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Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

Thousands of people assemble on the green grass of the National Mall to form a sunburst shape, the Smithsonian logo. The red-brick Smithsonian Castle rises in the background.

The Smithsonian Has 6,724 Staff Members With a Mission to Increase and Diffuse Knowledge. Hear How They Work ‘For the Common Good’

With astrophysicists and wildlife ecologists, art conservators and security officers, this discussion series invites visitors to go behind the scenes with experts across the institution.

Two men in blue shirts, blue jeans, leather belts, and white cowboy hats pose in front of a brown horse.

In Eastern Idaho, the Blackfoot Ranch Rodeo Celebrates Cowboys, Craftsmanship, and Community

Unlike regular rodeos, ranch rodeos are generally more family-friendly and focus on showcasing ranch-related events and hand skills, teamwork, and horsemanship.

Two people ride on horseback along a dirt road lined by yellowing tall grass. In front of them are a dog and dozens of cattle.

The Community of Families in Western Craft Traditions of Idaho

The Idaho gearmaking community, though geographically dispersed, is tightly knit through multigenerational family ties, mentorships, and shared cultural traditions rooted in ranching and craftsmanship. At the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, multiply families will share the skills and stories behind their work.

From behind, a woman holds up a flag in front of a memorial monument with a central flame. Her brown hair is braided with a purple butterfly barrette, and she wears white regalia with silver sequins and ribbons across the shoulders.

Native American Women Warriors Protect Culture, Community and the Future

For many, this coexistence of American patriotism and Indigenous pride may seem contradictory

Gray headstones and green grass and trees in a cemetery.

Cemeteries That Save the American Landscape

Covering two million acres of U.S. soil, cemeteries are lush with potential for the living and the land.

Black woman with an Afro. Black-and-white photo dated May 72 in the top border.

Why Black Hairstyles Represent a Crowning Achievement

Many in the Black community see Black hair as an art medium. But what is art without an artist?

Interior of a church, with people seated in chairs and pews, and a person in reddish robe with black trim walking toward the pulpit.

For Centuries This London Church Has Ministered to the Spiritual Needs of the Journalists and the Media

To Reverend Canon Dr. Alison Joyce, rector of St Bride’s London, there is a natural connection between the work of the clergy and journalists

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