Darth Vader’s Lightsaber From the ‘Star Wars’ Original Trilogy Is Heading to Auction for the First Time Ever
The iconic prop, which is expected to fetch up to $3 million, will be sold in September alongside other pieces of movie memorabilia
One of the Rosebud Sleds From ‘Citizen Kane’ Just Became the Second Most Expensive Piece of Movie Memorabilia Ever Sold
The iconic prop, which went for $14.75 million at auction, is one of several sleds used in the production of Orson Welles’ 1941 classic
How Superman Became a Character for the Ages
The superhero from Krypton has a forgotten superpower: the ability to connect to people across space and time
Here’s How Superman’s Iconic Motto of ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’ Evolved Over Time
The quintessential superhero has always stood for truth and justice, but the final part of his catchphrase has morphed to match a more connected world—and his place in it
You Can Buy David Lynch’s Coffee Makers, Behind-the-Scenes Photographs and Early Drafts of Film Scripts
Nearly 450 objects are heading to auction this month. The collection reveals the “Twin Peaks” director’s restless creativity across many decades and art forms
Morris, the Movie Star Alligator Who Appeared in ‘Happy Gilmore,’ Dies of Old Age
Based on his growth rate and tooth loss, the 640-pound gator was estimated to be at least 80. He starred in movies and TV shows between 1975 and 2006
Salvador Dalí’s Surrealist Screenplay ‘Giraffes on Horseback Salad’ Was Never Made. Can A.I. Bring It to Life?
The Dalí Museum is collaborating with an advertising agency to “reawaken” the Spanish artist’s failed script, which studio executives rejected nearly 90 years ago
The Real History of the Complex Relationship Between Chinese and Black Americans in the Mississippi Delta
The remarkable success of the movie “Sinners” has sparked a renewed interest in how the two communities wrestled with life under Jim Crow
Say Goodbye to This Massive ‘Hobbit’-Themed Sculpture of Gandalf Riding an Eagle
For more than a decade, the eye-catching artwork had hung from the ceiling of Wellington International Airport in New Zealand, where “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed
Trailblazing Filmmaker Ava DuVernay Receives the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal
DuVernay is the first director, writer and producer to earn the honor, which recognizes “lifetime contributions embodying American ideas and ideals”
Martin Scorsese’s New Documentary Will Feature One of Pope Francis’ Final Interviews
The film focuses on a project founded by the pope that encourages small communities around the world to tell their stories through cinema
Meet This Year’s Winners of the Portrait of a Nation Award, Including Steven Spielberg and Temple Grandin
Portraits of the honorees, who have made “transformative contributions to the United States,” will be added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride
Fifty Years Ago, This Irresistible Disco Song and Dance Craze Swept the Nation and Changed the Music Landscape
Disco music’s time in the sun may have passed, but the legacy of “The Hustle,” a mega hit in the genre, lives on
In the 1980s, This Special Camera Helped Turn Astronauts Into Cinematographers to Shoot the First Imax Movie Ever Filmed in Space
The groundbreaking work, “The Dream Is Alive,” celebrates its 40th anniversary this year
These Are the Building Blocks of Wes Anderson’s Signature Visual Style
Through quirky costumes and model hotels, a new exhibition surveys the director’s unique creative vision—and the work of the craftspeople who help bring it to life
The Body Model Used During a Famous Scene in ‘E.T.’ Is Heading to Auction
Created by Italian special effects designer Carlo Rambaldi, the three-foot-tall prop can be seen in the film hiding among stuffed animals in 10-year-old Elliott’s closet
![Senator Joseph McCarthy “comes along really chronologically halfway through the story [in the early 1950s], and there’s a lot that happened before he was even on the scene,” says author Clay Risen.](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ee-zkNhyyeZSehRcxDnYUB-QAj4=/450x300/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/dd/f0/ddf0fc8a-56de-40d6-ae40-efcb46ac804b/gettyimages-515261284.jpg)
Newly Declassified Documents Reveal the Untold Stories of the Red Scare, a Hunt for Communists in Postwar America
In his latest book, journalist and historian Clay Risen explores how the House Un-American Activities Committee and Senator Joseph McCarthy upended the nation
How Do Space Programs Get Their Names? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
Why Oscar Wilde’s Play About a Biblical Temptress Was Banned From the British Stage for Decades
“Salome,” a one-act tragedy by the Irish playwright, terrified the Victorian public with its provocative depiction of a teenage girl whose lust for a man quickly morphs into bloodlust
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