Travel

Six of the 24 Orthodox Christian monasteries strewn across Meteora, a collection of massive stone pillars and rounded boulders in northwestern Greece, are still active more than 700 years after the first was founded in the 14th century.

Ten Isolated, Gravity-Defying Monasteries You Can Visit Around the World

Monks have been seeking spiritual enlightenment at these sites on steep cliffs, inside caves and atop an extinct volcano for centuries

January 31, 2025

Penguins are attentive parents, with both males and females sharing the work. Here, displaying a common practice, each partner faces the other with a bowed head.

See 15 Adorable Photos of Playful, Picture-Perfect Penguins

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show just why penguins have waddled into our hearts

January 31, 2025

Togo and his owner, musher Leonhard Seppala, in 1927

This Heroic Dog Raced Across the Frozen Alaskan Wilderness to Deliver Life-Saving Medicine—but His Contributions Were Long Overlooked

Togo, not Balto, was the driving force behind the 1925 Serum Run to Nome, which found teams of mushers and sled dogs delivering antitoxin to children suffering from diphtheria

January 28, 2025

A skin diver swims with a sperm whale in the Caribbean off of Dominica.

Eight Natural Phenomena Worth Traveling for in 2025

You won’t regret experiencing bioluminescence, swimming with sperm whales or witnessing the rush of a horizontal waterfall

January 27, 2025

Male giant panda Bao Li plays on a wooden climbing structure. Beginning on January 24, visitors to the National Zoo can finally see Bao Li and Qing Bao in person.

The National Zoo's Giant Pandas Are Finally Making Their Public Debut

Bao Li and Qing Bao, both 3 years old, are the latest black-and-white bears to call the nation's capital home

January 24, 2025

A hiker soaks up the scenery as the sun sets in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park in Sydney.

Take a Journey Down Under With These Amazing Photos of Australia

From the outback to the coasts, see 15 images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

January 24, 2025

Roadhouses, like the Talkeetna Roadhouse (shown here), are a testament to Alaska’s pioneer ancestors and an essential part of the state’s Northern heritage.

How Alaska's Historic Roadhouses Are Standing the Test of Time

The multipurpose lodgings along trails and rivers capture the state’s pioneering culture and spirit

January 22, 2025

The systems have been especially successful in Latin America, where massive cities and dramatic landscapes make building roads, rail lines and subway tunnels difficult. Mi Teléferico, shown here, connects more than two million people across the La Paz metro in Bolivia.

Seven Cities in the World Where You Can Ride an Aerial Cable Car

Urban planners from Mexico City to Toulouse are adopting the high-flying mode of transit. Will it catch on elsewhere?

January 15, 2025

Around the world, a wealth of new museums are also bringing art and culture, science and technology, and education and storytelling to the forefront.

Ten Must-See Museums Opening Around the World in 2025

New institutions dedicated to artificial intelligence, West African art, barbeque and more are expected to welcome visitors this year

January 14, 2025

The snow-capped Rockies glow bright white in the snow.

See the Splendor of the Majestic Rocky Mountains

View 15 awe-inspiring images of this range from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

January 10, 2025

A brown bear launches into a river in Katmai National Park to try and catch one of the many sockeye salmon spawning in large numbers.

Explore the History and Natural Wonders of Alaska

Wild, rugged and expansive, the 49th state is begging to be explored

January 6, 2025

Matanuska Glacier north of Anchorage is one of the best spots for a more intense experience in the Alaskan wilderness.

Seven Ways to Explore Alaska's Endangered Glacial World

With the state’s glaciers retreating at alarming rates, there is no time like now to trek, climb, paddle and fly to see them

January 6, 2025

Whether you “win” or “lose” a snowball fight, you’re probably walking away with a frosty face full of flakes.

Walk Through a Wintry Wonderland of Seasonal Fun With These 15 Photos

Get into the winter spirit with these images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

January 3, 2025

Loaded with leather and sheepskins, Salvatore Gungui tightens his headscarf. Although only men dress as Mamuthones, the scarf adds a feminine element.

See the Mysterious Winter Parade That Brings Tourists to the Remote Island of Sardinia

Since ancient times, a town on the Italian isle has marked the season with a grim costumed festival

January/February 2025

The giant Santa statue near the Santa Claus House in the town of North Pole, Alaska

Why Is Santa From the North Pole? Here’s How the Legend Originated and Why Different Towns Lay Claim to It

Santa Claus is usually good news for tourism—and locales all over the world embrace their proximity to the Christmas figure

Updated: December 24, 2024 | Originally Published: December 24, 2014

The former Motor City masterpiece-turned-American-ruin was on the brink of demolition until 2018, when Ford committed to a billion-dollar restoration project returning it to its Gilded Age grandeur.

Detroiters Have a Newly Restored Michigan Central Station to Be Thankful for This Holiday Season

With funding from Ford Motor Company, the long-dilapidated building is being transformed into a technology and innovation hub

December 24, 2024

Food has an undeniable way of breaking down barriers, whether it’s through learning about another culture’s culinary traditions or simply talking with others over a meal.

How to Build Cross-Cultural Connections Over Food This Holiday Season

Supper clubs and immigrant-led cooking classes across the country bring people together, teaching diners to embrace their neighbors from around the world

December 20, 2024