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Today in History
Dec 02, 1823
President James Monroe declares a clean break from Europe in the Monroe Doctrine
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Articles
History & Archaeology
Rehabilitating Cleopatra
Egypt's ruler was more than the sum of the seductions that loom so large in history—and in Hollywood
By Stacy Schiff
History & Archaeology
When Elvis Met Nixon
Forty years ago, an Oval Office photograph captured the bizarre encounter between the king of rock and roll and the president
By Peter Carlson
Arts & Culture
Painter Alexis Rockman Pictures Tomorrow
There's trouble ahead in the artist's eerie yet riveting paintings, now the subject of a major exhibition
By Cathleen McGuigan
People & Places
Searching for Buddha in Afghanistan
An archaeologist insists a third giant statue lies near the cliffs where the Bamiyan Buddhas, destroyed in 2001, once stood
By Joshua Hammer
Travel
The Great Georgian Fruit Hunt
Sent to the Caucasus by the U.S. government, Malli Aradhya forages through orchards and markets in search of the perfect specimen
By Alastair Bland
Travel
Under the Spell of San Miguel de Allende
Ever since American Stirling Dickinson arrived there in 1937, the Mexican town has been a magnet for artists and U.S. expatriates
By Jonathan Kandell
Arts & Culture
A Yuletide Gift of Kindness
Seventy-five years later, Ted Gup learns the astonishing family secret about his grandfather's generosity during the Great Depression
By Ted Gup
Arts & Culture
How to Crochet a Coral Reef
A ball of yarn—and the work of more than 800 people—could go a long way toward saving endangered sea life
By Jess Righthand
History & Archaeology
Fate of the Cave Bear
The lumbering beasts coexisted with the first humans for tens of thousands of years and then died off. Why?
By Andrew Curry
History & Archaeology
George Washington and His Maps
In his journey from surveyor to soldier to leader, our first president used cartography to get a feel for the young nation
By John Hanc
Travel
A Breathtaking New Bridge
The construction of the bridge that bypasses the Hoover Dam was an Erector Set dream come true for this photographer
By T.A. Frail
Science & Nature
The Waterway That Brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth
Town Brook gave sustenance to the Plymouth’s early settlers, but years of dam building have endangered the struggling stream
By Abigail Tucker
History & Archaeology
The Civil War at 150
On the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, read about those soldiers and leaders who battled for the future of the country
Arts & Culture
Q and A: Tim Gunn
The co-host of Lifetime TV's Project Runway talks about what makes good design and more
By Megan Gambino
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Play the addictive number placement puzzle
Smithsonian Videos
Learning From Meteorites
At the lab in the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, scientists research the out-of-this-world rocks to unlock the mysteries of the universe
How an Octopus Eats
While camouflaged on the ocean floor off the coast of Israel in the Red Sea, octopods use their arms to grab unsuspecting prey
Saving the Endangered Monk Seal
Monk seals living off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands are increasingly put at risk by the effects of human encroachment on their habitat
Your Kind of Town
Sunset Beach, N.C.
Sunset Beach, NC is the first of many beaches dotting our unspoiled coastal area traveling from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Submit Your Town »
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Egyptian OdysseyExplore the mysterious realm of the pharaohs on this exciting 2011 journey (Multiple Departures) |
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6th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners
Out of more than 17,000 entries contributed from around the world, Smithsonian and its readers select the year's best
Celebrating American Indian Heritage
Read about those Native Americans who shaped our history and culture, from the Battle of Little Bighorn to the contemporary arts
15 Must-See Endangered Cultural Sites
Some of the world's most precious and historic sites can be visited today—but might be gone tomorrow
Women's History Month
Explore how powerful women have shaped American history, from our first ladies to our Navy cadets to acclaimed artists and writers
The Great Destinations of the World
From Rome to Cape Town to Vancouver, this guide to our favorite places explores ancient cultures, geologic marvels and urban meccas
The Magellanic Penguins of Punta Tombo
On a tiny peninsula in southern Argentina, nearly 400,000 penguins gather to breed and usher in a new generation of their species
What Is Your Dream Travel Destination?
Six extraordinary writers picked their dream travel assignments. Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world?
Your Kind of Town
What makes your city, suburb or small town special? Share a favorite memory or anecdote about your hometown
Object at Hand: Smithsonian.com's Favorite Things
As the magazine's Object at Hand column turns 20, we look back on some of the treasures inside the Smithsonian Institution
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