Articles tagged as Tourism | Smithsonian Magazine

Leave nothing but footprints

May 16, 2016

Visitors to the American Gothic House Center are encouraged to play the part of the famous pair from the painting.

Grab Your Pitchfork and Take an “American Gothic”-Themed Road Trip

A drive through eastern Iowa is the best way to appreciate one of the country’s most famous images

April 28, 2016

Switzerland

Switzerland’s Most Beautiful Alpine Gardens

The best place to see Switzerland’s stunning flora is high up in the mountains

April 4, 2016

The Peacekeeper missile was the most powerful weapon in the U.S. military's arsenal until its decommissioning in 2005. This photo is of a test launch in California in 1983.

Wyoming Is Turning a Former Cold War Nuclear Missile Site Into a Tourist Attraction

The U.S. Air Force is working to recreate a Cold War stronghold

February 8, 2016

Repairing a set of 115-year-old bridges may require shutting off the rush of water that usually flows over the falls

January 26, 2016

Centurions drink from a fountain near Rome's Coliseum during a heat wave in summer 2014. A recent announcement that centurion reenactors will be banned from the Coliseum during 2016 has led to protests and public outcry.

Trending Today

Rome Just Banned Centurions

Officials stir up controversy by kicking impersonators out of the Colosseum

November 30, 2015

An estimated 1,000,000 pieces of chewing gum are stuck to the quirky attraction

November 6, 2015

Jennie Grossinger gets a kiss from her celebrity friends Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher

The Woman Who Built the Waldorf of the Catskills

Despite her humble origins, Jennie Grossinger learned to play the role of hostess

November 2, 2015

In July, the Caribbean had about 12,300 square miles of sargassum floating around—enough to blanket Maryland.

Mountains of seaweed are blanketing beaches around the Caribbean Sea and the government is calling everyone to arms

November 2, 2015

Eco-tourists snorkeling with fish in a Brazilian river

New Research

Does Ecotourism Hurt or Help?

When critters get used to tourists, they may be less aware of both predators and poachers

October 14, 2015

The Andean cock-of-the-rock display is known for its unique mating behavior and is a favorite of birders.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

Why Birdwatchers Flock to Ecuador

Home to the highest density of bird species per acre on Earth, the country is a birder’s paradise

September 2, 2015

The 21st Century Life List: 25 Great New Places to See

Something for the scientist, the history buff, the artist and the thrill-seeker

September 2015

The Skylodge with the sun peeking over the mountains.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

Sleep With the Condors at This Peruvian Hotel Hanging Off a Cliff

The cliffside Skylodge hotel dangles 1,300 feet above the ground

August 7, 2015

You Can Still Stay a Night at These Grand Hotels From the Gilded Age

Those that survive today are a testament to Old World luxury

July 17, 2015

Cool Finds

Culinary Diplomacy: Why Governments Are Starting Food Trends

Promoting your country’s food is becoming a trendy tactic for nations looking to raise their profile (and tourist revenue)

April 28, 2015

Monarch Butterflies, Sierra Chincua Butterfly Sanctuary, Angangueo, Michoacan, Mexico

Where to See Thousands of Monarch Butterflies

The species is being reviewed for potential addition to the Endangered Species list. Can tourism help save the butterfly?

January 22, 2015

A shrine marking London's Cross Bones Graveyard.

Halloween

The London Graveyard That’s Become a Memorial for the City’s Seedier Past

Thousands of bodies from London’s first red light district are buried beneath a lot in the South Bank, an area under massive redevelopment

October 21, 2014

A corridor leading to the infectious disease ward at Ellis Island's defunct hospital.

Cool Finds

Ellis Island Is Opening an Abandoned Hospital to the Public for the First Time in 60 Years

There are 29 abandoned buildings in all, several of which visitors can explore

October 16, 2014

A photo of a whale shark, taken by a visitor during a Ceviche Tour swim in Isla Mujeres.

Shark Week

Save the Sharks By Swimming With Them

Ecotourism is helping promote shark conservation around the world—while also boosting local economies.

August 14, 2014

Cool Finds

An Abandoned Mall in Bangkok Has Turned into a Gigantic Fish Habitat

Though if it weren’t for the fish, the mall would be overrun with mosquitoes

July 16, 2014