Shipwrecks | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/shipwrecks/RSS feed for ShipwrecksenFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000An Underwater Robot Explores the Hidden 'Shipwreck City' Beneath the Surface of This Popular Urban Lake in the Pacific Northwesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers are exploring a long-overlooked piece of Seattle’s maritime historyFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/This Sailor From the Franklin Expedition Died in the Arctic in a Uniform That Didn't Belong to Him. Now, DNA Has Revealed His Identityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/New research has identified four members of the doomed 1845 search for the Northwest Passage, including the owner of a paper-stuffed wallet that has long mystified historiansFri, 08 May 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/Divers Discover the Shipwreck of a World War I-Era Coast Guard Cutter, Which Vanished With 131 Sailors on Board in 1918https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/The wreckage of the "Tampa," which was torpedoed by a German submarine, was found 50 miles off the coast of Cornwall, England. The disaster was the largest single American naval combat loss of life during the warThu, 07 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/Here's What Underwater Robots Are Finding at France's Deepest Shipwreck, a 16th-Century Merchant Vessel Resting at the Bottom of the Mediterraneanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/Known as the "Camarat 4," the ship was loaded with cannons, cauldrons and hundreds of ceramics—which are still visible on the seafloor. Researchers are surveying the site and carefully recovering a small selection of artifactsThu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/In a Graveyard of Shipwrecks Between Europe and Africa, Archaeologists Discovered Vessels Doomed Over Thousands of Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/The "harbor" of the Strait of Gibraltar is the final resting place for shipwrecks from ancient Rome, the medieval era and World War II, according to a new archaeological surveyFri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/The Titanic Carried 3,500 Life Jackets, but Almost All of Them Have Been Lost to History. This One Just Sold at Auction for Nearly $1 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/The artifact belonged to first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli, a secretary heading to Chicago with her employer. It's the only life vest connected to a survivor of the 1912 shipwreck to ever appear at auctionMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:11:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/Pirate Shipwreck Off the Coast of Cape Cod Sets the Historical Record Straight on West African Goldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/Europeans spread rumors about degraded gold from their Akan trade partners. A new analysis of artifacts from the "Whydah Gally" shipwreck tells a different storyMon, 20 Apr 2026 17:03:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/A Sudden Squall Doomed This Stone-Hauling Vessel in Lake Erie. More Than 150 Years Later, Divers Just Found the Shipwreckhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/The "Clough," a 125-foot-long bark, sank in September 1868 near Cleveland, with just one crew member surviving to explain what had happenedThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:35:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/The 'Antilla' Shipwreck Tells the Story of When World War II Came to Arubahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-antilla-shipwreck-tells-the-story-of-when-world-war-II-came-to-Aruba-180988529/Tourists can learn about this history by snorkeling over the wreck of the German ship in shallow waters just off the island’s coastTue, 14 Apr 2026 12:54:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-antilla-shipwreck-tells-the-story-of-when-world-war-II-came-to-Aruba-180988529/See the 2,000-Year-Old Ancient Roman Cargo From an Accidental Shipwreck Discovered at the Bottom of a Lake in Switzerlandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/Divers recovered weapons, tools, pieces of horse-drawn chariots, ceramic plates, platters and goblets. One archaeologist surmises that the loss would have been "immense" at the timeWed, 08 Apr 2026 14:31:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/This Danish Warship Exploded in Battle 225 Years Ago. Now, Archaeologists Are Racing to Recover Its Artifactshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/The destruction of the "Dannebroge" was documented in art and history books. Now, thanks to a museum's excavations, archaeologists can study the wreck up close for the first timeTue, 07 Apr 2026 11:16:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/The Titanic's Wealthiest Victim Was Carrying a Gold Pocket Watch When He Died. Now, It Could Sell for $500,000 at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/John Jacob Astor IV was returning from his honeymoon with his wife, who survived the 1912 disaster. His pocket watch and gold pencil case are going up for sale this monthFri, 03 Apr 2026 16:57:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/