American History

The Smithsonian’s examination of the Civil War at its 150th anniversary continues with a new exhibit of 3-D photography at the Castle.

Civil War Photography Gets 3-D Treatment in New Exhibit at the Castle

Battlefields come to life using the stereoview technology developed on the eve of the Civil War

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Who Really Has Six Percent Body Fat Anyway?

Paul Ryan shouldn't be ashamed of his body fat, it's probably lower than the average male, but it's definitely not six percent

No question is too small or too big for our nation’s curators.

Ask a Curator Day Brings the Experts to You

On September 19, experts from around the world, including the Smithsonian, will be waiting for your questions

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What’s the Deal With the NFL’s Replacement Referees?

Here's what you need to know about how and why the NFL has turned to replacement referees during contract negotiations

This weekend families can help create saw-dust carpets, a 400-year-old tradition in Guatemala, where everyone lends a hand to create colorful works of art.

¡It’s Dia de la Familia at American History!

Joann Stevens from the American History Museum looks to Saturday's grooving festivities, marking a month of programming for Hispanic Heritage Month

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Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ Nails the President’s Surprising, High Voice

For his new movie role as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Day-Lewis obviously did his homework

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Your Fridge Is the Most Important Invention in the History of Food

The Royal Society has decided that of all the things we've invented surrounding food, the refrigerator is the most important

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Remembering When JFK Sent Us to the Moon

President Kennedy bolstered American support for his mission to the Moon with a speech at Rice University in 1962

Fashion Week kicked off September 6, but here at the Smithsonian, it’s always Fashion Week.

Fashion Week at the Smithsonian

From Franklin to Seinfeld, Monroe to Obama, America's fashionable past lives at the American History Museum

100 years ago, this would have been the only car fast enough to drive on Texas’ new highway.

100 Years Ago, Henry Ford Would Have Been The Only Driver on Texas’ New 85 MPH Highway

Texas' new highway will have a speed limit of 85 mph

Curators Larry Bird and Harry Rubenstein on the convention floor in Charlotte.

Follow the American History Curators at the Democratic National Convention

We catch up once again with the curatorial dynamic duo of Larry Bird and Harry Rubenstein

Even More Evidence That Football Causes Brain Injury

A new study found football players were nearly four times more likely to have died from Alzheimer's disease or Lou Gehrig's disease

Happy 100th Birthday to John Cage, Who Made a Lot of People Angry

Sixty years ago, John Cage put on a performance of a piece called 4'33" or "four minutes, thirty-three seconds." Today would have been his birthday

Cold War–Era Science Shows Beer Will Survive a Nuclear Apocalypse

In 1955, scientists dropped nukes on beer and soda to see how they held up

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Slept Through Physics? Maybe It Doesn’t Matter

Does sleeping through physics - or math class for that matter - really make a difference to your life?

A celebratory Silent Spring float

Crazy Lies Haters Threw at Rachel Carson

Silent Spring turns 50 this month, but Rachel Carson's ecological game-changer was not always the beloved green bible it is today

Composer John Cage would have been 100 this year and his legacy lives on during a centennial celebration.

Events September 4-6: Quilting Guilds, John Cage at 100 and Stitch Sessions

This week, learn from a quilting guild, celebrate composer John Cage's avant-garde legacy and stitch a little

Labor day parade, 1882

Labor Day’s Secret Society Connections

Add Labor Day to the vaulted hall of things concocted by secret societies, alongside Madonna's Superbowl performance and Pancho Villa's stolen skull

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Tracking Walmart’s Breakneck Expansion Across the U.S.

From humble beginnings in 1962, today the Walmart empire includes 8,500 stores in 15 countries, with 3,898 proudly hosted on U.S. soil

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Thomas Edison a.k.a. The Movie Mogul Who Started LOLcats

Lightbulbs are nice, but it was Edison's kinetoscope 115 years ago today that brought us Hollywood and boxing cats

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