April 2013
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
The 20 Best Small Towns in America
From the blues to the big top, we’ve picked the most intriguing small towns to enjoy arts and smarts - beginning with the deeply moving (and surprisingly entertaining) site of the pivotal Civil War battle
Gettysburg, PA
Historian Tony Horwitz travels to the Civil War battlefield and finds that even where time is frozen, it’s undergone welcome changes
Kon-Tiki Sails Again
A new film recreates the epic voyage—and revives the controversy over its legendary leader
Birthplace of the American Vacation
First in crude tents and later in elaborate resorts, city dwellers took to the Adirondacks to explore the joys of the wilderness
Into the Okavang Delta
The joys—and dangers—of discovering Africa on the back of an elephant
“In the Sistine Chapel”
A new poem by Scott Brennan
Up and Away
In the 1930s, the legendary DC-3 persuaded Americans to take to the skies
Burning Man
With ethereal artworks traced in flames and gunpowder, Cai Guo-Qiang is making a big bang
Flights of Fancy
How the golden era of air travel lured playwright David Mamet into the world of memorabilia
The Secret of Dirt
At the Finnish-Russian border, scientists investigate a medical mystery
Departments
On the Front Lines
Photos reveal life on the world's borders
Playlist
Caffeinated Rhythm
Books
Michael Pollan on the joys of fermentation. Plus: World War II up close, amazing tales of ingestion and a sympathetic look at autism
Fast Forward
The Flying Submarine