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Latest Features

Iani smithi

SCIENCE

New Beaked Dinosaur Species Found in Utah

Participants in a YWCA camp for girls in Highland Beach, Maryland, in 1930

HISTORY

When Private Beaches Served as a Refuge for the Chesapeake Bay's Black Elite

Bush fires rage through Canberra, Australia, on January 18, 2003.

SCIENCE

The World’s First Wildfire Tornado Blazed a Path of Destruction Through Australia

Public swimming at Clift Park in Skaneateles, New York

TRAVEL

The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2023

“Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings” is on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (above: A grouping of bronze and ceramic wine cups and warmers that date to 1100-1150 B.C.E.) 

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

A U.S.-China Collaboration a Century Ago Helped Find Riches of a Lost Civilization

Costin may have been the child of Martha Washington’s son from her first marriage, John “Jacky” Parke Custis, and an enslaved woman.

HISTORY

Did Martha Washington Have a Black Grandson?

The Canary Islands are a hotspot for critically endangered angelsharks (Squatina squatina), perhaps lured by the artificial beaches that provide safe havens for juveniles.

TRAVEL

This Engineered Beach Is Good for Endangered Sharks and Tourists

When 72-year-old Boucher gave his age as 48 to an army doctor, the man smiled and said, “And then some, like myself.”

HISTORY

The 72-Year-Old Who Lied About His Age to Fight in World War I

Current Issue

Smithsonian magazine June 2023 issue cover

Most Popular

1.

Smart News

Why Was Benjamin Franklin’s Basement Filled With Skeletons?

Repairs on Franklin's old London house turned up 1,200 pieces of bone from at least 15 people

2.

Smart News

Rare Wolverine Spotted in California—the Second in 101 Years

The elusive creatures disappeared from the Golden State in 1922

3.

Smart News

How Can I Make a Reservation to Go Through Security?

Denver and Minneapolis are the latest airports to roll out the service—just in time for the busy summer travel season

4.

Smart News

Woman Finds Mastodon Tooth on California Beach

The photos she shared set off a search for the fossil, which she had left behind. Now, scientists have the tooth, just the third of its kind found locally

5.

Smart News

Freed of 1,000 Years of Grime, Anglo-Saxon Cross Emerges in Stunning Detail

Conservation revealed the artifact, discovered with Scotland's Galloway Hoard, as an example of intricate Viking-era metalwork

Smithsonian Voices
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Trotting Out the Best for a 19th Century Horse Sale

National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Oh, Baby! Meet Some of the Zoo's Newest Arrivals

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

Celebrating Pride: LGBTQ+ Artists to Know

Smithsonian Associates

Hokusai’s Career in Prints and More Programs in June

Earth Optimism

Meet Some Small Creatures That Have Big Impacts on Our Ecosystems

National Museum of American History

MUM’s the Word: Milestone Menstruation Collection Chronicles Women’s Health

See All

Special Report
None

The Future of Mental Health

Smithsonian magazine brings you stories about the latest advancements in treatments and understanding of mental illness

View Full Report

Featured Stories

Beginning in Mid-July, Dial 988 for the Mental Health Hotline

Should Parents Worry About New Research Linking Kids’ Mental Health and Individual Sports?

Kids as Young as Eight Years Old Should Be Screened for Anxiety, Task Force Says

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Smithsonian Channel

Preview thumbnail for video 'A Baby Seal's First Solo Venture Into the Water

A Baby Seal's First Solo Venture Into the Water

Play
Preview thumbnail for video 'A Rare Pair of Chicks for the Exotic and Endangered Takahe

A Rare Pair of Chicks for the Exotic and Endangered Takahe

Preview thumbnail for video 'Unfathomable Cruelty at the Heart of Hitler’s Russian Invasion

Unfathomable Cruelty at the Heart of Hitler’s Russian Invasion

Photo of the day

This shot was taken on the slopes of Mount Elbrus, the highest point of the European continent. The stratovolcano is located next to the Main Caucasian Range and is an attraction for many travelers from across the world. Three Mountain Heroes

History

Participants in a YWCA camp for girls in Highland Beach, Maryland, in 1930

When Private Beaches Served as a Refuge for the Chesapeake Bay's Black Elite

During the Jim Crow era, working-class Washingtonians' recreation options were far more limited—and dangerous

Costin may have been the child of Martha Washington’s son from her first marriage, John “Jacky” Parke Custis, and an enslaved woman.

