Smithsonian

Almost as soon as the towering black fencing was erected last week to seal off Lafayette Park, the barrier became an art gallery and a sounding board for the demonstrators protesting years of black deaths at the hands of police officers. Now, with expectations that the fence in front of the White House might be coming down, there’s an effort...

Such a quintessentially American role, some said, should have gone to an African American actress. Erivo, the daughter of Nigerian immigrants to England, was born in London and currently lives in New York.

British actress Cynthia Erivo is relatively small in stature. In person, she is earnest and genial. In performance, the 32-year-old can appear achingly vulnerable. And if you’re not paying attention, she will bowl you over. Now, after glimpses of her on-screen power last year in Drew Goddard’s “Bad Times at the El Royale” and Steve McQueen’s “Widows,” Erivo gives her...

Hard as it may be to believe, “Harriet” is the first feature film about Harriet Tubman. Kasi Lemmons’ movie about the Underground Railroad leader premiered Tuesday night at the Toronto International Film Festival where festival director Cameron Bailey, introducing the film, noted the cinematic injustice of Tubman only now making it to the big screen.

The National Zoo panda cub is set to leave the District and head back to China in the coming months as part of a breeding agreement.

Specialists are using lasers to clean up the black biofilm on the Jefferson Memorial dome.

The Smithsonian is adding U.S. royalty to its permanent collection.

For most of us, the clickety clack of a manual typewriter — or the gentler tapping of the IBM Selectric — are but memories, or something seen only in movies. But at the few remaining typewriter repair shops in the country, business is booming as a younger generation discovers the joy of the feel and sound of the typewriter —...

There’s a new addition to the Smithsonian family: A tiny red panda.

Asian Americans are pushing for a Smithsonian gallery of their own on Washington’s National Mall.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian has raised $7.6 million in funding for the National Native American Veterans Memorial to be built on the grounds of the museum.

Jerry Merryman, one of the inventors of the handheld electronic calculator, has died in Dallas. He was 86.

On the first snowfall of the season, Bei Bei the giant panda at the National Zoo tumbles and plays in the fresh powder.

Park rangers were once again greeting visitors at some national parks across the United States and flight operations at major airports were returning to normal on Saturday, one day after a partial government shutdown came to an end. While there were signs that some government machinery was grinding back to life after a record 35 days without funding, many federal...

The Smithsonian National Zoo’s beloved live panda camera was turned off on Wednesday amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. The National Zoo stayed open during the first 11 days of the shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, by tapping into unused dollars from the previous year, but closed its doors to the public on Tuesday night. The camera was shut...

It’s week two of the government shutdown. We have the latest on President Trump and the Democrats as they continue to throw blame at each other.

The Cincinnati Zoo is celebrating another milestone for its famous premature baby hippo. The zoo said Wednesday that Fiona has hit 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). The zoo acknowledges reaching that weight mark is more of a sentimental milestone since full-grown female hippos weigh about three times that. Senior keeper Jenna Wingate tells WVXU radio that it’s “a big deal” because...

The iconic Equality sneakers that LeBron James wore in a game against the Washington Wizards are headed for display at a Smithsonian museum.

The chief executive of the California Historical Society has been named the new director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Anthea M. Hartig becomes the first woman to be permanent director of the museum, one of the most popular Smithsonian attractions. She succeeds John Gray, who retired in May. Hartig, 54, will oversee 262 employees and a $50...

The Cincinnati Zoo’s famous premature baby hippo does more than delight social media fans and help sell a wide range of merchandise. She’s also an educational and literary force; heroine of a half-dozen books so far and a popular subject for library and classroom activities.