Freedom of the press is enshrined in the the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A well-informed electorate is foundational to democracy. Explore news media and journalism–related collection ...

Explore kites in the collections and learn how to construct your own.

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum received a $10 million donation from Northrop Grumman to support the transformation of the museum’s building in Washington, D.C. In honor of the gift, ...

“Quilting is mostly singing,” according to Nettie Young of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Like singing, quilting is often a communal activity. Quilters gather to cut, piece, and stitch layers of fabric together ...

Learn about Abraham Lincoln (sixteenth president, 1861–1865) through museum art and artifacts from across the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery collection reflects many faces of ...

For many the Civil War conjures up images of brilliant army officers engaged in epic battles fought on land, but naval strategies and the men who dispatched them played crucial roles in the conflict.

The model has long been essential to the work of the artist. They often serve as artists’ muses—mortals who can sometimes be almost otherworldly in their ability to inspire creativity—yet a talent for ...

The Smithsonian's collections represent our nation's shared history, art from across the globe, and the immense diversity of the natural and cultural world.

Explore Jim Henson's puppets and Muppets in the Smithsonian's collections along with related collection items. Learn their backstories, their missions, and the inspiration for each of them. Listen to ...

While Tejano music was (and remains) immensely popular with working-class Mexican Americans, Selena took Tejano music to the mainstream. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez and her band, Los Dinos, incorporated ...

Rhythm. Color. Movement. Seeing sound through art. The rich sounds, rhythms, and colors of jazz inspired prominent visual artists of the 20th century. In depicting African American culture, Romare ...

Learn more about Open Access Updates. 21st-Century Diffusion with Smithsonian Open Access. Today we launched Smithsonian Open Access, releasing 2.8 million 2D and 3D images and 173-years of ...