The Books We Loved
Smithsonian editors choose their favorite (mostly) nonfiction of (mostly) 2023
How Lee Miller, a Magazine Model and Muse, Became a Daring World War II Photographer
The bold journalist, who made a splash on both sides of the lens, is the subject of a new biopic starring Kate Winslet
Northern Europe and the British Isles
Hoyma Is Bringing Music Home in the Faroe Islands
For one fall night, it is tradition for a handful of houses in Sydrugota, on the island of Eysturoy, to open their doors and host intimate concerts
Meet the Man Who Recorded the Music of America’s Front Porches and Backyard Parties
Chris Strachwitz, founder of Arhoolie Records, crisscrossed the United States photographing and recording musicians where they played
Artist John Akomfrah Is Having a Moment
The works of the recently knighted filmmaker address contemporary issues in two different Smithsonian museums
How the Osage Changed Martin Scorsese’s Mind
“Killers of the Flower Moon” sets a new standard in its nuanced portrait of Osage life. Decades of prior films about Native Americans didn’t even try
The Sphere Is Here. Are We Ready for More High-Tech Architecture?
The new Las Vegas performance venue challenges musicians and visual artists to produce content for its demanding format
Folk Icon Joan Baez Sings a Song of Herself
After decades in the limelight, the American musician who spent a career exposing the world’s problems explores her own past
What Made Bob Barker the Perfect Host for ‘The Price Is Right’
The television personality, who died last week at 99, was part of a match that made game show history
Amid the Horrors of the Holocaust, Jewish Musicians Composed Songs of Survival
At the Terezin concentration camp, some of Europe’s top artists found solace in creating new work. Today one musician is determined to give them an encore
An In-Depth Look at Latino History Among the Stars and Skies
This summer, a podcast series from the National Air and Space Museum discusses Operation Pedro Pan, Latino Futurism and “Star Wars”
How Graffiti Left a Mark on the Art Scene
Hip-hop’s street artists created a splashy new genre that burst into galleries and museums
A Rap Legend Looks Back on 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Outkast’s Big Boi traces the genre’s indelible impact on global music and culture
Celebrating 75 Years of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
The vast, eclectic public archive of American music—and other sounds—is featured on a new episode of the Sidedoor podcast
The Return of Mermaidcore
For a century, a collective love of tails and fins has helped women transgress on land and sea
Follow Bob Dylan’s Footsteps Through Minnesota and New York
To mark the musician’s 82nd birthday, consider a romp through these 11 sites that hold meaning to him
A Brief History of Long Movies
At the Cannes Film Festival this weekend, “Killers of the Flower Moon” will become the latest movie to ask just how much time we ought to give it
How a Rhinestone Cowboy From Ukraine Left His Mark on the Music World
Making his famous “Nudie suits,” tailor to the stars Nudie Cohn lived and breathed the bedazzled American dream
How Artisans in Puerto Rico Sustain Native Culture
A photographer returns to his native island to document a handful of artists devoted to preserving its rich creative traditions
Now 90 Years Old, Willie Nelson Is Always on Our Mind
A look back at the life of the country music rebel, superstar, and elder statesman who is back on the road, again
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