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 Story
Keeping Warm in Winter Is for the Birds
Find out how birds survive the whipping winds of winter.
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
On the Gridiron
Explore football-related items in our collections dating from the late 1880s to the present. -
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National Museum of Natural History
Penguins
Learn all about these tuxedoed birds with endearing personalities. -
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 and cave bears.
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Smithsonian Open Access
Digital Backgrounds
Put yourself in the scene! Download high-res images to use as your video meeting or desktop background. -
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 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 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.
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
A Very Cold Case
This epic frozen whodunit, features a shipwreck, romance, and a social media darling with a dark secret.
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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.
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Sidedoor Podcast
Zoo's Clues
Grab your microscope and get ready to head through a very special side door of the National Zoo—behind the scenes with veterinary pathologists.
Membership
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