Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

Page from Insecta
Smithsonian Snapshot

Butterflies Are Free To Fly

These butterflies illustrate one of thousands of pages detailing natural history in Central America.
Egg covered in a geometric design with red, yellow, black and green.
Smithsonian Story

Designing Easter Eggs

Decorated using wax and dye, these eggs are exchanged at Easter to symbolize new life.
Suzanne Asbury-Oliver
Smithsonian Snapshot

Writing Words in the Sky

For more than 20 years, Suzanne Asbury-Oliver was the only professional woman skywriter in the world.
Textile with repeating image of a group sitting at a table set with plates and a candle holder. A girl stands nearby.
Smithsonian Story

Passover through the Eyes of a Child

A seder plate, candles, and family gathered around the table can be seen in this seder textile created by a 10-year-old student.
Supermassive Black Hole Magnetic Field
Smithsonian Snapshot

Harvard, Smithsonian Astonomers Help Capture Magnetic Fields Close to a Black Hole

“Stay tuned for true black hole cinema.”
Saucer magnolia trees with pink flowers in front of the Smithsonian Castle building.
Smithsonian Story

Saucer Magnolias

Learn what makes these spectacular pink blooms different from those of Washington, D.C.'s, famous cherry blossoms.
Illustration of red, white and purple flowers.
Smithsonian Story

Springing into Gardening Books

Jane C. Webb Loudon made horticulture accessible for women to pursue as a hobby.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Smithsonian Snapshot

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, From Gospel to Electric Guitar-Driven Rock ’n’ Roll

Sister Rosetta Tharpe is often called the "Godmother of Rock 'n' Roll."
A man and woman sitting on the back of a bench with two little boys and a girl on the front.
Smithsonian Story

Researching African American Family History

Learn about genealogy resources at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
"Gamin"
Smithsonian Snapshot

Renaissance Woman Augusta Savage

Sculptor and teacher Augusta Savage used her work to challenge discrimination and promote civil and women’s rights.
Painting of Betty Friedan. She is resting her arms behind her head.
Smithsonian Story

Betty Friedan’s Birthday

Betty Friedan's bestselling book changed the course of American feminism.
Small rodent fossil skeleton with pointy teeth and horns.
Smithsonian Story

The Groundhog’s Extinct, Horned Relative

We don’t recommend pulling Ceratogaulus hatcheri from its burrow.
"Hot" Jupiter
Smithsonian Snapshot

An Extremely Rare "Hot" Planet

A cloudless, Jupiter-like planet is discovered by astronomers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.
First gold nugget
Smithsonian Snapshot

Lucky Strike

This small piece of yellow metal is believed to be the first piece of gold discovered in 1848 at Sutter's Mill in California, launching the gold rush.
Small penguin standing between the feet of a man. He is sitting on a trunk, and wears a green snowsuit with a hood and gloves.
Smithsonian Story

Making a Feathered Friend in Antarctica

When braving the cold, be sure to bundle up and bring a friend.
Green velveteen hat. It is circular with layers of fabric in a wrapped design.
Smithsonian Story

A Smithsonian Hat You Can Try On

This piece by Vanilla Beane is just one of the AR effects using Smithsonian 3D collections.
President Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball Invitation, 1865
Smithsonian Snapshot

President Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball Invitation, 1865

Peek into the evening of President Abraham Lincoln’s 1865 inauguration celebration.
Wonder Woman Jet
Smithsonian Snapshot

When Wonder Woman's Jet Made a Brief "Appearance"

"I know I parked my Invisible Jet somewhere."
Illustration of a bare tree on a blue background. There are blue birds and a yellow sun in the sky.
Smithsonian Story

Winter Solstice

Werner Drewes created this artwork, a fitting piece for the shortest day of the year.
Red booklet cover with illustration of a reindeer with a red nose. Text: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Smithsonian Story

Where Did Rudolph Get His Shiny Nose?

Santa’s most famous reindeer got his start in 1939 at the Montgomery Ward department store.
Leah Chase Chef Jacket
Smithsonian Snapshot

Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine

“There have been a lot of problems solved in that dining room over a bowl of gumbo.”
Navajo Code Talkers Bag
Smithsonian Snapshot

The Unbreakable Navajo Code

Honoring the Code Talkers who helped win a war.
Dracula Stamp
Smithsonian Snapshot

“I never drink…wine.”

This stamp depicts actor Bela Lugosi as the vampire Count Dracula. "I am Dracula. I bid you welcome."
Judi Oyama
Smithsonian Snapshot

Shredding With Judi Oyama

In 2015, Oyama became the first woman to win the N-Men Icon Award given to Northern California skaters who have made an impact on the sport.

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