Untold Stories of American History
A Confederate Raider Fired the Final Shots of the Civil War in the Arctic, Two and a Half Months After Robert E. Lee Surrendered
The CSS “Shenandoah” only learned of the Confederacy’s defeat in the summer of 1865. That June, the cruiser’s crew sank 24 American merchant vessels, unaware that the conflict had already ended
Explore the History of the Planet With David Attenborough at This New Immersive Experience in London
“Our Story With David Attenborough” at the Natural History Museum is a 50-minute program that explores humankind’s role in the planet’s ongoing story
This Long-Lost Landscape Painted by a Teenage J.M.W. Turner Was Found Hiding in Plain Sight
Showcasing the Romantic artist’s early innovations with oil paint, “The Rising Squall” could fetch up to $400,000. Before it was reattributed, it sold for just $506 at auction last year
Manet Cut This Painting in Half 150 Years Ago. Now, the Two Sides Are Back Together for a Rare Reunion
The two resulting artworks, “At the Café” and “Corner of a Café-Concert,” both bear witness to vibrant social scenes from 19th-century Paris
Pocket Watch Recovered From Lake Michigan’s Deadliest Shipwreck Returns to Owner’s Hometown After 165 Years
The timepiece belonged to Herbert Ingram, a British journalist and politician who died when the “Lady Elgin” sank in 1860. His watch was recovered from the bottom of the lake in 1992
You Can Now Visit the Small House Where Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë Were Born
The newly renovated Brontë Birthplace in Bradford, England, was the three sisters’ home until 1820, when the family moved to a nearby parsonage
This Bewildering Byzantine Bucket Stumped Archaeologists for Decades. Now, They’ve Finally Discovered Its Purpose
Fragments of the bucket were first found at England’s Sutton Hoo burial site in 1986. New research has revealed that the 1,500-year-old artifact was probably used as a cremation vessel
Harvard Bought This Stained Copy of the Magna Carta for $27.50. It Turned Out to Be an Original
Issued by Edward I in 1300, this version of the historic text is one of only seven known surviving copies. It’s been hiding in plain sight in Harvard Law School’s library since 1946
The Shipwrecks From John Franklin’s Doomed Arctic Expedition Were Exactly Where the Inuit Said They Would Be
In May 1845, 129 British officers and crew members set out in search of the Northwest Passage on HMS “Erebus” and HMS “Terror.” None returned
You Can Now Watch the Long-Lost Thomas the Tank Engine Pilot Episode for the First Time Ever
Created in 1983, the five-minute episode introduced the signature elements of “Thomas & Friends,” including Ringo Starr’s soothing narration and hand-crafted model trains. But for decades, it collected dust in the archives
You Can Buy Novelist Charles Dickens’ Personal Travel Writing Desk and Silverware Set
The ornate desk features a silver plaque with a personal inscription that references the English writer’s family nickname, “Venerables”
Two Men Convicted of Chopping Down England’s Beloved Sycamore Gap Tree in an Act of ‘Mindless Thuggery’
After five hours of deliberation, jurors found Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham guilty of criminal damage for felling the iconic tree that stood near Hadrian’s Wall
Who Created This Peculiar Painting of a Drooling Dragon? Nobody Knows—but a Museum Just Bought It for $20 Million
Painted around 1510, the mysterious altarpiece by an unknown artist features unusual details, including a slobbering dragon and an angel playing the mouth harp
London Zoo Discovers Hundreds of Old Film Reels Featuring ‘Zoo Oddities’ and Animal Celebrities
Zoo officials are looking for experts to help preserve and digitize the decaying film canisters, which date to between the 1960s and 1990s
Official Paintings From Charles III’s World Tours Are Going on Public Display for the First Time
Over 40 years, artists have accompanied Charles on his travels to 95 countries with only one directive: Paint whatever interests them
Man Who ‘Always Fancied’ Owning a Shipwreck Buys One on Facebook Marketplace for $400
Hobbyist diver Dom Robinson jumped at the chance to purchase the S.S. “Almond Branch,” a cargo ship that’s been resting 190 feet beneath the surface of the English Channel since World War I
See the Newly Renovated Castle Howard, Made Famous by ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Brideshead Revisited’
After the house suffered extensive fire damage in 1940, generations of the Howard family have faithfully restored parts of the mansion to its 18th-century glory
Bite Marks on Ancient Skeleton Reveal First Physical Evidence of Roman Gladiators Fighting Lions
Researchers compared the markings found on an ancient skeleton in England to bones that had been chewed on by cheetahs, lions, tigers and leopards in present-day zoos
See the Forgotten Paintings Made by Jane Austen’s Older Sister, Cassandra
A new exhibition at the Jane Austen House in England includes six artworks that are going on public display for the first time
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
See 15 Serene Scenes of the English Countryside
Quaint centuries-old villages dot the rural landscapes of the United Kingdom
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