Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

Liebes Lurex Ad
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Mid-Century Spin on Weaving

Dorothy Liebes had a big impact on 20th-century design.
Image of a gold and green frog with a black background.
Smithsonian Story

Top 10 Smithsonian Science Stories of 2023

Highlights ranged from the discovery of a new exoplanet to how marine life benefits the people living nearby.
A man kneels on the ground to plant a sapling.
Smithsonian Story

Community Involvement in Tropical Forest Restoration

Replanting tropical forests for community harvesting can help to slow the effects of climate change.
Illustration depicting a fluffy white dog line drawings of other dogs alongside it.
Smithsonian Story

Woolly Dog Mystery Unlocked

Analysis of an extinct wooly dog pelt confirms they were bred for their thick fur.
Lodgepole Pine
Smithsonian Snapshot

Mary Vaux Walcott, a Natural Artist

Walcott was a botanist, glacial geologist, and artist—and had ties to the Smithsonian.
Spock Ears from Nimoy Family
Smithsonian Snapshot

How Very Logical

"Live long and prosper."—Mr. Spock
Desmostylus Tooth
Smithsonian Snapshot

To Tell the Tooth

What species of extinct mammal did this molar belong to?
tennis dress and detail of the collar
Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Billie Jean King's Triumph in The Battle of the Sexes

On September 20, 1973, over 90 million global viewers tuned into a tennis match.
TEMP Visualization
Smithsonian Story

Seeing Air Pollution in a New Way

Smithsonian and NASA launched TEMPO into orbit to provide better information about air pollution over North America.
Orange branches of an elkhorn coral head with blue water in the background.
Smithsonian Story

Warming Waters Lead to Overtaxed Corals

Record high temperatures this year mean early coral bleaching events observed by Smithsonian scientists.
A chart containing early but accurate descriptions of planetary movements.
National Air and Space Museum

How Did We Discover the Planets?

Centuries of research carried out by curious stargazers before us recognized these otherworldly objects.
This Barbie doll dressed in the Miss Astronaut outfit (1965)
National Air and Space Museum

Barbie: An Astronaut for the Ages

Learn about Barbie's long career as one of our nation's foremost space explorers. This 1965 Barbie was released 13 years before NASA accepted its first woman astronauts.
Spacecraft Telephone
Smithsonian Snapshot

Ground Control to Major Tom?

This mid-century space oddity allowed visitors to phone home.
Gettysburg Battle Artifacts
Smithsonian Snapshot

Relics of a Pivotal, Calamitous Battle

These relics commemorate the bloodiest single battle on American soil.
Crapemyrtle in front of the National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Gardens

The Case of the Crapemyrtle Bark Scale

Learn what you can do today to successfully manage crapemyrtle bark scale.
A yellow and black-colored carpenter bee perches atop a purple flower with green grasses and wildflowers behind it.
Smithsonian's National Zoo

How to Build a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Get tips on creating a garden that provides food and shelter for insects and birds alike.
Bob Newhart's Grammy
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Life Well-Laughed

Bob Newhart has had an award-winning, six decade-long career as a stand-up comedian and film and television actor.
Guadalupe mural on Mednik Avenue in East Los Angeles.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Guadalupe Murals

Set in a dynamic urban environment, Guadalupe murals create sacred space, serving as sites to express everyday devotion and protection.
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils doing promotion with BBC Radio, mid-1970s.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Ozark Mountain Daredevils at 50

Debuting in 1973, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils bring Ozark tradition and modernity to the Smithsonian.
Photograph of William P. Foster and members of the Florida A&M University Marching "100" in uniform around a bass drum.
National Museum of African American History and Culture

Musical Life at HBCUs

Explore the musical legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in this "Collection Story."
Harlem Hellfighters
Smithsonian Snapshot

Let's Go!

The Harlem Hellfighters fought with ferocity and gallantry and are honored in Bisa Butler’s artwork.
Sand Bottle by Clemens
Smithsonian Snapshot

Grain by Grain

Part painting, part sculpture, the resulting art form is unique and often quite astonishing in its detail and precision.
A grid of about 300 different marine animals on a white background. They include fish and shellfish.
Smithsonian Story

This is How Much Marine Life Fits in One Cubic Foot

Biocubes reveal the incredible diversity of life on the planet.
Space instrument against a dark starry background
Smithsonian Story

Tracking Air Pollution from Space

TEMPO will help us understand air pollution’s causes and impact to improve the health and well-being of life on Earth.

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