Technology & Innovation
Explore Technology & Innovation across the Smithsonian through stories, events, and exhibitions. Use the filters to browse by format, then bookmark events and exhibitions to keep track of what you want to visit or attend.
317 results
Timed with the U.S. semiquincentennial, the National Portrait Gallery commemorates the founding of its historic home with The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees. This exhibition sketches the early history of the Patent Office—the . Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.
National Portrait Gallery
–
It might not be the most glamorous job, but the scientists at our National Museum of Natural History who are working to identify bird snarge (short for snot and garbage) are saving lives by preventing bird strikes and air disasters.
On July 1, 1976, the National Air and Space Museum opened its doors to the public. In the first episode of our new limited series, we go behind the scenes at the opening ceremony.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F71%2F16%2F71162791-8973-4818-91c7-4f27d9f11aff%2Fequipment-ws.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
The recently launched system involves two thermal cameras that can detect gray whales up to four miles away, giving ships enough time to slow down or change course—and avoid running into the marine mammals.
The “50 for 50” artifact for Maryland is the Hubble Space Telescope, operated out of NASA Goddard. Maryland native Reid Wiseman reflects on Hubble's legacy.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F4a%2Fd7%2F4ad7f8f2-bd8f-4df4-98da-36ae91b17e5e%2Fcsm_thorium_kristall_671113b11f.webp&w=2560&q=75)
Two independent teams of scientists have created the first functional clocks that can keep ultraprecise time using the nuclei of a radioactive element.
%3Afocal(3861x2096%3A3862x2097)%2Fhttps%253A%252F%252Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%252Ffiler_public%252F97%252F7d%252F977dfcee-fe82-469c-b97b-ae95d583a5c4%252Fnmnh-2025-02051.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
The ongoing effort captures high-quality images and collection data in seconds, creating an online database of bees, beetles, butterflies and flies.
NASA and STRI join forces in Panama to investigate the structure of tropical forests using cutting-edge airborne technology.