Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

History

None

America's 250th Anniversary

At a Bold Meeting 250 Years Ago, the Continental Congress Set America in Motion

While far less famous than the coalition that met in 1775, this group of founders found agreement in their disagreements and laid the groundwork for a revolution

The Destruction of the Bastille, Étienne-Louis-Denis Cathala, 1789

Drawing of the Bastille Cherished by George Washington Goes to Auction

The artwork was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, who also included the fortress’ key

To save it from collapse, crews will conduct extensive renovations at William Blake's cottage in West Sussex.

William Blake’s Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museum

The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepair

Self portrait, Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, 1917

A New Exhibition in Amsterdam Explores the Holocaust Through Looted Objects

“Looted” examines how the Nazis systematically plundered Jewish cultural items during World War II

The Oak Ridge observation tower was one of the vandalized sites at the Pennsylvania park.

Vandals Spray-Painted Graffiti on Historic Structures at Gettysburg National Military Park

Police have identified a suspect, and preservationists have removed “all traces” of paint

Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by nature when he designed Price Tower's glass windows and green exterior.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper Is Heading to Auction

Price Tower is one of three Oklahoma buildings designed by the renowned American architect

John Lewis thanks anti-gun violence advocates on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017.

Statue of Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Replaces Confederate Monument in Georgia

The 12-foot-tall bronze artwork depicts the former congressman with his hands over his heart

The bangles were found in a field where archaeologists have made other Viking-era finds.

Cool Finds

Archaeology Student Discovers Trove of Silver Viking Age Armbands in Denmark

The bangles, which date to around 800 C.E., are now on display at the Moesgaard Museum

Along with stretches of cobblestone path, researchers found pottery and Roman coins.

Cool Finds

A Roman Road Was Hiding Beneath a Primary School Playing Field in England

The 2,000-year-old cobbled pathway was likely built after the Romans invaded Britain in the first century C.E.

The medieval archway was buried beneath layers of plaster and brick.

Cool Finds

Historic Theater Discovers 15th-Century Doorway That May Have Led to a Dressing Room

Some experts speculate that Shakespeare could have used the room to change costume during performances in the late 16th century

Another rare example of Alan Turing's handwritten notes, which went to auction in 2015

British Government Places Export Ban on Alan Turing’s World War II-Era Notebooks

The mathematician took careful notes while working on a portable voice encryption system in the mid-1940s

The rooftop addition has a hotel, restaurants and thousands of plants.

Germany Turns Former Nazi Bunker Into a Leisure Complex

Built as an air raid shelter in the 1940s, the massive structure now houses a hotel, restaurants and a rooftop park with lush greenery

A case in the Green Vault's jewel room

Dazzling Jewels Stolen in Green Vault Heist Go Back on Display in Dresden

In the early morning hours of November 25, 2019, thieves made away with 4,300 valuable diamonds and other stones

The London Fire Brigade responded to a blaze that began on Somerset House's roof.

Firefighters Extinguish Blaze at London’s Somerset House

The palatial complex’s historic artworks sustained no damage from the fire that broke out on August 17

The colorful mosaic depicts brightly colored dolphins and fish.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Stumble Upon a 2,000-Year-Old Dolphin Mosaic in England

The Roman-era artwork was likely preserved thanks to a remodeling project in the third or fourth century C.E.

Andreane Rellou is an actor and filmmaker who saw the photos at the museum and took it upon herself to identify the two women.

Cool Finds

Amateur Sleuth Identifies the Mystery Women in a Museum’s Fabergé Frames

The portraits were on display at a museum in England, where staffers had been wondering about the two subjects for years

The ancient complex was unearthed in Corinth, Greece.

New Research

Ancient Prisoners Carved Graffiti Into the Floors of a Roman-Era Prison

An archaeologist has identified vengeful inscriptions etched into a 1,600-year-old prison in Greece

The Altar Stone lies at the center of the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.

New Research

Stonehenge’s Massive Central Stone May Have Been Shipped From Hundreds of Miles Away

Researchers think they’ve solved the mystery of the monument’s Altar Stone, which could have traveled all the way from Scotland

One of the ancient victims recently unearthed at Pompeii

Archaeologists Unearth Two More Vesuvius Victims at Pompeii

Recent excavations provide a glimpse into the choices a man and woman made in their final moments

Jackie Robinson was the first Black athlete to play in modern Major League Baseball.

A Youth League’s Stolen Jackie Robinson Statue Has Been Replaced

The original statue of the pioneering baseball player vanished from a ballpark in Wichita, Kansas, earlier this year

Page 38 of 128