Museums | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/museums/RSS feed for MuseumsenWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:01:03 +0000She Painted the First Known Self-Portrait of an Artist at Work—and Signed It—Nearly 500 Years Ago. Who Was Catharina van Hemessen?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/she-painted-first-known-self-portrait-an-artist-at-work-and-signed-it-nearly-500-years-ago-who-was-catharina-van-hemessen-180989724/Few women worked as professional artists in the 16th century. A new exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium, seeks to restore this Flemish painter to the pantheon of art history giantsWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:01:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/she-painted-first-known-self-portrait-an-artist-at-work-and-signed-it-nearly-500-years-ago-who-was-catharina-van-hemessen-180989724/Rembrandt Turned Ancient Myths Into 'Supremely Human' Works of Art. An Upcoming Exhibition Traces the Inspiration He Took From Antiquityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-turned-ancient-myths-into-supremely-human-works-of-art-an-upcoming-exhibition-traces-the-inspiration-he-took-from-antiquity-180989705/"Rembrandt and the Ancients" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will unpack an "underexplored but vital" part of the Dutch master's career, putting his paintings and drawings in conversation with the antecedents that inspired themFri, 16 Oct 2026 20:16:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-turned-ancient-myths-into-supremely-human-works-of-art-an-upcoming-exhibition-traces-the-inspiration-he-took-from-antiquity-180989705/Madrid's Renewed and Expanded Sorolla Museum Lets the Paintings of the Spanish 'Master of Light' Re-emerge Into Public Viewhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/madrids-renewed-and-expanded-sorolla-museum-lets-the-paintings-of-the-spanish-master-of-light-reemerge-into-public-view-180989701/Dedicated to the works of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, the museum is centered around his historic home and studio. The first phase of its yearslong renovation is complete, featuring expanded exhibition spacesFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:01:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/madrids-renewed-and-expanded-sorolla-museum-lets-the-paintings-of-the-spanish-master-of-light-reemerge-into-public-view-180989701/On an Island Outside Paris, a Sprawling Contemporary Arts Center Aptly Called 'Large' Prepares to Open Its Doorshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-an-island-outside-paris-a-sprawling-contemporary-arts-center-aptly-called-large-prepares-to-open-its-doors-180989690/The landmark institution’s first exhibition pays homage to a historic Renault automobile plant that once operated on the Île Seguin in the Seine River. "The project called for a great deal of perseverance," one official saysThu, 15 Oct 2026 20:19:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-an-island-outside-paris-a-sprawling-contemporary-arts-center-aptly-called-large-prepares-to-open-its-doors-180989690/Two Recently Stolen Renoir Paintings Were Found Hidden Behind a Cinderblock Wall. French Police Used DNA Evidence and Vehicle Tracking to Crack the Casehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-recently-stolen-renoir-paintings-were-found-hidden-behind-a-cinderblock-wall-french-police-used-dna-evidence-and-vehicle-tracking-to-crack-the-case-180989678/The bungled heist took place at the Renoir Museum on the French Riviera in September. French authorities made six arrests and believe they prevented another "imminent" theft, possibly at a nearby modern art museumWed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-recently-stolen-renoir-paintings-were-found-hidden-behind-a-cinderblock-wall-french-police-used-dna-evidence-and-vehicle-tracking-to-crack-the-case-180989678/Mourners Placed an Ancient Sippy Cup in a Roman Toddler's Grave. It May Have Been Meant to Sustain the Child on the Journey to the Afterlifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/Fragments of the spouted cup, known as a "tettina," were unearthed in England over a decade ago. It has recently been restored and put on display for the first timeTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:44:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/With the Help of Family Wealth and Instagram, Gen Z Is Spending Big in the Art Markethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-the-help-of-family-wealth-and-instagram-gen-z-is-spending-big-in-the-art-market-180989664/According to a new survey, high-net-worth 20-somethings are emerging as the most active members of the global art trade, outspending other generations by wide margins. Their habits are changing how the art world worksTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:19:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-the-help-of-family-wealth-and-instagram-gen-z-is-spending-big-in-the-art-market-180989664/A Digital Swamp Coming to New York City’s MoMA Is 'Made to Envelop You' in Nature With the Help of Cutting-Edge Technologyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-digital-swamp-coming-to-new-york-citys-moma-is-made-to-envelop-you-in-nature-with-the-help-of-cutting-edge-technology-180989652/"Wetland" is the latest installation of a high-tech traveling exhibition designed by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen. It recreates the overlooked ecosystem with the help of folklore, soundscapes and video game softwareFri, 09 Oct 2026 20:39:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-digital-swamp-coming-to-new-york-citys-moma-is-made-to-envelop-you-in-nature-with-the-help-of-cutting-edge-technology-180989652/Thieves Pulled Off Another Shocking Art Heist in France. This Time, They Took a 330-Pound Bronze Book Cover Designed by Salvador Dalíhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-pulled-off-another-shocking-art-heist-in-france-this-time-they-took-a-330-pound-bronze-book-cover-designed-by-salvador-dali-180989638/The