At the Smithsonian | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smithsonian-institution/RSS feed for At the SmithsonianenFri, 13 Nov 2026 12:45:00 +0000The National Portrait Gallery Wasn't Allowed to Acquire Photographs When It Opened in 1968. Fifty Years Later, the Smithsonian Museum's Collection Has Grown to 11,000 Photos and Countinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-portrait-gallery-wasnt-allowed-to-acquire-photographs-when-it-opened-in-1968-fifty-years-later-the-smithsonian-museums-collection-has-grown-to-11000-photos-and-counting-180989823/A new exhibition at the Washington, D.C. gallery celebrates half a century of collecting through portraits spanning the history of photography. Featured figures include President Abraham Lincoln, journalist Ida B. Wells and inventor Thomas EdisonFri, 13 Nov 2026 12:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-portrait-gallery-wasnt-allowed-to-acquire-photographs-when-it-opened-in-1968-fifty-years-later-the-smithsonian-museums-collection-has-grown-to-11000-photos-and-counting-180989823/How Do Pandas Have Sex While in Human Care? As the National Zoo’s Director Details in Her New Book, It Takes a Village of Dedicated Keepershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-do-pandas-have-sex-while-in-human-care-as-the-national-zoos-director-details-in-her-new-book-it-takes-a-village-of-dedicated-keepers-180989850/Brandie Smith, who leads the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, has seen more of pandas' private lives than most people ever will. With "In the Company of Pandas," she explores the world of the lovable black-and-white bearsTue, 10 Nov 2026 14:44:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-do-pandas-have-sex-while-in-human-care-as-the-national-zoos-director-details-in-her-new-book-it-takes-a-village-of-dedicated-keepers-180989850/The Panama Canal Has an Unusual Ecosystem, Flowing From Fresh Water to Salt Water and Serving as a Home to Crocodiles, Manatees and Sea Squirts. New Intruders Pose a Growing Threat to the Waterwayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-panama-canal-has-an-unusual-ecosystem-flowing-from-fresh-water-to-salt-water-and-serving-as-a-home-to-crocodiles-manatees-and-sea-squirts-new-intruders-pose-a-growing-threat-to-the-waterway-180989838/The species that occupy this artificial channel are transforming, thanks to a shifting environment and invading marine creatures. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is tracking what happens nextMon, 09 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-panama-canal-has-an-unusual-ecosystem-flowing-from-fresh-water-to-salt-water-and-serving-as-a-home-to-crocodiles-manatees-and-sea-squirts-new-intruders-pose-a-growing-threat-to-the-waterway-180989838/CARE Packages Provided a Lifeline for World War II Survivors. Here’s How the Group Turned Leftover Army Rations Into an 80-Year Legacyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/care-packages-provided-a-lifeline-for-world-war-ii-survivors-heres-how-the-group-turned-leftover-army-rations-into-an-80-year-legacy-180989826/The organization began as the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe, and it became a way for those in need to receive food, clothing and other necessities. It continues to aid people todayFri, 06 Nov 2026 17:30:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/care-packages-provided-a-lifeline-for-world-war-ii-survivors-heres-how-the-group-turned-leftover-army-rations-into-an-80-year-legacy-180989826/What Can Space Offer Humanity? In Pursuit of the Answer, Astronauts Have Been Making a Home in Microgravity for Decadeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-can-space-offer-humanity-in-pursuit-of-the-answer-astronauts-have-been-making-a-home-in-microgravity-for-decades-180989790/In a new gallery called "At Home in Space," the National Air and Space Museum shows how humans have tackled risky and arduous missions to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and explorationFri, 30 Oct 2026 18:05:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-can-space-offer-humanity-in-pursuit-of-the-answer-astronauts-have-been-making-a-home-in-microgravity-for-decades-180989790/For Over Four Years, the Hirshhorn Worked to Revitalize Its Sculpture Garden. Today, It's Home to a 'King and Queen,' a 'Wish Tree' and a 55,000-Pound Vertical Swimming Pool Artworkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/for-over-four-years-the-hirshhorn-worked-to-revitalize-its-sculpture-garden-today-its-home-to-a-king-and-queen-a-wish-tree-and-a-55000-pound-vertical-swimming-pool-artwork-180989784/Newly refreshed by Japanese artist-architect Hiroshi Sugimoto, the sunken garden welcomes National Mall visitors with bronze masterpieces, contemporary stunners and a stage set for creative performancesFri, 30 Oct 2026 15:20:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/for-over-four-years-the-hirshhorn-worked-to-revitalize-its-sculpture-garden-today-its-home-to-a-king-and-queen-a-wish-tree-and-a-55000-pound-vertical-swimming-pool-artwork-180989784/How Do Sea Creatures Survive the Intense Pressure of Living Deep in the Water? And More Questions From Our Readershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-do-sea-creatures-survive-the-intense-pressure-of-living-deep-in-the-water-and-more-questions-from-our-readers-180989636/You’ve got questions. We’ve got expertsTue, 27 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-do-sea-creatures-survive-the-intense-pressure-of-living-deep-in-the-water-and-more-questions-from-our-readers-180989636/A Soldier in Vietnam Recorded His Letter Home Because He Thought It Was Easier Than Writing. It’s a 43-Minute Splice of Historyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/soldier-vietnam-recorded-letter-home-thought-it-was-easier-writing-43-minute-splice-history-180989646/There’s more to Private First Class Frank A. Kowalczyk’s 1969 message than routine updates on his deployment. He poignantly preserved not just his feelings and personality, but a palpable soundtrack of warMon, 26 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/soldier-vietnam-recorded-letter-home-thought-it-was-easier-writing-43-minute-splice-history-180989646/In the New Movie 'Whalefall,' a Cetacean Swallows a