Exhibitions

Celebrate the 100th Birthday of Barro Colorado Island Research Station by immersing yourself in a Panamanian jungle! From monkeys to microbes, research on the “most studied piece of tropical real estate in the world” gave rise to the Smithsonian .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

International stamps make up more than half of the museum's collections. See some of the rarest and most famous stamps from 24 countries on six continents. Browse more than 700 stamps, one from every country that has ever produced stamps—.... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The Luce Foundation Center for American Art is the first visible art storage and study center in Washington that showcases more than 3,000 artworks from the museum's permanent collection: paintings densely hung on screens; sculptures, .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Examine 13 of the rarest and most highly valued gems in the world of philately, including the most famous US stamp of all, the 1918 Inverted Jenny. A video explains why the Inverted Jenny and other stamps are philatelic gems. Each of these .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

At seven feet tall and more than 8,000 pounds in weight, the gigantic cluster of thousands of sparkling crystals stands in the front gallery, adjacent to the museum’s historic north entrance. The quartz was discovered at the Coleman Mine in .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The advent of nuclear weapons and rapid advances in aviation technologies, such as missiles and automation, have shaped the nature of conflict and diplomacy. These technologies were in turn shaped by not only the Cold War, but several hot wars,.... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The Struggle for Justice showcases major cultural and political figures—from key 19th-century historical figures to contemporary leaders—who struggled to achieve civil rights for disenfranchised or marginalized groups. The exhibition, featuring.... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Since its opening in 1968, the National Portrait Gallery has focused on exhibiting portraits of individuals who have significantly influenced U.S. history and culture. Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900 includes portraits of Indigenous .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.