Smithsonian Institution

Capsule Art Reviews: "Cocomirle: A Visual and Sound Environment by Adela Andea," "The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia; A New Beginning," "Halls without walls, room to feel in. The door awaits you, your return within." "Maurice," "No Paint," "Sal

This Week In Food Blogs: Cronut Craze and RA Sushi's Watermelon Margaritas

Eater: The cronut craze has taken the world by storm. After having its origin in New York, the hybrid croissant-donut has made everyone in the United States and overseas go crazy for the sinfully sweet treat. Eater gives us nine cronut imposters from around the world, including an at-home recipe wit ... More >>

Exploring Songza: Four Offbeat Playlists From the Curated Music Service

We introduced you to Songza -- the service that acts as a "music concierge" -- a few weeks back. Using curated playlists sorted not only by genre and theme, but also by activity, Songza helps you pick the best songs for the occasion. More importantly to me, the playlists are expertly curated, mean ... More >>

Happy Inventors Day! 5 Musical Inventors to Celebrate

On this day in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed February 11 to be National Inventor's Day, and commanded the observation of same by all of us less awesome citizens. The day was chosen because it was the birthday of Thomas Edison, who held more than a thousand different patents, including pre ... More >>

Asian American Portraits

Grouping visual artists by ethnic identity is a tired curatorial tactic, but at least we get to see some great art in this one at the Asia Society Texas Center.

Japanese Splendor at MFAH

MFAH show offers treasure trove of centuries-old art from the Kimiko and John Powers Collection.

Smithsonian Magazine: Making History with First Annual Food Issue

Smithsonian Magazine, in its more than 40 years of existence, has rarely been of interest to us foodies. Sure it's always full of nifty inventions, complicated science and fascinating history, but food was never on its front burner. That all changed this June. The first-ever Smithsonian Magazine ... More >>

Last Night: Marilyn Manson At House Of Blues

Marilyn Manson House of Blues May 13, 2012 See more Mother's Day Marilyn Manson photos in our slideshow. "It's Mothers Day. Anybody here have my child, or is my child?" howled Marilyn Manson from the stage at the House of Blues Sunday, just as he and the band ended "Disposable Teens" in a flurry o ... More >>

A Small Matter of Taste

NPR recently aired a fascinating storyabout the physiology of taste. The segment featured an interview with Barb Stuckey, author of Taste What You're Missing: The Passionate Eater's Guide to Why Good Food Tastes Good. The book discusses the variety of tastes that we all experience. By this, I do n ... More >>

50 Years On: The Smithsonian's Five Weirdest Items from John Glenn's Flight

Fifty years ago John Glenn became the first American into orbit, an important first step on the way to the moon. You can search the Smithsonian's archives for Friendship 7 items, and some of them are, well, odd. Like these five: 5. Mark Dixon's blanket Who's Mark Dixon? Just some kid from Michigan ... More >>

Pregnancy Puzzler

Lactation not related to giving birth.

10 Fish You're Eating That Are Endangered Species

Human beings: acting like jerks since we killed off the pupfish.​Yesterday, we touched briefly on the plight of the idiot fish, a small red fish with giant, round marbles for eyes. It's delicious, despite its odd appearance. And it's also endangered. Yet it's still sold and served across the w ... More >>

Gothic Council Applies For The Perfect Job

​Joblessness in the United States remains an ever-present fear for Americans who worry about their employment options in the face of a sluggish economic recovery. Having recently gone through it ourselves, let us tell you that the stress of not knowing for sure where your next check is coming ... More >>

Food Fight: Box Lunch

Matthew DresdenLe Mistral's box lunch, with grilled chicken panini and cream of tomato soup. Perhaps the best deal in Houston.​If you google the phrase "box lunch history," virtually all the results are for lunch boxes and the fascinating history thereof. (Check out the Smithsonian's photo op ... More >>

TV Party: With The Shuttle Gone, Whither Space City?

​On the latest "Between The Lines" segment on CW 39's Newsfix, I unloaded about the horror of Houston not receiving a space shuttle, now that the NASA program is over with. Hopefully Florida, Washington, D.C., and New York will make do with these retired spacecraft. It's not like any of the ... More >>

Space Shuttles: Ten Ways Los Angeles and New York Can Show Theirs Off, Dammit

Bi-wing airplanes...pfft. Try this on for size, Kong.​This week, we learned that Houston, essentially the birthplace of the space shuttle program, will not be given one of the four remaining shuttles. Two of the four cities receiving them are both deserving and appropriate: Washington D.C. (fo ... More >>

Houston Gets No Space Shuttle: See What Happens When You Don't Have a Texan in the White House?

