Exhibits | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/exhibits/RSS feed for ExhibitsenThu, 14 May 2026 19:03:48 +0000The National Museum of American History Is Displaying 250 Objects to Commemorate the Country’s Big Birthday. Here’s the Story Behind Ten of the Artifactshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-museum-of-american-history-is-displaying-250-objects-to-commemorate-the-countrys-big-birthday-heres-the-story-behind-ten-of-the-artifacts-180988745/Featuring iconic and everyday items, including a Revolutionary War gunboat and a first-generation iPod, “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness” is open now at the museumThu, 14 May 2026 19:03:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-museum-of-american-history-is-displaying-250-objects-to-commemorate-the-countrys-big-birthday-heres-the-story-behind-ten-of-the-artifacts-180988745/Benjamin Franklin Styled Lady Liberty’s Look in This Medal He Commissioned to Honor American and French Allies in the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/Franklin combined art with diplomacy to create the Libertas Americana. For the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Paris Mint is giving the design a refreshTue, 12 May 2026 16:03:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/The Creator of 'Star Wars' Loves Art That Tells a Story. Peek at the Collection of George Lucas’ New Museum Before It Opens This Fallhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/Adventure, comics, childhood, love and everyday life are among the dozens of themes that will guide the curation of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los AngelesMon, 04 May 2026 20:11:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/Alexander Calder Thought 'It Would Be Fun' to Set Abstract Art in Motion. His Mesmerizing Mobiles Transformed the Definition of Sculpturehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/A new exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris spotlights 300 of the sculptor's groundbreaking kinetic artworks, large-scale public sculptures, paintings, drawings and wire portraitsTue, 28 Apr 2026 16:24:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/Renaissance Art Linked Beauty With Virtue and Ugliness With Vice. See How Painters From Leonardo da Vinci to Botticelli Viewed Physical Attractivenesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renaissance-art-linked-beauty-with-virtue-and-ugliness-with-vice-see-how-painters-from-leonardo-da-vinci-to-botticelli-viewed-physical-attractiveness-180988584/An exhibition in Brussels spotlights 90-plus artworks featuring golden-haired muses, greedy old men and those deemed unattractive simply because they were differentTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:55:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renaissance-art-linked-beauty-with-virtue-and-ugliness-with-vice-see-how-painters-from-leonardo-da-vinci-to-botticelli-viewed-physical-attractiveness-180988584/The Spice Girls Changed Pop Forever in 1996. Thirty Years Later, Their Iconic Outfits Are on Display in a New Exhibition in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spice-girls-changed-pop-forever-in-1996-thirty-years-later-their-iconic-outfits-are-on-display-in-a-new-exhibition-in-london-180988569/The Barbican Music Library is celebrating British pop culture with a show that features Mel B's leopard catsuit, Emma Bunton's blue dress and Geri Halliwell's Union Jack bootsMon, 20 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spice-girls-changed-pop-forever-in-1996-thirty-years-later-their-iconic-outfits-are-on-display-in-a-new-exhibition-in-london-180988569/The National Gallery of Art Holds an Artistic Mirror Up to the United States for Its Big 250th Birthdayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/In celebration of the semiquincentennial this year, "Dear America" looks at the country's land, communities and revolutionary history through artworks dating back to the late 18th centuryTue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/This Punjabi Princess Fought for Women's Suffrage and Sheltered Refugees During World War II. A Goddaughter of Queen Victoria, She Rejected British Imperialismhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-punjabi-princess-fought-for-womens-suffrage-and-sheltered-refugees-during-world-war-ii-a-goddaughter-of-queen-victoria-she-rejected-british-imperialism-180988491/A new exhibition at Kensington Palace tells the riveting story of Sophia Duleep Singh, daughter of the last maharaja of the Sikh EmpireThu, 09 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-punjabi-princess-fought-for-womens-suffrage-and-sheltered-refugees-during-world-war-ii-a-goddaughter-of-queen-victoria-she-rejected-british-imperialism-180988491/Can Frida Kahlo Leave Mexico? Plans to Relocate a Trove of Paintings by the Famous Artist Spark a Heated Debatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-frida-kahlo-leave-mexico-plans-to-relocate-a-trove-of-paintings-by-the-famous-artist-spark-heated-debate-180988506/Nearly 400 cultural heritage professionals signed an open letter protesting plans to move a collection featuring artworks by the renowned Mexican painter out of her home countryWed, 08 Apr 2026 16:11:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-frida-kahlo-leave-mexico-plans-to-relocate-a-trove-of-paintings-by-the-famous-artist-spark-heated-debate-180988506/See a Colorful Wall of Vintage iMacs and a Re-creation of Steve Jobs' Garage at a New Apple Museum in the Netherlandshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/The tech world changed forever when two college dropouts founded Apple on April 1, 1976. Fifty years later, a museum dedicated to the company's history and evolution has opened in the city of UtrechtMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/A Truck Driver Spent 20 Years Making This Astonishing Scale Model of Every Single Building in New York Cityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/The 1,350-square-foot model is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York, where visitors can use binoculars to see tiny replicas of all five boroughsWed, 01 Apr 2026 17:45:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/These Long-Lost Photos of the Chelsea Hotel Reveal Intimate Portraits of Its Bohemian Residents—From Patti Smith to Bob Dylanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/Photographer Albert Scopin documented the countercultural hub at its peak in the mid-20th century. Now, the recovered photos are the subject of a new book and exhibition celebrating the New York City landmarkMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:10:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/Willem de Kooning Didn't Get His Big Break Until His 40s. See the Stunning Abstract Paintings That First Captivated Audienceshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/willem-de-kooning-didnt-get-his-big-break-until-his-40s-see-the-stunning-abstract-paintings-that-first-captivated-audiences-180988397/Artworks that showcase the painter's early foray into Abstract Expressionism are now on view at the Princeton University Art MuseumMon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/willem-de-kooning-didnt-get-his-big-break-until-his-40s-see-the-stunning-abstract-paintings-that-first-captivated-audiences-180988397/'The Sopranos' Changed How Television Told Stories. These Scripts, Sketches and Set Designs Reveal What Made the Mob Drama So Thrillinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-sopranos-changed-how-television-told-stories-these-scripts-sketches-and-set-designs-reveal-what-made-the-mob-drama-so-thrilling-180988432/An exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York provides visitors with a behind-the-scenes look at the award-winning HBO showFri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-sopranos-changed-how-television-told-stories-these-scripts-sketches-and-set-designs-reveal-what-made-the-mob-drama-so-thrilling-180988432/This Spellbinding Exhibition Explores How Ancient Cultures Used Magic to Navigate Life's Challengeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/The Toledo Museum of Art is showcasing a treasure trove of masks, amulets, spellbooks and gems dating to between 2000 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/These Historic Snuffboxes Associated With 18th-Century Monarchs Were Stolen in a Shocking Heist. Now, They're Back on Public Displayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-historic-snuffboxes-associated-with-18th-century-monarchs-were-stolen-in-a-shocking-heist-now-theyre-back-on-public-display-180988366/In 2024, thieves made away with the intricately decorated boxes, which had been on display in Paris. Two of the boxes, which were later recovered, are now on view at the Victoria & Albert Museum in LondonMon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-historic-snuffboxes-associated-with-18th-century-monarchs-were-stolen-in-a-shocking-heist-now-theyre-back-on-public-display-180988366/