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At the Smithsonian

Author Judy Blume recently received the John P. McGovern Award from the Smithsonian Associates for her contributions to the American family.

Q and A: Judy Blume

The children’s book author speaks about her career and what it means to write a “banned book”

Thomas Jefferson believed that his version of the New Testament distilled "the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has never been offered to man."

How Thomas Jefferson Created His Own Bible

Thanks to an extensive restoration process, the public can now see how Jefferson created his own version of the Scripture

At the high Andes village of Chawaytiri, Secretary G. Wayne Clough took part in the Procession of the Llama.

Inca Highway

Come see the ZooLights holiday festival on January 1st

Weekend Events Dec. 30-Jan 1: Treasures at the Museum, Flights of Fancy, and Last Day of ZooLights

This New Year’s weekend, meet a children’s book author and archivist, come to aviation story time, and catch ZooLights before it’s over

A budding star spits out jets of superheated gas and dust in the Carina Nebula

A Guided Tour of the Universe

A new exhibition at the Natural History Museum gives visitors a dazzling view of our evolving universe

The Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Events Dec. 27-29: Winter Break Programs, Camp Kwanzaa

This week, take part in the Portrait Gallery’s special winter break and celebrate Kwanzaa

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A Season for Giving: 5 Diplomatic Gifts to the U.S. in the Smithsonian Collections

This holiday season, check out some of the most memorable diplomatic gifts given to U.S. presidents

Learn about writer and art collector Gertrude Stein as part of the Portrait Story Days series.

Weekend Events Dec. 23-25: ArtLab+ Showcase, Portrait Story Days, and Christmas

This week, see young people’s creative works, learn about Gertrude Stein, and have a merry Christmas

A comparison of the two newly-discovered planets with Venus and Earth

What the Earth-Sized Planet Discovery Means

The lead scientist in the new planet discovery explains the significance of the find

The cover and record "The Sounds of Earth," included aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 probes.

Carl Sagan and “The Sounds of Earth”

On the 15th anniversary of astronomer Carl Sagan’s death, we celebrate one of his most lasting impacts: a time capsule for humankind

A model of Conrad F. Bartling's 1888 fence-building machine

The Return of Patent Models to the Original Patent Office Building

A new exhibition at the American Art Museum features models of a variety of unusual 19th-century devices

Join curators to learn about "Pair of Prickly Pairs" as part of a gallery talk.

Events Dec. 19-22: Fly Me To Mars, Holiday Arts and Crafts, American Craft Masterpieces, Butterfly Pavilion

This week, meet a children’s author and scientist, make holiday crafts, learn about a masterpiece tapestry, and see exotic tropical butterflies

World War I soldiers writing letters home

Military Mail Stories at the Postal Museum

A new exhibition covers the history of mail in the military

Enjoy an acoustic performance by John Davis of the DC-based group Title Tracks.

Weekend Events Dec. 16-18: Happy Feet Two, All About Me in D.C., and Title Tracks Unplugged

This week, see Happy Feet Two in 3D, meet a children’s author, and enjoy an acoustic performance by a local indie frontman

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Holy Zamboni! The Zoo’s Skating Rink Has No Ice

The new skating rink at the National Zoo is a high-tech innovation made of recycled acrylic

Curator Carlene Stephens, on left, and collections manager Shari Stout look at a glass disc containing a sound recording from the 1880s.

From the Collections, Sound Recordings Heard for the First Time

The National Museum of American History recovers sound from recordings that have been silenced for over a century

Meet Oglala Lakota Angela Babby, the creator of "Mountain Chief" and other enameled mosaic works.

Events Dec. 12-15: Seasons of Light, The Expert Is In, Day With the Artists, and Holiday Jazz

This week, see a holiday performance, talk to a bird expert, meet a pair of Native artists, and attend a jazz concert

Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine proved to be pivotal in the history of information technology.

Herman Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine

On this day in 1888, the groundbreaking tabulator machine was installed in a government office for the first time

See the 2010 Thai hit "Eternity" at the Freer Gallery

Weekend Events Dec. 9-11: Eternity, Super Science Saturday and Sara Daneshpour

This week, see a critically-lauded Thai film, attend a hands-on day of aviation activities, and hear a live concert pianist perform

A frame from "Empire," Warhol's 1964 film

Visions of Empire at the Hirshhorn

A new exhibition combines a seminal Warhol film with a pair of modern responses

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