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Around the Mall

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Thomas Edison a.k.a. The Movie Mogul Who Started LOLcats

Lightbulbs are nice, but it was Edison’s kinetoscope 115 years ago today that brought us Hollywood and boxing cats

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What Do American History Museum Curators Collect at the Republican National Convention?

Follow the Smithsonian experts as they gather memorabilia in Tampa

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VIDEOS: An Astrophysicist Turns Stars Into Music

Alex Parker at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics takes his work home with him — and makes stunning visualizations

Many of the animals along the American Trail, including the bald eagle, are part of a conservation comeback.

Events August 31-September 1: Prehistoric Prints, American Animals and a Peek Inside the Castle

This weekend, learn how man really came to walk the Earth, visit the newly opened American Trail and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Castle

Known as the transmitter of Chan, or Zen Buddhism, the Chinese monk, Bodhidharma, was said to have a volatile temperament. Portrait of Bodhidharma. Fourteenth century, ink on silk.

Buddhism in China: An Enduring Legacy on View at the Freer

A new exhibit at the Freer examines the adoption of Buddhism in China through richly detailed paintings

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PHOTOS: Paraphernalia from the Political Campaigns of Yore

The great American pastime of politics and posturing has deep roots, but have we become more or less civil?

Walter Cronkite, Robert Vickrey, 1966, watercolor, gouache and graphite pencil on paper, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time Magazine

That’s The Way It Was: Remembering Walter Cronkite

A look back at the most-trusted man in news

Neil Armstrong united America when he walked on the moon in 1969.

Godspeed, Neil Armstrong — A Reflection on the Astronaut’s Life

Senior curator of the Air and Space museum remembers the man who united a country and walked on the moon

Barbara Kruger offers words of wisdom at the new installation at the Hirshhorn, just in time for the political conventions.

Events August 28-30: Belief + Doubt, Gallery Talks and Baby Animals

This week, see the latest from Barbara Kruger, crafting contemporaries and the Zoo’s baby boom

From Jananne Al-Ani’s new work, a mesmerizing view of south Jordan. Production still from Shadow Sites II, 2011

At the Sackler, Shadows of History Hidden in Middle Eastern Landscapes

New work from Jananne Al-Ani exposes a complicated history within the Middle Eastern landscape

The birdcage dress is always a favorite with partygoers. Or, if you’re looking for something a bit more low-key, try on a flower mask. (No birds were harmed in the making of this illustration.)

Going Out This Weekend? Try Some Dress-Up Ideas from the Collection

Birdcages, floppy hats and shamrock hats–that’s right, it’s party night at the Smithsonian Libraries

Visitors can now enjoy the antics of the Zoo’s three-month old fishing cat kittens.

Baby Fishing Cats Up the Zoo’s Cute Factor

More from the Zoo’s baby boom, three-month-old kittens frolic on display

View of the “kurgan” burial mounds at Berel in East Kazakhstan

Burial Mounds Preserve Culture of Ancient Nomads in Kazakhstan

A new exhibit at the Smithsonian Sackler Gallery brings nomadic Kazakh culture to Washington, D.C., for the first time, shedding light on ancient trade

Artist Jananne al-Ani discusses her work at the Sackler Gallery this Saturday at 2pm.

Events August 24-26: Bones, Steel Pans, and Photographic Ingenuity

This weekend, bone up on your skeletal knowledge, survey new artwork from the Middle East and celebrate the steel pan

A row of brand new Cadillacs awaits drivers. 1917

Cadillacs, 110 Years and Going…Biking?

A staple in the collections, Cadillac marks its 110-year anniversary today as the company looks to branch out and go biking

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Part 3: Who Are the Nominees for the Contemporary Artist Award?

The final part in our series introduces you to the work of five more artists, from giant roses to combat video games to surrealist assemblages

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This Just Out: May Yohe, Queen of the Naughty Nineties Biography

A new biography explores the story of the famous diva who once owned the Hope Diamond

Comic Phyllis Diller, the Betty Friedan of Comedy, Dies at 95

A collection of the standup comic’s jokes, costumes and even her signature prop–the cigarette holder–reside at the American History Museum

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Hirshhorn Museum Temporarily Closed Today, August 20

The Hirshhorn Museum was evacuated and closed to the public today. According to museum officials, a security officer died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Law enforcement is on the scene and is investigating the incident.  

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Zoo’s Panda May Be Preggers

At long last, is there a baby panda in the Zoo’s future?

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