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Smithsonian Snapshot

A peek into our collections, one object at a time

Smithsonian Snapshot

How Are Those New Year’s Resolutions Going?
"Taking exercise" 1920s' style.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Special Delivery
Fact or myth? Sending babies in the mail.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Snow puppies
Perhaps puppies cuddling in the snow makes winter’s bite not so unpleasant?
Vallenato Makes History at the Smithsonian
Colombian Grammy Award-winning singer and composer Carlos Vives is best known for his vallenato chart-topping hits.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Hi, Halloween!
A cheerful skeleton gives a wave.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Tequila!
A Neanderthal makes some moves.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Rock ’n’ Roll Ride
The legendary Chuck Berry's red Cadillac.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Sit! Stay! Spell!
Whimsical wallpaper.
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Finery-Feathered Friend
Crocheted suits carry a message about biodiversity.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Let the Games Begin
Mark Spitz set the world record for the most gold medals in a single Olympics.
Smithsonian Snapshot

See the U.S.A. on Paik’s “Electronic Superhighway”
This neon artwork shows the viewer the U.S. by highway--no car needed.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Up, Up and Away
In 1805, the first female aeronaut, Sophie Blanchard, took flight.
Smithsonian Snapshot

The Sultan of Swat
Babe Ruth was the ballpark sensation of his sensational era, the Roaring ’20s.
Smithsonian Snapshot

The Big Man
Why so grumpy, big guy?
Smithsonian Snapshot

Linn Meyers: An Ephemeral Ebb and Flow
Rippling lines and patterns that pulse with energy.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Wallpaper That Tells a Story
Written in Braille, this wallpaper reveals how it was created.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Oh...Brad
Roy Lichtenstein transformed a wide variety of source materials as part of his creative process, including comic-strip panels.
Smithsonian Snapshot

An Artwork That Poses a Question
Perceiving ourselves perceiving art.
Smithsonian Snapshot

All About Perspective: Zebras and Their Stripes
Some animated animals offer insights into perspective and color.
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Spoken-Word Brain Massage
An AMSR effect?
Smithsonian Snapshot

Pack a Lunch for Super Bowl 50
A lunchbox that celebrates a Super Bowl.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. greets supporters in Baltimore.
Smithsonian Snapshot

“Call Me Albicetus”: Fossil Sperm Whale Is Named in Honor of Moby-Dick
A fossil whale gets its name from a classic work of literature.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Smithsonian “Breaks Bad”
"Say my name."

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