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Inside a large hangar filled with natural light, three white people maneuver a small red, white, and blue airplane into its display space. At least eight aircraft are suspended from the hangar's ceiling.

National Air and Space Museum

How to Build an Airplane in Seven Days

Aircraft manufacturing doesn't have to be a commercial activity.

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Smithsonian Books

How Leonardo da Vinci Represents the Connection Between Art and Science

Discover where the scientific and artistic worlds meet

Black and white graphic quilt.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

How Black Women Tell the Stories of Their Lives and Communities Through Quilts

Exploring the Women of Color Quilters Network through SAAM's collection

More From Smithsonian Voices
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell playing their instraments

National Museum of American History

August at the National Museum of American History

Exhibits, music and more this month at the museum.

Backshot of two men work together to pin blueprints of a building design to a corkboard wall.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

In Charleston, American College of the Building Arts Educates the Next Generation of Craftspeople

Synthesizing liberal arts education with hands-on experience in architectural trades, ACBA strives to encourage the preservation, enrichment, and understanding of global architectural heritage.

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National Museum of Natural History

Paleontologists Discover a ‘Marvelous’ Triassic Reptile That Sported a Sail of Feather-Like Structures on its Back

The odd structure is distinct from anything seen in living animals and likely created a colorful display

Photographed against a dark blue background is a studio image of a set of cream-colored ceramic dishware bearing a pattern of star-shapes in blue, yellow, and green. There are several pieces, including a platter, a gravy boat with a ladle, a creamer and s

National Air and Space Museum

This Space Age Tableware Is Now a Prized Collectible

A passion for space exploration influenced how one family set the dinner table

General battle scene with many people. Molly Pitcher in center of canvas manning cannon with bare-chested man igniting cannon. Two dead men featured in the foreground. Flag bearer behind Molly Pitcher.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Who Was Molly Pitcher? Exploring the Revolutionary War Icon

Uncover the real story behind Molly Pitcher, the Revolutionary War legend who symbolizes women’s courage, resilience, and battlefield bravery.

Two visitors stand in front of a colorful abstract painting and wall text in a museum gallery.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Pictures of Belonging Reveals Hidden Stories of Japanese American Artists

Pictures of Belonging at the Smithsonian American Art Museum spotlights Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo, three Japanese American women artists whose overlooked stories bring powerful voices to the forefront of American modern art.

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Smithsonian Books

Don't Miss These Smithsonian Hidden Gems During Your Next Visit to D.C.

Have a great summer in the nation's capital with the ultimate passport to guide you

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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Checking In on the Foals: New Arrivals at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Behind the scenes, Smithsonian care teams welcomed four animal babies from three imperiled species: Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Przewalski’s horse, and Persian onager.

Althea Gibson poses on a stool with two tennis rackets. Both the rackets have dark colors printed with "Althea Gibson" in white letters.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Rising Above Bias to Become the First African American Grand Slam Champion

Althea Gibson shattered barriers in tennis and beyond by becoming the first Black athlete to win major titles and blaze a path in professional golf and public service.

View from a plane’s window showing the wing as the plane flies over the ocean and shoreline.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

On the Road to Independence: Field Notes From 'We Do Declare'

Go behind the scenes with curator Rachel Seidman as she interviews women for "We Do Declare: Women's Voices on Independence," our oral history and education project exploring how women have sought to increase their economic independence over the last 50 years

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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Hidden Architecture Behind a Wildlife-Friendly Garden at the Zoo

Zoo teams transformed the yards outside the Bird House into a thriving, wildflower-filled garden that attracts birds and other wildlife. Find out how they did it.

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Smithsonian Books

How Volcanoes Are Born Across the World

Learn about how volcanoes are formed and the ways they erupt

A wood and fabric World War I-era Curtis JN-4D aircraft is on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It has tan wings, and a brown and blue fuselage.

National Air and Space Museum

The Best Wood for World War I Airplanes

To manufacture thousands of airplanes for its World War I allies, the United States would fell acres of spruce.

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National Museum of Natural History

Meet the Scientist Who Discovered a New Genus of Curious Catfish Hiding in Colombia’s Most Endangered River

Museum ichthyologist Cristhian Conde-Saldaña uses evolutionary genetics to study freshwater fishes and document at-risk biodiversity

eople stand near a mural by the artist Cita Sadeli, and listen to her talking about why and how she made the mural.

Smithsonian Education

A Deep Dive Into D.C. Chinatown's History With Educators and Visitors

Museum educators from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center share reflections about the "Sightlines" exhibition and its unique approach to honing in on the power of place

Black-and-white image of a white man in his early 50s. He is bald and has a mustache. Wearing a white lab coat, he is sitting at a work table supporting a large metal cylinder.

National Air and Space Museum

Robert Goddard Was All Business in Launching His Rocket Career

The inventor's handmade tools are now museum artifacts.

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Smithsonian Books

How America Took a Great Leap of Faith Toward Democracy and Independence

This July 4th weekend, read about the bold and radical experiment to test a wholly new form of government