Explore History & Culture

Experience America and the world
Explore and discover featured content or search for your specific interest.

Pinback button with FREE ANGELA AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS.
Because of Her Story

Angela Davis's Imprisonment Inspired a Movement

Davis is one of four women featured in our miniseries about women who have shaped American history.
Preamble
Smithsonian Snapshot

We the People

E pluribus unum (Out of many, one).
illustration of diverse group of people.
National Museum of African American History and Culture

Talking About Race

Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. This online portal provides tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.
Woody Guthrie with a finger over his mouth as in thought while holding a guitar.
National Portrait Gallery

Woody Guthrie

Born on this day in 1912, Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land." The original complete recording was thought to be lost until Smithsonian Folkways uncovered it and released it in 1997.
Miss Liberty Celebration
Smithsonian Spotlight

The Statue of Liberty: Symbol for a Nation

A gift from France in 1886, Lady Liberty in our collections and across America.
native man in headdress on apple as
National Museum of the American Indian

Americans

Explore the online companion to the bold exhibition revealing the ways American Indian images, names, and stories are hidden in plain sight.
graphic of burning city with stylized flames and smoke
Sidedoor Podcast

Confronting the Past

Learn the important story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, a riot that destroyed almost 40 blocks of a wealthy black neighborhood in Oklahoma. 
Sheet music for 1920 Ziefeld Follies by Irving Berlin
Smithsonian Spotlight

1920: A Year in the Collections

Explore items related to the year, including a pen used to sign the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
spirograph
Smithsonian Spotlight

Playtime: Toys, Games, and Puzzles

From vintage to high-tech, there's something for every child (and child at heart) in our collections.
man and woman embracing through an open car window
National Museum of African American History and Culture

Traveling Through Jim Crow America

To find safe and friendly accommodations, travelers relied on a network of shared advice and published travel guides such as the "Green Book."
Technics Turntable, used by Grandmaster Flash.
Smithsonian Spotlight

Hip-Hop and Rap

This Technics brand turntable was used by hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash. Discover more hip-hop items in Smithsonian collections.
Carter Family sheet music.
Smithsonian Spotlight

Country Music

Discover country music—an American art form with roots in folk and blues—as reflected in the Smithsonian's collections.