Cue the loser horn: Houston is not getting one of the retiring Space Shuttles, according to every media report out there. It's not even getting a shuttle that never went to space. Houston put on a furious last-minute push to land one of the orbiters, but the fact that it was a last-minute push pro ... More >>

Retired Space Shuttles: Will Houston Get Shut Out?

A space shuttle on display​Discovery has landed safely, ending its last mission of a long and fruitful career. It's expected to spend its retirement at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum branch in Virginia. Two other space shuttles are retiring this year -- the Endeavour and Atlantis -- and 2 ... More >>

Ten Charmingly Strange Old Postcards from Galveston, Beaumont and Baytown

Last month we shared with you ten charmingly strange old postcards from Houston. Now it's time to give equal love to the places that surround Houston. As always, Card Cow is the place to go for your vintage-postcard needs. 10. Beaumont: Plenty of Parking! The Beaumont Village Shopping Center featu ... More >>

Island Of Misfit Christmas Albums: Teen Pop Meltdown

​It happens like this: You are in charge of a major teen-pop act who can sell anything with their face or voice on it, be it training bras, shaving cream, or caskets. You have a week off in the summer from touring. Do you let the talent go home and sleep in their own beds or do you shove the ... More >>

"The Forgotten Faces of Fort Craig"

From the story of one soldier, we learn the stories of many

Aftermath: KISS, Hotter Than Hell and Strutting Like Dinosaurs In Houston Rock City

Photos by Jay Lee​ KISS is a depleting natural and cultural resource. One day there will be no KISS left, and all the world will have is four garish black and silver suits sitting in some futuristic Smithsonian display. We have had KISS on this Earth for almost 40 years, and many people have never ... More >>

Idol Beat: The Top Three Results

Photos by Frank Micelotta/ Fox Homeward Bound: Danny Gokey's exit didn't prompt a whole lot of tears."I think we've had enough suspense, enough commercials - let's just get to it." This is what Danny Gokey told Ryan Seacrest, and, by proxy, America. We were in agreeance - Wednesday night's s ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Jody Nix Does Western Swing Right

As we reported some weeks ago in this column, if you're down with hardcore Western Swing twin fiddle dance music of the Bob Wills variety, you should be in heaven Saturday when Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys make a rare Houston appearance on the iFest Texas Stage. Nix is old-school, so old scho ... More >>

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum’s Aviation History Day

Web exclusive!

"Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon: Vietnamese America Since 1975"

This photography exhibit shows the journey one million refugees made

Texas Food at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.

Texas Johnny Brown to Play Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Capsule Art Reviews: "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial 2006," "Ethnography, Photojournalism and Propaganda: 1934-1975.," "FotoFest2008: Current Perspectives, 1998–2008 CHINA," "Vivid Vernacular"

Capsule Art Reviews: "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial 2006," "Ethnography, Photojournalism and Propaganda: 1934-1975.," "FotoFest2008: Current Perspectives, 1998–2008 CHINA," "Vivid Vernacular"

Capsule Art Reviews: "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial 2006," "Ethnography, Photojournalism and Propaganda: 1934-1975.," "FotoFest2008: Current Perspectives, 1998–2008 CHINA," "Vivid Vernacular"

Capsule Art Reviews: "AES+F," "Chantal Akerman: Moving Through Time and Space," "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial 2006," "Foto Fest2008: Current Perspectives, 1998–2008 CHINA," "Tony Berlant," "Vivid Vernacular"

Visual Overload at the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston

"Design Life Now" showcases some interesting items — if you have the patience to find them

“Design Life Now: National Design Triennial”

A Smithsonian exhibit makes a stop at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

In a Jar…at the Smithsonian

Six of One Productions mounts a collection of monologues and short one-act plays

“Richard Black: The Art of Cue”

HCCC presents works by craftsman Richard Black

Catfish Reef: Happy Woman Blues

War on War Songs

Iraq and roll don't go together well when rockers protest

Pick 'Em and Flick 'Em

Nice bands like Flickerstick finish first on reality TV but flop in the real real world

Keep History Alive

Paul Matthews puts his collection of military history on display

Repro Man

Darryl Lauster's resin antiques replicas take the art-versus-craft debate to a new level

Viking Makeover

There's more to Viking culture than just pillaging and plundering

Star Bucks

Princess Leia's slave-girl bikini and more go on display

Night & Day

July 9 - 15, 1998

Press Picks

Press Picks

Dealer of the Art

In his 14 years as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Peter Marzio has increased the MFA's endowment tenfold, tripled MFA Membership and gotten it started on a huge new home. He hasn't done badly for himself, either.

Street Walking

A stroll down Colquitt takes you to the heart of Houston art

A History Lesson

The Confederate House feeds us on what Houston was -- for better and worse

Lost Cyberweekend

CyberCulture Houston: Three days of art, music, dance and deep thoughts