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At the Smithsonian

From May 17 to July 4, 1863, Ulysses S. Grant and the Union Army placed the city of Vicksburg, MS under siege to defeat Confederate troops. Hear the play-by-play of this turning point in the Civil War in a talk by best-selling author Jeff Shaara on Wednesday.

Events June 4-6: The Middle Passage, the Battle of Vicksburg and Whales

This week, hear stories of the slave trade, learn about one of the Civil War’s most pivotal battles and discover Smithsonian’s whale collection

Spotlight

What’s new at the Smithsonian in June

Sounds that stimulate moods are probably related to memory and cultural values.

The History of Going Commando and More Questions from Our Readers

Smithsonian curators also answer queries about how music affects your mood

Three signature NASM space food examples from Neil Armstrong's meal allotments on the Apollo 11 mission.

Unpack a Meal of Astronaut Space Food

Space-age spaghetti and meatballs, along with other tastes of home, gave Apollo astronaut crews a boost

Batang, a female orangutan at the National Zoo, snacks on a pumpkin.

How to Cook Meals for the 2,000 Animals at the National Zoo

Secretary Clough explains how the Zoo’s chefs prepare food for 400 different species

Nitrogen-cooled tissue samples will represent half the life on earth.

Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

What Genomic Research Can Tell Us About the Earth’s Biodiversity

Smithsonian scientists are gathering wildlife tissue samples from around the world to build the largest museum-based repository

As part of the Star Songs project, X-ray emissions from the EX Hydrae system (above, near center)—in which one star pulls matter from its partner—are converted into music.

How to Convert X-Rays From A Distant Star into Blues, Jazz and Classical Music

A vision-impaired scientist, her coworker, and a composer team up to transform light bursts from stars into rhythms and melodies

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The Best Way to See the Smithsonian? On a Segway, of course

The staff tries its hand at Segway-ing…and never wants to stop

Artist Andy Paiko spins glass into a variety of shapes and objects. Hear him speak about his process and see glass spinning in action on Sunday at the Renwick Gallery.

Events May 31-June 2: Tunes and Brews, A Day in Space and Glass Art

This weekend, listen to local bands, meet Buzz Aldrin and learn about the art of glass sculpture

Auguste Bert Vaslav Nijinsky as the Golden Slave from Scheherazade, 1910 gelatin silver print V&A

Bringing the Dazzle Back to the Blockbuster Exhibit

Casting aside today’s fondness for the understated, a curator ponders the importance of “the wow factor”

Your Ticket to the Universe, a new book by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Kimberly Arcane and Megan Watzke, features arresting images of the cosmos captured by the Hubble, Chandra and Spitzer space telescopes.

Look Up! Venus, Jupiter and Mercury Conjoin this Evening

Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke, authors of “Your Ticket to the Universe,” point out a few wonders of the cosmos

Painter Thomas Dewing (1851 to 1938) was best known for his tonalist style, which blurred images to create a dream-like effect. See his work in “Sylvan Sounds: Freer, Dewing and Japan,” which opens at the Freer Gallery on Tuesday.

Events May 28-30: Sylvan Sounds, Trivia Night and Joseph Henry

This week, see the art that launched the Freer Gallery, test your knowledge of DC celebrities and meet the Smithsonian’s first secretary

While stationed in the Pacific Theater in the 1940s, Jack Fogarty wrote letters to his best friend’s wife in Queens, NY, and illustrated the envelopes.

A Memorial Day Memory: Love From the Pacific Theater

A 92-year-old WWII vet who recently donated his wartime letters to the National Postal Museum reflects on a friendship that lasted a lifetime

Hirshhorn Board Divided on Future of the Bubble Project; Director Resigns

The split vote by the trustees of the contemporary art museum leads to the resignation of Richard Koshalek

Who is this guy exactly? Find out at Friday’s gallery talk at the Hirshhorn.

Events May 24-26: Jeff Koons, Hawaiian Staycation and Navy Jazz

This weekend, learn more about an iconic piece of art, celebrate the Pacific island and take in some tunes, courtesy the U.S. Navy jazz band

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Say Hello to Bozie, the National Zoo’s New Elephant

She arrives at the National Zoo today from Baton Rouge

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Sixty Years Ago, Edmund Hillary Reached the Top of the World. Hear Him Describe It

Take a look back at an interview with Sir Edmund Hillary 60 years after he became the first man to summit Mount Everest

Despite a recent slump from the economic crisis, Harlem brownstones prices are on the rise again.

How Harlem Put Itself Back on the Map

Historian John Reddick looks at the people behind the neighborhood’s recent reemergence as a thriving destination in the public eye

Ride aboard Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983

How Astronaut Sally Ride Opened Science’s Doors to Women

A panel discusses the first American woman in space’s lasting legacy and the challenges still to be overcome for gender equality in the sciences

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The Design Future of New York as Seen by Urbanist Michael Sorkin

A theorist who can’t stop planning has big ideas for his hometown on sustainability, equity and the right to the city

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