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Octavia Butler Typewriter
Smithsonian Snapshot

Keys to the Future

Octavia Butler was a master storyteller and considered the godmother of Afrofuturism.
Martin Luther King Jr. surrounded by supporters
Smithsonian Spotlight

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Smithsonian celebrates an American civil rights icon with a look through the collections.
Basquiat
Smithsonian Snapshot

Basquiat's Presence Continues To Loom Large in Modern Art

More than 30 years after his death, Jean-Michel Basquiat remains a strong presence in modern art.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett
National Portrait Gallery

Ida B. Wells

The daughter of former slaves, journalist and anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells vigorously investigated and exposed racism.
shark
National Museum of Natural History

Ocean Portal: All About Sharks

Learn about these incredible animals—and the ecosystems in which they play a role.
orchid
Smithsonian Spotlight

Orchids: Nature's Art

Smithsonian Gardens has more than 8,000 specimens. Explore a selection from the collection along with art inspired by these beautiful blooms.
vaccine vials
National Museum of American History

Chasing Influenza

Unlike other infectious diseases, where a single dose or series of doses confers long-term protection, flu vaccination is an annual affair.
To Ask Freedom for Women is not a Crime
Smithsonian Spotlight

Votes for Women

A look at the fight to get the right to vote through the Smithsonian's collections.
3 bears caught on camera
Smithsonian Collaboration

eMammal: See Wildlife, Do Science

Place “camera traps” in your community to assist researchers in answering questions about mammal distribution and abundance.
Judy Garland (with Mickey Rooney)
Smithsonian Spotlight

Let's Go to the Movies

Explore images and objects related to the history of motion pictures in America.
Captain America 41 cent stamp
Smithsonian Spotlight

Excelsior! Super Superheroes

A look at superheroes in the Smithsonian's collections and remembering Stan Lee.
Big Jazz Painting
Smithsonian Spotlight

Jazzed About Art

Seeing sound through art in our collections.