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How Black Americans in the South Boldly Defied Jim Crow to Build Business Empires of Their Own

The Great Migration transformed the nation—but millions of African Americans never left their Southern communities. Their unlikely success makes their stories all the more remarkable

Gambel oak branchlet

This Massive New Guidebook Will Forever Change the Way You Look at Trees

Written by Smithsonian botanist W. John Kress, the book details more than 300 North American tree species in words, maps and photographs—and why we shouldn’t take them for granted

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Remarkable Documents Lay Bare New York’s History of Slavery

A newly digitized set of records reveals the plight and bravery of enslaved people in the North

A forlorn station sign recalls the days when Terowie was a vital railway stop between the towns of Adelaide and Alice Springs.

General MacArthur’s Dramatic WWII Comeback Began in Australia. Trace His Journey From the Outback to the Queensland Coast

After a harrowing escape from the Philippines, the prickly American famously vowed “I shall return” from a remote train station before marshaling Allied forces to victory

Clarke and his team created forces that could be found nowhere except in the meticulous files of A Force and, crucially, in German intelligence reports.

To Trick the Nazis, This Master of Deception Invented Fake Fleets and Armies

During World War II, British officer Dudley Clarke led A Force, a Cairo-based military unit that fed false information to the Germans

Partially submerged trees are reflected in the waters of a dam lake.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Honor the Natural Beauty of These Tremendous Trees With 15 Photographs From the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

Find your inner Lorax and enjoy the glory of the forest and the trees in these submissions

Bridge Over the Water Lily Pond, 1905. In earlier works, Monet painted the footbridge in a crisp, distinct arc. Here, its faint, shadowy curves blend into greenery of the natural surroundings.

Later in Life, Claude Monet Obsessed Over Water Lilies. His Paintings of Them Were Some of His Greatest Masterpieces

Completed more than a century ago, these artworks reveal the Impressionist’s triumphs—and struggles

From inside of the Hirshhorn, the museum's circular design creates an oculus effect.

How the Hirshhorn Museum Went From Iconoclast to Icon

Celebrating 50 years of the modernist masterpiece that shocked critics—and helped turn Washington into an arts capital

Visitors look at posters in the Third Man Museum in Vienna.

Eight Movie Museums Cinephiles Need to Visit

From Chaplin’s World in Switzerland to Popeye Village in Malta, these spots celebrate much-loved films and filmmakers

Station VI: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, Bruce Onobrakpeya, linoleum block print on rice paper, 1969

After Nigerian Independence, One Renowned Artist Made Jesus a West African Savior in His Vibrant Work

Painter and printmaker Bruce Onobrakpeya put forth a new vision of biblical figures for African Christians in the early post-colonial life of his country

Left to right: William Murray, First Earl of Mansfield; William Legge, Second Earl of Dartmouth; Isaac Barré; John Wilkes.

America's 250th Anniversary

How Did British Politicians React to America’s Attempts at Independence? Rather Poorly!

When the Colonies got too brassy, the English Parliament went ballistic—despite some wise voices of reason

José Santiago of Palenque Don Lencho, in San Pablo Guilá village, with wooden vats of fermenting agave prior to distillation

The Race to Save Mezcal From the World

Climate change, corporate money, soaring demand—can Mexico’s local agave growers find a viable path for a beloved beverage?

The 31-star Perry flag is visible in the background of this photo, which shows United States General Douglas MacArthur signing the official Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945.

Untold Stories of American History

To Mark Japan’s Surrender at the End of World War II, This Navy Officer Raced Halfway Around the World With a Historic Flag in Tow

In August 1945, John K. Bremyer undertook a 124-hour, 9,000-mile journey to Tokyo Bay, where he delivered the flag flown by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 to Admiral William Halsey’s USS “Missouri”

Dotty, a female Bengal tiger, roams her territory in India’s Bandhavgarh National Park, where tigers are one of the biggest tourist attractions.

Learning to Live Beside Endangered Tigers May Be the Key to Saving Them

New programs in India are helping to reduce conflict between humans and the big cats by educating communities and helping those who have been affected by animal attacks

An unidentified fly from the order Diptera, which has more than 125,000 species and is one of the largest insect orders

These Stunning Portraits of Insects Reveal the Intricacies of an Amazing World

Photographer Thorben Danke combines hundreds of shots to create breathtaking images of the tiny creatures

Artist Tyrus Wong, with kites of his own design, at California's Santa Monica Beach

How Tyrus Wong Spent 106 Years Making the World More Beautiful

The Chinese American artist left a breathtaking legacy that ranged from fine art to Disney movies to Christmas cards

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America's 250th Anniversary

At a Bold Meeting 250 Years Ago, the Continental Congress Set America in Motion

While far less famous than the coalition that met in 1775, this group of founders found agreement in their disagreements and laid the groundwork for a revolution

Germany’s Schwarzwald, or Black Forest, has been the backdrop for myths and fairy tales for centuries.

From Sprites to Schnapps, Take a Spirited Trip Through Germany’s Black Forest

On the scenic Oberkircher Brennersteig trail, home of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, travelers won’t go thirsty

Kids cool down at an animal-themed splash pad at Zoo Miami. Mist stations also help visitors avoid overheating on sweltering days.

Our Sustainable Future

In Miami, the Nation’s First Chief Heat Officer Charts a Course for Surviving on a Warming Planet

By building a broad coalition of partners across the political spectrum, the Florida metropolis is doing all that it can to keep the city cool

Grave 109 at Oakington is a rare triple burial, holding the remains of a female infant, a young woman (left) and an older woman (center). 

Archaeologists Uncover the Real Story of How England Became England

New research is revealing how the Sceptered Isle transformed from a Roman backwater to a mighty country of its own

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