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 Collection Spotlight
Fashion Plates
Browse fashion plates from the 19th and early 20th centuries that helped women and men stay on trend. -
Smithsonian Story
Squirrel Appreciation Day
Do you think you know everything about this feisty little mammal? We have a few surprising facts for you.
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
Martin Luther King Jr.
The Smithsonian celebrates an American civil rights icon with a look through the collections. -
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. -
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 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.
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
Friends of the Smithsonian help the Smithsonian thrive. Every membership includes a subscription to the award-winning Smithsonian magazine, shopping discounts, and so much more!
