These 11 Marble Sculptures of Iconic Artists Once Decorated One of America’s First Art Museums. What Happened to Them?
The Corcoran Gallery of Art was adorned with the statues, commissioned in the late 1800s. But since then, they’ve changed hands many times and finally found their way back to each other in a botanical garden
Smithsonian Voices
National Museum of Natural History
To Recreate a 17th-Century Masterwork, an Entomologist at the National Museum of Natural History Got Creative with Butterflies, Bees and a Bit of Rosemary
Latest
Archaeologists Are Recreating the Long-Lost Recipe for Egyptian Blue, the World’s Oldest Known Synthetic Pigment
Created 5,000 years ago, the mysterious color has been found on artworks and artifacts throughout the ancient world. But the pigment’s recipe was eventually lost to history
A Deadly Disease Is Eating Away at Caribbean Corals and Wreaking Havoc on Reefs. Could Probiotics Be the Solution?
New research suggests the probiotic McH1-7 could help stop the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease among wild corals near Fort Lauderdale, Florida
This Renowned Artist Brings Plants, Shea Butter and Black Soap Into His Groundbreaking Work
In Rashid Johnson’s largest show of art yet, the power of mixed media is on full display
These 11 Marble Sculptures of Iconic Artists Once Decorated One of America’s First Art Museums. What Happened to Them?
The Corcoran Gallery of Art was adorned with the statues, commissioned in the late 1800s. But since then, they’ve changed hands many times and finally found their way back to each other in a botanical garden
See the Stunning Archival Photographs That Tell the Stories of Everyday Native Life and Communities
The Archive Center at the National Museum of the American Indian presents a new exhibition that can help “interrupt the romanticized, stereotypical images often shared of Native peoples throughout history”
The Smithsonian Transfers Rare 2,300-Year-Old Silk Manuscripts to China
The Zidanku Silk Manuscripts were smuggled into the United States in the 1940s. Scholars say they provide remarkable insights into ancient Chinese philosophy and religion
Pioneering Teenage Parachuter Georgia ‘Tiny’ Broadwick Showed That Courage Isn’t Counted in Pounds
The first woman to parachute from an airplane, she will be recognized in an exhibit when part of the newly renovated National Air and Space Museum reopens this year
Capuchin Monkeys Caught on Camera ‘Abducting’ Baby Howler Monkeys in a Strange Tradition Seen for the First Time
Scientists on Panama’s Jicarón Island were mystified by photos and videos of young male capuchins carrying howler monkeys on their backs for days at a time
This Simple but Ingenious Instrument Helped the World Measure Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere
Scientist Charles Keeling’s invention had a profound effect on scientists’ understanding of the severity of the climate change crisis
The Secrets of How Life Began May Be Hidden Inside the World’s Oldest Rocks
Smithsonian researchers trekked to a remote site in northern Canada to collect four-billion-year-old rock samples that could unlock mysteries about Earth’s earliest history
What Happened to FDR’s Fireside Chats? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
Amaze Yourself With the Unbelievable Story of Bessie Coleman, the Black Aviator Who Wowed the Nation With Her High-Flying Achievements
Long before the Tuskegee Airmen, Coleman inspired a generation of pilots to take to the skies
Discover the Dreamy Beauty of Jamaica’s Beaches, Mountains and Plant Life in These Captivating Pictures
A photographer’s trip to the island yields images that showcase its stunning terrain and vibrant culture
Trailblazing Filmmaker Ava DuVernay Receives the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal
DuVernay is the first director, writer and producer to earn the honor, which recognizes “lifetime contributions embodying American ideas and ideals”
These Irreplaceable Yiddish Artifacts Would Have Been Lost to History If They Weren’t Evacuated to New York After World War II
The founding of a research institute 100 years ago has helped to provide insight on Yiddish culture in the United States and around the world
This Artist’s Powerful Abstract Pieces Reimagine What a Painting Is
Adam Pendleton brings his geometric artworks to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Discover the Centuries-Old Japanese Matcha Tea Ceremonies That Last for Hours and Require Beautiful Utensils
A new exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art showcases the longtime cultural meaning in the practice of chanoyu
Meet This Year’s Winners of the Portrait of a Nation Award, Including Steven Spielberg and Temple Grandin
Portraits of the honorees, who have made “transformative contributions to the United States,” will be added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
See the Mesmerizing Interlocking Geometric Patterns Produced With This Ancient Japanese Woodworking Technique
The art form, known as kumiko, is now practiced by designers from around the world
The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride
Page 1 of 270