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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 Story
The 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 Commemoration
Our Shared Future: 250
Explore events and exhibitions honoring America’s 250th that will take place in 2025 and 2026 across the Smithsonian. -
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
On the Gridiron
Explore football-related items in our collections dating from the late 1880s to the present. -
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 Story
How Do You Photograph a Single Snowflake?
More than 100 years ago, Wilson A. Bentley was the first person to capture an individual snowflake.
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Smithsonian Story
Is Your Dog a Little Wolfy?
Dogs and wolves living today derive from a shared ancient wolf population that lived alongside woolly mammoths.
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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. -
Smithsonian Story
Six Animals the Smithsonian Has Helped Save from Extinction
Conservation efforts help bring endangered species back from the brink.
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Smithsonian Collection Spotlight
American Revolution
Explore collections and stories related to the founding of the United States of America.
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
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.
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Sidedoor Podcast
Zoo's Clues
Grab your microscope and get ready to head through a very special side door of the National Zoo—behind the scenes with veterinary pathologists.
Membership
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