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Latest Features

Bao Li, a 2-year-old male panda, is the son of Bao Bao, who was born at the Zoo in 2013.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.

Acorns cover the forest floor.

SCIENCE

Why Do Trees Drop So Many Seeds One Year, and Then Hardly Any the Next?

Calvin Coolidge poses with Native American leaders on the White House lawn in 1925.

HISTORY

A Century Ago, This Law Underscored the Promises and Pitfalls of Native American Citizenship

Wedge-tailed shearwaters surprised scientists by showing up after rats were eradicated on Tromelin Island—a place, in the Indian Ocean, where the seabirds hadn’t been documented breeding before.

SCIENCE

After Rats Were Eradicated From This Small Island, Seabirds Thrived

A sea turtle enters the waters of the Galápagos Islands to join divers who are exploring its home.

SCIENCE

Celebrate World Turtle Day With 15 Photographs of the Delightful Reptiles

The 1892 People's Grocery murders are “what opened my eyes to what lynching really was,” Ida B. Wells later wrote.

HISTORY

How the Murder of a Black Grocery Store Owner and His Colleagues Galvanized Ida B. Wells' Anti-Lynching Crusade

A composite image of Jupiter, taken by the Juno spacecraft

SCIENCE

The Seven Most Amazing Discoveries We’ve Made by Exploring Jupiter

The Travelers’ Tour Through the United States featured a map of the then-24 states.

HISTORY

What America's First Board Game Tells Us About the Aspirations of a Young Nation

Current Issue

Smithsonian magazine April/May 2024 issue cover

Most Popular

1.

Smart News

Letters Written by Ancient Roman Commanders Have Been Found in a Pet Cemetery in Egypt

Discovered among the graves of hundreds of cats, dogs and monkeys, the correspondence was likely written by centurions in the first century

2.

Smart News

Save the Birds By Embarrassing Your Cat

Outfitting cats in colorful collars may be one key to preventing them from effectively preying on birds and other small animals

3.

History

Well-Preserved, 30,000-Year-Old Baby Woolly Mammoth Emerges From Yukon Permafrost

The mummified creature is helping to heal the rift between the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in people and the miners and scientists who came to their lands

4.

Science

After Rats Were Eradicated From This Small Island, Seabirds Thrived

Tromelin Island became a safe place for birds once the invasive mammals were eliminated

5.

Smart News

Cleaning Crew Discovers One of the World's Oldest Surviving Desktop Computers

The 1972 Q1 microcomputer could fetch $60,000 at auction

Smithsonian Voices
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Smarter Foragers Do Not Forage Smarter

National Air and Space Museum

Why the SR-71 Blackbird Never Gets Old

National Air and Space Museum

For 20 years, Robots Have Inhabited Mars. What Keeps Them Humming?

Smithsonian Books

How the Language of Presidents and First Ladies Shapes the Country

National Museum of the American Indian

The Quapaw Treaty Was Honored for Only Six Years Before the United States Broke It

Smithsonian Education

Smithsonian Hosts an Education Conference Unlike Any Other This Summer

See All

Special Report
Lofoten Islands, Norway

Northern Europe and the British Isles

Explore the region's history, culture and natural wonders

View Full Report

Featured Stories

The English Farmers Who Harvest Rhubarb by Candlelight

Hoyma Is Bringing Music Home in the Faroe Islands

Get an Eyeful of Iceland in These 15 Photos That Capture Its Natural Beauty

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Ten Fun Facts About Jellyfish

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Preview thumbnail for video 'The Ultimate Skywatching Guide for Every Season

The Ultimate Skywatching Guide for Every Season

Preview thumbnail for video 'The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Winter

The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Winter

Photo of the day

After feasting on a recent kill two cubs wander over to their resting mother. Where they take time to show their affection. While shooting this pride I was really able to see and document the bonds that are shared between pride members. I was drawn to this photo as it showed these bonds but also showed the constant awareness lions have of their surroundings. While these cubs might be having a relaxing moment they are still acutely aware of our presence. A Mother and Her Cubs

History

Calvin Coolidge poses with Native American leaders on the White House lawn in 1925.

