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!
Explore
The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. Engage with digitized collections, educational resources, and research resources from wherever you are!
Featured
Explore collections, stories, and research from across the Smithsonian.
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Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Scenes from a Snowy Week at the Zoo
For some species, a thick layer of snow is business as usual. And for others, it’s an opportunity for fun. -
Smithsonian Commemoration
Our Shared Future: 250
Explore events and exhibitions honoring America’s 250th that will take place in 2026 across the Smithsonian. -
National Portrait Gallery
Fred T. Korematsu
Born on this day in 1919, Korematsu fought the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. -
Smithsonian Story
Top Smithsonian Science Stories of 2025
The Smithsonian advanced our knowledge of the universe on scales big and small in 2025.
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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. -
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
Football Treasures
Explore football in the Smithsonian's collections with art and artifacts from the 1880s to 2010s. -
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
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
1926: A Year in the Collections
Look back one hundred years into the Smithsonian's collections. -
Smithsonian Open Access
Digital Backgrounds
Put yourself in the scene! Download high-res images to use as your video meeting or desktop background. -
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
The Secret of Lincoln's Watch
Sidedoor digs into the family story of a secret message etched inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch.
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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.
Membership
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