Smithsonian

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OPEN: The History of Neon Signs Smithsonian

OPEN: The History of Neon Signs

The story behind two mysterious signs in the Smithsonian's collection complicates the provenance of the invention.

September 11: Experience the Power of Objects First-Hand Smithsonian Institution

September 11: Experience the Power of Objects First-Hand

For nine days only, the National Museum of American History will display objects saved from 9/11 in an intimate and powerful way

Collecting Photos From 9/11 for the Smithsonian's Archives Stephen Delroy

Collecting Photos From 9/11 for the Smithsonian's Archives

More than 2,000 images and several cameras, each with a unique story, were collected for the Smithsonian from 25 photographers

September 11: A Story About the History of Digital Photography Smithsonian Institution

September 11: A Story About the History of Digital Photography

Just as the Civil War was the first big event covered by the new medium of photography, September 11 was shot digitally

A Close Look at the Pocket Watch of a Civil War Surgeon Smithsonian Institution

A Close Look at the Pocket Watch of a Civil War Surgeon

The watch case shows signs of wear, an indicator that Dr. O'Farrell wore it and consulted it, perhaps to measure a patient's pulse

The Smithsonian Goes Deep Inside an Old Pennsylvania Coal Mine Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Goes Deep Inside an Old Pennsylvania Coal Mine

While searching for the catalog numbers for mining lamps, a collection manager discovered an impressive photo archive shot in 1884

Conservators Unlock the Mysteries of the Jefferson Bible Smithsonian Institution

Conservators Unlock the Mysteries of the Jefferson Bible

Using near-IR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and micro-X-ray fluorescence to learn about the document

Places of Invention: CSU's Engines and Energy Conversion Lab Smithsonian Institution

Places of Invention: CSU's Engines and Energy Conversion Lab

What is it about a particular place that excites a creative mind? How do creative people shape the spaces in which they spend their days?

'Industry on Parade': Developments in Invention and Research Industry on Parade

'Industry on Parade': Developments in Invention and Research

The syndicated public affairs television program helped to create a popular ideology of modern American building and architecture

Digitization Project Brings Ancient Inscriptions Into 21st Century Smithsonian Institution

Digitization Project Brings Ancient Inscriptions Into 21st Century

How the Smithsonian turned a huge collection of squeezes -- the largest outside of Iran and Iraq -- into an easy-to-use Web resource

Collecting Celluloid, the First Semi-Synthetic Plastic Smithsonian Institution

Collecting Celluloid, the First Semi-Synthetic Plastic

The Perlov family spent decades traveling the world to collect celluloid before offering all 7,000-plus pieces to the Smithsonian

'What a Beautiful View': Early Recordings About Space Travel Smithsonian Institution

'What a Beautiful View': Early Recordings About Space Travel

"Our story begins on the morning of Friday, May 5th, 1961, at 34 minutes past the hour of ten, at Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida"

Meet Magellan T. Bear, the First Teddy Bear Sent Into Space Smithsonian Institution

Meet Magellan T. Bear, the First Teddy Bear Sent Into Space

Magellan T. Bear flew into space as an education specialist aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995

When Flowers Met Science Fiction: The Mutations of the 1940s Smithsonian Institution

When Flowers Met Science Fiction: The Mutations of the 1940s

Magazines and companies relied on the language of science fiction to sell new flowers, many created using methods from the form

Acquiring Lester R. Brown's Norelco NT II Dictaphone Recorder Smithsonian Institution

Acquiring Lester R. Brown's Norelco NT II Dictaphone Recorder

Brown's prolific output was enabled by this portable machine on which he dictated five of his books published between 1999 and 2005

Super 8's Purpose: Documenting the Past, Capturing the Present Human Studies Film Archives

Super 8's Purpose: Documenting the Past, Capturing the Present

While cultural and ethnographic film had been shot using other gauges, Super 8 quickly became the preferred stock after its release

Buck Rogers's Atomic Pistol: The Gun That Won't Exist Until 2419 Smithsonian Institution

Buck Rogers's Atomic Pistol: The Gun That Won't Exist Until 2419

Before Captain Kirk, Han Solo or Buzz Lightyear, there was Buck Rogers in the 25th century with his fluted, flamboyant U-235

The Summer of Super 8: A Look at the Film's Technological Origins Karma Foley

The Summer of Super 8: A Look at the Film's Technological Origins

To address the rising concerns with cost as the Great Depression loomed, Eastman Kodak introduced 8mm film in 1932

Suds Up: How to Make Soap, 19th-Century Style Smithsonian Institution

Suds Up: How to Make Soap, 19th-Century Style

In preparation for an upcoming event, the Smithsonian walks us through saponification, the chemical process of creating soap

In the World of Nanotechnology, Anything Is Possible Wikimedia Commons

In the World of Nanotechnology, Anything Is Possible

It is a measure of the potential and newness of this technology that the public knows of it mainly through science fiction and films

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