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Elle Decor magazine cover, Rachelle A. Baker, digital illustration, 2021

How Do You Rest in a Culture of Overwork?

A showcase of Black artists displays the restorative power of relaxation, and defines what it means to reclaim time

“What made Willie so appealing," says author James S. Hirsch "was how he played the game: the grace and the tenacity and the sheer entertainment value that he brought to playing the game, the style with which he played.”

Why Baseball Legend Willie Mays, Dead at 93, Will Never Be Forgotten

Even decades after he redefined the game, the 24-time All-Star continued to be revered by fans and historians alike for his incredible athleticism, spellbinding defense, powerful bat and admirable sportsmanship

The Phrygian cap derives its name from the ancient region of Phrygia, in what is now Turkey. Also known as a liberty cap, it inspired revolutionaries in both the Colonies and France.

The Paris Olympics

The Paris Games’ Mascot, the Olympic Phryge, Boasts a Little-Known Revolutionary Past

The Phrygian cap, also known as the liberty cap, emerged as a potent symbol in 18th-century America and France

A lesson plan from the National Museum of the American Indian seeks to include missing narratives about the California Gold Rush.

There’s a Better Way to Teach the California Gold Rush

A new lesson plan centers Native American perspectives on the violence of Western expansion

Many new technologies are being developed to help diagnose mental illnesses.

The Future of Mental Health

Can Technology Help Us More Accurately Diagnose Mental Illnesses?

A new wave of tools promises to offer quicker, more objective assessments to help patients and clinicians

While scientists have seen colossal squid before—like this specimen examined by New Zealander researchers in 2014—their interactions have always been with animals that were either pulled from the depths, washed up on shore or otherwise removed from their natural habitat.

Is This the First Recorded Footage of a Colossal Squid Living Freely?

The only sightings of the animals so far have come from corpses or creatures dragged up from the depths

New Orleans’ first Gay Pride Parade was held in 1980, and the tradition continues today. 

LGBTQ+ Pride

Celebrate Pride Month With 15 Photos of LGBTQ Joy

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest capture vibrant parades and festivals around the world

Jennifer Stewart and her burro Sheba tackle the 9-mile pack burro race in Georgetown, Colorado, in 2019.

For 75 Years, Runners Have Raced in Colorado Tethered to Donkeys

Harkening back to mining days, the sport has human-donkey teams navigating challenging mountain courses

Alicia Vikander portrays Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr, in the new film Firebrand.

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind ‘Firebrand’ and Henry VIII’s Tumultuous Relationship With His Sixth Wife, Catherine Parr

A new film dramatizes how the Tudor queen narrowly avoided execution on charges of heresy

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There's More to That

America’s Best New Restaurant Celebrates the Flavors of West Africa

The James Beard Award-winning Dakar NOLA is at the forefront of a generation of fine-dining establishments determined to educate foodies about the true origins of “Southern” cuisine

Rickwood Field is the oldest ballpark in the United States.

Everyone Should Know About Rickwood Field, the Alabama Park Where Baseball Legends Made History

The sport’s greatest figures played ball in the Deep South amid the racism and bigotry that would later make Birmingham the center of the civil rights movement

Abraham Lincoln, William Judkins Thomson, half-plate ambrotype, 1858

See the Photographs That Introduced Americans to Their Presidents

The National Portrait Gallery traces early images of American leaders, from John Quincy Adams to Abraham Lincoln

Monarchs, some frogs and other animals feed on toxic plants or bugs for protection

A Poisonous Diet Gives These Animals Their Own Toxic Defense

From monarchs to sea slugs, various creatures consume chemicals that keep predators at bay

Aspen, Colorado gets around 300 days of sunshine per year.

The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024

From a bluegrass capital in Virginia to a laid-back surf town in Hawaii, these spots are beckoning to tourists this year

“When I was making it, people laughed at me a good deal,” Charles F. Ritchel later said. “But so they did at Noah when he built the ark.”

Untold Stories of American History

Twenty-Five Years Before the Wright Brothers Took to the Skies, This Flying Machine Captivated America

First exhibited in 1878, Charles F. Ritchel’s dirigible was about as wacky, dangerous and impractical as any airship ever launched

Louisiana Purchase State Park in Holly Grove, Arkansas, lies on the spot where the land surveys of the new territories originated.

How the United States Laid Claim to the Mississippi River, One Mile at a Time

Thomas Jefferson imagined the waterway as the heart of his “empire of liberty” as he dispatched surveyors to measure a land already occupied by Native Americans

One of the new benthic landers is lowered into the Gulf of Mexico via a system of winches and safety lines. Once released, the autonomous platform sinks at a carefully calculated rate until it lands on the seafloor.

These Innovative Landers Will Examine Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico

Scientists plan to use what they learn to help restore communities harmed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

The planet-forming disk is made of gas and dust.

This Giant Cosmic ‘Butterfly’ Is a Planet-Forming Disk

New research has confirmed that the celestial object may be the biggest of its kind ever found

This fossilized Buronius tooth is roughly a third of an inch long.

Do These Fossilized Teeth Belong to the World’s Smallest Great Ape?

Researchers say two teeth and a kneecap belong to a previously unknown species that lived in what is now Germany

A decades-old embargo on cars and other goods meant Cubans had to refurbish vehicles built in the 1950s or before, turning Cuba into a classic car haven.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Get Your Motor Running With These Cool Cars

See 15 awesome automobiles from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

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