Did Martha Washington Have a Black Grandson?

When 72-year-old Boucher gave his age as 48 to an army doctor, the man smiled and said, “And then some, like myself.”

The 72-Year-Old Who Lied About His Age to Fight in World War I

Science

Sassafras leaves begin to grow. Both 19th-century Ohio farmer Thomas Mikesell and current Ohio State University ecologist Kellen Calinger-Yoak recorded important details about the plant.

What a 19th-Century Farmer’s Forgotten Notes Reveal About Growing Seasons

The documents provide evidence of climate change's effect on hardwood trees in Ohio

At the time it was signed, the Montreal Protocol was seen as a good thing for the planet. A new study shows it was even better than anyone first realized.

By Fighting the Ozone Hole, We Helped Curb Climate Change

In an open woodland, Morotopithecus bishopi climbs a tree with an infant on its back and a juvenile below.

Early Apes Lived on Savannas, Not in Forests

Innovation

Range anxiety is still a major hurdle for prospective EV buyers.

What Will It Take to Charge Electric Vehicles Faster?

To get more EVs on the road, these scientists are working to charge a car in the same time that it takes to fuel up at a gas station

Turkish world-record-holding free-diver Sahika Ercumen swims amid plastic waste on June 27, 2020, to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Scientists Discover Microbes That Could Revolutionize Plastic Recycling

By recording activity of specific neurons in the brain, researchers aim to pick up signals of intended speech.

The Brain-Computer Interfaces That Could Give Locked-In Patients a Voice

Arts & Culture

Rosalind Franklin's work was vital to the discovery of the structure of DNA, but her role went largely unrecognized at the time. 

New Musical Spotlights Rosalind Franklin's DNA Discoveries

"Double Helix," a fictionalized account of Franklin's groundbreaking work, premieres this week

A publicity photo of Carrie Fisher wearing Princess Leia's white gown from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was on display when the late actress was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May. 

You Can Now Buy Princess Leia's White Gown From 'Star Wars'

This seascape, originally thought to be the work of John Constable, will be featured in the new exhibition.

Every Piece in This Exhibition Is a Fake

Travel

Public swimming at Clift Park in Skaneateles, New York

The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2023

From an ultramarathon capital in the Rockies to a laid-back village in the Florida Keys, these vibrant towns are calling your name

The Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Light is one of ten lighthouses the U.S. government is giving away this year.

The U.S. Is Giving Away Lighthouses for Free

A mural of Bob Dylan by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra is on display in downtown Minneapolis.

Follow Bob Dylan's Footsteps Through Minnesota and New York

At the Smithsonian

Participants in a YWCA camp for girls in Highland Beach, Maryland, in 1930

When Private Beaches Served as a Refuge for the Chesapeake Bay's Black Elite

During the Jim Crow era, working-class Washingtonians' recreation options were far more limited—and dangerous

“Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings” is on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (above: A grouping of bronze and ceramic wine cups and warmers that date to 1100-1150 B.C.E.) 

A U.S.-China Collaboration a Century Ago Helped Find Riches of a Lost Civilization

At the Mosul Cultural Museum, the Lion of Nimrud is being carefully restored (above: the cuneiform text on the figure is realigned and rejoined) as world organizations lend support to restore a city that has long stood at the heart of Western civilization.

Mosul Cultural Museum to Reopen in 2026