Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

An illustrated document in black and white that says 'WIDE AWAKE CLUB' and whose central image shows crowds and troops before th
Smithsonian Story

Disinformation and the Civil War

What can the media environment of the past tell us about today?
Tim Rose sits on the edge of a large hole in the ground.
Meet a Scientist

Geology Can Be More than Just Rocks

Meet a geologist who analyzes everything from flea fossils to asteroids in support of all science.
Envelope used during the Civil War so soldiers could vote.
Smithsonian Snapshot

A History of Voting by Mail

The origins of voting outside the polling place in the U.S. date back to 1813.
engraving of Congress
Smithsonian Story

American Revolutionaries and Patriotism

When modern Americans call themselves patriots, they are evoking a sentiment that is 250 years old.
Black and white photo of a balloon ascending
Smithsonian Story

Shaping Innovation in the United States

Learn how the Smithsonian has supported our nation’s historic scientific innovations.
Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad stands in front of a telescope at Harvard.
Meet a Scientist

A Physicist on a Social Mission

Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad works with the TEMPO space probe to measure pollution across the United States.
Two teak mid-century modern chairs sit on a black background.
Smithsonian Story

Do Debates Matter?

Bobbleheads, Magic 8 Balls, chairs, and other artifacts help us understand the past and present. 
A small black circle surrounded by fiery red and orange colors.
Smithsonian Story

Distant "Little Red Dots" Are a Mystery to Scientists

Smithsonian astrophysicists are working understand what these far away objects are.
A metal craft with two solar pans on the sides shown against the Sun.
Smithsonian Story

Solar Probes Help Researchers Understand What Gives Solar Wind Its Energy

The source of solar wind's energy hasn't been known—until now.
Carly Muletz Wolz holds a net in a muddy river.
Meet a Scientist

Studying Small Microbes Answers Big Questions

From a cheetah stomachache to soil quality in the tropics, microbiologist Carly Muletz Wolz finds big answers by looking at tiny microbes.
Obama at the DNC with vertical signs
Smithsonian Story

Smithsonian Curators at the Democratic National Convention

Smithsonian curators encounter ‘Coconut farmers for Harris,’ influencers, vertical signs, and more.
woman with American flag purse surrounded by red and blue balloons
Smithsonian Story

Historians Diving for Balloons and Hoping for Hot Dish

Find out what Smithsonian curators will be doing at the Democratic National Convention.
d
Smithsonian Story

Could Dinosaurs Still Exist?

One group of dinosaurs is still around. To find them, just go outside and look up.
Two swift foxes sit in the middle of green grass.
Smithsonian Story

Four Facts about Grasslands

Learn about the grasses that cover around 40 percent of the Earth’s landmass.
Spotsylvania Oak Tree Severed by Bullets Civil War 1864
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Witness to War

In a Civil War battle, bullets cut down an oak tree.
A woman in a green shirt crouches amidst tall green grass surrounded by silver instruments.
Meet a Scientist

A Glimpse into the Future via a Marsh

Experiments on marshes of the Chesapeake Bay help us understand the impacts of a warmer future. 
Alexander Calder, "Fish"
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Fish Going Mobile

Artist Alexander Calder put abstractions in motion.
A collage of square images showing various brightly colored stars, nebulas and galaxies in space.
Smithsonian Story

Ten Amazing New Images of Space

Never-before-seen images offer new ways of understanding our universe.
A crowd of people with tall pillars in red, white and blue with state names on them.
Smithsonian Story

Collecting at Political Conventions

The Smithsonian’s campaign collection dates back to George Washington and helps to provide context to a moment.
John Grant sits at his desk looking at a computer screen.
Meet a Scientist

Was There Life on Mars?

A scientist at the National Air and Space Museum is on the hunt for evidence that life could have existed on Mars. 
NATO Stamp
Smithsonian Snapshot

Safeguarding Peace

In 2024, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) celebrates 75 years.
A sea turtle swimming in clear water.
Smithsonian Story

Science Knowledge Seeds Solutions

Smithsonian research informs policies and regulations that protect the environment.
A pen with a black plastic grip and a clear plastic body, with [THE PRESIDENT- THE WHITE HOUSE] printed in white ink.
Smithsonian Snapshot

An Important Pen in Civil Rights History

This pen was used by President Lyndon Johnson to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on July 2, 1964.
A blond woman stands with her hands up in front of an array.
Meet a Scientist

Education Unlocks the Universe

A first generation college student reaches for the stars at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

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