Volunteers with Friends of the Elephant Seal educate tourists to prevent conflicts, inspire awe and keep the marine mammals safe
Columbus became Columbus in the American Revolution—when the colonials sought out an origin story that didn’t involve the British
The Puritans outlawed Thomas Morton's "New English Canaan" because it was critical of the society they were building in colonial New England
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Scenes from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest prove there’s always more to love about the bel paese
The historic hall in the American Art Museum where President Abraham Lincoln held his second inaugural ball welcomes more diverse voices and visions
The first of these festivals debuted in the early 1960s, serving as a prime example of the United States' burgeoning counterculture
Groups of hominins might have successfully scavenged large kills, new modeling finds
Untold Stories of American History
In 1863, a New Testament tucked in the pocket of Union soldier Charles W. Merrill prevented a musket ball from mortally wounding him
After a spate of orca attacks spooked the fish, they have now been found
After a career as a schoolteacher, the Washington, D.C.-based painter flourished, creating vibrant patterns inspired by nature, the cosmos and music
The invertebrates create elaborate structures to escape danger and shimmer in synchronized performances to confuse predators
The storied past of the 45.52-carat sapphire-blue gemstone hails back to the days before the French Revolution
When a white clergyman tried to punish captive Andamanese for their supposed misdeeds, they slapped him back
Astronomers have long debated what kind of chemistry might serve as a bona fide alien biosignature
The Panda House's eight occupants have played a key role in conservation efforts over the decades
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
These highlights from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest feature our close “cousins”
Entrepreneurs are using jewelry, fragrances and clothing to demonstrate what’s possible with repurposed carbon—and environmentalists have questions
Last year, a German court acknowledged the possibility that trans people were persecuted by the Nazis
A summer of news reports about orca, otter and bird “attacks” has the public wondering if trying to understand animal behavior in human terms is misguided
A reimagined tool called BirdCast is helping birders, scientists and even farmers
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