel Will Return to the National Mall for Another Round

The classic merry-go-round is gleaming again, but it’s more than an amusement: it’s a ride through history

Chess set owned by George B. McClellan

How the Smithsonian Collections Reflect the Remarkable Contributions of American Veterans

The Smithsonian’s collections speak to the resolve and ingenuity of America’s service members

An artist’s rendering of the upcoming “At Home in Space” exhibition

What to Expect at the Newly Renovated National Air and Space Museum When It Opens This Month

The Smithsonian museum's new galleries explore the challenges and delights of life in space

Nichelle Nichols

How One of the Smithsonian's Newest Museums Is Looking at the Unsung Heroines of American History

Even before it has a home on the Mall, the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum is sharing stories of overlooked pioneers

Welcome to Territory, by the Lenape Center with Joe Baker, features turkey-feather capes suspended from the ceiling

At the Smithsonian's National Design Museum, a Home Is What You Make of It

In a new exhibition at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, artists explore just what makes a space feel like home

people holding hands while standing in ocean water

The Global Story of Slavery in the Americas Comes to the Smithsonian

"In Slavery's Wake," an international exhibition set to debut next month, illuminates the unfinished work of securing freedom

an absentee ballot used during the Civil War

How the Civil War Spawned the Mail-In Ballot

At the National Postal Museum, a new exhibition traces the long history of a newly popular way of voting

Smithsonian exhibition in Japan

Thirty Years Ago, a Smithsonian Exhibition in Japan Told the Whole American Story

The choices we made then still resonate today

Native Americans celebrate on the National Mall

Why This Year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival Honors Indigenous Americans

The annual summer tradition will celebrate the National Museum of the American Indian and the people it honors

Volunteer Curt Breckenridge removes plaster used to display a tyrannosaur fossil

An Appreciation of the Volunteers Who Devote Their Time to the Smithsonian

Whether fielding questions from visitors or digging for answers behind the scenes, volunteers help the museums thrive

two black and white portraits of actors

Relive the Glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age With These Photos

The work of a pioneering celebrity photographer shines a spotlight on the iconic era

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Robert S. Duncanson and James P. Ball Were the Height of Black Artistry in 19th-Century America

A new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum reunites the work of two titans of their fields

Canal

Reflections From a Dutch National Reckoning

After a trip to Amsterdam and discussions on a forthcoming National Slavery Museum in the Netherlands, I was struck by our universal and perpetually incomplete project of memorializing the past

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