Collecting

North American species like the Colorado potato beetle and the fall armyworm have become invasive elsewhere.

Have Any North American Species Become Invasive Elsewhere in the World?

You've got question. We've got experts

By studying recent mass extinctions on islands like Hawaii, Dr. Helen James is painting a picture of bird biodiversity today. Her research involves digging up fossils in caves to study bygone species, like the Kioea.

Meet One of the Curators Behind the Smithsonian's 640,000 Birds

Helen James' work on avian extinction helps in understanding how bird species today respond to threats like human encroachment and environmental change

This small oil-on-panel work by Rembrandt, Abraham and the Angels (1646), is expected to sell for upward of $20 million.

Rare Rembrandt Biblical Scene Could Fetch $30 Million at Auction

In this intimate scene from Genesis, the artist depicts the moment that Abraham’s wife Sarah learns she will bear a son

The online market is flooded with coveted books, toys and antiques.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Avid Collectors Find Joy in Their Prized Possessions

At home with their collectibles, many people are expanding, shrinking or reorganizing their treasure troves

"This coin is the Holy Grail of all dollars," says Laura Sperber, president of Legend Rare Coin Auctions.

The World's Most Expensive Coin Is Up for Sale

Expected to fetch upward of $10 million, the 1794 Flowing Hair dollar was one of the first coins struck by the newly created U.S. Mint

The Smithsonian’s National Mosquito Collection has about 1.9 million specimens from around the world that researchers use to study diseases like malaria.

Meet the Smithsonian's Mosquito Keeper

Scientist Yvonne Linton reveals what it means to oversee a world-renowned collection of 1.9 million specimens

Not much is known about the megamouth, which was first observed by scientists in 1976. A new specimen (not pictured above) has traveled to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where researchers will study it to learn more about its behavior and life cycle.

Rare Megamouth Shark Arrives at the Smithsonian

Studying and eventually preserving the megamouth will help researchers learn more about the puzzling species

Scientists use a California condor specimen from 1835 — part of the Smithsonian’s very first collection of items — to study the critically endangered species. Pictured: a young California condor in Grand Canyon National Park.

Celebrate the Smithsonian's 174th Birthday With a Look at Its First Collections

Historic museum specimens help us learn more about what a species once was like and what it could be like in the future

The Anacostia Community Museum wants to know not just how you’re surviving this moment, but how you’re being resilient.

In This Historical Moment, Here’s How to Collect Your Thoughts

The Anacostia Community Museum wants your story for its new archive #Moments of Resilience

The Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky is home to nearly 1,000 dummies once belonging to ventriloquists from around the world.

Inside the World’s Only Museum Dedicated to Ventriloquism

The Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky is home to nearly 1,000 dummies once brought to life by ventriloquists

Book of Lost Books Discovered in Danish Archive

The index is part of the Libro de los Epítomes, an effort by Christopher Columbus' illegitimate son to create a searchable index of the world's knowledge

The Pittsburgh Crawfords, 1935 Negro National League Champions, are considered by many to be the greatest African American league team ever fielded. The team included five future Hall of Famers, from left: Oscar Charleston, first; Judy Johnson, fifth; Cool Papa Bell, 12th; Josh Gibson, 15th; and Satchel Paige, 17th.

Preserving Negro League History Has Never Been Easier, or Harder, Depending on Who You Ask

While digitization of old newspapers has led to a statistical renaissance in baseball archives, the stories of those who played the game are being lost

Deep, lush colors in the Turkey Red Cabinet set of 1911 (above, Safe at Third) led many to tack these on their walls as works of art.

Would Baseball have Become America’s National Pastime Without Baseball Cards?

Tobacco companies spurred the mania, but artistry won the hearts of collectors

The recovered slippers.

After 13-Year Chase, F.B.I. Nabs Pair of Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

The shoes were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and were recently recovered in Minneapolis

How a "Sultry" Statue of Liberty Cost the U.S. Post Office More Than $3.5 Million

A sculptor was awarded millions in royalties after the USPS accidentally used an image of his Las Vegas replica on a 2010 postage stamp

Coin Once Believed to Be Fake Is a Million Dollar Find

Authenticators found a New England collector's Gold Rush-era $5 gold coin is the real McCoy

Mid-19th Century specimens collected in Latin America by Alfred Russel Wallace include parrot wings and marsupial pelts.

The Great Feather Heist

The curious case of a young American’s brazen raid on a British museum’s priceless collection

Trove of Rare Stephen King Books Destroyed in Flood

The author said he was ‘horrified’ to hear about the loss

Riley, future bug-cop.

Meet Riley, the Puppy Training to Sniff Out Bugs in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts

The Weimaraner will inspect incoming artwork for beetles, moths and other critters that can damage museum collections

250,000 Circus Items Donated to Illinois State University

The donation includes clown props, photos, posters and costumes

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