Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Hobbies

The American woodcock has been migrating through the New York City area for, probably, millennia. But in recent years, the bird’s fame has skyrocketed.

These Rotund and ‘Charmingly Goofy’ Birds Are Delighting New Yorkers and Dancing on Social Media. What Is the American Woodcock?

The endearing animals make a pit stop in Bryant Park during their migrations to northern breeding grounds, gathering fans and starring in viral videos

Snowdrops can push through snow and icy ground to bloom in winter, bringing their blossoms to the largely dormant landscape.

How a Small Winter Flower Has Attracted Droves of Admirers—and Offers a Symbol of Resilience

The snowdrop, or Galanthus, blooms when the world is still frozen. Gardeners enamored with the plant gather each year in Pennsylvania to celebrate its subtleties and endurance

Look up throughout the year to catch a wide array of astronomical sights.

Don’t Miss These Ten Celestial Events in 2026, From Aligned Planets to a Total Solar Eclipse

The upcoming year will offer a blood-red moon, spectacular meteor showers and the first glimpse of the sun’s corona since April 2024

Common cuckoos are medium-size birds typically found in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Rare, Out-of-Place Cuckoo Sends Birders Flocking to Long Island in Hopes of a Once-in-a-Lifetime Sighting

The common cuckoo spends most of the year in Europe and Asia but migrates to Africa for the winter

Ian and Stuart Paton pose with their world record pumpkin, nicknamed Muggle. The pumpkin weighs 2,819.3 pounds.

The Giant Pumpkin World Record Just Crept Closer to 3,000 Pounds. Here’s How Science, Sweat and ‘Soul Crush’ Keep Growers Reaching for the Heaviest Fruit Possible

Twin brothers in the United Kingdom grew the biggest pumpkin ever documented, tipping the scales at 2,819.3 pounds

A close-up of a kelp gull in its native habitat in Chile. This is not the individual bird seen in Wisconsin.

Southern Hemisphere Gull Seen in Wisconsin for the First Time, Drawing Tourists for a Rare Glimpse of the Out-of-Place Bird

The vagrant kelp gull mated with a local herring gull, though the chick did not survive. Experts say it’s a “complete mystery” how the bird came to nest so far north in the first place

The driver likely erred while making a sharp turn, setting millions of bees free.

14 Million Honeybees Escaped From an Overturned Truck in Washington State. Local Beekeepers Helped Corral Them

Most of the bees have now been recovered, and the road is open to the public again

McDonnell's "Sinai Sour" (not pictured) is similar to a gose, a German beer style with a tart, slightly salty taste.

This Man Brewed Beer Using 3,000-Year-Old Yeast and a Recipe From an Ancient Egyptian Papyrus

Utah homebrewer Dylan McDonnell created his ‘Sinai Sour’ in his backyard

The northern lights appear near Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada, on May 11, 2024.

Missed the Auroras in May? Here’s How to See Them Next Time

Three veteran aurora chasers and a NASA scientist share everything you need to know to check these dazzling displays off your bucket list

The Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as M51), located 31 million light-years from Earth, is a particularly radiant object seen during the Messier marathon. This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope—skywatchers looking through a backyard telescope or binoculars would see the galaxy in far less detail.

What It Takes to Complete the Ultimate Skywatching Endurance Challenge

The “Messier marathon” prompts space hobbyists to spot 110 celestial objects in one night, and the best time to try it is in March

Images of human figures are visible in the Bronze Age paintings.

Cool Finds

Eagle-Eyed Hiker Spots Bronze Age Rock Paintings in Norway

Tormod Fjeld and two friends have spent years searching for traces of rock art in their free time

Clockwise from top left, caps worn by: Chris Lindsay of the Detroit Tigers during the 1906 season; Ila Borders, the first woman to pitch in an NCAA or NAIA game; Christy Mathewson (1880-1925), history and date unknown; Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees; Dennis Eckersley of the Oakland Athletics when he logged his 300th career save in 1995; Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves, 1972-73. (Richard Gary / National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

How the Baseball Cap Went From Athletic Gear to Fashion Statement

A tip of the cap to the nation’s crowning accessory

Jack Yoast, Ambler, Pennsylvania

Eight Elaborate Christmas Displays Across America—and the People Behind Them

In her new book, photographer Danelle Manthey captures a distinct type of American folk art: Christmas light decoration

The online market is flooded with coveted books, toys and antiques.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Avid Collectors Find Joy in Their Prized Possessions

At home with their collectibles, many people are expanding, shrinking or reorganizing their treasure troves

The supermoon in March, called a Worm Moon, was the first of three supermoons in a row.

April’s Super ‘Pink’ Moon Will Be the Brightest Full Moon of 2020

Despite the name, moon won’t have a rosy hue. The name alludes to flowers that bloom in April

Playing an Instrument Won’t Make Your Kid Smarter

Music can, however, boost children’s creativity and teach them important life skills such as discipline and concentration—but so can other hobbies

This past June, racers, ages 8 to 17, took part in the 70th running of the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

The History of Soap Box Derby

For nearly 80 years, kids have steered their gravity-powered racers toward a coveted national championship

The surf is always up at this "way cool" California museum, which celebrates the sport and its legends.

The California Surf Museum

Learn about the evolution of the surfboard from 1912 through 2008 in this small gallery in Oceanside, California

Alaska—from Denali to the stuffed bear on an Anchorage street, "plays havoc with your senses and turns everyday logic on its head," Pico Iyer decided.

Alaska’s Great Wide Open

A land of silvery light and astonishing peaks, the country’s largest state perpetuates the belief that anything is possible

Volunteers prepare to place the Onrust into the Hudson River.

Setting Sail on the Hudson River 400 Years Later

Using 17th century techniques, volunteers built a replica of Henry Hudson’s vessel in honor of the anniversary of his exploration

Page 1 of 2