volume, "Livre de l’Apocalypse," was a "masterpiece" collaboration of 14 artists and writers. It is one of the heaviest and most expensive books ever madeThu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-pulled-off-another-shocking-art-heist-in-france-this-time-they-took-a-330-pound-bronze-book-cover-designed-by-salvador-dali-180989638/Dozens of Curious Artworks Created With Woven Strands of Human Hair Come to New York’s Morbid Anatomy Libraryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dozens-of-curious-artworks-created-with-woven-strands-of-human-hair-come-to-new-yorks-morbid-anatomy-library-180989577/So-called hairworks were popularized during the Victorian era as a means of grieving the deceasedFri, 02 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dozens-of-curious-artworks-created-with-woven-strands-of-human-hair-come-to-new-yorks-morbid-anatomy-library-180989577/A New Exhibition Spotlights 4,500 Years of Broken, Shot-Up and Degraded Artworks to Explore the ‘Power of the Fragment’https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-spotlights-4500-years-of-broken-shot-up-and-degraded-artworks-to-explore-the-power-of-the-fragment-180989602/The show, on view in Florence and coming to D.C. next year, examines the history and impact of destroyed sculptures throughout time and across culturesFri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-spotlights-4500-years-of-broken-shot-up-and-degraded-artworks-to-explore-the-power-of-the-fragment-180989602/The Milwaukee Art Museum Just Returned Two Ceramics Made by Enslaved Potter David Drake to His Descendantshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-milwaukee-art-museum-just-returned-two-ceramics-made-by-enslaved-potter-david-drake-to-his-descendants-180989586/The two vessels, one of them a signed 1855 jar, are the latest to be reinstituted to Drake’s family, who are on a mission to acquire the works of their ancestorTue, 29 Sep 2026 18:07:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-milwaukee-art-museum-just-returned-two-ceramics-made-by-enslaved-potter-david-drake-to-his-descendants-180989586/The Humble History of the Bedpanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-humble-history-of-the-bedpan-180989560/Over the past few centuries, inventors have tweaked the design of the receptacles here and there, but overall, not much has changed about the dependable medical supplyThu, 24 Sep 2026 19:04:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-humble-history-of-the-bedpan-180989560/This Cubist Painting With a Mysterious Provenance Hung in the Art Institute of Chicago for Decades. Now, the Museum Will Return It to Its Rightful Jewish Heirshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/Infrared imaging links the 20th-century Jean Metzinger work to a collector whose pieces were forcibly auctioned under Nazi orders during World War IIWed, 23 Sep 2026 20:18:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/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/A Rare Aztec Codex Detailing the Rise and Fall of Tenochtitlan Returns to Mexico for the First Time in Nearly Two Centurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/The artifact, among the most prized visual accounts of Aztec history, will be on display in Mexico City for three monthsMon, 21 Sep 2026 19:34:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a New Endeavor From the Creator of 'Star Wars,' Is a Story in Itselfhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-lucas-museum-of-narrative-art-a-new-endeavor-from-the-creator-of-star-wars-is-a-story-in-itself-180989533/Almost two decades in the making, the institution centers on art that shapes our everyday lives and reveals the craft behind itMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:31:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-lucas-museum-of-narrative-art-a-new-endeavor-from-the-creator-of-star-wars-is-a-story-in-itself-180989533/The Founders of the 'New York Times' Pledged to Cover 'Every Subject of Public Importance.' 175 Years Later, the Paper Continues to Publish 'All the News That's Fit to Print'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-founders-of-the-new-york-times-pledged-to-cover-every-subject-of-public-importance-175-years-later-the-paper-continues-to-publish-all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print-180989512/Much has changed since the publication debuted on September 18, 1851. What hasn't changed, staff members say, is the paper's missionFri, 18 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-founders-of-the-new-york-times-pledged-to-cover-every-subject-of-public-importance-175-years-later-the-paper-continues-to-publish-all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print-180989512/Mysteriously Stolen More Than 30 Years Ago, and Illicitly Transported to the U.S., This 300-Pound Sculpture Is Finally Back Home in Francehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysteriously-stolen-more-than-30-years-ago-and-illicitly-transported-to-the-us-this-300-pound-sculpture-is-finally-back-home-in-france-180989507/Alfred Lepère’s hulking “Faune Chasseur” artwork is once again on display at the Musée de Picardie, in AmiensWed, 16 Sep 2026 15:03:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysteriously-stolen-more-than-30-years-ago-and-illicitly-transported-to-the-us-this-300-pound-sculpture-is-finally-back-home-in-france-180989507/What If Emmett Till Had Lived? A New Exhibition Imagines an Alternate Future for the Murdered Black Teenagerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-if-emmett-till-had-lived-a-new-exhibition-imagines-an-alternate-future-for-the-murdered-black-teenager-180989498/Featuring photographs by more than 110 artists, the show honors Till’s memory by inviting viewers to contemplate the person he might have become had he made it to adulthoodTue, 15 Sep 2026 16:01:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-if-emmett-till-had-lived-a-new-exhibition-imagines-an-alternate-future-for-the-murdered-black-teenager-180989498/Montana Built a $107 Million