The Ten Best History Books of 2017
From presidential biographies to a look at the long rise of fake news, these picks will surely interest history buffs
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Turning Hurricane Data Into Music
Can listening to storms help us understand them better? A meteorologist and a music technologist think so
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When ‘The Graduate’ Opened 50 Years Ago, It Changed Hollywood (and America) Forever
The movie about a young man struggling to find his way in the world mesmerized the nation when it debuted
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How Anthony Daniels Gives C-3PO an Unlikely Dash of Humanity
The fussy but brave “protocol droid” plays the role of the Greek chorus in the Star Wars franchise
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Designer of the Smithsonian Sunburst Logo Dies
Ivan Chermayeff was a brilliant designer, a gifted artist and the purveyor of a unique visual language, says Smithsonian curator Ellen Lupton
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John Travolta’s Breakout Hit Was America’s Best Dance Party
It’s been 40 years since ‘Saturday Night Fever’—a gritty film powered by music, machismo and masterful footwork—became a cultural phenomenon
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What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel
New scholarship reveals details about the Native American at the center of the classic Island of the Blue Dolphins
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The Ten Best Travel Books of 2017
These reads will remedy even the direst cases of wanderlust
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This Artist Painted With Light. An Admiring Astronomer Helped Make Him a Star
The works and machinations of Thomas Wilfred, a lone performer, inventor and visionary, are now on view
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Maverick Music Takes Center Stage in This New Play on Nina Simone
A Smithsonian expert delves into the song and struggle at the heart of ‘Four Women’ at D.C.’s Arena Stage
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Is There Humanity to Be Found Within Serial Killers?
A new book tells the complex stories behind murderous women, the so-called “femmes fatales.”
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Gulliver’s Travels Wasn’t Meant to Be a Children’s Book And More Things You Didn’t Know About the Literary Classic
Even now, 350 years after his birth, the great Irish satirist Jonathan Swift remains as sharp and relevant as ever
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Gulliver’s Travels Wasn’t Mean to Be a Children’s Book And More Things You Didn’t Know About the Literary Classic
Even now, 350 years after his birth, the great Irish satirist Jonathan Swift remains as sharp and relevant as ever
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A Trip Inspired by ‘Murder on the Orient Express’
On the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the murder mystery is not included
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Ava Duvernay’s Visionary Filmmaking Is Reshaping Hollywood
Her eye for American history puts her in the vanguard. Her passion for justice makes her a hero
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Why the Team Behind Sesame Street Created a Character With Autism
The bravest new face on television is a Muppet that doesn’t say much. But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum
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These Shooting Stars of Broadway Staged the Impossible: A Musical About ‘War and Peace’
Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin brought the Tolstoy epic to life with Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
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What Makes John Legend America’s Most Versatile Artist
Songwriter, singer, actor, producer, virtual reality maven. John Legend is an entertainment all-star
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Marley Dias’ Inspirational Goal to Collect Books About Girls of Color
What can we learn from a 12-year-old who’s turning the literary world upside down? Everything
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The Ten Best Photography Books of 2017
These eye-opening works invite us to find ourselves in history and nature
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Mark Bradford’s Paintings Scratch at the Surface of a Conflicted America
The Hirshhorn Museum hosts the artist’s first solo show in Washington
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A Mexican Painter Changed by the City, Changes Art
“In New York, I went berserk over painting,” said Rufino Tamayo, whose works are now on view in a new retrospective
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‘The Problem with Apu’ Does More Than Pick Apart a ‘Simpsons’ Stereotype
This new documentary tackles Asian representation in media with humor and poise
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The Invisible Way That Marketers Set the Menu for Your Thanksgiving Feast
Advertising from decades ago put in place the traditions we hold dear each year
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Why You Won’t See Pudding on the Thanksgiving Table
The once-classic American dish has been widely replaced with the casserole—thanks in part to anti-immigrant sentiments
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Did Disney Pixar Get Day of the Dead Celebrations Right in Its New Film ‘Coco’?
Smithsonian folklorist Cynthia Vidaurri says: “It’s complicated”
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The Ten Best Books About Food of 2017
Hungry minds would enjoy one of these illuminating books about the world of food and drink
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The Ten Best Board Games of 2017
Want to be a hit at your next party or family gathering? Bring a board game.
