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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
In Her Inventive and Prescient Stories, Octavia Butler Wrote Herself Into the Science Fiction Canon
On her beloved typewriters, the literary legend mapped out a course for the future of the genre
From Chimps Eating Medicinal Plants to Footprints Tracking Our Early Relatives, Here Are the Most Significant Human Evolution Discoveries of 2024
Smithsonian paleoanthropologists explore how the year brought us closer to understanding ancient human relatives and origins
Eleven Fascinating Acquisitions That Joined the Smithsonian’s Vast Collections in 2024
This year, the Institution collected everything from the stunning shell of an extinct cephalopod to a Blue Origin rocket booster
The Lasting Legacy of Jimmy Carter, Dead at 100
Smithsonian curators remember and honor the 39th president’s uncompromising idealism
The Ten Most Awe-Inspiring Ocean Moments of 2024
From animal journeys across oceans to the discovery of dozens of new species in the deep sea, these stories wowed us
The Real Story Behind ‘A Complete Unknown’ and Bob Dylan’s Early Career, From His Arrival in New York City to When He ‘Went Electric’
A new film starring Timothée Chalamet tracks Dylan’s evolution from an acoustic folk singer to a rock ‘n’ roll superstar
See the Groundbreaking Work of 20th-Century Printmakers Who Formed an Innovative Arts Society in Japan
The sosaku hanga movement, now explored in an exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art, was a showcase for new techniques in creative prints
Ten Top Smithsonian Stories of 2024, From a Mysterious Underground Chamber to Dazzling Auroras
The magazine’s most-read articles of the year included a close-up look at the adorable yet venomous pygmy slow loris, a profile of a little-known 20th-century street photographer and a majestic journey with divers into Mexico’s underwater caves
Kids Send Thousands of Letters to Santa Each Year. Here’s What Really Happens to Them
The United States Postal Service and volunteers have responded to North Pole holiday correspondence over the past century
The Discovery of a Jewish Teenager’s Holocaust Diary Reveals How Songs, Jokes and Stories Served as Cultural Resistance
Yitskhok Rudashevski documented his life while hiding from Nazis, as well as folklore told in his community that “must be collected and preserved as a treasure for the future”
The Best Books of 2024, as Chosen by Smithsonian Scholars
Staff at the Institution pick their favorite reads of the year, including riveting memoirs, fascinating true histories and fun fiction
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