Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

Prevost's Squirrel holding an acord
Smithsonian Story

Squirrel Appreciation Day

Do you think you know everything about this feisty little mammal? We have a few surprising facts for you.
photograph of snowflake crystal
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Snowflake Study

Snowflake study through photomicrography, 1890.
spider with jaws shaped like a pelican beak
Smithsonian Story

Newly Discovered Pelican Spiders of Madagascar

Pelican spiders are active hunters, prowling the forest at night and following long silk draglines that lead them to their spider prey.
dead coral and crabs
Smithsonian Story

Earth's Oceans Are Losing Their Breath

In the past 50 years, the amount of water in the open ocean with zero oxygen has increased more than fourfold. 
Photo of three kings stauettes
National Museum of American History

Three Kings Day

Happy Three Kings Day!
Cantos de Las Posadas album cover
Smithsonian Snapshot

Las Posadas

Las Posadas is a meaningful Christmas tradition in Spain and many Latin American countries.
Poster advertising play "Okay, Bye"
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Crazy Legs

This poster for the play Okay, Bye communicates a visual riddle.
Green silk costume from musical "Hamilton"
National Museum of American History

Hamilton Costume

Broadway’s Hamilton costume tells story of philanthropy.
VR model
Smithsonian Story

X-ray “Reality” Show

Navigate through real data of the remains of an exploded star in 3D. 
Black and white photo of two owls
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Increase and Diffusion

Owls with a mission: Increase and Diffusion.
Animated drawings of pumpkins
Smithsonian Libraries

Pumpkin Palooza

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Halloween became a popular national holiday in the U.S., and crepe paper was commonly used for decorating.
jellyfish
Smithsonian Story

Sea Nettle Jellyfish Discovery

Scientists discover common sea nettle jellyfish is actually two distinct species.
Sketch of building on Plaza Hotel stationery
Smithsonian Snapshot

A First Draft

Freer's ideas for a classical, well-proportioned building on a piece of hotel stationery.
Jimi Hendrix playing guitar.
Smithsonian Story

What Makes a Great Rock ’n’ Roll Photo?

Rock ’n’ roll musicians live forever in the mind’s eye thanks to iconic photos of them in their element, playing live.
Mummified cat sarcophagus
Smithsonian Snapshot

Mummy Cat

Cats played an important role in ancient Egyptian culture.
image showing mouth with vampire teeth
Smithsonian Snapshot

Buddha With Bite

Meditating on Heruka’s image enables practitioners to destroy all mental obstacles to enlightenment.
ancient lion sculpture
Smithsonian Story

Eons before Viral Kitten Videos, Ancient Egyptians Adored Cats

Explores how Egyptians regarded and revered cats for some 2,600 years.
Singer Selena with bottle of Coke
National Museum of American History

Selena Coke Ad

Hispanic advertising history includes Selena as spokesperson for Coca-Cola.
drawing of narwhals
Smithsonian Libraries

The Unicorns of the Sea: Narwhals

Not only are they real, narwhals are central to the Inuit people native to Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.
jars containing parasites
Smithsonian Story

Changing Climate and Parasites

Parasites are facing major extinctions, and museum natural history collections hold the key to research.
wall with notes for My Mommy is Beautiful
Smithsonian Story

Yoko Ono’s “My Mommy is Beautiful”

Hirshhorn visitors fill Yoko Ono’s work with intimacy and intensity.
treehopper
Smithsonian Story

The Beautiful and Bizarre Treehopper

Like mosquitoes, treehoppers and their close relatives, leafhoppers, spread diseases, sometimes deadly, to their hosts.
carved wooden dog with a black head, white body, and wings.
Smithsonian Snapshot

If Dogs Could Fly

The dog days of summer would be a bit cooler for puppies if they could be unleashed to fly around the neighborhood.
old snapshot of Cantinflas with colleagues
Archives of American Art

Cantinflas: The Charlie Chaplin of Mexico

Mario Moreno, professionally known as Cantinflas, was an iconic Mexican film actor, producer and writer.

Pages