Encyclopedia Smithsonian

Take a trip around the world with Smithsonian resources.

The Ocean Portal is a unique, interactive online experience that inspires awareness, understanding, and stewardship of the world’s Ocean, developed by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and more than 20 collaborating organizations.

Presidential portraiture has been a major collecting concern at the National Portrait Gallery ever since it opened its doors in 1968.

Bringing news from across the Universe to children all around the world. Universe Awareness and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Explores the evolution of spacesuit development from the first quarter of the 20th century until the dawn of the shuttle era.

Since our planet's birth 4.6 billion years ago, rocks have been continually forming and, over time, changing from one kind to another. Explore this online feature about geology, gems, and minerals.

This online exhibition tells the story of how innovative makers and players created a new sound that profoundly changed popular music.

The first digital dinosaur, existing accurately in the computer, and able to be shared as easily as email.

The Postal Museum's educational and research Web site, presents the collections in a context-rich setting with full color images and zoom-in capability.

Illustrated here is a sampling of exhibition announcements and gallery brochures for 21 African artists from eleven countries.

Resources for teaching and learning American History.

The gateway to Smithsonian educational resources for educators, families, and students.

Videos from the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum which maintains the largest collection of historic air and space artifacts in the world.

Videos from the National Museum of American History which dedicates its collections and scholarship to inspiring a broader understanding of our nation and its many peoples.

Exciting video from the nation's zoo, demonstrating leadership in animal care, science, education and sustainability.

Videos from the Natural History Museum--dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery, and learning about the natural world through our unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs.

The panda cams provide a window into the world of the Zoo's giant pandas—female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian.

Telling America's stories through video.