In Robert Walter Weir’s c. 1838 canvas of St. Nicholas (detail), perhaps influenced by a Washington Irving story, the painter envisioned both an enigmatic trickster and a dispenser of holiday cheer.

A Mischievous St. Nick from the Smithsonian American Art Museum

The 19th-century artist Robert Walter Weir took inspiration from Washington Irving to create a prototype of Santa Claus

In 2004, relatives of Albert Penn found the bust made in his image. From left: family members Virginia Maker, Larry Taylor, Evelyn Taylor, Andrea Bone and anthropologist David Hunt.

An Osage Family Reunion

With the help of Smithsonian model makers, the tribal nation is obtaining busts of ancestors who lived at a pivotal moment in their history

Instruments developed at the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, such as this Solar Probe, will go to the Sun in 2018.

New Angles

Carole Pohn, with her children Jennifer and Andy in 1962 or '63, says photographer Vivian Maier called her "the only civilized person" in the Chicago suburb where they were neighbors.

Vivian Maier: The Unheralded Street Photographer

A chance find has rescued the work of the camera-toting baby sitter, and gallery owners are taking notice

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Letters

Readers Respond to the October Issue

The ʻIʻiwi, or Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper, with an elongated bill adapted for extracting nectar from flowers.

The Hawaiian Honeycreeper Family Tree

A new study unravels the relationships among a group of spectacular songbirds that diversified as the Hawaiian Islands emerged from the Pacific

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Learning to Love Sponsored Films

By any count, sponsored films are the most numerous genre of film, and they are also the ones most in danger of being lost

Mocktails

Mocktails for Expectant Moms and Hangover-Free Holidays

Going beyond the usual soft drinks, some bars and restaurants are starting to get creative with their nonalcoholic beverages

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The Story of the Decade

The future may look bleak for many Americans, but hope is always just around the corner

The Anamorphose

Is a “Garden” the World’s Greatest New Artwork?

Francois Abelanet’s extraordinary turf “sculpture” on a Paris plaza epitomizes a grand tradition of artful illusion

Pumpkin pies

Thanksgiving in Literature

Holiday readings from Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Philip Roth and contemporary novels that use Thanksgiving as the backdrop for family dysfunction

Jean Dujardin as George Valentin and Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller in Michel Hazanavicius's film The Artist.

The Artist: Making Silents Safe Again

Old techniques from the latest Oscar contender can change the way you look at modern movies

Nobody wants to eat a dry turkey.

Why Does Meat Dry Out During Cooking?

Pond Walk, by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Ten Great Science Books For Kids

From dinosaurs at the Smithsonian to a walk around a pond, here are some of our favorites from 2011

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The Consequences of Fun

A member of the Algonquin Roundtable would have loved going to Vegas

What was the secret to Grandma's turnips?

Inviting Writing: Thankful for Traditional Recipes

Nothing fancy, just warm and tasty and filled with tradition

Children's books for the youngest readers

Best of Children’s Books 2011: For the Very Youngest Readers

The first section of Smithsonian’s 2011 Best Children’s Books begins with selections for the youngest readers in your family

Our shelves are always full of children's books.

Welcome to Just One More Story: A Blog Highlighting the Best in Kid’s Books

Our goal is simple: to offer up an unfolding guide to irresistible reads—books that will keep kids up at night, reading by flashlight under the covers

Lisa's vintage stove is a little too vintage.

Cooking Through the Ages: A Timeline of Oven Inventions

How much has technology really changed since the first ovens, wood-fired hearths?

Missionary sisters circa 1920

News from the Preservation Front

Why we need to save orphan films as well as blockbusters

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