Diver Whole. The Sperm Whale's Remarkable Anatomy and Feeding Habits Shape the Survival Thrillerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-new-movie-whalefall-a-cetacean-swallows-a-diver-whole-the-sperm-whales-remarkable-anatomy-and-feeding-habits-shape-the-survival-thriller-180989700/The film, an adaptation of Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel, tells the story of a young man with an extremely challenging task: make it out of a whale’s stomach aliveFri, 16 Oct 2026 17:45:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-new-movie-whalefall-a-cetacean-swallows-a-diver-whole-the-sperm-whales-remarkable-anatomy-and-feeding-habits-shape-the-survival-thriller-180989700/At the Bodega, Customers Can Get Pork Rinds, Plantains and Just About Anything They Need. Here’s How These Stores Became a 'Community Anchor' of Latino Lifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/at-the-bodega-customers-can-get-pork-rinds-plantains-and-just-about-anything-they-need-heres-how-these-stores-became-a-community-anchor-of-latino-life-180989689/For immigrants, bodegas provide daily necessities and cultural connections to the homelands they left behind. The recent book "Bodega Stories" paints a picture of one Florida family’s history working in and operating the storesThu, 15 Oct 2026 19:00:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/at-the-bodega-customers-can-get-pork-rinds-plantains-and-just-about-anything-they-need-heres-how-these-stores-became-a-community-anchor-of-latino-life-180989689/In the 1970s, the U.S. Commissioned Photographers to Document the Country’s People and Places. You Can Now See More Than 200 of the Powerful Imageshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-1970s-the-us-commissioned-photographers-to-document-the-countrys-people-and-places-you-can-now-see-more-than-200-of-the-powerful-images-180989671/At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, a “national portrait” reveals what the United States looked like during its bicentennial periodTue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-1970s-the-us-commissioned-photographers-to-document-the-countrys-people-and-places-you-can-now-see-more-than-200-of-the-powerful-images-180989671/These Five Birds Have Disappeared Forever. Their History Offers a Valuable Lesson for the Futurehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-five-birds-have-disappeared-forever-their-history-offers-a-valuable-lesson-for-the-future-180989616/In an exhibition celebrating the natural history of the United States, a small group of taxidermy birds stands as a reminder of loss—and a symbol of hopeMon, 05 Oct 2026 17:38:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-five-birds-have-disappeared-forever-their-history-offers-a-valuable-lesson-for-the-future-180989616/'The Icebergs' Is One of Frederic Edwin Church's Most Spectacular Paintings. For Decades, No One Knew Where It Washttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-icebergs-is-one-of-frederic-edwin-churchs-most-spectacular-paintings-for-decades-no-one-knew-where-it-was-180989587/In the 1970s, the administrator of a boys' home in England wound up finding the missing 19th-century piece and bringing it back into the spotlightTue, 29 Sep 2026 17:40:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-icebergs-is-one-of-frederic-edwin-churchs-most-spectacular-paintings-for-decades-no-one-knew-where-it-was-180989587/These Small, Stealthy Bats Use High-Frequency Vocalizations to Keep Their Chatter Out of the Range of Predators and Preyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-small-stealthy-bats-use-high-frequency-vocalizations-to-keep-their-chatter-out-of-the-range-of-predators-and-prey-180989550/New research shows that proboscis bats communicate with each other and echolocate at higher frequencies than scientists expected. This could help the animals sneak up to their targets and evade creatures that want to eat themWed, 23 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-small-stealthy-bats-use-high-frequency-vocalizations-to-keep-their-chatter-out-of-the-range-of-predators-and-prey-180989550/For Years, the Smithsonian Strove to Bring the African American History and Culture Museum to the National Mall. Now, It Celebrates a Decade as a Beacon of Understanding, Community and Resiliencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/for-years-the-smithsonian-strove-to-bring-the-african-american-history-and-culture-museum-to-the-national-mall-now-it-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-beacon-of-understanding-community-and-resilience-180989535/The museum lovingly called the "Blacksonian" chronicles the past and present and envisions the future to tell the stories of Black life in AmericaTue, 22 Sep 2026 17:55:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/for-years-the-smithsonian-strove-to-bring-the-african-american-history-and-culture-museum-to-the-national-mall-now-it-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-beacon-of-understanding-community-and-resilience-180989535/Did Thomas Jefferson Father Sally Hemings' Children? After More Than a Decade of Research, the Answer Is Finally Firmly in Handhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/did-thomas-jefferson-father-sally-hemings-children-after-more-than-decade-research-answer-finally-firmly-hand-180989331/A lock of hair, advances in genetic science and a community of descendants all contributed to solving an American mysteryTue, 22 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/did-thomas-jefferson-father-sally-hemings-children-after-more-than-decade-research-answer-finally-firmly-hand-180989331/Active Supermassive Black Holes May Be Engines of Star Formation, Not Just Destruction, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/active-supermassive-black-holes-may-be-engines-of-star-formation-not-just-destruction-study-suggests-180989517/Scientists mapped out the structure of nine bright cores of galaxies located near the Milky Way and revealed common patterns that could shed light on how the universe evolvedMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:26:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/active-supermassive-black-holes-may-be-engines-of-star-formation-not-just-destruction-study-suggests-180989517/