The True History of the Aeronauts Who Transformed Our View of the World Above
For early balloonists like James Glaisher, the sky was uncharted—and dangerous—territory
How Playmobil Went From a Simple, Smiling Figure to a Worldwide Sensation
A new movie plays off the narrative nature of a toy that has been capturing imaginations for 45 years
The True History Behind Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’
Many have suggested Frank Sheeran’s claims about the murder of Jimmy Hoffa are mere fantasy; the historical context of Scorsese’s epic is more nuanced
How Lil Nas X and ‘Old Town Road’ Defy Categorization
The self-taught 20-year-old musician galloped to global fame with his chart-topping song that fuses country and hip-hop together
The True Story of the Battle of Midway
The new film “Midway” revisits the pivotal WWII battle from the perspectives of pilots, codebreakers and naval officers on both sides of the conflict
The True Story of Henry V, England’s Warrior King
The new biopic “The King” finds Timothée Chalamet tracing Henry’s evolution from wayward prince to heroic warrior
The True Story Behind the Harriet Tubman Movie
“Harriet,” a new film starring Cynthia Erivo, is the first feature film dedicated solely to the American icon
Edward Norton on Why He Placed ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ in Robert Moses’ New York
The actor, director and screenwriter brings Jonathan Lethem’s acclaimed novel to the screen—with a few unsubtle changes
The Science Behind Hollywood’s Movie Monsters
Massive hits at the time, the films that brought Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and more to life also tapped into societal fears and traumas
New Music and Dance Fusions Kick Off Native American Heritage Month
The National Museum of the American Indian is webcasting many of these public programs live, then archiving them online
How Artificial Snow Was Invented
You don’t have to ski on cornflakes because Hollywood’s quest for authenticity on-screen triggered an avalanche of frozen innovation
How ‘Moonlight Serenade’ Defined a Generation
Bandleader Glenn Miller, who was lost at sea 75 years ago, played and replayed the song before troops serving in World War II
Hitting the High Notes: A Smithsonian Year of Music
The Tragic Story of America’s First Black Music Star
Thomas Wiggins, an African-American musician marketed as ‘Blind Tom’, had a lucrative career—but saw none of the profits himself
Who Were the Real ‘Peaky Blinders’?
The Shelby family is fictional, but a real street gang operated in Birmingham at the turn of the 20th century
The Cultural History of ‘The Addams Family’
As the spooky clan makes a new appearance on the big screen, a look back on the mystery of their longevity
The Behind-the-Scenes Quest to Find Mister Rogers’ Signature Cardigans
The USPS, a $70 soup pot and whole lot of effort went into finding the perfect zip-up cardigan for Fred Rogers
How the Beatles Took Recording Technology to a New Level in ‘Abbey Road’
An expert in sound recording details how the band deployed stereo and synthesizers to put a unique artistic stamp on this iconic album
Hitting the High Notes: A Smithsonian Year of Music
How Composer John Cage Transformed the Piano—With the Help of Some Household Objects
With screws and bolts placed between its strings, the ‘prepared piano’ offers up a wide range of sounds
Paul Simon Has 50 Ways to Charm an Audience
As the 2019 recipient of the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal, the musician divulged he still has one more song to write
Hitting the High Notes: A Smithsonian Year of Music
Here’s the Guitar That Prince Revolutionized Music With in ‘Purple Rain’
The artist gave the “cloud” guitar to the Smithsonian in 1993, but only now do we know it’s the same instrument used in the iconic movie
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