CURRENT ISSUE
March 2023
Features
:focal(2850x2144:2851x2145)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/23/d3/23d3b8ab-f137-4390-834c-a76f41c5be7f/mar2023_e05_puffins.jpg)
Make Way for Pufflings
A town in Iceland rallies to rescue beloved baby seabirds that have lost their bearings
:focal(700x527:701x528)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/e3/f7/e3f7bbaa-75f6-4e92-bf8c-ecc2bb12ca2a/kerry-washington.jpg)
Message Received
Glory goes to the African American women who achieved a vital mission in World War II: getting mail to the troops
:focal(1800x1354:1801x1355)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/25/d6/25d6c1af-a7cc-49dc-9cf4-e5ce10def3bc/opener.jpg)
Re-Greening the Desert
After a historic victory in the West’s notorious water wars, Native Americans in Arizona turn to an ancient technology to revive their farms and culture
:focal(3228x2260:3229x2261)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/e5/86/e58607f7-0c78-4c09-b779-881d9490155d/mar2023_c01_edangeredmarineiguana.jpg)
The Swimming Iguana
Looking after a quirky icon of evolution in the Galápagos Islands that faces a rocky future
:focal(1600x1204:1601x1205)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/29/7b/297b183e-c37a-4d73-bed5-222def646a88/opener.jpg)
Life Among the Ruins
From the ashes of a terrible industrial accident, a wonderful garden is flourishing again
Departments
Discussion
Your feedback on Mississippi John Hurt, captive-bred lion hunting and Stradivarius violins
Breaking Ground
With a long-overdue upgrade, the Smithsonian's most symbolic building prepares for a more egalitarian future
Barging Ahead
The engineering wonder that opened up the heartland
Along for the Ride
A new exhibition of Evelyn Hofer’s timeless portraits from half a century ago
Monkeying Around
The surprisingly scientific roots of a U.S. playground favorite
The Vienna Agent
The American heiress who risked her life to help people escape the Nazis—and pioneered the refugee assistance movement
Untangling the Alphabet
A curious new find yields clues to the mystery of the first writing
A Life of Discovery
A recent Nobel laureate pays tribute to the vision and perseverance of Barbara McClintock, a pioneering geneticist
Ask Smithsonian
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts