The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2025
From a barbecue capital in Texas to the site of the first offensive victory for American forces in the Revolutionary War in New York, these spots are worthy of a visit this year
1,800-Year-Old Horse Buried With Grave Goods Suggests Deep Bond Between a Roman Soldier and His Steed
Archaeologists were preparing for the construction of a new housing development when they found more than 100 equine skeletons dating to the second century C.E.
Paul Revere Wasn’t the Only Midnight Rider Who Dashed Through the Darkness to Warn the Patriots That the British Were Coming
Revere, who was later immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem, was one of many riders who rode through the countryside, spreading the alarm on April 18, 1775
Discover the Short Life and Long Legacy of Casimir Pulaski, a Polish Cavalry Officer Who Became an American Revolutionary Hero
On the first Monday in March, Pulaski Day festivities at Chicago’s Polish Museum of America honored the “Father of American Cavalry,” 280 years after his birth
This 120-Year-Old Police Docket Documented Crimes Like Reckless Horse Riding
Discovered in a thrift store, the historic docket lists incidents that occurred in the town of Casper, Wyoming, in 1904—including “reckless riding [of a horse]” and “keeping a house of prostitution”
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
These 15 Majestic Photos Show Just Why Humans Adore Horses
To commemorate the National Day of the Horse, see herds of equine images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest
Archaeologists Say They’ve Solved the Mystery of a Lead Coffin Discovered Beneath Notre-Dame
New research suggests the sarcophagus’ occupant, previously known only as “the horseman,” is Joachim du Bellay, a French Renaissance poet who died in 1560
See Images of New Yorkers and Their Pets Across Three Centuries
An upcoming exhibition will trace the history of the city’s domesticated dogs, cats, horses and other animals
See 15 Photos of Real-Life Cowboys and Cowgirls Wrangling Cattle and Riding Bucking Broncos
Giddyap and get a look at these stunning selections from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest
Northern Europe and the British Isles
The Festival Where Scotland’s Violent History Comes Back to Life
Every year in the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders, one of Europe’s largest equestrian events commemorates a lawless time that shaped the region’s identity
Is There a Viking Ship Burial Underneath This Norwegian Farm?
Archaeologists have uncovered around 70 iron rivets that may have once held together a boat belonging to a king
This Pathbreaking South African Horseman Hands a New Generation the Reins
In Soweto, an unlikely champion offers lessons in riding and in life
Endangered Wild Horses Return to Kazakhstan for the First Time in at Least 200 Years
The international effort, led by the Prague Zoo, released seven Przewalski’s horses to their native steppe habitat in central Asia
The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024
From a bluegrass capital in Virginia to a laid-back surf town in Hawaii, these spots are beckoning to tourists this year
When Did Humans Domesticate Horses? Scientists Find Modern Lineage Has Origins 4,200 Years Ago
A new study suggests people in the Eurasian steppe bred horses around 2200 B.C.E., challenging earlier ideas about the beginnings of horse husbandry
These 28 Horses Were Buried in an Ancient Mass Grave. How Did They Die?
Archaeologists are puzzled by the 2,000-year-old burial site uncovered in central France
Men’s Shirts Button on the Right. Why Do Women’s Button on the Left?
Nobody knows for sure, but plausible theories include swords, servants and saddles
These Ancient Skeletons Are Not Entwined Lovers, But a Daughter Embracing Her Mother
New research found that the two women, who were buried in Austria atop a horse, were first-degree relatives who died some 1,800 years ago
Four Zebras Escape From Trailer on Washington State Highway—One Is Still on the Loose
The animals ran around residential areas before community members—including a former rodeo bullfighter—helped corral three of them
Untold Stories of American History
Why Debutantes Volunteered to Be Horse-Riding Couriers in Rural Kentucky
Between the 1920s and 1940s, wealthy young women signed up to run errands and carry messages for the Frontier Nursing Service, whose nurse-midwives provided care to patients in hard-to-reach areas
Page 1 of 6