Smithson was one of the first researchers to systematically categorize calamine—or zinc as it was later called. In 1832, three years after Smithson’s death, French mineralogist François Sulpice ...

A new analysis from researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History reveals that nearly half of the genus Heliconia, a group of tropical plants popular for their bright, ...

The pinnacle model of Sony's broadcast equipment line, the BVU-950 plays high-band, low-band, and SP U-Matic tapes. The machine can accommodate an internal time-base corrector board, with optional ...

Roxie Laybourne, a Smithsonian bird expert, invented the science of using feathers to solve bird-related mysteries. On the Sidedoor podcast episode "The Feather Detective," we revisit some of Roxie's ...

Explore items in the Smithsonian's collections related to the year 1925. The Smithsonian's collections represent our nation's shared history, art from across the globe, and the immense diversity of ...

The Winston Red Diamond, an exquisite 2.33 carat Fancy red diamond - one of the finest in the world. Photo by Robert Weldon, courtesy of Ronald Winston.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian will display two gowns worn by Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone (Siksikaitsitapi [Blackfeet]/Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]) at its museum in ...

There was a time, before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, when some researchers believed women were better suited for space than men. In 1961, a group of female pilots—today known as the Mercury ...

Margaret Hamilton, lead Apollo flight software design, standing next to listings of the Apollo Guidance Computer source code. Courtesy NASA/Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

This basket by Juana Basilia Sitmelelene (Chumash), created 1815–1822 at Mission San Buenaventura, incorporates Spanish coin designs with traditional Chumash basketry. When viewing this basket, ...