Skip to main content

Smithsonian Snapshot

A peek into our collections, one object at a time

Smithsonian Snapshot

Bessie Coleman, First African American Woman Licensed Pilot
Coleman received the first pilot’s license issued to an African American woman from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
Smithsonian Libraries

When You Wish Upon a Shooting Star
The verso of Galileo’s drawings of the Pleiades star cluster, makes an exceptional background for our shooting stars.
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Snowflake Study
Snowflake study through photomicrography, 1890.
National Museum of American History

Three Kings Day
Happy Three Kings Day!
Smithsonian Folkways

Las Posadas
Las Posadas is a meaningful Christmas tradition in Spain and many Latin American countries.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Crazy Legs
This poster for the play Okay, Bye communicates a visual riddle.
National Museum of American History

Hamilton Costume
Broadway’s Hamilton costume tells story of philanthropy.
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Increase and Diffusion
Owls with a mission: Increase and Diffusion.
Smithsonian Libraries

Pumpkin Palooza
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Halloween became a popular national holiday in the U.S., and crepe paper was commonly used for decorating.
Freer Gallery of Art

A First Draft
Freer's ideas for a classical, well-proportioned building on a piece of hotel stationery.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Mummy Cat
Cats played an important role in ancient Egyptian culture.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Buddha With Bite
Meditating on Heruka’s image enables practitioners to destroy all mental obstacles to enlightenment.
National Museum of American History

Selena Coke Ad
Hispanic advertising history includes Selena as spokesperson for Coca-Cola.
Smithsonian Libraries

The Unicorns of the Sea: Narwhals
Not only are they real, narwhals are central to the Inuit people native to Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.
Smithsonian Snapshot

If Dogs Could Fly
The dog days of summer would be a bit cooler for puppies if they could be unleashed to fly around the neighborhood.
Archives of American Art

Cantinflas: The Charlie Chaplin of Mexico
Mario Moreno, professionally known as Cantinflas, was an iconic Mexican film actor, producer and writer.
National Museum of African Art

Milky Way Myth
Among the hunter-gatherers of sub-Saharan Africa known as the Khoisan, a myth has been passed on for generations.
Artist Soldiers
Artists depict the realities of war.
1967 and the Summer of Love
Psychedelic posters capture the essence of an era.
National Portrait Gallery

Celia Cruz
¡Azúcar! Remembering the Queen of Salsa.
Georgia O’Keeffe at Home
In 1966, Life magazine sent photographer John Loengard to document a day in the life of artist Georgia O’Keeffe.
Down These Mean Streets
Urban landscapes and the possibilities of revitalization.
Smithsonian Snapshot

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a…Squirrel!
A very, very rare squirrel.
Smithsonian Snapshot

Scraps: From Treasure to Trash to Treasure
Learn about creative, alternative approaches to confronting textile waste.

Pages

Back to Top