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Smithsonian Snapshot

A peek into our collections, one object at a time

On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, 1859

Smithsonian Snapshot

On the <em>Origin of Species</em> by Charles Darwin

This Snapshot marks the May 11, 1820, anniversary of the launch of HMS Beagle, the ship that took Darwin on his scientific voyage.

Draisine, ca. 1818

Draisine

D.M. Ferry & Co. Seed Box, c. 1890s

D.M. Ferry & Co. Seed Box

Babe Ruth and other Red Sox Pitchers, 1915

Babe Ruth and other Red Sox Pitchers

Dizzy Gillespie’s B-flat Trumpet, 1972

Dizzy Gillespie’s B-flat Trumpet

Pony Express Mail, 1861

Pony Express Mail

American Garden Glass Lantern Slide, c. 1930

American Garden Glass Lantern Slide

Columbia Light Roadster High-Wheel Bicycle, 1886

Columbia Light Roadster High-Wheel Bicycle

What comes to mind when thinking about spring—taking the bike out for a long ride?

Shortsnout Scorpionfish X-Ray, 1908

Shortsnout Scorpionfish X-Ray

arge Box Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell’s Large Box Telephone

“Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.”

National Museum of American History

Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Vega 5B

Levi Strauss Jeans, 1875–96

Levi Strauss Jeans

Hoop Skirt, c. 1870

Hoop Skirt

The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," 1964

The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"

More than 70 million Americans gathered around their televisions to watch four young men from Liverpool make history.

Super Bowl XIV Football, 1980

Super Bowl XIV Football

Sonja Henie’s Autographed Ice Skates, c. 1945

Sonja Henie’s Autographed Ice Skates

Apple "Classic" Macintosh Personal Computer, 1984

Apple "Classic" Macintosh Personal Computer

Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier, 1910

Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier

Buck Rogers Ray Gun Toy, 1934

Buck Rogers Ray Gun Toy

Ford Model T with Snow Attachment, 1921

Ford Model T with Snow Attachment

Rural Postal Carrier’s Christmas Postcard, 1915

Rural Postal Carrier’s Christmas Postcard

The Wright Brothers’ Flight, 1903

The Wright Brothers’ Flight

Apollo 17 Spacesuit, 1972

Apollo 17 Spacesuit

Ford Model A Automobile, 1931

Ford Model A Automobile

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