Museum. Its Smallest Room Says a Lot About the Thought That Went Into Designing the Spacehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/montana-built-a-107-million-museum-its-smallest-room-says-a-lot-about-the-thought-that-went-into-designing-the-space-180989453/The Montana Heritage Center in Helena has a smudge room. It is open to the public and teaches non-Native visitors why a room dedicated to the burning of cleansing materials, a practice of many Indigenous cultures, is neededMon, 14 Sep 2026 16:51:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/montana-built-a-107-million-museum-its-smallest-room-says-a-lot-about-the-thought-that-went-into-designing-the-space-180989453/In the Aftermath of 9/11, Milton Glaser, Creator of the 'I Love NY' Logo, Declared That He Loved New York City 'More Than Ever'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-aftermath-of-911-milton-glaser-creator-of-the-i-love-ny-logo-declared-that-he-loved-new-york-city-more-than-ever-180989475/The graphic designer revamped his world-famous emblem in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The updated design underscored the city's resilience in the face of tragedyFri, 11 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-aftermath-of-911-milton-glaser-creator-of-the-i-love-ny-logo-declared-that-he-loved-new-york-city-more-than-ever-180989475/The Tip of This Snake's Tail Looks Like a Spider. But Inside, Its Bones Are 'Bizarrely Normal'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tip-of-this-snakes-tail-looks-like-a-spider-but-inside-its-bones-are-bizarrely-normal-180989478/High-tech scans reveal the first detailed look at the internal anatomy of the spider-tailed horned viper. The findings shed light on little-known snake vertebrae and highlight the difficulty of predicting what an animal looks like from its skeletonThu, 10 Sep 2026 16:06:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tip-of-this-snakes-tail-looks-like-a-spider-but-inside-its-bones-are-bizarrely-normal-180989478/Thieves Broke Into a French Museum and Made Off With Renoir Paintings Worth More Than $2.5 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-broke-into-a-french-museum-and-made-off-with-renoir-paintings-worth-more-than-25-million-180989462/Early today, burglars stole four artworks from the Renoir Museum, in the French Riviera, only to drop two of them as they escapedTue, 08 Sep 2026 19:21:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-broke-into-a-french-museum-and-made-off-with-renoir-paintings-worth-more-than-25-million-180989462/Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III Announces Retirement as Head of the Smithsonian After 38 Years of Service to the Institutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/secretary-lonnie-bunch-announces-retirement-head-smithsonian-38-years-service-institution-180989460/With a storied career dating back to the 1970s, Bunch leaves a remarkable legacy, most notably the founding of the National Museum of African American History and CultureTue, 08 Sep 2026 16:18:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/secretary-lonnie-bunch-announces-retirement-head-smithsonian-38-years-service-institution-180989460/A New Museum in Norway Is Bringing Visitors Into the World of Whales—From Life-Size Orcas to Immersive Underwater Exhibitshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/Opening in 2027, The Whale will explore the science, behavior, evolution and cultural history of whales through art, storytelling, sound and architectureMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:57:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/Thieves Steal 3,000-Year-Old Treasure in a 'Super-Professional' Museum Heist That Took Only Four Minuteshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/Officials were shaken after dozens of ancient artifacts vanished from the local archaeological museum in Villena, Spain. The thieves left only a few pieces from the Bronze Age treasure behindMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:11:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/Freddie Mercury's Boundary-Pushing Costumes Take Center Stage at the Victoria and Albert Museum to Mark the 80th Anniversary of His Birthhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/freddie-mercurys-boundary-pushing-costumes-take-center-stage-at-victoria-and-albert-museum-to-mark-80th-anniversary-his-birth-180989403/Eight ensembles from the Queen frontman's career will be displayed across six stops in the London museum's permanent galleries, offering a glimpse into the clothes behind his legendary stage personaThu, 27 Aug 2026 14:34:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/freddie-mercurys-boundary-pushing-costumes-take-center-stage-at-victoria-and-albert-museum-to-mark-80th-anniversary-his-birth-180989403/Closed to the Public Since WWII, a ‘Hidden’ Gallery at London’s Natural History Museum Opens Its Doors Once Againhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/closed-to-public-since-wwii-hidden-gallery-at-london-natural-history-museum-opens-doors-once-again-180989380/Animal skeletons, Neolithic tools and pop culture memorabilia are among the dozens of objects to be displayed in the reopened “Nature and Us” exhibitionMon, 24 Aug 2026 17:18:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/closed-to-public-since-wwii-hidden-gallery-at-london-natural-history-museum-opens-doors-once-again-180989380/Stunning Antiquities and Frida Kahlo’s Home Are Just Some of the Offerings That Have Bolstered Mexico City’s Fantastic Array of Museumshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/frida-kahlo-home-stunning-antiquities-just-some-offerings-bolstered-mexico-citys-fantastic-museums-180989293/The ancient capital has plenty of artwork and fossils, if that’s what you like. Or tour the writing rooms of a Nobel winner, the fortified home of an exiled Russian revolutionary and towers of skullsMon, 24 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/frida-kahlo-home-stunning-antiquities-just-some-offerings-bolstered-mexico-citys-fantastic-museums-180989293/