Smithsonian Snapshot CameraSmithsonian Snapshot

A peek into our collections, one object at a time
Robert Irwin, “Untitled,” 1969
Smithsonian Snapshot

An Artwork That Poses a Question

Perceiving ourselves perceiving art.
zebra drawing
Smithsonian Snapshot

All About Perspective: Zebras and Their Stripes

Some animated animals offer insights into perspective and color.
lips
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Spoken-Word Brain Massage

An AMSR effect?
NFL lunchbox
Smithsonian Snapshot

Pack a Lunch for Super Bowl 50

A lunchbox that celebrates a Super Bowl.
Martin Luther King Jr. by Leonard Freed, gelatin silver print, 1964
Smithsonian Snapshot

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. greets supporters in Baltimore.
Albicetus
Smithsonian Snapshot

“Call Me Albicetus”: Fossil Sperm Whale Is Named in Honor of Moby-Dick

A fossil whale gets its name from a classic work of literature.
yellow Tyvek suit and gas mask
Smithsonian Snapshot

Smithsonian “Breaks Bad”

"Say my name."
phone with a lobster
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Fragrant Surrealist Icon by Salvador Dalí

Dali originally used a real lobster, that eventually decayed, for his phone.
crab
Smithsonian Snapshot

Waiter, There’s a Tag on My Crab!

Tracking crabs in the Chesapeake Bay to protect them.
tree outside the Castle
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Puzzling Tree

A tree from the Andean slopes can be found in the Smithsonian's gardens.
fantastical balloon
Smithsonian Snapshot

Fantastic Worlds

An intersection of science and fiction.
Smithsonian Castle under construction, 1850
Smithsonian Snapshot

The Castle Under Construction

An 1850 photo shows the Smithsonian Castle during its construction.
American Needs All of Us poster
Smithsonian Snapshot

Disabilities and the Workforce: Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the ADA

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act.
tree
Smithsonian Snapshot

Yoko Ono’s “Wish Tree” at the Hirshhorn

More than a million wishes from various trees around the world have been collected so far.
yellow bloom
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Peony of a Different Color

Bartzella is one of the first peonies to have an herbaceous growth cycle and have truly yellow flowers.
Shaun White
Smithsonian Snapshot

Shaun White in “Eye Pop”

This photo is part of an exhibition that considers image making and how personalities are constructed.
Peacock room
Smithsonian Snapshot

“Filthy Lucre”

Darren Waterston reimagines James McNeill Whistler’s famed "Peacock Room."
LeRoy Neiman's "Big Band"
Smithsonian Snapshot

LeRoy Neiman’s “Big Band”

This painting features 18 iconic jazz musicians.
Selena's costume
Smithsonian Snapshot

Selena’s Legacy: Remembering the Music and Fashion Icon

Learn more about Selena’s leather outfit, her life, and her legacy.
Cherry blossom snow
Smithsonian Snapshot

Cherry Blossom Flurry

Delicate cherry blossoms fall like snow.
black bomber style jacket
Smithsonian Snapshot

Cesar Chavez's Jacket

Remembering an American Labor Rights Leader.
Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson
Smithsonian Snapshot

Matthew Henson, Arctic Explorer

Matthew Henson participated as a navigator and translator in six expeditions to the North Pole; he reached the Pole with Matthew E. Peary in 1909.
medicine bottles
Smithsonian Snapshot

Scary cough? Scarier Cough Medicine

A cough medicine with tar, wild cherry, etc.
diner

Richard Estes: "Diner"

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