Why the Story of Cinderella Endures and Resonates
A Smithsonian folklorist follows the ancient tale with a particularly American twist
Just Another #ManicureMonday for Women Scientists and Their Dirty Nails
For a Smithsonian researcher, Monday is a day to honor the women in science and other uses for nail polish
The Human Right to Speak Whatever Language You Want is Worth Celebrating
With an ever increasing lack of language diversity, There Needs to Be More Recognition of February’s International Mother Language day
D.C.’s Artisan Chocolate Makers Show Off Their Sweet Labor of Love
Leaving no task undone, this husband-and-wife team demonstrate their process for producing chocolate
How Chocolate and Valentine’s Day Mated for Life
Tracing the lovers, the leaders and the ladies responsible for the pairing of chocolate to Valentine’s Day
The Electric Guitar’s Long (And Louder), Strange Trip
From its gentle 16th-century acoustic origins to the souped-up ‘Frankenstein,’ a Smithsonian scholar strums the historic chords of the guitar
Vivid Images of Civil War Casualties Inspire a Scholar’s Inner Muse
Alexander Gardner’s photography, a record of sacrifice and devastating loss, prompts a new creativity from the show’s curator
The Director of the African American History Museum Weighs in on ‘Selma’
A film with black history at its core and created by African Americans opens up a “national conversation”
There is Nothing Elementary About a New Sherlock Holmes Adaptation
Tony-award, winning playwright Ken Ludwig says he’s injecting Indiana Jones cinematic adventure into the theatrical experience
For Every Object, There Is a Story to Tell
A Smithsonian curator is asked to select just one artifact
Here’s What It Takes To Win the Smithsonian’s Boochever Portrait Competition
Curator Dorothy Moss gives a hint at what the jurors might be thinking in this high-stakes competition
Why “Interstellar” Belongs in the Pantheon of the Best “Realistic” Science Fiction Films
The film follows a well-trodden path, says Smithsonian space historian Cathleen Lewis, who gives it a thumbs up
The True Story of the Little Ballerina Who Influenced Degas’ “Little Dancer”
The artist’s famous sculpture is both on view and the subject of a new theatrical performance
What’s So Important About the Bottom of a Cargo Ship? A Smithsonian Dive Team Explains
Smithsonian photographer Laurie Penland details the exhausting, but rewarding, work of scraping invasive species off the hull of a boat
What Giant Pandas Taught Me About Parenting
When animal keeper Nicole MacCorkle became a parent, she looked to Bao Bao’s mother for inspiration
When It Comes To the Baby Boomers, It Is Still All About “Me”
Millennials have got nothing over the Me Generation, says cultural historian Amy Henderson after touring two new shows on Boomers and the ‘60s
The Moral Dilemma We Face in the Age of Humans
Humans are proficient problem solvers—but so far that trait has come at a cost. Can our species remain resilient without destroying the world?
To Limit Pollution, The Chinese Are Faced With Giving Up an Ancient Tradition
For the Chinese, who invented both gun powder and fireworks, foregoing old traditions may clean up the air—just a bit
A New Way for Stewardship of Mother Earth: Indigeneity
Smithsonian geographer Doug Herman proposes a return to sustainable solutions, based on the path laid by Indigenous peoples for millennia
A Poem Dedicated to Earth in the Age of Humans
National Portrait Gallery historian David Ward writes a new ode for the Anthropocene
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