Prototype for Mars Helicopter Will Soon Be on Display at National Air and Space Museum
The surprisingly long-serving Ingenuity ended its historic service after breaking a rotor
How an Eye-Popping Museum Specimen Boosted the Beleaguered Blue Whale
For decades, visitors to the Smithsonian could behold the immense size of the sea mammal with their own eyes
Unearth the Roots of Alice Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’
Gardeners discuss the oft-overlooked symbolism of nature that underlies the Pulitzer-prize winning novel
Lillian Vernon’s Catalog Empire Got Its Start at a Kitchen Table
A keen sense of what shoppers wanted made her eponymous company the first woman-owned business on the American Stock Exchange
Why Collectors Fall Head Over Heels for the ‘Inverted Jenny’ Stamp
One of the rare 24-cent misprints sold at auction this week for a record-breaking $2 million
When Hershey’s Crafted a Special Treat for the Troops
In the run-up to World War II, the chocolate company was tasked with creating a nutritious snack that, by design, wouldn’t taste good
How a Smithsonian Curator Discovered the Hope Diamond’s Many Secrets
The storied past of the 45.52-carat sapphire-blue gemstone hails back to the days before the French Revolution
How an Orca Skeleton Made Its Way From Florida to the Smithsonian
Washed up in a rare stranding event, the newly collected specimen will offer rich exploration for researchers
A Century Ago, Glenn Curtiss Was the ‘Fastest Man on Earth’
Before he changed aviation forever, the daredevil achieved an unparalleled speed record on land
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”
These Objects Tell the Story of Human-Driven Climate Change
Smithsonian curators dig into the collections to find artifacts that illustrate how we arrived at this moment
How George Washington Wrote His Farewell Address
A candle stand used by the first president illuminates his extraordinary last days in office
A Massive Archive Tells the Story of Early African American Photographers
Arresting portraits, now a part of the Smithsonian collections, illuminate the little-known role these artists played in chronicling 19th-century life
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
Is This Endangered Orchid the Last of Its Kind?
Contemplating the portentous history and uncertain fate of an exceptionally rare flower
A New Neil Armstrong Film Makes One Giant Leap for Kindness
Smithsonian podcasts deliver doses of optimism this month, featuring Bill Nye and a story of a warm welcome from the astronaut’s family
Legendary Bluesman Robert Johnson Had Demons. So Did His Biographer
The long-awaited “Biography of a Phantom” unravels some of the mystery and intrigue
Find Out If Your Ancestor Is Among These 19th-Century Silhouettes in This Newly Digitized Collection
The itinerant artist William Bache’s portraits are contaminated by arsenic, but now the National Portrait Gallery offers easy access
A 19th-Century Textile Stitches a Tale of Women’s Liberation
Beloved by her pupils, schoolteacher Leah Maguire embraced her freedom through sewing this sampler
The Stars Are Aligned at the National Museum of American History
The Forgotten History of Tsianina Redfeather, the Beloved American Indian Opera Singer
A portrait of the performer debuts in the exhibition “Entertainment Nation”
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