Smithsonian Homepage
Plan Your Visit
View guides for the Smithsonian's 17 free Washington, D.C.–area museums and zoo—plus two museums in NYC. Admission is free at all locations except Cooper Hewitt in NYC. Find out what's on!
Featured
Explore collections, stories, and research from across the Smithsonian.
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Smithsonian Commemoration
Our Shared Future: 250
Explore events and exhibitions honoring America’s 250th that will take place in 2025 and 2026 across the Smithsonian. -
Smithsonian Story
How Do You Photograph a Single Snowflake?
More than 100 years ago, Wilson A. Bentley was the first person to capture an individual snowflake.
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Smithsonian Story
Is Your Dog a Little Wolfy?
Dogs and wolves living today derive from a shared ancient wolf population that lived alongside woolly mammoths.
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Smithsonian Story
See the Thousands of Poinsettias the Smithsonian Cares For
Explore the Smithsonian Gardens greenhouses and learn more about these festive plants.
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Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Holiday Music Map
This holiday music sampler from the Smithsonian Folkways collection includes 56 songs from 24 nations. -
Smithsonian Open Access
Digital Backgrounds
Put yourself in the scene! Download high-res images to use as your video meeting or desktop background. -
Smithsonian 3D
Neil Armstrong's Space Suit
Explore and download 3D models of Armstrong's spacesuit and other Apollo 11 objects. -
Around the Smithsonian
Mysteries of the Universe
Starting with solar studies in 1890, the Smithsonian has been exploring questions spanning from our atmosphere to deep space. -
Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
1925: A Year in the Collections
Look back one hundred years into the Smithsonian's collections. -
Smithsonian Story
Six Animals the Smithsonian Has Helped Save from Extinction
Conservation efforts help bring endangered species back from the brink.
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
American Revolution
Explore collections and stories related to the founding of the United States of America. -
Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
Holiday Cards
Open up these seasonal greetings that span more than a century.
Sidedoor Podcast
The Smithsonian's flagship podcast sneaks you through the side door to learn the stories you won't find anywhere else.
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Sidedoor Podcast
Edison's Demon Dolls
Hear a short story that imagines what happens when two little girls receive one of Edison’s talking dolls as a holiday gift.
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Sidedoor Podcast
A Very Merry Sidedoor
Sidedoor tracks down the origins of some puzzling Christmastime traditions.
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Sidedoor Podcast
The Curse of the Hope Diamond
We track the lore of this notorious gem through the centuries.
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Sidedoor Podcast
The 'Gentle Anarchy' of the Muppets
Conserving the history of Jim Henson's Muppets.
Membership
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