Curators' Corner

The Metcalfs—Joni, 57, and Derek, 60—married in August 1983 and raised four children. When Derek lost his job with the federal government, they eventually ended up living in the streets. Recently, they found permanent housing.

A Washington, D.C. Couple Shares How the Pandemic Complicates Homelessness

Smithsonian curator James Deutsch speaks with the Metcalfs, who have long lived on the streets

To learn more about high school choruses, a team from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings collaborated with the chorus (above) at Oakcrest, an all-girls school in Vienna, Virginia.

How a Choral Director and Her Students Found Joy in the Folkways Archives

Watch this uplifting video giving voice to stalwarts of the American songbook

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.”

Smithsonian Voices

How to Identify Rocks and Other Questions From Our Readers

Don't miss the season finale of the National Museum of Natural History's popular YouTube series, the "Doctor Is In"

Joshua Bell is the curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. He is working on a new exhibit about the global history of cellphones.

Smithsonian Voices

Meet the Scientist Studying How Cell Phones Change Societies

"Smartphones embody globalization," says the Smithsonian cultural anthropologist Josh Bell

he Hope spacecraft of the United Arab Emirates' Emirates Mars Mission during testing.

Smithsonian Voices

Launching Hope to Mars

National Air and Space Museum director Ellen Stofan reflects on the significance of the United Arab Emirates upcoming mission to Mars

John Lewis' mugshot, taken after his arrest in Jackson, Mississippi, as a Freedom Rider

John Lewis' Storied History of Causing 'Good Trouble'

The activist and congressman, who died Friday at age 80, viewed protest as crucial in American society

The Washington National Cathedral shrouded in scaffolding post-earthquake.

The Decades-Long Journey to Restore the National Cathedral

Craftspeople in the building arts are practicing “social distancing stone masonry” in safeguarding this cultural heritage

A US flag flies over the captured U-858 as it receives a K-ship escort to Lewes, Delaware.

Smithsonian Voices

How Navy Blimps Beat Back German U-Boats During the Battle of the Atlantic

The destruction to convoys caused by marauding U-boats diminished dramatically once K-ships started keeping a constant vigil

People protest against the name of the Washington, D.C., NFL team before a game between Washington and the Minnesota Vikings. Minneapolis, November 2, 2014.

Smithsonian Voices

Ending the Use of Racist Mascots and Images

The appropriation of Native language and imagery perpetuates racism and legitimizes racist acts, says the director of the American Indian Museum

After George Floyd’s death, Jason Allende, 13, and his family joined protesters in Junction City, Kansas, on May 29, 2020.

Secretary Lonnie Bunch: Learning From Americans' Past Ordeals

Looking to history can help find healing and hope

None

How Much Pressure Is at Earth’s Center and Other Questions From Our Readers

Watch the latest episode of the popular YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.”

Smithsonian Voices

Do Volcanoes Spew a Cooler Lava?

Smithsonian geologist Liz Cottrell has answers to your questions on black lava and the Earth’s molten outer core in the "Dr Is In" video series

Reverend Ralph Abernathy, Hosea Williams and other members of the SCLC Poor People's Campaign march through the lunar lander exhibit at Kennedy Space Center before the launch of Apollo 11.

Smithsonian Voices

How Space Exploration and the Fight For Equal Rights Clashed Then and Now

Smithsonian curator Margaret Weitekamp reflects on the historic parallel between 2020 and 1969

Recommendations include Things That Make White People Uncomfortable, Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America and The Making of Black Revolutionaries: A Personal Account.

Race in America

Smithsonian Scholars and Researchers Share Works That Shed Light on the History of U.S. Racism

In this dynamic time, a list of film, podcasts and books is offered for a nation grappling with its fraught history

A concrete and powerful way to talk to children about race is activating children’s literature, which can be a great tool for sparking discussion with a child.

Twelve Books to Help Children Understand Race, Anti-Racism and Protest

Literature is just one part of fostering positive sense of self and others, say educators at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

As the ocean continues to warm, scientists look to the past for answers on how to manage today’s environmental problems.

Smithsonian Voices

This Climate Detective Reconstructs What the Ocean Was Like Millions of Years Ago

Yet, the biggest concern, says Smithsonian curator Brian Huber, is how rapidly the ocean has changed in the past few decades

Protesters hold signs during a demonstration in a call for justice for George Floyd, who was killed while in custody of the Minneapolis police.

Secretary Lonnie Bunch: It Is Time for America to Confront Its Tortured Racial Past

This moment, says the Smithsonian secretary, should be the 'impetus for our nation to address racism and social inequities in earnest'

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the second season of the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Dr. Is In.”

Smithsonian Voices

What Is Hotter Than the Sun?

Get the facts from Smithsonian geologist Liz Cottrell in the latest episode of "The Doctor Is In."

Your questions answered by Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell in season two of "The Dr. Is In."

Smithsonian Voices

Smithsonian Volcano Expert Answers Questions on Topics Ranging From Yellowstone's 'Big One' to Skunk Pee

Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the second season of the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, 'The Dr. Is In'

Commercial crew astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley (right) stand in front of a SpaceX Dragon mock-up at the Johnson Space Center.

Smithsonian Voices

The Storied History Behind Saturday's Planned SpaceX Launch

Smithsonian curator Jennifer Levasseur examines NASA's relationship with spacecraft contractors

loading icon