Smithsonian Magazine

Recent Articles

The History of the Christmas Card

Borne out of having too little time, the holiday greeting has boomed into a major industry

By John Hanc / Smithsonian Magazine

How the First Home Pregnancy Test Was Designed

Margaret Crane says it was a simple idea, but it met with enormous pushback

By Roger Catlin / Smithsonian Magazine

The History of Creepy Dolls

Because the fact is, people like creepy

By Linda Rodriguez McRobbie / Smithsonian Magazine

What Happened to the Wild Camels of the American West

Initially seen as the Army's answer to how to settle the frontier, the camels eventually became a literal beast of burden

By Chris Heller / Smithsonian Magazine

The Strange Saga of George Washington’s Bedpan

Even the most mundane of objects associated with the Founding Father has a story

By Cassandra Good / Smithsonian Magazine
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