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This is the first image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) and released in 2022.

This Comprehensive Guide Will Answer the Questions You Have About Black Holes—and Spark Some New Ones

In a new book release, two scientists combine forces to explain the discoveries, developments and theories made in the realm of the densest objects in space

Historian Martha S. Jones (bottom left) turned to ledgers, deeds, census records and government documents to unravel her family's story.

How a Leading Black Historian Uncovered Her Own Family's Painful Past—and Why Her Ancestors' Stories Give Her Hope

Martha S. Jones' new memoir draws on genealogical research and memories shared by relatives

Lily Gladstone poses on the red carpet at the Academy Awards in March 2024.

See Lily Gladstone's Stunning Oscar Gowns Designed by an Indigenous Artist

The two gowns were a collaboration between Gucci and a porcupine quillwork artist. Both are now on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian

A group of women sewing a quilt on the porch of a property in Georgia, May 1939

From the Antebellum South to the Civil Rights Movement, Black American Women Have Long Told Their Stories Through Quilts

In a new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, over 30 works showcase the significance of this quilting tradition

A view of the exhibition “Tsedaye Makonnen—Sanctuary :: Mekdes” at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art

These Seven Stunning Towers Memorialize Lost Black Lives With Mirrors, Light and Ethiopian Cross Designs

At the National Museum of African Art, a Washington, D.C. artist’s work illuminates a gallery room and honors 54 people who died this century

Apollo Lunar Sample Container No. 1008, triple-sealed, in which the Apollo 12 astronauts transported invaluable samples of moon back to Earth.

The Otherwise Unremarkable 'Rock Boxes' That Brought Pieces of the Moon Back to Earth

Far from ordinary, it took a cutting-edge NASA design to safeguard these treasures during the Apollo missions

Are humans the only species to drive another to extinction?

Are Humans the Only Species to Drive Others to Extinction? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

This adult Rice's whale skull at the National Museum of Natural History is the only specimen of its kind.

Only 50 Rice's Whales Are Left. Can We Do Enough to Protect Them Before It's Too Late?

In 2021, researchers identified a new whale species and are now scrambling to save their natural habitat

Frank Sinatra clutches a bouquet of flowers handed to him by an admirer following his show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, 1990

How the Theme Song From a Maligned Martin Scorsese Movie Became New York City’s Unofficial Anthem

Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “Theme From New York, New York” still raises spirits through challenging times and marks joyous occasions 45 years after its release

A Harper's Weekly illustration of Confederate soldiers driving Black Americans south in 1862

After Confederate Forces Captured Their Children, These Black Mothers Fought to Reunite Their Families

During the Civil War, Confederates targeted free Black people in the North, kidnapping them to sell into slavery. After the conflict ended, two women sought help from high places to track down their lost loved ones

A view of "The Sims 4" during the EA press conference for the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) on June 9, 2014, in Los Angeles, California

'The Sims' Turned Mere Mortals Into Gods. Twenty-Five Years Later, the Addictive Computer Game Is Still Going Strong

The audience for the trailblazing life simulation game has stuck around through new editions, expansion packs and designs to keep playing

A scanning electron microscope image shows sodium carbonates in a sample from the asteroid Bennu. Each needle is less than one micrometer wide by five to ten micrometers in length—for comparison, a human hair is about 100 micrometers wide.

Scientists Discover Traces of Salt Water and Building Blocks of Life in NASA's Samples From the Asteroid Bennu

Two new papers describe hints to a brine-filled environment on the 4.5-billion-year-old space rock and the presence of amino acids, offering clues to how early Earth got its ingredients for life

A view of the "In Slavery's Wake" exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Vast Geographic Scope of Slavery Is Hard to Fathom. One Groundbreaking Exhibition Shows Its True Scale Around the Globe

At the National Museum of African American History and Culture, "In Slavery's Wake" tells the international history of slavery and Black freedom

Male giant panda Bao Li plays on a wooden climbing structure. Beginning on January 24, visitors to the National Zoo can finally see Bao Li and Qing Bao in person.

The National Zoo's Giant Pandas Are Finally Making Their Public Debut

Bao Li and Qing Bao, both 3 years old, are the latest black-and-white bears to call the nation's capital home

The upper portion of a statue depicting Martin Luther King Jr. at MacGregor Park in Houston on November 28, 2024

These 15 Photos Show the People and Places of American Streets Named After Martin Luther King Jr.

On a journey to six cities across the country over the course of seven years, a photographer captured images of the roads that bear the civil rights leader’s name

Black Horses, Grandma Moses, oil on pressed board, 1945, featured in the exhibition "Grandma Moses: A Good Day's Work" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Nineteen New and Revamped Smithsonian Shows to See in 2025—Plus One Bonus That Will Make You Go Wild for Nature

This year, the Institution’s museums are bringing to the public everything from the flair of state fairs to the artwork of Grandma Moses

Honoree Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian speaks on stage during National Archives Foundation Records of Achievement Award Ceremony and Gala 2023 at the National Archives Museum on December 4, 2023, in Washington, D.C. 

The Head of the Smithsonian Talks About America’s 250th, Why Experts Still Matter and What to Expect From the Institution in 2025

In an extensive interview, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III spoke on the current political climate, the process of returning human remains from the Institution’s collections, the awe-inspiring scope of Smithsonian science and much more

Charles M. Schulz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip, at his studio drawing table with a picture of his character Charlie Brown and some awards behind him in 1978

Why the ‘Peanuts’ Characters Still Thrive 25 Years After the Last Original Comic Strip Was Published

In the decades since the end of the cherished newspaper strip, audiences continue to find reasons to chuckle and cheer over Charlie Brown’s gang

A northern saw-whet owl in Canada

Meet the Tiny, Adorable Owls That Have Mastered the Art of Hiding

One of the smallest owls in North America, the northern saw-whet lives among us and is rarely seen—but one volunteer science project aims to find them and uncover their secrets year after year

Did colonial Americans wear wristwatches? 

Did Colonial Americans Wear Wristwatches? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Smithsonian Channel

Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: The Fearsome Science Behind the T. rex, the King of the Dinosaurs

National Treasure: The Fearsome Science Behind the T. rex, the King of the Dinosaurs

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Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: The Giant Panda Steals Hearts (and Bamboo) at the National Zoo

National Treasure: The Giant Panda Steals Hearts (and Bamboo) at the National Zoo

Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin

National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin

Photo of the day

Here you see a basketball court at a local playground. A rainy, foggy day it was and no one is out playing. I am not a fan of bouncing a basketball on a wet court. Rainy Day On the Court