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Made with more than 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers, artist Dale Chihuly created Fiori di Como, this colorful ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. 

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

These 15 Gorgeous Photographs Capture the Beautiful Art of Blown and Stained Glass

From cathedrals to train stations to museums, these masterful displays showcase the remarkable talent that goes into creating the fragile art form

A company called Roofscapes has installed an experimental green roof over a zinc one at the Academy of Climate in Paris. A wooden platform, dotted with planters, runs along the building’s side, creating a terrace.

The Skyline of Paris Is Filled With Zinc Rooftops. But Can They Survive Climate Change?

Innovations are overdue, as the signature blue-gray metal roofs heat up in high temperatures, making living conditions in the apartments beneath them unbearable

The Walnut of Benevento (Sabbath of Witches), 1822-1826, by Giuseppe Pietro Bagetti

How This Italian Town Came to Be Known as the ‘City of Witches’

Centuries ago, it was said that Benevento was a gathering place for the occult. Today, superstitions still run deep

Charles Oldrieve dreamed of one day walking across the English Channel—and perhaps even the Atlantic Ocean.

Untold Stories of American History

In 1907, This Daring Performer Walked on Water From Cincinnati to New Orleans, Covering Nearly 1,600 Miles in 40 Days

Charles Oldrieve used custom-made wooden shoes to float on the water’s surface and propel himself forward

A curious kaka clings to a branch on Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, a bird and wildlife preserve in Pukeatua.  

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Zoom in to the Beauty and Zest of New Zealand With These 15 Stunning Photographs

The island nation is home to some of the world’s most gorgeous wildlife and scenic landscapes

Navigating based on natural signs, writes Tristan Gooley, “sharpens our powers of observation, deduction and prediction.”

It’s Almost Impossible for Tristan Gooley to Get Lost. That’s One Reason He Has Millions of Followers

The British adventurer has crossed the Atlantic solo in a plane and a boat. Now he reads tree leaves, puddles and moss to get his bearings

Divers excavating the 12th-century Huaguangjiao One wreck uncover stacked Song dynasty bowls.

Treasure Trove of Shipwrecks Along China’s Coast Reveals How East Met West on the Maritime Silk Road

Sunken finds in the South China Sea testify to rich trade networks used over hundreds of years. The sea routes brought porcelain, tea and other goods from Asia to Africa, the Middle East and Europe

Père Lachaise Cemetery sprawls across 110 acres. “You don’t feel anymore that you are in Paris,” Benoît Gallot, the conservator, says. “All of your references fall away.”

Why Paris Designed Its Peculiarly Popular Grand Graveyards to Evoke a Celebration of Life Amid All the Death

Cemeteries that inspired parks serve as unlikely tourist attractions in the City of Light and prove that the end of the line is just the start of a new story

Camel racing is a popular past-time among people in areas of Inner Mongolia. This rider is dressed in traditional attire.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Remarkable Photographs of Camera-Ready Camels

Join these caravanners on a scenic journey across the desert from snapshots taken by entrants to the Smithsonian magazine photo contest

A church with a red roof and steeple sticks out against the sprawling landscape as the sun pokes through the hazy clouds.

Northern Europe and the British Isles

Get an Eyeful of Iceland in These 20 Photos That Capture Its Natural Beauty

These selections from the Smithsonian magazine photo contest will transport you to the small Scandinavian island

The Syrian shawarma, originally served in the alleys of Damascus and Aleppo, has become a culinary mainstay in Berlin.

How Shawarma Became a Soul Food of Syria’s Diaspora in Berlin

The popularity of the humble street food is a testament to cultural survival for the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who arrived in Germany as refugees and asylum seekers in 2015

A portrait of Johanna Koerten, whose "thread painting" for the wife of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I sold for more money than Rembrandt's The Night Watch, one of the most famous artworks of all time

This 17th-Century Female Artist Was Once a Bigger Star Than Rembrandt. Why Did History Forget About Johanna Koerten and Her Peers?

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts spotlights 40 women who found fame in the Low Countries between 1600 and 1750, including Koerten, Judith Leyster and Clara Peeters

Nestled in Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is a historic Buddhist temple with a rich history spanning around 1,250 years.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

These 15 Gorgeous Photographs Illustrate the Ancient Beauty of Japan

From tranquil temples to the bright lights of Tokyo, look at images that capture the “Land of the Rising Sun”

“The base of Ethiopian cuisine as a whole is very much Jewish, more than anything else,” says Beejhy Barhany.

At This Harlem Chef’s Table, the Rosh Hashana Menu Is Full of Ethiopian Spices

With a café in New York City and a new cookbook, Beejhy Barhany is bringing the stories and flavors of Ethiopian Jews to the States

Moms and dads of just about every species can relate to this image of a cub climbing on its parent’s back.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Behold These 15 Photographs of Big, Beautiful Bears

Get an up-close look at these massive mammals … from a safe distance

A matador and bull stand center stage as attendees look on during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Spectacular Photographs That Show Off Scenes From Spain

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest celebrate the Iberian nation

Every September in the Swiss Alps, dairy farmers drive their herds from mountain pastures to the villages where they spend the winter.

When the Cows Come Home in the Alps, the Swiss Eat Raclette

Every September, dairy farmers herd cattle from high-alpine pastures back to the villages where they reside for the winter and celebrate the occasion by roasting cheese over a fire

Almost like an arrow, the somewhat triangular shape of the architectural framework points this pedestrian in the right direction.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Appreciate Awesome Architecture With These 20 Photos

No passport is needed for this virtual tour of beautiful buildings around the world

As the sun rises over the horizon, the Castle of Rocca Calascio emerges from the peaks of the Abruzzo Apennines.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Explore 15 Captivating, Cool and Classic Castles

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest capture the grandeur of the historic fortresses

Visitors participate in a Forest Temple service in the spiritualist community of Lily Dale, about an hour southwest of Buffalo.

The Tiny New York Town Where Mediums Give Voice to the Dead

Lily Dale is home to about 40 mediums who connect thousands of spiritual seekers with their deceased loved ones

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