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At the Smithsonian

Come make your own stamp collection at a drop-in workshop at the Postal Museum.

Weekend Events Jan 6-8: “This is Not a Film,” Stamps, Masterworks of Three Centuries

This weekend, watch an Iranian film, attend a stamp collecting workshop or listen to eclectic Baroque chamber music

The Boxleys' totem pole, "The Eagle and the Chief," is currently being completed by the artists on public view in the Potomac Atrium of the American Indian Museum.

The Art of the Totem Pole

A father-and-son duo of master Tsimshian carvers create a totem pole for the American Indian Museum

The Quadrantid meteor shower, as visible at twilight

How To See Tonight’s Meteor Shower

Take advantage of this rare chance to see the Quadrantid meteor shower

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Events Jan 3-5: Discovery Room, Creating a Totem Pole and Tarantula Feedings

This week, participate in hands-on science activity, watch a totem pole being made and see live tarantula feedings

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

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