At the Smithsonian | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smithsonian-institution/RSS feed for At the SmithsonianenWed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:01 +0000This Surprising Ancient Reptile Had a Colorful, Corrugated Sail on Its Back. New Research Suggests It Was Used to Communicatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-surprising-ancient-reptile-had-a-colorful-corrugated-sail-on-its-back-new-research-suggests-it-was-used-to-communicate-180987031/A 247-million-year-old fossil from a German natural history museum reveals the secrets of MirasauraWed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:01 +0000Christa McAuliffe’s Life Ended in Tragedy on the ‘Challenger’ Shuttle. Here’s How the High School Teacher Was Chosen for the Ill-Fated Flighthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/christa-mcauliffes-life-ended-in-tragedy-on-the-challenger-shuttle-heres-how-the-high-school-teacher-was-chosen-for-the-ill-fated-flight-180987010/NASA’s “Teacher in Space” added joy to many Americans’ lives and increased excitement for the future of spaceflight, though she never reached her destinationFri, 18 Jul 2025 16:35:41 +0000To Combat Summer Reading Slumps, This Timeless Children’s Television Show Tried to Bridge the Literacy Gap With the Magic of Storieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-combat-summer-reading-slumps-this-timeless-childrens-television-show-tried-to-bridge-the-literacy-gap-with-the-magic-of-stories-180986984/With a charismatic host and charming book readings and reviews, the hit series “Reading Rainbow” stands as a beacon of children’s literatureTue, 15 Jul 2025 14:30:00 +0000A Bone Bed From the Dawn of the Dinosaurs Has Revealed the Oldest Known Pterosaur Found in North Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-bone-bed-from-the-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs-has-revealed-the-oldest-known-pterosaur-found-in-north-america-180986939/Fossil surprises abound in new research that unearths the history of the Triassic PeriodMon, 07 Jul 2025 19:00:04 +0000At This Year’s Folklife Festival, the Kids Are All Righthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/at-this-years-folklife-festival-the-kids-are-all-right-180986908/Cultural traditions such as mariachi and hula are being shepherded by a new generationWed, 02 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000When 'The Wiz' Debuted on Broadway 50 Years Ago, It Sparked a Brand New Day for Audienceshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/when-wiz-debuted-broadway-50-years-ago-sparked-brand-new-day-audiences-180986814/How the remarkable musical transformed a beloved folk tale into a celebratory vision for the future of Black AmericaThu, 26 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000How the Charismatic King of Zydeco Introduced the Music of the Bayou to the Nationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-charismatic-king-of-zydeco-introduced-the-music-of-the-bayou-to-the-nation-180986871/The lively songs and performances of Clifton Chenier, who would have turned 100 today, brought fans—including the Rolling Stones—to their feetWed, 25 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000How Do I Research Ancestors Who Sailed to America in the 1600s? And More Questions From Our Readershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-do-i-research-ancestors-who-sailed-to-america-in-the-1600s-and-more-questions-from-our-readers-180986823/You’ve got questions. We’ve got expertsTue, 24 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000Take a Look at the ‘Extraordinary’ 19th-Century Portraits Made With Some of the Earliest Methods of Photographyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/take-a-look-at-the-extraordinary-19th-century-portraits-made-with-some-of-the-earliest-methods-of-photography-180986849/A new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery traces three different 1800s forms of photo-making: daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypesFri, 20 Jun 2025 18:00:14 +0000See the Birthplace of Juneteenth in These Atmospheric Photos of Galveston, Texashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/see-the-birthplace-of-juneteenth-in-these-atmospheric-photos-of-galveston-texas-180986837/A photographer's journey to the Gulf Coast city yields 16 images that reveal how its natural beauty melds with its momentous role in Black historyWed, 18 Jun 2025 13:45:12 +0000When Midcentury New York Spoke, This Sound Archivist Listened—and Recorded Every Wordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/when-midcentury-new-york-spoke-this-sound-archivist-listened-and-recorded-every-word-180986817/Armed with a tape recorder and open ears, Tony Schwartz turned everyday noise into lasting art. Now, his recordings live on at Smithsonian Folkways, where they continue to inspire new ways of listening to, remembering and understanding the worldMon, 16 Jun 2025 18:00:39 +0000This Renowned Artist Brings Plants, Shea Butter and Black Soap Into His Groundbreaking Workhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-renowned-artist-brings-plants-shea-butter-and-black-soap-into-his-groundbreaking-work-180986729/In Rashid Johnson’s largest show of art yet, the power of mixed media is on full displayTue, 03 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0000These 11 Marble Sculptures of Iconic Artists Once Decorated One of America's First Art Museums. What Happened to Them?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-eleven-marble-sculptures-of-iconic-artists-once-decorated-one-of-americas-first-art-museums-what-happened-to-them-180986706/The Corcoran Gallery of Art was adorned with the statues, commissioned in the late 1800s. But since then, they've changed hands many times and finally found their way back to each other in a botanical gardenThu, 29 May 2025 14:30:17 +0000