June 2004
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
Treasure Trove
Our first ever photo contest yields a rich and various bounty
The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872
How a Kentucky grifter and his partner pulled off one of the era's most spectacular scams -- until a dedicated man of science exposed their scheme
Saving the Raja's Horse
British horsewoman Francesca Kelly brings India's fiery Marwari to the United States in hopes of reviving the breed
Salem Sets Sail
After the Revolutionary War, ships from a little Massachusetts seaport brought the new nation wares from China and the mysterious East
Can Great Coffee Save the Jungle?
Persuaded that guilt alone won't get Americans to pay more for environmentally friendly coffee, importers give farmers the tools to grow better beans
The Wizard of Odd
Illusionist Ricky Jay, a keeper of magic's secrets, conjures up a dirty deal in TV's "Deadwood"
Journey to the Seven Wonders
Though only one of the ancient marvels still stands, they still engage our imagination—and launch a thousand tours—more than two millennia later
Departments
Off the Beaten Track
During a civil rights march in 1965, photographer Bruce Davidson left the highway to focus on a single Alabama sharecropper and her nine children
Magical Mystery Tour
In 1964 a psychedelic placard heralded the arrival of counterculture guru Ken Kesey and his entourage to America's cities
A Bumpy Road to Mars
The president envisions a future human mission to Mars, but medical researchers say surviving the journey is no spacewalk
Hear Here
Record your life story at a studio in New York City's Grand Central Terminal. You may just make history
A Love Letter Set to Music
The night a teenager met the girl of his dreams 50 years ago, the stars were bright above
Tons of Talent
Picking the winner of our first photo contest required a bit of heavy lifting
Pizza Park
Sure, the new Kids' Farm at the National Zoo will be educational, but a giant rubber pizza and a "caring corral" will make it also a place for fun