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Arts & Culture

Tom Hanks portrays fictional Navy commander Ernest Krause.

Based on a True Story

The True Story Behind the ‘Greyhound’ Movie

Tom Hanks’ new World War II film offers a dramatized account of the Battle of the Atlantic

This month's selections include The Beauty and the Terror, Feasting Wild and Splash.

Books of the Month

The Dangers of Space, Military Rivals and Other New Books to Read

These five recent releases may have been lost in the news cycle

When the Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, first saw the new image of Harriet Tubman (above, detail), she said: "She's young!"

Why Harriet Tubman’s Heroic Military Career Is Now Easier to Envision

The strong, youthful visage of the famed underground railroad conductor is the subject of the Portrait Gallery’s podcast “Portraits”

Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, East Hampton, NY, Floor of Studio, 2018.

Virtual Travel

Take Virtual Tours of These Seven Historic Homes of American Artists

A new book looks at American art through the studios of the masters that made it

Signs on the floor encourage social distancing.

Covid-19

The New Normal of Dining Out

Restaurants and bars worldwide are instituting unique safety measures against the spread of COVID-19. But will they be effective?

Protestors march through the streets of D.C. during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody.

Race in America

158 Resources for Understanding Systemic Racism in America

These articles, videos, podcasts and websites from the Smithsonian chronicle the history of anti-black violence and inequality in the United States

Art historian Renee Gondek will discuss the disasters of Ancient Thebes in live, virtual Smithsonian Associates event on June 4.

Smithsonian Voices

Ten Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in June

Smithsonian Associates Streaming continues with live, expert-led lectures and studio arts classes offered free of charge through June 11

Fumigation was used on library book collections in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when book-borrowing was seen as a possible disease vector.

Ask Smithsonian

How Do Libraries Clean Books? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got question. We’ve got experts

Our Stories students gather at Maunakea with kūpuna Calvin Hoe (center).

In Hawai’i, Young Storytellers Document the Lives of Their Elders

Through a Smithsonian program, students filmed a climactic moment in the protests over the building of a controversial observatory

Smithsonian beer curator Theresa McCulla and colleagues from the Smithsonian Gardens harvest hops from the National Museum of American History’s victory garden.

This Beer Recipe Came From Hops Grown at the Smithsonian

A storied brewmaster unveils how he came to brew the “Victory Garden” Porter

For Papazian, the labor of brewing makes the result all the more enjoyable. “The best beer in the world,” he likes to say, “is the one you brewed.”

The Schoolteacher Who Sparked America’s Craft Brew Revolution

Here’s a toast to Charlie Papazian, the beer pioneer who blazed the way for thousands of brewers today

Even the approximately 60 A&W Restaurants nationwide that already offer carhop services are seeing an increase in business.

Covid-19

The Timely Return of the Drive-In Restaurant

During the COVID-19 pandemic, carhop service is making a comeback. Is it here to stay?

Victory and Defeat, Panel 13 from "Struggle: From the History of the American People," 1954-56, by Jacob Lawrence.

Jacob Lawrence’s ‘Struggle’ Series Prepares to Be Seen by a New Generation

For the first time in decades, view a major reimagining of the battles that made the nation

This Bahne skateboard, now part of the National Museum of American History’s collection, was given to a 9-year-old Tony Hawk by his older brother Steve in 1977. It was the first board the future legendary pro skateboarder learned how to ride.

What Tony Hawk’s First Skateboard Shows About the History of the Sport He Made Famous

The legend has done the impossible again by bringing skateboarding into the mainstream

Kleicha are ready to be delivered in their gift boxes. Each year the family creates different packaging, which some recipients collect.

How to Make the Ancient Iraqi Cookie that Signals the End of Ramadan

Made with rosewater, nigella seed and stuffed with dates or nuts, the bite-size ‘kleicha’ evokes layers of meaning and memory

Renee Tajima-Peña, series producer of the PBS show "Asian Americans," spoke with Smithsonian curator Theodore Gonzalves.

How a New Show Tears Down the Myths of Asian American History

Series producer Renee Tajima-Peña says the program is about “how we got where we are and where are we going next”

Pac-Man became one of the first video games to broaden the medium’s appeal in both the U.S. and Japan.

Why Players Around the World Gobbled Up Pac-Man

Born 40 years ago, the hungry little critter turned women and children into gamers, changing the industry forever

The 1966-1967 sculpture, Warrior's Leg by Paul Thek, depicts with startling realism, the calf and foot of a soldier from the age of the Roman Empire, hacked off at the knee.

A Sculptor’s Provocative Memorial Acknowledges the High Cost of Conflict

Paul Thek’s haunting sculpture looks beyond the pomp of traditional battle memorials

Smithsonian curator Emil Her Many Horses, an artist trained both in traditional beadwork and in doll-making, created a commemorative tableau featuring miniature figures of Vietnam-era veterans and the tribal women who welcomed them home with ceremonies.

This Artwork Recognizes the Sacrifices Made by Native American Soldiers in Vietnam

Taking ‘Best in Show’ at the Northern Plains Tribal Art Show, the 2002 beadwork tableau is held in the collections of the American Indian Museum

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, founded in 1997, is one of the many festivals streaming offerings this year.

Virtual Travel

Eight Film Festivals Worth Attending (Virtually)

COVID-19 has caused numerous film festival cancellations. Luckily, these ones moved online

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