Los Angeles’ 1936 ‘Bum Blockade’ Targeted American Migrants Fleeing Poverty and Drought During the Great Depression
The two-month patrol stopped supposedly “suspicious” individuals from crossing into California from other states. But its execution was uneven, and the initiative proved controversial
At This Year’s Folklife Festival, the Kids Are All Right
Cultural traditions such as mariachi and hula are being shepherded by a new generation
These Lizards Mysteriously Survived the Asteroid Strike That Killed the Dinosaurs—and Their Descendants Are Still Alive Today
Small and elusive night lizards probably persisted because they have slow metabolisms and like to hide out in rock crevices, a new study suggests
A New Museum Dedicated to Frida Kahlo’s Early Years and Family Life Is Coming to Mexico City
The Museo Casa Kahlo will be located beside the popular Museo Frida Kahlo. It will display letters, artworks and mementos that shed light on the Mexican artist’s childhood
What Can We Learn From Apocalyptic Times of the Past?
More than a millennium ago, a Maya community collapsed in the face of a devastating drought. One writer joined an intrepid archaeologist to upend what they thought they understood about why it all happened
Captive-Bred Axolotls Can Survive in the Wild, Offering Hope for the Critically Endangered Amphibians
The popular salamanders are nearly extinct in the wild, where they are confined to a small system of canals in Mexico City. But a new study suggests released axolotls could thrive in their natural habitat as well as artificial wetlands
Archaeologists Unearth Intricately Decorated Altar That May Have Been Used for Ancient Sacrifices in Guatemala
Discovered in the ruins of Tikal, the altar sheds light on strained relations between the Maya city and Teotihuacán—which was located more than 600 miles away
Researchers Thought It Was Just a Fortress. It Turned Out to Be a Lost Zapotec City
Lidar scans have revealed a 600-year-old fortified city in southern Mexico that boasted ball courts, roads, neighborhoods and temples
See a Deep-Sea Oarfish Caught Alive on Video in a Rare Encounter on a Beach in Mexico
In Japanese folklore, appearances of these elusive marine creatures dubbed ‘doomsday fish’ are believed to foreshadow earthquakes, though scientists found no strong relationship between these events in a recent study
Untold Stories of American History
Born Enslaved, This Black Millionaire Attempted to Colonize Mexico and Aspired to Be the Emperor of Ethiopia
William Henry Ellis masqueraded as a Mexican businessman, but he never shied away from his Black roots
See a Controversial Anti-Fascist Mural From the 1930s Returned to Its Former Glory
Titled “The Struggle Against Terrorism,” the 1,000-square-foot artwork suffered from neglect for 90 years. Now, conservators have unveiled the newly restored mural in Mexico
Seven Cities in the World Where You Can Ride an Aerial Cable Car
Urban planners from Mexico City to Toulouse are adopting the high-flying mode of transit. Will it catch on elsewhere?
These 500-Year-Old Cannons May Help Unravel the Mysteries of the Coronado Expedition
The 16th-century artifacts were found during excavations in Arizona. Researchers say they may be the oldest firearms ever discovered in the continental United States
Ten Top Smithsonian Stories of 2024, From a Mysterious Underground Chamber to Dazzling Auroras
The magazine’s most-read articles of the year included a close-up look at the adorable yet venomous pygmy slow loris, a profile of a little-known 20th-century street photographer and a majestic journey with divers into Mexico’s underwater caves
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Brighten Your Day With These 15 Photos of Beautiful Balloons From Around the World
Lift your spirits with these airy images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest
A Pod of Orcas Learned to Target and Feast on Whale Sharks, the Largest Fish in the Sea
Photos and videos of the apex predators reveal how they engage in coordinated hunts in Mexican waters to take down juvenile whale sharks
A Rare ‘Otherworldly’ Sculpture by Surrealist Artist Leonora Carrington Is Going to Auction
The 1951 artwork, “La Grande Dame (The Cat Woman),” stands over six feet tall and features paintings of “hybrid creatures and lush dreamscapes”
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Celebrate Day of the Dead With These 15 Scenes of Festivities and Remembrance
These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show how communities in Mexico and beyond mark Día de los Muertos.
‘Found’ Dataset Reveals Lost Maya City Full of Pyramids and Plazas, Hiding in Plain Sight Beneath a Mexican Forest
By analyzing an old lidar survey, researchers found evidence of more than 6,500 ancient structures in a previously unexplored area of Campeche
Halloween Is Spooky. But So Are These Eight Other Celebrations Around the World
From Setsubun in Japan to Fèt Gede in Haiti, these festivals relish in the macabre
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