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Alexander Calder’s ‘Gwenfritz’ will be reinstalled in its original location on the west side of the American History Museum in October. This mock-up shows the sculpture at its new and old home in a reflecting pool, part of Calder’s intended aesthetic.

How Do You Freshen Up an Alexander Calder? Bolt by Precious Bolt

Alexander Calder’s 40-foot black steel sculpture is getting a makeover and then returning to its original location near the American History Museum

What do you see?

Fruits and Veggies Get a Close-Up

In the darkroom, photographer Ajay Malghan creates abstract art by casting light through thin slices of produce

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Breaking Ground

The “Legacy of Slavery” Comes to the Smithsonian with Angola Prison Guard Tower Donation

Donations from the notorious Louisiana prison highlight a controversial history of incarceration

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Powering the 21st Century

Tour the Country’s Energy Infrastructure Through A New Interactive Map

Examining the network of power plants, transmission wires, and pipelines gives new insights into the inner workings of the electrical grid

The Perfect Food for Your Outdoor BBQ: Grilled Pizza

Next time you fire up the grill, try making your favorite pizza

Celebrate Nikola Tesla’s Birthday with an Excerpt from a New Biography of the Inventor

Scholar W. Bernard Carlson explores Tesla’s experiments with automatons and radio controlled boats in this excerpt from his new book

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The Origin of the Pilcrow, aka the Strange Paragraph Symbol

It is now nearly invisible in word-processing programs, but it was one of the most elaborate of manuscript ornaments

Harnessing the swift tides of the Pentland Firth, a waterway along Scotland’s Northern coast, could generate enough electricity to meet half of the country’s needs.

Energy Innovation

Is Scotland the “Saudi Arabia” of Tidal Power?

The Pentland Firth, a seaway along Scotland’s Northern coast, could generate enough electricity to meet half of the country’s needs, new research finds

Bring your friends to the Renwick Gallery for a night of craft art and craft beer at an adults-only DIY how-to.

Events July 9-11: Verbal Gymnastics, Craft Art and Beer and West African Music and Storytelling

This week, unlock your inner poet, make DIY garden-themed craft art and drink craft beer and sway to the beat of West African music and storytelling

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This New Device Can Sterilize Medical Tools Using Solar Power Alone

An invention called the solarclave could help prevent millions of annual infections that result from improperly cleaned medical equipment

Johnny Depp’s Tonto Isn’t Offensive, Just Weird, Says the Director of the American Indian Museum

We sent the Director of the American Indian Museum to the Lone Ranger; here’s what he thought

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The Civil War

The Curious Case of Nashville’s Frail Sisterhood

Finding prostitutes in the Union-occupied city was no problem, but expelling them was

Harvey Girls, circa 1926, in evening uniforms at the El Tovar Hotel.

How the West Was Won… By Waitresses

Harvey Girls helped settle the west and advance the stature of women in the workforce

An Indian woman and her children from Kajõ, a village in the East Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh, India, listen to a recording of a song in Koro. The Tibeto-Burman language is considered endangered.

July 7: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including dapper dressing, Welsh songs and Hungarian flavors

Members of a New Orleans social aid and pleasure club sport stylish and costly outfits and masquerade regalia. Organizations like these walk together in funerals and parades, such as the famous New Orleans Mardi Gras parade.

July 6: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including Roma fiddlers, Quecha music and headwrapping

New research shows that unlike any other small mammal, bats stretch their tendons to store and release energy.

Amazing High Speed X-Ray Videos Reveal How Bats Take Flight

Unlike any other small mammal, bats stretch their tendons to store and release energy, helping the creatures launch into the air

Continue the patriotic celebration Friday, July 5, with the United States Air Force Band, which will perform at the Air and Space Museum.

Events July 5-7: Listen to Air Force Tunes, Dance the Day Away and Get Local with Art

This weekend, listen to sounds of the U.S. Air Force Band, participate in a day of dance and get a glimpse of a local artist’s perspective on art

A treasure! This beer lies hidden in the woods, six inches under, in Shasta County, CA. Can you find it?

Find the Beer! A California Trail of Ales

Go locate the hidden bottles and replace each with a selection of your own

Ayana Mongush, a throat singer from Kyzyl in the Republic of Tuva, Russian Federation, plays an igil. She is part of Tyva Kyzy, an all-female throat singing group, a profession which was traditionally prohibited for women.

July 5: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including shepherd culture, Tuvan music and histories of style

A professional potter works on his craft in Mezőtúr, Hungary, a town known for its traditional pottery-making.

July 4: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including Damali Afrikan couture, Jewish music in Hungary and hair styling

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