A Dictionary of Science Fiction Runs From Afrofuturism to Zero-G
The long-running project found a new online home, one that showcases the literary genre’s outsized impact on popular culture
Eight of Literature’s Most Powerful Inventions—and the Neuroscience Behind How They Work
These reoccuring story elements have proven effects on our imagination, our emotions and other parts of our psyche
How Scientist Jennifer Doudna Is Leading the Next Technological Revolution
A new book from Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson offers an incisive portrait of the gene editing field that is changing modern medicine
This Hans Christian Andersen Museum Asks You to Step Into a Fairy Tale
Opening soon in the storyteller’s hometown of Odense, Denmark, the museum allows visitors to experience his multilayered stories
Calling All Bibliophiles: Here’s How to Adopt a Book
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives invites you to a series of four Adopt-a-Book Salons in March and April
The Powerful, Complicated Legacy of Betty Friedan’s ‘The Feminine Mystique’
The acclaimed reformer stoked the white, middle-class feminist movement and brought critical understanding to a “problem that had no name”
How to Tell 400 Years of Black History in One Book
From 1619 to 2019, this collection of essays, edited by two of the nation’s preeminent scholars, shows the depth and breadth of African American history
An Evening With Matthew McConaughey and 26 Other Virtual Smithsonian Events in February
An evening with Matthew McConaughey, multi-part courses, studio arts classes and virtual study tours
How Black Panther Changed Comic Books (and Wakanda) Forever
The Marvel superhero pounced on the scene in the ‘60s and never looked back
‘The Great Gatsby,’ Songs by Ma Rainey and Other Classic Works Are Now in the Public Domain
Canonical books, songs and films became free to use in 2021
Satisfy Your Travel Cravings With These Seven Cookbooks From Famous Hotels
Conjure up the experience of staying at some of the best inns, lodges and resorts in the U.S. by cooking their signature dishes
John le Carré, Dead at 89, Defined the Modern Spy Novel
In 25 novels, the former British intelligence officer offered a realistic alternative to Bond, using the spy genre as a vehicle for imperial critique
Celebrate Jane Austen’s Birthday With a 360-Degree, Interactive Tour of Her House
The trustees of the house where Austen wrote her celebrated novels are finding ways to keep visitors happy—even amid a pandemic
The Ten Best Photography Books of 2020
From redheads to surfboards to national monuments, the subjects of our favorite titles this year are wide-ranging
Ten Exquisite Creatures That Once Roamed the Earth
From Smithsonian Books, comes a magnificent tome to highlight evolution’s greatest hits
The Best Books of 2020
In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 80 titles released this year
The Ten Best Children’s Books of 2020
These top titles deliver history lessons, wordplay and a musical romp through the animal kingdom
The Ten Best Science Books of 2020
New titles explore the mysterious lives of eels, the science of fear and our connections to the stars
The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2020
In a year of travel restrictions, these titles helped us channel our wanderlust
The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020
From cookbooks to grocery-store exposés, these new books will tempt palates and fuel curiosity
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