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A red-roofed residence is nestled in the rocks at the feet of the Cadini di Misurina.

Experience the Grandeur of the Italian Alps With These 15 Majestic Photographs

As the Winter Olympics come to their end in Milan and Cortina, enjoy these sweeping landscapes before booking your next trip to Europe

This 2014 artwork by J.R. superimposes a historic photograph of immigrants on a broken window at the Ellis Island hospital.

A Stay at Ellis Island Hospital Could Determine Whether an Immigrant Had a Chance to Start a New Life in America

Some 276,000 patients were admitted to the medical facility between 1892 and 1951. But the abandoned complex has long been overlooked, and preservationists are fighting to save it

Helen Desmond of the United States competes at the 2025 ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Championships on March 6, 2025 in Switzerland.

What Is Skimo? The Newest Olympic Sport Has a Long History in Europe

With roots in military training, high-endurance ski mountaineering is finally catching on in the United States

This statue of George Washington on horseback, dedicated in February 1860, is highlighted in silhouette.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Commemorate Presidents’ Day With 15 Images That Celebrate the Founding Fathers

See Smithsonian magazine contest photos that honor U.S. presidents and their monuments

The Château de Montal's early Renaissance style marked a transition from the medieval fortresses that dot a landscape so keenly fought over by the English and French during the Hundred Years’ War.

How a Little-Known French Region Safeguarded the Louvre’s Treasures During World War II

More than 3,000 artworks from national museums were stowed in chateaus in the Lot—about 350 miles south of Paris

“If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated,” wrote Carter G. Woodson in a 1926 essay.

Traveling Along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail

A White Historian Claimed That Black People ‘Had No History.’ This Trailblazing Scholar Dedicated His Life to Proving Otherwise

Carter G. Woodson, the “father of Black history,” founded the celebration now known as Black History Month in 1926. A prolific writer and activist, he viewed his efforts to educate the public as a “life-and-death struggle”

A skier takes advantage of several inches of snow covering blanketing the landscape, including trees that resemble piles of cotton balls, on Revelstoke Mountain in British Columbia.

These 15 Inspiring Images of Winter Sports Will Help You Rediscover Your Olympic Spirit

You don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy these snowy activities

A guest follows along during the 25-hour-long reading of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick; or, the Whale at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts. 

250 Places to Celebrate America

Fervent Fans of ‘Moby-Dick’ Flock to This Massachusetts City to Read the Book Cover to Cover

Once the whaling capital of the world, New Bedford remembers Herman Melville’s literary masterpiece with an annual reading marathon

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Here Are 250 Places to Visit to Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday. How Many Have You Been To?

Journey around the nation with this interactive map, divided by region or category, and discover American history in a way you’ve never seen before

People view the Declaration of Independence and other documents at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Ten of the Most Exciting Ways to Commemorate America’s 250th This Year

Our country’s birthday bash includes exhibitions, historical reenactments, a massive potluck and more

Aarhus, Denmark, which refers to itself as the world’s smallest big city, boasts some of the most charming neighborhoods in Europe. These two beautifully symmetrical homes capture that charm perfectly.

Coastal Cities of Europe

These 15 Delightful Photos of Denmark Will Have You Booking Your Flights to Scandinavia This Weekend

A beautiful coastal land, there’s much to see in this northern European nation

Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch launched its new vinyl-lined listening room, Hidden Grooves.

Why Gen Z Is Trading Night Clubs for Japanese-Style Listening Bars

Dark rooms filled with soft leather sofas and curated vinyl are popping up across the United States and the world

Ada Blackjack was the only survivor of a 1921 expedition to Wrangel Island, a remote landmass above the Arctic Circle.

Meet 13 People Who Survived on Deserted Islands, From a Real-Life Robinson Crusoe to a Noblewoman Marooned With Her Lover

Ahead of the release of Sam Raimi’s “Send Help,” revisit the stories of Alexander Selkirk, Marguerite de la Rocque, the Tongan castaways and others who endured in remote locales

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is finally set to open in L.A.’s Exposition Park on September 22.

These Are the Top Ten Most Anticipated Museums Opening Around the World in 2026

New institutions dedicated to digital art, exploration, hip-hop, conservation and more are expected to welcome visitors this year

Built in 1872, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse sits atop a narrow point of land that extends almost a mile into the Pacific Ocean.

View 20 Beautiful Lighthouses That Lead the Way to Serene Scenes

These highlights from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest include cliffside towers and lovely landscapes

The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) owns about half of Switzerland’s 320 huts, including the Almageller Hut on the southern side of Weissmies Mountain above the village of Saas-Almagell.

The Race Is On to Save the Alps’ Famous Huts and Trails as Melting Permafrost Threatens to Destroy Them

Hiking will always be a part of life in the Alps, but climate change has made navigating high-alpine routes more complicated

The ancient pyramids of the Giza Plateau stand over the western edge of  the city of Cairo.

See 15 Awesome Images From One of the World’s Most Impressive Aerial Photographers

From the cockpit of his plane, photographer Jassen Todorov’s eagle eye captures memorable landscapes

In the valleys and hills of Nepal’s Khumbu mountain range, high peaks tower over teahouses, where a hot cup of tea is more than just a warm gesture.

Nepal’s Mountainside Teahouses Elevate the Experience for Trekkers Heading to the Top of the World

Comforting rest stops dot the trail for adventurers ascending Mera Peak, offering food, rest and a warm cup of the local brew

Curator Richard Hill notes Carr’s unusual choice to orient her nature paintings vertically, as in Cedar (left, 1942) and Red Cedar (1931). “It really is a portrait of a tree.”

This Canadian Painter Found Her Muse in the Verdant Trees of British Columbia

Emily Carr took her brushes out of the gardens and into the rainforest to capture her local landscape in ways “beloved and also fraught”

Barcelona

Coastal Cities of Europe

Coastal Cities of Europe

Explore the history, culture and natural wonders of the continent’s most celebrated ports

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