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
These Photographs Capture the Complexities of Life at Guantánamo
In a new book, photographer Debi Cornwall casts the naval base as “Camp America”
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
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
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
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
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?
Where Do New Ideas Come From?
With close study, the genealogies of even the most original ideas can be traced
These Breathtaking Images are the Cat’s Meow in Nature Photography
Sixty incredible outdoor scenes are now on view at the National Museum of Natural History
How Mobile Wine-Tasting Rooms Could Revolutionize Armenian Wine Country
“Wine Cubes” will be popping up on Armenian vineyards—and building up the country’s enotourism industry
Burials Unearthed in Poland Open the Casket on The Secret Lives of Vampires
What people actually did to prevent the dead from rising again was very different than what Hollywood would have you think
Fats Domino’s Infectious Rhythms Set a Nation in Motion
This Rock ’n’ Roll maverick was a true New Orleans original
Who Really Wrote “Merry Christmas, Baby”
The co-author of a classic holiday song still can’t catch a break
Hidden in a Basement for 70 Years, Newly Discovered Documents Shed Light on Jewish Life and Culture Before WWII
The 170,000 pages found might be “the most important collection of Jewish archives since the Dead Sea Scrolls.”
How Elysian Brewing Company Turns a 1,790-Pound Pumpkin Into a Keg
And is this insane thing really a pumpkin?
How Kara Walker Boldly Rewrote Civil War History
The artist gives 150-year-old illustrations a provocative update at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
How to Eat Like a Local in Vienna, Austria
Instagrammer Sothany Kim dishes on nicotine breakfasts, third-wave coffee houses and enemy bakers in Austria’s capital
The Healing Power of Greek Tragedy
Do plays written centuries ago have the power to heal modern day traumas? A new project raises the curtain on a daring new experiment
At This Spectral Subway Platform, Trains Approach But Never Arrive
An otherworldly art installation debuts at the Renwick just in time for Halloween
Why Did So Few Novels Tackle the 1918 Pandemic?
Surprisingly few U.S. writers touched by the 1918 pandemic wrote about it. But flu lit appears more popular today than ever
A Fresh Look for Smithsonian’s Oldest Art Museum
The Freer’s renovation comes with a new thematic presentation of Asian Art—and the Peacock Room is reopened, as well
What a Pair of Empty Blackboards Can Teach Us About Art and Social Change
Can art alter the course of history? Should artists even try? Joseph Beuys said yes and yes
These Collegiate Innovators Are at the Vanguard of Technology and Art
A massive three-day festival spotlights the achievements of the Atlantic Coast Conference
How This Vienna Suburb Became the Center of the “Raw Art” Movement
Once a psychiatric clinic, the Art Brut Center Gugging now serves as a museum exhibiting the works of some of the world’s best self-taught artists
Every Modern Architecture Lover Should Take This Three-Day Road Trip
In Connecticut, works by some of the most notable architects of the 20th century are hiding in plain sight. Take the wheel for this sightseeing tour
How Korean Fried Chicken, AKA “Candy Chicken” Became a Transnational Comfort Food
A new Smithsonian Folklife Project, Forklife, traces the journeys of immigrant food traditions taking root in the United States
The Minister Who Invented Camping in America
How William H.H. Murray accidental bestseller launched the country’s first outdoor craze
Funding This Landmark Hip-Hop and Rap Anthology Will Be a Community Effort
Smithsonian’s nonprofit record label launches a Kickstarter for help with its most ambitious project yet
This Ambitious Landmark Hip-Hop and Rap Anthology Was Successfully Funded
Smithsonian’s nonprofit record label launched a Kickstarter for help and got it
Inventing a Vocabulary to Help Inuit People Talk About Climate Change
One team is working with Inuvialuit elders to come up with a renewable energy terminology—and maybe revive a dying language
These Never-Before-Seen Photos From “The New York Times” Offer a New Glimpse Into African-American History
The editors of the new book, “Unseen” talk about recognizing the paper of record’s biases
Home Is Where the Corpse Is—At Least In These Dollhouse Crime Scenes
Frances Glessner Lee’s ‘Nutshell Studies’ exemplify the intersection of forensic science and craft
Inside Taiwan’s Craft Beer Renaissance