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What the Housing Market in America Needs Is More Options
From granny pods to morphing apartments, the future of shelter is evolving
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How This Artist’s Archival Discovery Sparked High-Tech Art
A photograph from a Smithsonian archives piqued Jordan Bennett’s creativity; his work is part of a new exhibition that explores technology and tradition
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A Brief History of “Alice’s Restaurant”
The Arlo Guthrie classic starts off retelling the true story of what happened more than 50 years ago
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Thirteen Books That Informed and Delighted Smithsonian Scholars This Year
With a mission to increase and diffuse knowledge, Smithsonian thought leaders are voracious readers
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Rare Magical Manuscripts Go on Display at the British Library
The exhibition, which will also travel to New York, explores the history of magic to mark the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter
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Check Out These Thought-Provoking Additions to the National Portrait Gallery
The museum is showcasing 25 new artworks through next autumn
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The Blessing and the Curse of Being Bill Nye
The zany scientist talks about his recent transformation into the public—and controversial—face for science
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Can the Museum of the Bible Deliver on Its Promise?
The highly anticipated museum hopes to offer something for visitors of all faiths, but on a topic as fraught as religion, that may not be possible
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How Pete Souza Fits Into the Storied History of Presidential Photography
In his new book, the former White House photographer frames a clear picture of the Obama years
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Why Don’t We Eat Turkey Tails?
The strange story speaks volumes about our globalized food system—you’ll be surprised where the unwanted parts end up
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Why Making a Portrait of a Black Woman Was a Form of Protest
For Emma Amos, an African-American artist working in the 1970s, the personal was often political
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After 100 Years, This Entire Forest Will Be Turned into Mystery Manuscripts
Hike through Norway’s future library, currently in the form of baby trees
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How Instagram Is Changing the Way We Design Cultural Spaces
As neighborhoods, restaurants and museums become more photogenic, are we experiencing an “Instagramization” of the world?
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Two Enigmatic Nigerian Figures Reunited After a Century Apart
One of many highlights in a new exhibition at the National Museum of African Art
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A Sleek Portable Toilet and Other Design Solutions for Disaster Victims
The toilet kit, from a Japanese design studio, is part of wave of interest in design fixes for the problems created by disasters
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How Winnie-the-Pooh Became a Household Name
The true story behind the new movie, “Goodbye Christopher Robin”
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A Portrait of Eliza Hamilton and a Costume Worn by Lin-Manuel Miranda for ‘Hamilton’ Arrives at the Smithsonian
Paying homage to the spirit of philanthropy, the museum honors the Eliza Project and the Graham Windham orphanage
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These Photographs Capture the Complexities of Life at Guantánamo
In a new book, photographer Debi Cornwall casts the naval base as “Camp America”
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In Defense of Keeping the Indiana University Mural That Depicts (But Doesn’t Glorify) the KKK
American artist Thomas Hart Benton thought it crucial to highlight the dark spots in the state’s history
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The History of Five Uniquely American Sandwiches
From tuna fish to the lesser-known woodcock, food experts peer under the bread and find the story of a nation
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How a Ripped-Off Sequel of Don Quixote Predicted Piracy in the Digital Age
An anonymous writer’s spinoff of Cervantes’ masterpiece showed the peril and potential of new printing technology
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What a Smithsonian Folklorist Thinks about Marvel’s Cleaned-Up Version of Thor
In Hollywood’s hands, the Thor of ‘Ragnarok’ is a hunk with a heart compared to the brutish thug of lore
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The Mysterious Murder Case That Inspired Margaret Atwood’s ‘Alias Grace’
At the center of the case was a beautiful young woman named Grace Marks. But was she really responsible for the crime?
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Russia Closes Crimean Border Checkpoint With Ukraine
Russia has temporarily shut its border checkpoints with Ukraine amid reports that acts of sabotage could have left southern Crimea without power and gas supplies.
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Russian Law Banning Anonymous Online Surfing Comes Into Effect
New regulations increasing Russian state control over the Internet by banning anonymous web surfing went into force on Wednesday.
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Top Officials Express Concern Over Foreign Collection of Russian DNA
Gennady Onishchenko claimed there was a “belt of biological warfare facilities surrounding” Russia
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Where Do New Ideas Come From?
With close study, the genealogies of even the most original ideas can be traced
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The Kremlin Doesn’t Feel Guilty About Manafort Indictment, Says Putin’s Spokesman
The Kremlin is following the Russia probe ‘with interest’
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Mr. Putin: Turning Neighbor into Adversary (Op-ed)
The Kremlin’s policies are locking in a generation of Ukrainians who will detest Russia
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Doing Business in Russia Is Easier Than in Brussels, World Bank Ranking Shows
Russia’s new ranking places it ahead of many Western countries such as Belgium and Italy, and just behind Japan.
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Severed Pig Head Greets Irkutsk Businessman Who Offered Alexei Navalny Meeting Space
The head was delivered to a businessman who offered his furniture store as a venue for Navalny’s meeting
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Russian World Cup Ball Designed After Famous U.S. Satellite
The Telstar 18 ball, designed by Adidas, is named after a line of U.S. communications satellites
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