‘The Great Gatsby,’ Songs by Ma Rainey and Other Classic Works Are Now in the Public Domain
Canonical books, songs and films became free to use in 2021
How Young America Came to Love Beethoven
On the 250th anniversary of the famous composer’s birth, the story of how his music first took hold across the Atlantic
The Grinch That Keeps on Grinching
A new television special hearkens back to the nearly 50 years of Christmas thievery from the Dr. Seuss classic
How Tyrus Wong’s Christmas Cards Captivated the American Public
The unlikely Hollywood visionary of ‘Bambi’ fame designed what would become some of the most popular holiday stationery of all time
The Exotic Vest That Introduced America to Jimi Hendrix
The fashionable garment conjures the guitarist’s dazzling performance at the Monterey County Fairgrounds
Get Ready for the Holiday Season With These Virtual Smithsonian Programs
Studio arts workshops, holiday décor making and a guided wine tasting with an award-winning sommelier to kick off the season
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Avid Collectors Find Joy in Their Prized Possessions
At home with their collectibles, many people are expanding, shrinking or reorganizing their treasure troves
Twelve Artworks and the Spooky Movies They Bring to Mind
Undead animals, creepy kitties, cyanotype cemeteries and other ghouls and creepy stuff to be found at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Ten Places That Could Be Straight Out of a Wes Anderson Film
A new book showcases photographs of quirky and colorful places that aesthetically—and accidentally—match the filmmaker’s style
‘The Good Lord Bird’ Paints a Different Portrait of Abolitionist John Brown
In a year of anti-racism protests, the new Showtime series focuses on the polarizing abolitionist who led a raid on Harper’s Ferry
How the Vampire Got His Fangs
An incisive history of a Halloween snarl
Why ‘Glory’ Still Resonates More Than Three Decades Later
Newly added to Netflix, the Civil War movie reminds the nation that black Americans fought for their own emancipation
Secretary Lonnie Bunch Discusses Music’s Role in African American History and Culture
From Lead Belly to Kendrick Lamar, black musicians have long used song to share stories of struggle and triumph
The Complicated Legacy of ‘My Old Kentucky Home’
Sung each year at the Kentucky Derby, the tune’s original meaning has long been lost to history
Will Rogers Was One of a Kind
The popular raconteur touched Americans with his humor, newspaper columns, movie star power, philanthropy and as political agitator
The Feminist History of ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’
Trixie Friganza, an actress and suffragist, inspired the popular song of the seventh inning stretch
The TR-808 Drum Machine Changed the Sound of Pop Music Forever
Sometimes, technology has more impact after it’s obsolete
This Is the Summer of the Drive-In Theater
From longtime establishments to pop-up venues, this 20th-century attraction is providing a safe, socially distanced activity
What Perry Mason Taught Americans About the Criminal Justice System
How one of the first courtroom dramas has shaped what we watch and how we see the law
How a New Show Tears Down the Myths of Asian American History
Series producer Renee Tajima-Peña says the program is about “how we got where we are and where are we going next”
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