See the Birthplace of Juneteenth in These Atmospheric Photos of Galveston, Texas
A photographer’s journey to the Gulf Coast city yields 16 images that reveal how its natural beauty melds with its momentous role in Black history
Discover the Dreamy Beauty of Jamaica’s Beaches, Mountains and Plant Life in These Captivating Pictures
A photographer’s trip to the island yields images that showcase its stunning terrain and vibrant culture
These Irreplaceable Yiddish Artifacts Would Have Been Lost to History If They Weren’t Evacuated to New York After World War II
The founding of a research institute 100 years ago has helped to provide insight on Yiddish culture in the United States and around the world
These 15 Photos Show the People and Places of American Streets Named After Martin Luther King Jr.
On a journey to six cities across the country over the course of seven years, a photographer captured images of the roads that bear the civil rights leader’s name
The Lasting Legacy of Jimmy Carter, Dead at 100
Smithsonian curators remember and honor the 39th president’s uncompromising idealism
The Discovery of a Jewish Teenager’s Holocaust Diary Reveals How Songs, Jokes and Stories Served as Cultural Resistance
Yitskhok Rudashevski documented his life while hiding from Nazis, as well as folklore told in his community that “must be collected and preserved as a treasure for the future”
How an Engraving of Queen Victoria Ushered in the Era of the Bouquet Holder in England
The monarch set fashion trends during her time, and the flower holder became a sought-after accessory in Victorian society
A Federal Agent’s Laptop Held the Keys to Seize $3.6 Billion in Stolen Bitcoin. Here’s How It Ended Up at the Smithsonian
Soon to be on display at the National Museum of American History, the laptop is the centerpiece of a criminal case that shows an evolving understanding of cryptocurrency
What the Changes to Splash Mountain, Now Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Reveal About How Americans See Themselves
Originally based on themes from the 1946 film “Song of the South,” the Disney World attraction debuted in Florida in June. The Disneyland version will be unveiled in California later this year
Before Andy Warhol Set His Eyes on Marilyn and Prince, There Was Gilbert Stuart and George Washington
Two court cases over 200 years apart reflect what happens when commercial and artistic interests meet
What Myths About the Anthropocene Get Wrong
These ten misconceptions underplay how much we have altered the global environment and undermine the new perspective we need to deal with a drastically changed world
What Indigenous Cultures From Around the World Believe About Eclipses
A Smithsonian folklorist looks back and finds stories that explain how a darkening of daytime skies provokes a foreboding of evil
The Dirty Secret About How Our Hands Spread Disease
The human hand is an incredible tool—and a deadly threat
How a 1924 Immigration Act Laid the Groundwork for Japanese American Incarceration
A Smithsonian curator and a historian discuss the links between the Johnson-Reed Act and Executive Order 9066, which rounded up 120,000 Japanese Americans in camps across the Western U.S.
Thirteen Discoveries Made About Human Evolution in 2023
Smithsonian paleoanthropologists reveal some of the year’s most fascinating findings about human origins
How the War of 1898 Changed History Forever—in the United States and Beyond
When the nascent naval power invaded Puerto Rico, three artists captured the moment, each explaining its significance in their own way
See a Life-Size Portrait of Queen Lili‘uokalani, the Last Reigning Monarch of Hawai‘i
The William Cogswell painting, now on display at the National Portrait Gallery, was likely a means for the ruler to assert her right to the throne
The Deep Cultural Significance of the Art of Felt
A river of fabric? Janice Arnold’s installations, inspired by the people of Central Asia, go to great lengths to evoke wonder
Mosul Cultural Museum to Reopen in 2026
Traveling to the ancient Iraqi city, the Smithsonian’s ambassador at large reports on the international efforts to aid recovery
The Power of Portraits
An exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery showcases the photography of Brian Lanker—and the remarkable lives of his subjects
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