A Century Ago, This Law Underscored the Promises and Pitfalls of Native American Citizenship

The 1924 Indian Citizenship Act sought to assimilate Native people into white society. But the legislation, signed by President Calvin Coolidge, fell short

The set of 20 Fabergé carvings is worth an estimated $1.2 million. 

Miniature Fabergé Animals That Enchanted the Romanovs and Other Royals Are Up for Sale

Archaeologists have been studying the pet cemetery since it was first discovered in 2011.

Letters Written by Ancient Roman Commanders Have Been Found in a Pet Cemetery in Egypt

Science

A composite image of Jupiter, taken by the Juno spacecraft

The Seven Most Amazing Discoveries We’ve Made by Exploring Jupiter

The giant planet is a world of extremes

Rangers clear deceased birds from Staple Island in England, where avian flu had a devastating effect on a seabird colony.

Four Important Questions About Bird Flu, Answered

Wedge-tailed shearwaters surprised scientists by showing up after rats were eradicated on Tromelin Island—a place, in the Indian Ocean, where the seabirds hadn’t been documented breeding before.

After Rats Were Eradicated From This Small Island, Seabirds Thrived

Innovation

A Spectra Physics Model A supermarket scanner—one of the first ten ever produced. A laser within the unit projects a beam onto a mirror that redirects it through the glass plate on the top.

The Supermarket Scanner Changed the Way We Buy Groceries Forever

Invented 50 years ago, the curious box deciphered an arcane kind of code to offer shoppers a trip into the future

A protein-DNA interaction, modeled by AlphaFold 3.

Google Releases A.I. That Can Predict How the Human Body's Molecules Behave, Boosting Drug Discovery Research

This 2014 acrylic painting by Taralee Guild captures the glistening promise of a 1960s Airstream at Pismo Beach, California.

How the Airstream Hit the Open Road

Arts & Culture

American video artist Brian Fridge created a five-billboard series in Dallas called View Finder that portrayed a solar eclipse.

The Long History of Art Inspired by Solar Eclipses

For centuries, curious artists have been trying to make sense of the celestial event

An oak peacock moth lands on a window behind dancing wedding guests, illuminated in red light. This photograph won the category for butterflies and dragonflies.

See 11 Winning Images From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Awards

The latest winner of a Japanese literary prize said she used ChatGPT to write parts of her novel.

ChatGPT Helped Write This Award-Winning Japanese Novel

Travel

About 75 percent of Americans are expected to travel by car this summer. Taking the scenic route along such roadways as Highway 101, seen above in Del Mar, California, can make the trip even more worthwhile.

Seven of the Most Beautiful Roads in the United States

From Alaska to Florida, these serene and exhilarating stretches beg you to take the scenic route

Taquería El Califa de León makes simple tacos with meat, salt, lime juice and optional sauces.

This Tiny Taco Stand in Mexico City Was Just Awarded a Coveted Michelin Star

Guests will get to stay inside the Musée d'Orsay's clock room on the night of July 26.

Spend the Night in the Musée d'Orsay's Clock Room on the Evening of the Olympics Opening Ceremony

At the Smithsonian

Bao Li, a 2-year-old male panda, is the son of Bao Bao, who was born at the Zoo in 2013.

Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.

A pair of the bears will arrive at the Smithsonian's National Zoo by the end of 2024

A Spectra Physics Model A supermarket scanner—one of the first ten ever produced. A laser within the unit projects a beam onto a mirror that redirects it through the glass plate on the top.

The Supermarket Scanner Changed the Way We Buy Groceries Forever

"I Dream of Jeannie" stars Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman

How a Bottle Served as a Living Room—and a Prison—for a 2,000-Year-Old Genie