Eddie Van Halen on How Necessity Drives Innovation

The rock star, who died on October 6 at age 65, said that perfection is boring and mistakes are the "most exciting element of music" | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 9 years ago

I Was Among the Lucky Few to Walk in Space

On July 31, 1971, Al Worden performed the first deep-space extra-vehicular activity. "No one in all of history" saw what he saw that day | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 9 years ago

From Opossums to Bologna: Weird Things Cities Drop on New Year's Eve

Who needs a ball? Cities get creative on New Year's Eve by dropping objects that reflect local products and culture | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 9 years ago

The Best Places Around the World to See Bats (by the Millions)

Bat tourism might sound creepy, but it may be the best way to help bat conservation around the world | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 10 years ago

Neil Armstrong’s Spacesuit Was Made by a Bra Manufacturer

This wearable spacecraft let humans take one giant leap away from Earth | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 11 years ago

Alex Trebek on Why 'Jeopardy' Represents the American Dream

The game show host, who died yesterday at age 80, donated items to the Smithsonian in 2013 | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 11 years ago

A Gentile’s Guide to Keeping Kosher for Passover

Pizza and pasta are pretty obviously out, but what are the other no-nos? | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 11 years ago

When Republicans Were Blue and Democrats Were Red

The era of color-coded political parties is more recent than you might think | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 12 years ago

The Top 10 Political Conventions That Mattered the Most

As the two parties shift their conventions to be mostly virtual, we look at those conventions that made a difference in the country’s political history | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 12 years ago

Roberto Clemente: The King of Béisbol

The sports superstar and humanitarian transcended baseball's borders | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 12 years ago

Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day

Two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, American slavery came to an end and a celebration of freedom was born | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 13 years ago

How Milton Glaser Came to Design the Iconic Poster of Bob Dylan

Milton Glaser's 1966 poster of a folk-rock icon captured the psychadelic dazzle of the flower-power era | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 14 years ago

The Story Behind the Harlem Cultural Festival Featured in 'Summer of Soul'

Jesse Jackson, Nina Simone, B.B. King and 100,000 spectators gathered for a concert worth remembering | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 17 years ago

This Artwork Recognizes the Sacrifices Made by Native American Soldiers in Vietnam

Taking 'Best in Show' at the Northern Plains Tribal Art Show, the 2002 beadwork tableau is held in the collections of the American Indian Museum | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 18 years ago

What Made Ed Bearss a Rock Star of Civil War History

On any battlefield, he struck the mystic chords of memory | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 19 years ago

A Sculptor's Provocative Memorial Acknowledges the High Cost of Conflict

Paul Thek's haunting sculpture looks beyond the pomp of traditional battle memorials | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 19 years ago

The Cardiganed Fred Rogers Was Every Kid's Cozy Comfort Zone

A red sweater in the Smithsonian collections was the trademark of kindness and caring in the indelible 'Mr. Rogers Neighborhood' | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 21 years ago

In Ponzi We Trust

Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul is a scheme made famous by Charles Ponzi. Who was this crook whose name graces this scam? | Continue reading


@smithsonianmag.com | 25 years ago