Smithsonian Magazine

Two Towering Statues of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Have Been Restored at the Entrance of His Temple After 3,000 Years

Known as the Colossi of Memnon, the statues of Amenhotep III both stand at more than 40 feet tall. Experts have been working ...
Smithsonian Magazine

This Aerospace Engineer Just Became the First Wheelchair User to Travel to Space

A brief commercial flight with space tourism company Blue Origin made Michaela "Michi" Benthaus' childhood dream come true ...
Smithsonian Magazine

One of the George Washington Portraits That Inspired the Image on the $1 Bill Could Sell for Up to $1 Million

Artist Gilbert Stuart made numerous paintings of the first president. The copy that's up for sale was commissioned by James ...
Smithsonian Magazine

She Protested School Segregation as a Teenager. Now She’s Being Honored With a Statue at the U.S. Capitol

Lawmakers gathered in the Capitol for the unveiling of a bronze statue honoring teenage civil rights activist Barbara Rose ...
Smithsonian Magazine

This Mama Polar Bear Adopted a Young Cub—and You Can Track the Family as They Wander Around the Hudson Bay

The rare event marks the 13th known instance of adoption within this well-studied group of polar bears living in the western ...
Smithsonian Magazine

After a Century, the Rockettes Are Still Kicking Their Way Into American Hearts

In the last 100 years, more than 72 million people have watched the Christmas Spectacular. The Rockettes continue to dazzle ...
Smithsonian Magazine

A New Way to Boost the Powerhouses of the Cell Might Combat Aging and Degenerative Diseases, Lab Study Suggests

Creating mini mitochondria factories helped recharge damaged cells in a dish, providing proof-of-concept work that could pave ...
Smithsonian Magazine

The Oldest Restaurant in the World Just Turned 300 Years Old

Sobrino de Botín, confirmed by the Guiness Book of World Records as the oldest restaurant in the world, just celebrated 300 ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Small Stories, Big Science: 2025 in Review at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute

And it’s exactly what happened this year the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. As 2025 comes to a close, here are a few bite-sized stories that capture both the ...