January 2012
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
EVOTOURISM: Because It's Time for Travel to Evolve
Journey through the history of life from the Jurassic Coast to the Cradle of Humankind
Family Reunion
Kangaroo Island, Australia
Beautifully Adapted
Foraminifera Sculpture Park, China
Fight for Survival
Isle Royale, Michigan
Whales Walked Here
Wadi Hitan, Egypt
Discovering Human Ancestors
The Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
Darwin's Laboratory
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
In the Aftermath
Mount St. Helens, Washington
Extinction Beach
Jurassic Coast, England
Deciphering Heredity
Mendel's Garden, Czech Republic
Evolution Museum
Questions for Cristián Samper, director of Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Prehistoric Horses
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, Nebraska
An Eye for Genius
It's easy to see the value of a Picasso painting now. But would you have bought one in 1905, before the artist was known? Gertrude Stein and brother Leo did, and they bought Matisse and Cezanne, too, hosting salons and amassing a collection that would help shape the course of modern art.
Catalyzing Modern Art
Like the Steins, other collectors and patrons influenced 20th-century art by supporting new genres and unheralded artists
Annie Leibovitz's American Pilgrimage
In a new book and exhibition, the esteemed photographer pursues a passion for history and lets us see familiar icons in a fresh light
God, Government and Roger Williams' Big Idea
Banished from Massachusetts, the Puritan minister originated a principle that remains contentious to this day—separation of church and state
Departments
Going Places
Whether as a tourist, an outcast or a pilgrim, traveling is discovering
Wild Things: Killer Whales, Spiders and Woodpeckers
Yellow saddle goatfish, mastodon ribs and more in this month’s summary of wildlife news
Way of the Wolverine
Once reviled as an "inveterate thief" the furtive, sometimes fierce creature is making a comeback in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State
Keeping it Weird
Even though it's the state capital, the city still works hard to be quirky
Judy Blume
The children's book author speaks about her career and what it means to write a "banned book"