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Queen Victoria at the Drury Lane Theatre, Edmund Thomas Parris, 1837

How an Engraving of Queen Victoria Ushered in the Era of the Bouquet Holder in England

The monarch set fashion trends during her time, and the flower holder became a sought-after accessory in Victorian society

How do scientists know which insects can see color?

Can Insects See Color? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

The laptop that belonged to Chris Janczewski, former IRS-CI agent

A Federal Agent’s Laptop Held the Keys to Seize $3.6 Billion in Stolen Bitcoin. Here’s How It Ended Up at the Smithsonian

Soon to be on display at the National Museum of American History, the laptop is the centerpiece of a criminal case that shows an evolving understanding of cryptocurrency

A dried sample of the original Penicillium mold that Fleming discovered in 1928.

The ‘Penicillin Girls’ Made One of the World’s Most Life-Saving Discoveries Possible

The true, forgotten and sometimes-stinky history of the cohort who took Alexander Fleming's innovation and forever changed the face of modern medicine

Floating Clouds, Hisako Hibi, oil on canvas, 1944 

Discover the Remarkable Paintings of Three Japanese Americans Whose Life Stories Are Told Through Their Work

A new exhibition spotlights a trio who pushed the boundaries of American art and illustrated the experiences of World War II incarceration

The Island, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, single-channel video, color, 5.1 surround sound, 42 minutes, 2017

See a Film That Reimagines History on the Malaysian Island That Served as a Refugee Site After the Vietnam War

The work, now on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, tells the story of two characters on the island—the last people alive in the world

Cloned black-footed ferret Antonia's kits at three weeks old, on July 9, 2024.

A Cloned Ferret Has Given Birth for the First Time in History, Marking a Win for Her Endangered Species

Antonia, a cloned black-footed ferret at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, has produced two healthy offspring that will help build genetic diversity in their recovering population

In a version of the iconic "Pillars of Creation" image, the James Webb Space Telescope turned its powerful near-infrared-light cameras on the Eagle Nebula in 2022.

This Stunning New Atlas Explores Humanity’s Ancient Relationship With Space and the Universe

Written by the former chief historian of NASA, the book examines the evolution of our cosmic understanding—from early civilizations to the present day

Quincy Jones at an awards ceremony in 2014

Quincy Jones Was a ‘Musician’s Musician’ Who Was Uniquely Beloved in the Cutthroat Music Industry

A Smithsonian curator reflects back on the artistic legend, a "Renaissance man" with 28 Grammys to his name, who died Sunday at 91 years old

The Offering by Nicole Crowder and Hadiya Williams in "Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial" at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

See What Happened When One Museum Asked Artists to Define ‘Home’

The Smithsonian Design Triennial presents 25 commissions that explore the physical and conceptual ideas of shelter and refuge

Statue of George Washington

George Washington’s Farewell to the Nation Marked the Birth of American Democracy

In 1796, the first president voluntarily left office, cementing the significance of a lofty ideal for his young country

Allosaurus

This Captivating Guide Uncovers the History and Mystery of Dinosaurs in 50 Fossils

A paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London chronicles the age of the famous and fascinating massive reptiles

Phil Little Thunder, a great-great-grandchild of the Lakota chief whose village was attacked in 1855. An ancient cottonwood known as the Witness Tree, right, still stands.

How Recovering the History of a Little-Known Lakota Massacre Could Heal Generational Pain

When the U.S. Army massacred a Lakota village at Blue Water, dozens of plundered artifacts ended up in the Smithsonian. The unraveling of this long-buried atrocity is forging a path toward reconciliation

John Larson's original polygraph, a gift to the Smithsonian from the Berkeley Police Department, where Larson was the first rookie cop with a PhD.

Why the Creator of One of the First ‘Lie Detectors’ Lived to Regret His Invention

The early polygraph machine was considered the most scientific way to detect deception—but that was a myth

A view of the exhibition "Felix Gonzalez-Torres: Always to Return" at the National Portrait Gallery

From Candy to Lightbulbs, Felix Gonzalez-Torres Showed Life and Loss Through Everyday Objects

A new exhibition co-presented by the National Portrait Gallery and the Archives of American Art explores the seminal artist’s work

Could a private citizen get hold of a genome and use it to bring an extinct animal back to life? 

Could Anyone Bring an Extinct Animal Back to Life? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Tsegi Spider Rock, DY Begay, 2007

How an Indigenous Weaver’s Mastery of Color Infuses Her Tapestries With a Life Force

The work of Diné artist DY Begay, now on view at the National Museum of the American Indian, blends tradition and modernity

By age 11, Theodore Roosevelt boasted that he had 1,000 scientific specimens in the collections of his Roosevelt Museum of Natural History.

How a Dead Seal Sparked Theodore Roosevelt's Lifelong Passion for Conservation

As a child, the future president acquired a marine animal's skull, which became the first specimen in his natural history collection

A rendering of the upcoming RTX Living in the Space Age Hall at Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, featuring the New Shepard rocket booster.

Historic New Shepard Rocket Booster and Crew Capsule Will Go on Display at the Air and Space Museum

The two artifacts donated by Blue Origin achieved record-breaking feats and will extend the museum's story of trailblazing space travel into the present

Muhammad Ali

These 17 Pictures Tell the Stories of Black Athletes in America

A new book from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture shows the images and impacts of athletes on and off the playing field

Smithsonian Channel

Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin

National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin

Play
Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: Sing a Song With Ella Jenkins, the Beloved First Lady of Children’s Music

National Treasure: Sing a Song With Ella Jenkins, the Beloved First Lady of Children’s Music

Preview thumbnail for video 'National Treasure: The Hirshhorn Is Brutalism's Boldest Donut

National Treasure: The Hirshhorn Is Brutalism's Boldest Donut

Photo of the day

An empty staircase in a factory waiting to be used. The Staircase To Somewhere Or Nowhere?