Gardens may be resting during the winter, but gardeners are busy year round. Get some pro tips from a top Smithsonian horticulturist. Continue reading Don’t forget to keep turning your compost
Celebrate spring with live music, demonstrations and a host of hands-on horticultural highlights at the annual Garden Fest. Continue reading Digging deeper with Smithsonian Gardens
“The Kennedys 50 Years Ago”—American History Museum, through February This exhibit presents nine photographs of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy taken by Richard Avedon for the magazine Harpers Bazaar. During the photo session 50 years ago, Avedon removed the usual activity-filled environment and photographed the Kennedys in front of a plain… Continue reading ‘The Kennedys 50 Years Ago
“The Orchid in Chinese Painting”— through July 17 The cymbidium orchid has been cultivated in China for hundreds of years. This exhibition presents 20 works related to orchids in Chinese painting, ranging in date from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Image courtesy the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
The 16th annual orchid exhibition opens Jan. 29 at the Natural History Museum. Continue reading ‘Orchids: A View from the East’
“A Gateway to the 19th Century: The William Steinway Diary, 1861–1896”—National Museum of American History, through April 8, 2011 Showcasing the diary of William Steinway, the first president of famed piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons and a key figure in the cultural, economic and physical development of New York City. The complete diary is available… Continue reading ‘A Gateway to the 19th Century: The William Steinway Diary, 1861–1896’
Montgomery Ward Department Store “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” Book, National Museum of American History Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 when the Montgomery Ward department store asked one of its copywriters, 34-year-old Robert L. May, to create a Christmas story the store could give away to shoppers as a promotional gimmick. The retailer… Continue reading Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Entice these beneficial insects to linger with a butterfly garden. Horticulturist Jonathan Kavalier explains how after the jump. Continue reading Don’t let a butterfly flutter by your garden
A teenager who died before the Civil War will make a major contribution to research at the Natural History Museum. Continue reading The ‘boy in the iron coffin’ comes to rest at the Smithsonian
The recent acquisition of 800 plant specimens from Namibia is a welcome addition to to the more than five million specimens in Natural History’s collections. Continue reading Fair trade: Botany Department acquires hundreds of new specimens from Africa
The President's budget for fiscal year 2026, released May 30, includes deep cuts to Smithsonian federal funding. Secretary Bunch explains the federal appropriations process and reminds us of the long road between initial requests and final budget. Continue reading FY 2026 Appropriations Process
A chance encounter and a new exhibition demonstrate the power of photography to “Secure the shadow, ere the substance fade.” Continue reading From Shadow to Substance
Salute your colleagues June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the American History Museum's Warner Brothers Theater. Continue reading Introducing this year’s Unsung Heroes
Kara Blond brings 25 years of experience to her new role, including previous stints at the Smithsonian. Continue reading Director named for SITES | Affiliations
