Ancient DNA Reveals That Men Moved in With Their Brides’ Families in This Neolithic Settlement
A new study suggests that a 9,000-year-old society in Catalhoyuk, a proto-city in southern Anatolia, may have established a “female-centered” social structure
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How a Deadly Circus Fire on the ‘Day the Clowns Cried’ Traumatized a Community—and Led to Lasting Safety Reforms
On July 6, 1944, a blaze broke out at a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey show in Hartford, Connecticut. At least 167 people died, and hundreds were injured
Jewish Food Is Making a Comeback in Poland
Bagels, knishes, bialys and more are popping up in bakeries as the country reckons with historical trauma
Why the Ancient Craft of Dry Stone Walling Still Holds So Much Appeal in the 21st Century
Artisans around the world are ditching the mortar and embracing an old method of building rock walls
These Daring Revolutionary-Era Artists Promoted the Patriot Cause From the Heart of Enemy Territory
A new book explores how painters, sculptors and writers, especially women and people of color, used their craft to advocate for American independence while living in George III’s capital city
With Their Bravery During World War I, These Daring American Women Doctors Proved Their Might to Folks Back Home
As their right to vote was debated in the States, a remarkable group of 74 physicians and support staff sailed to war-torn Europe to help those in need
America Deported Her for Publishing a Book Titled ‘Lesbian Love.’ Years Later, She Was Murdered by the Nazis for Being Jewish
Eve Adams, an immigrant and the proprietor of a 1920s lesbian tearoom, was imprisoned for disorderly conduct and obscenity, then sent back to Europe, where she became a target of the Holocaust
How Do I Research Ancestors Who Sailed to America in the 1600s? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
A Century Ago, a Mob Brutally Attacked an American Diplomat in Persia. His Death Shaped U.S.-Iran Relations for Decades
The July 1924 killing of Robert Imbrie fueled the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty and set the stage for both a CIA-backed 1953 coup and the 1979 Iran hostage crisis
Untold Stories of American History
A Confederate Raider Fired the Final Shots of the Civil War in the Arctic, Two and a Half Months After Robert E. Lee Surrendered
The CSS “Shenandoah” only learned of the Confederacy’s defeat in the summer of 1865. That June, the cruiser’s crew sank 24 American merchant vessels, unaware that the conflict had already ended
Over 600 Years, the Golf Ball Has Evolved From a Primitive Wood Sphere to a Smart Ball With Cutting-Edge Sensors
Tracing the centuries of innovation that sent the golf ball on a wild ride through history
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
See 15 Photos of Striking Landscapes and Lively Scenes Deep in the Heart of Texas
These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest remind us what makes the Lone Star State so special
The Man Who Invented the Modern Zoo Tested Out His Ideas on People First
Carl Hagenbeck believed that animals should be housed in habitats that mimicked their natural environment. Earlier, he’d followed the same guiding philosophy when exhibiting Indigenous people in “human zoos”
Untold Stories of American History
Tattered Pages Discovered in Storage Reveal an Enslaved Man’s Daring Bid for Freedom—and His Second Life at Sea
Historians are investigating the haunting handwritten manuscript, which chronicles Thomas White’s escape from slavery in Maryland and adventures around the world nearly 200 years ago
This Forgotten Founding Father Hoped to ‘Die Up to My Knees in Blood’ in the Fight for American Independence. He Got His Wish
Joseph Warren was a key leader of the American Revolution, mobilizing troops and managing a circle of spies. But he’s mainly remembered for his death at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775
This Exiled Romanov Princess Fled the Bloodshed of the Russian Revolution and Reinvented Herself as a Fashion Icon
A new exhibition spotlights Natalia Pavlovna Paley, the granddaughter of a czar. She built a new life for herself in France and the U.S., appearing in films and on the pages of glossy magazines
Yemen’s Al-Qahira Castle Survived Centuries of War and Neglect. Can It Survive Its Own Restoration?
With funding for preserving the historic site in jeopardy, local officials are wondering what will come next for the 800-year-old structure
The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2025
From a barbecue capital in Texas to the site of the first offensive victory for American forces in the Revolutionary War in New York, these spots are worthy of a visit this year
How America’s Forgotten Second National Park Lost Its Federal Status—and Gained a New Lease on Life as a State Park
Much of Mackinac Island was designated as a national park in 1875, but it proved to be too expensive for the government to maintain, so it was transferred to the State of Michigan in 1895
Tens of Thousands Were Treated for a Deadly Disease While Confined to Psychiatric Hospitals on These Two Venetian Islands
In the 19th and 20th centuries, San Servolo and San Clemente housed patients suffering from pellagrous insanity, a condition caused by a vitamin deficiency
Meet the Defiant Loyalists Who Paid Dearly for Choosing the Wrong Side in the American Revolution
American colonists who aligned with the British lost their lands, their reputations and sometimes even their lives
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