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History

Souvenir Disneyland scrapbook with Frontierland’s iconic symbols from 1955

How Disney Came to Define What Constitutes the American Experience

The entertainment company has been in the business of Americana since its inception

The song made its debut 215 years ago—in a boat.

Inauguration History

Why Do We Play ‘Hail to the Chief’ for the President?

A Scottish rebel features prominently in the anthem

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The Top History Books of 2016

Here are some of the best titles to hit shelves this past year

Every new year is a new opportunity for the "worst year ever."

History of Now

Why 2016 Is Only the Most Recent Worst Year Ever

This year has been miserable for many, but it has plenty of competition from its predecessors in the 20th century

President Boris Yeltsin hands over a copy of the Russian constitution to Vladimir Putin, December 21, 1999.

The Popularity of Putin and What It Means for America

In the 25 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has changed dramatically—and it’s more important than ever to understand those changes

"Painless Parker" wore a necklace of teeth to lure in achy victims.

A Brief History of America’s Most Outrageous Dentist

Painless Parker and his dental circus live on in a Philadelphia museum

Inspectors examined the eyes of immigrants at Ellis Island in New York Harbor, but did they change their names?

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Did Ellis Island Officials Really Change the Names of Immigrants?

On the 125th anniversary of the famous portal to the U.S., history shows inspectors were not the ones changing people’s names

Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy in the new film Jackie directed by Pablo Larraín.

Natalie Portman’s “Jackie” Reminds Us Why JFK’s Assassination Became Our National Tragedy

A Smithsonian scholar revisits those critical decisions Jacqueline Kennedy made following the death of her husband

Patrons of the sciences once offered cash prizes, exotic pets and even islands for world-changing discoveries. Here, Louis XIV surveys the members of the Royal Academy of Sciences in 1667.

For Your Contributions to Science, I Humbly Bequeath You This Pet Moose

A history of motivating scientific endeavor through cash prizes, islands and exotic pets

Richard and Mildred Loving by Grey Villet, 1965

When the Serendipitously Named Lovings Fell in Love, Their World Fell Apart

The new film captures the quiet essence of the couples’ powerful story, says Smithsonian scholar Christopher Wilson

A dog eats a special Christmas cake in Tokyo, celebrating with the festive red and white dessert. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

Why the Japanese Eat Cake For Christmas

A tradition beginning in war and ending in cake

A sandal believed to have belonged to King Tutankhamun at the Grand Egyptian Museum conservation center.

For the First Time, All 5,000 Objects Found Inside King Tut’s Tomb Will Be Displayed Together

Take a sneak peek at the collection of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, opening in early 2018

Holiday spices have a long history, stretching back hundreds of years. (Alamy)

History of Now

How the Crusades Helped Create Your Gingerbread Latte

Spices have been shaping cuisine for thousands of years, especially around the Christmas season

Nazi Christmas ornaments

History of Now

The Nazis Fought the Original War on Christmas

As they rose to power, party leaders sought to redefine the holiday to suit their own political needs

Our Top Ten Stories of 2016

From slavery to tuberculosis, it’s been a tumultuous year of exploring our past and looking to the future

Harold Israel, left, and Homer Cummings, right, were linked for life.

The Suspect, the Prosecutor, and the Unlikely Bond They Forged

New evidence shows that Homer Cummings, who would later be FDR’s attorney general, rescued an innocent man accused of murder

Smithsonian Podcast

When the Standardization of Time Arrived in America

It used to be that each town kept its own time, and chaos reigned

Marshall Field's was as much a part of Chicago's soul as the Lakefront and the Cubs.

For Generations of Chicagoans, Marshall Field’s Meant Business, and Christmas

The midwestern mainstay transformed commerce into a communal holiday spectacle

Refugees stream across the River Ganges Delta at Kushtia, fleeing the violence in East Pakistan during the ongoing West Pakistani military campaign called Operation Searchlight. (AP Photo/Michel Laurent)

The Genocide the U.S. Can’t Remember, But Bangladesh Can’t Forget

Millions were killed in what was then known as East Pakistan, but Cold War geopolitics left defenseless Muslims vulnerable

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