Once a state-run industry, beer-making in Taiwan is blending globally-minded brewing with local flavors
Take a Tour of the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific Collections this Autumn
Diverse artifacts all across the Smithsonian Institution captivate and confound in equal measure
Collection of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Writing Captures the First Lady’s Lasting Relevance
On the 133rd anniversary of her birth, “ER”‘s influence lives on
Why the Ancient Egyptians Loved Their Kitties
A show opening at the Sackler dramatizes the various meanings that the people of Egypt once associated with cats
America’s Undead Are Immortalized at the Smithsonian
The cast of “The Walking Dead” donates a set of perfectly macabre Halloween gifts
Check Out These Massive Straw Art Sculptures on Japan’s Honshu Island
Art students are giving leftover rice wara a second life
How Artificial Intelligence Is Improving Magic Tricks
Computer scientists have designed a trick that uses an algorithm to search the internet for the words most associated with images
Get Lost Inside These Golden Spires Transforming the Sackler Pavilion
Terminal,the work of acclaimed artist Subodh Gupta, recalls an urban cityscape
The Wondrous Complexity of the New York Public Library
A new documentary captures the sweeping human impact of one of the country’s largest library systems
A Rare Collection of Bronze Age Chinese Bells Tells a Story of Ancient Innovation
These rarely played ancient bells are newly analyzed with their acoustics remastered and digitized for a new exhibition at the Sackler Gallery
You’ve Never Tasted “Street Food” Like This Before
For its grand reopening, a hub of Asian-American culture serves up a culinary wonderland
Thought Lost to History, These Rare, Early Films Survived Thanks to a Crafty Showman and a Savvy Collector
A new documentary focuses on the incredible story of Frank Brinton
New Sackler Buddhist Exhibition Doubles the Immersive Experiences
Film of Sri Lankan site joins popular shrine room as part of three-year exhibition and we finally learn why one Buddha’s hair is blue
Are Blade Runner’s Replicants “Human”? Descartes and Locke Have Some Thoughts
Enlightenment philosophers asked the same questions about what makes humans, humans as we see in the cult classic
How Cultural Resilience Made a Difference After Hurricane Hugo And Could Help Again
When the 1989 hurricane devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands, Smithsonian folklorists were working on an upcoming Folklife Festival
Explore the Secret Lives of Animals With These Marvelous Maps
A new book considers how sophisticated tracking technology and the data it collects can improve conservation strategies
Tom Petty, Standard-Bearer for Classic Rock, Dies at Age 66
In Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Live and Unseen Bill Bentley remembers the singer-guitarist who forged a unique place in American rock
What Can Cities Do to Go “Blue”?
In a number of projects and proposals, architects and urban planners are working with water instead of against it
Want to Learn Cherokee? How About Ainu? This Startup Is Teaching Endangered Languages
Tribalingual founder Inky Gibbens explains how saving languages is a means of preserving different worldviews
One Hundred Years Later, the Tense Realism of Edgar Degas Still Captivates
For this groundbreaking artist, greatness was always one more horizon away
The Chemistry and Physics Behind the Perfect Cup of Coffee
How science helps your barista brew your espresso perfectly every time
A Rainbow Shines Anew in National Portrait Gallery’s Iconic George Washington Portrait
A glistening Lansdowne Portrait refresh harkens the reopening of “America’s Presidents”
Tom Brokaw’s Journey From Middle America to the World Stage
The history-making path of the former NBC Nightly News anchor is honored with a Smithsonian Lewis and Clark compass
The Summer of Yoko Ono Ends with Shrieks and Screams
A concert, a broken vase and unfettered adoration for the avant-guard artist marks the Hirshhorn’s finale to its appreciation
These Origami Clothes Grow With Your Child
Designer Ryan Yasin is creating pleated garments that could save on money and waste
Check Out These Stunning Photographs of a Tibetan Horseback Sport
Kings in ancient Tibet promoted the sport to save money on military training
The True Story Behind Billie Jean King’s Victorious “Battle of the Sexes”
Smithsonian sports curator Eric Jentsch offers a look at her legacy beyond the legendary match
How U.S. and German Art Experts Are Teaming Up to Solve Nazi-Era Mysteries
Specialists in WWII art loss and restitution will discuss provenance research in Berlin