Smithsonian Stories

This Snapshot marks the May 11, 1820, anniversary of the launch of HMS Beagle, the ship that took Darwin on his scientific voyage.

In 1817, Karl Drais designed and built a two-wheeled, wooden vehicle that was straddled and propelled by walking swiftly.

In the 19th century, seed packets were often displayed in wooden boxes adorned with colorful seed company labels.

Incredibly, the narwhal’s only visible tooth is outside of its mouth.

This is a rare photograph of Ruth in the beginning of his career.

Gillespie became a major figure in developing the modern jazz style known as bebop.

In 1860, a relay system of horses began to carry mail across the 1,966-mile “central route” between St. Joseph, Mo., and Sacramento, Calif.

Lantern slides were used for educational lectures on notable gardens throughout the U.S.

What comes to mind when thinking about spring—taking the bike out for a long ride?

Smithsonian scientists use X-ray images like this one to gather important information about the internal biology of a fish.

Titanoboa: Monster Snake follows scientific sleuths on an expedition to understand modern giant constrictors.

“Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.”

Some of the earliest humans to inhabit America came from Europe according to a new book.

On May 20 - 21, 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop and solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

 The jeans in this photo are one of the oldest known pairs.

Caged crinoline, also known as a hoop skirt, was the most distinctive silhouette of the late 19th century.

More than 70 million Americans gathered around their televisions to watch four young men from Liverpool make history.

The Wilson football has been the official ball of the Super Bowl since Super Bowl II in 1968.

Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie introduced the trend of white leather ice skates to the world of women’s figure skating.

In January 1984, Apple Inc. introduced a graphic user interface to the Apple line of computers. 

Contract carriers used these sleds across Alaska from the late 19th century into the early 1920s. 

On Jan. 7, 1929, “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D.,” the first science fiction comic strip, debuted. 

Rural mail carriers who purchased automobiles for their routes found a match for deep snow.

This warm holiday season learn some cool mistletoe facts.