Most Viewed From Smithsonian Channel

In 1936, Victor H. Green (1892-1960) published The Negro Motorist Green Book, a book that was both a travel guide and a survival manual, to help...

It's death on an unimaginable scale, when a majority of Earth's species quickly die out. It's called "mass extinction," and it's happened at least...

Cuba's enforced isolation has resulted in the unlikeliest of marine reserves: a huge, rambling archipelago known as Jardines de la Reina, or "Gardens...

On July 16, 1969, hundreds of thousands of spectators and an army of reporters gathered at Cape Kennedy to witness one of the great spectacles of the...

For 20-year-old Madison Stewart, nothing feels safer or more natural than diving straight into shark-infested waters. Since childhood, growing up by...

The sinking of the Lusitania and the impact it had in determining the fate of World War I is widely known. But few know the stories of the passengers...

In January 1942, the U.S. military created a new bomber command, the Eighth Air Force, and sent a small contingent of men overseas to loosen the...

Over billions of years, planet Earth has become home to an amazing interdependent ecosystem, containing a dizzying variety of animals and plants. But...

The story of Hitler’s final hours told by people who were there. This special features exclusive forgotten interviews, believed lost for 65...

The Color of Care chronicles how people of color suffer from systemically substandard healthcare in the United States, with a pressing focus on how...

The story of Pocahontas has been passed down through the centuries. Her relationship with John Smith has been characterized as a romance that united...

Going from 0 to 150 mph in three seconds, withstanding three Gs of force, and taking off from what's often called "the most dangerous place on the...

"The World's Loneliest Elephant" Kaavan will finally experience freedom, thanks to his biggest champion, the one & only Cher. We'll follow Cher,...

For thousands of years, the Great Plains were home to countless numbers of American bison, but in the late 1800s, the number of bison dropped from...

In 1914, the world's first trans-Antarctic expedition came to a cold stop. Trapped in ice just 60 miles from their destination, explorer Ernest...

From M16 rifles to Huey helicopters, the Vietnam War launched weapons that went on to become legendary. This is the untold story of one such weapon...

The sinking of the RMS Titanic remains one of the most enduring and mysterious tragedies of the 20th century. For decades, investigators and amateurs...

We all know the main story of Abraham Lincoln's death, how he was killed, where it took place, and who pulled the trigger. But what exactly happened...

The iconic design of the Boeing 747 has endured for over 5 decades, but the end of production is looming. In this documentary special we follow the...

Air Force One is a marvel of military engineering. For more than half a century, the presidential fleet of armed jumbo jets has served as a flying...