The Death And Rebirth of the American Mall
Malls are dying—but a dead mall gives a community the chance to rebuild something that might have been doomed to begin with
Stark Photographs of America the Beautiful, Forever Altered by Man and Nature
Victoria Sambunaris’s new photography book, Taxonomy of a Landscape, goes beyond the amber waves of grain to catalogue what’s on America’s horizon
The American Dream Doesn’t Mean the Same Thing to White People And Minorities
While many see the American Dream including a home, not everybody thinks about that home the same way
Smithsonian Best Small Towns 2014
The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014
From country music to herbal cocktails to horseshoe crabs to Rodin, our third annual list takes you to cultural gems worth mining
The Tooth Fairy Is a Very Recent, Very American Creation
The tooth fairy first appeared around the turn of the 20th century
The Tacky History of the Pink Flamingo
From its start in Massachusetts, of all places, to its inspiration of a John Waters film, the lawn ornament has some staying power
A Life Devoted to the American Diner
With a career spent chronicling the best of American diners, curator Richard Gutman knows what makes a great greasy spoon
Courage at the Greensboro Lunch Counter
On February 1, four college students sat down to request lunch service at a North Carolina Woolworth’s and ignited a struggle
Lincoln’s Pocket Watch Reveals Long-Hidden Message
The Smithsonian opens one of its prized artifacts and a story unfolds
Gettysburg Address Displayed at Smithsonian
Lincoln’s timeless speech during the Civil War endures as a national treasure
Star-Spangled Banner Back on Display
After a decade’s conservation, the flag that inspired the National Anthem returns to its place of honor on the National Mall
American Idol
Once upon a time, Miss America reigned supreme
Salem Sets Sail
After the Revolutionary War, ships from a little Massachusetts seaport brought the new nation wares from China and the mysterious East
Magical Mystery Tour
In 1964 a psychedelic placard heralded the arrival of counterculture guru Ken Kesey and his entourage to America’s cities
Capitol Discovery
Senate staffers come across a historic treasure in a dusty storage room
Macho in Miniature
For nearly 40 years, G.I. Joe has been on America’s front lines in toy boxes from coast to coast
Old House, New Home
For 200 years in Ipswich, it sheltered all manner of Americans; now it informs and delights them
Hell’s Bells
The 19th-century trolley bell may have ding-ding-dinged, but the factory bell clanged the workday
Washington Slept Here
A look at the first president’s “best bed” leads to a recollection of the real man and his exemplary life
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