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This summer, Smithsonian reporters took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Freer Gallery and shot exclusive photographs of the building in its preparatory state.

Take an Exclusive Sneak Peek Inside the Renovated Freer Gallery, Reopening in October

Charles Lang Freer gifted this meditative haven for art lovers to the nation and was James McNeill Whistler’s friend and patron

Aurora Australis seen over Lake Dunstan, New Zealand.

Ask Smithsonian 2017

The Best Places to See the Southern Lights

The aurora australis is the southern cousin to the northern lights

Highly social, narwhals travel in pods, often broken off by sex, and communicate via complex vocalizations that seem to be specific to their herds.

Does the Narwhal’s Majestic Tusk Have a Point?

A Connecticut dentist, turned curator of a new exhibition, has long worked to solve the secrets of the whale’s characteristic horn

This Breathtaking Landscape Is Canada’s Newest Protected Area

The park includes a spectacular beach described in sagas that chronicle Viking explorations of the Canadian coast

Armenia

Unraveling the Mystery of the “Armenian Stonehenge”

Amelia Ceja is breaking boundaries at Ceja Vineyards, which was founded by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja.

Food, Glorious Food

¡Salud! to the Mexican-American Wine Revolution

Ceja Vineyards breathes new life into Napa Valley’s wine industry

Cenote Ik-Kil, Tinúm Municipality, Yucatán, Mexico

Dive Into Five of the World’s Deepest Freshwater Swimming Holes

Take the plunge into some interesting geology

A "flukeprint" is a patch of calm water on the surface created when a whale flaps its tail as it cruises along just out of sight.

How to Spot a Hidden Whale

Just as a hunter leaves a trail in the snow, a whale forms prints on the water’s surface

NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia.

Eight of the World’s Best Destinations for Stargazing

Where to find the clearest, darkest skies – from Pennsylvania to the Canary Islands

Webster's Waterfall is just one of more than 150 waterfalls located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Just 50 Miles From Niagara Falls Lies the True Waterfall Capital of the World

Niagara Falls has nothing on Hamilton, a Canadian city with more than 150 waterfalls

The preserved whale heart weighs approximately 400 pounds.

Canada

The Painstaking Process of Preserving a 400-Pound Blue Whale Heart

This massive specimen is now on display in Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum

Over 60,000 Plants Bloom Inside the World’s Largest Orchid Garden

Step inside Singapore’s National Orchid Garden, a collection that includes 600 newly created hybrid species

The Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal.

Canada

This Bridge Transforms Data on Weather, Traffic and Twitter Rants into a Beautiful Light Display

The Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal lights up the skyline with the mood of the city

The Mars Rover Concept Vehicle was created as a traveling exhibit to inspire future space explorers.

A Vehicle Like This Will One Day Go to Mars

For now, the prototype rover—part tank, part Batmobile—is destined for Washington, D.C.

One of the Boys by Stacy L. Pearsall, 2007

Six Artists Record the Vestiges of War in the Faces of Combatants

A look at a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, “The Face of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to Now”

Tabula Peutingeriana.

Where to See Some of the World’s Oldest and Most Interesting Maps

Chart humanity’s course through history with these antique navigational tools

Robots Will Lead Passengers to Their Gate at Seoul’s Airport

An earthship seems to rise out of the high plains at the foot of the mountains near Taos, New Mexico.

These Otherworldly “Earthships” Offer Visitors Unusual, Off-the-Grid Accommodations

Spend the night in an art house built from garbage

Jane Austen's brother, Edward, inherited this grand Palladian-style home from the wealthy relatives who raised him.

Take a Stroll Through Jane Austen’s England With This Interactive Map

A look at the houses and towns that shaped the life and writing of the famed author on the 200th anniversary of her death

A crowd gathers in the "Bird Migration" exhibit at the Steinhardt Museum during the inauguration event.

The Middle East Is a Treasure Trove of Natural Wonders. Now It Has a Museum to Show Them Off

Everything from early human skulls to priceless taxidermy relics will be on display in the ark-shaped museum

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