September Offerings on the Smithsonian Channel
The Institution’s award-winning channel offers up a month of premium programs, featuring the Hope Diamond, Titanoboa, and a rainforest exploration
Smithsonian Channel September Highlights
Are you tired of Snooki birth announcements and dreading the possibility of watching Kirstie Allie dance the cha-cha again? Don’t worry! Smithsonian Channel’s award-winning programming comes to the rescue. This month, don’t forget to tune into:
Thursday, September 6th at 7 PM EST.
What’s it like to be at the bottom of the food chain, where the odds of survival are 1 in 20,000? In this World Premier feature, immerse yourself in a world of mud dwellers, bottom foragers, algae-eaters and expert predators all fighting for survival in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. Journey through this 156-mile inland waterway where Smithsonian biologists are working to unlock the secrets of a hidden world. Featuring Mary Rice and William Hoffman of the Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS).
Secret Life of the Rainforest
Thursday, September 6th at 8 PM EST, Wednesday, September 19th at 10 PM EST.
Rainforests cover just six percent of Earth’s surface yet contain almost half of the world’s plants and animals. On Barro Colorado Island in Panama, home to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, a perfect microcosm of nature exists that boasts a diversity of mammals, birds, and bugs that is unrivaled almost anywhere in the world. Follow Smithsonian researchers Ben Hirsch, Lars Markesteijn, and Leonor Álvarez Cansino as they explore how life thrives in one of the most complex habitats on Earth. Winner, CINE Golden Eagle.
9/11: Stories in Fragments
Sunday, September 9th at 9:35 PM EST, Tuesday, September 11th at 9:35 PM EST.
How do you grasp an event as enormous as September 11? You start small: A briefcase, a Blackberry, a victim’s sweatshirt, and a hero’s nametag. Simple objects that tell personal stories, recounted in the donors’ own words. Featuring Brent D. Glass, former director of National Museum of American History amd curators Peter Liebhold, Cedric Yeh, Bill Yeingst and David Allison. Winner, the Special Jury Award at WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
Mystery of the Hope Diamond
Thursday, September 13th at 9 PM EST, Sunday, September 30th at 10 PM EST.
A surprising look at the brilliant history and dark legacy of the world’s most famous jewel. Featuring gems curator Jeffrey Post of the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian’s under secretary for history, art and culture Richard Kurin. Winner, Silver Parents’ Choice Foundation, Special Jury Award, WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
Freud’s Naked Truths
Thursday, September 13th at 10 PM EST.
Lucian Freud’s paintings broke world records at auction, but for most of his career he was overlooked—a man out of step with his time. With exclusive studio footage, incredible artwork and rare photos, this film explores his life story and a remarkable body of work with those who knew him best–his models, children, lovers and friends. With curator Evelyn Hankins of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the museum’s former director James Demetrion.
Titanoboa: Monster Snake
Sunday, September 23rd at 8 PM EST.
Uncovered by scientists from Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, this monster predator is making headlines—and revealing a lost world of giant creatures. Featuring, researcher Carlos Jaramillo. A Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service exhibition, “Titanoboa: Monster Snake,” is currently on view at the National Museum of Natural History runs through January 6th, 2013. Play the Titanoboa Monster Snake Game.
If you don’t currently receive the channel, you can check here to see if your local cable provider offers it. For additional airdates and schedules, please visit the channel’s website at www.smithsonianchannel.com. And for a limited time, Smithsonian Channel is offering free iTunes downloads of shows including Mystery of the Hope Diamond, America’s Hangar, and Stories From the Vaults. Log onto iTunes.com/SmithsonianChannel through October 2, 2012.