Europe

The British Museum was the first free, public natural history museum in the world—but its creator, Hans Sloane, was intricately connected with the slave trade.

The British Museum Was a Wonder of Its Time—But Also a Product of Slavery

A new book explores the little-known life and career of Hans Sloane, whose collections led to the founding of the British Museum

How Armenia Plans to Become the Next World-Class Hiking Destination

Epic new trails in the Armenian Highland are putting the country's outdoor offerings on the map

Northern lights over a wilderness cabin near Fairbanks, Alaska.

Best Places to See the Northern Lights

Find out where to witness the aurora borealis, with reindeer sleigh rides, ice hotels and hot springs included

Austria

This Austrian Ossuary Holds Hundreds of Elaborately Hand-Painted Skulls

Step inside Europe's largest intact collection of painted remains

Armenia

Armenia Might Be One of the Oldest and Youngest Beer-Making Countries in the World

Frozen waterfalls inside Austria's Eisriesenwelt.

Austria

Descend into the World’s Iciest Gateway to Hell

Austria's Eisriesenwelt, the world's largest ice cave, mixes science with folklore

Visit the Real-Life Winterfell Castle for a 'Game of Thrones' Festival

Fiskars, Finland

How This Tiny Town Drew World-Class Artists Into the Forests of Finland

Fiskars, Finland — an hour west of Helsinki — was a knife-making village on the decline. Now it's one of the world's most successful artist havens.

Switzerland Just Opened the World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge

You won't — but you definitely will — want to look down

The annual swan upping ceremony of the queen's swans on the Thames.

Europe

The Fascinating, Regal History Behind Britain's Swans

The aristocratic bird's has a legacy as a luxury status symbol that dates back centuries

Protestors in London attack the coalition between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland on June 17, 2017.

History of Now

Why the New U.K. Political Coalition Could Undermine Peace in Ireland

Theresa May’s deal to control Parliament may endanger the 1998 Good Friday Agreement

Secret Tunnels Under London, Once Used to Hide Art During WWI, Open to the Public for the First Time

Explore the 6.5-mile-long network of hidden mail tunnels starting this July

In 1971, Folkways Recordings released the album Raimon: Catalonian Protest Songs, and in the liner notes, Pete Seeger wrote: “Censors, in every corner of this world, tend to be shallow, literal-minded people. Raimon is a poet. There is no need to say more.”

This Catalan Folk Singer Refused to Bow to Oppression

The director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage recognizes the lifetime work of the singer activist Raimon

Austria

25 Marie Antoinette-Inspired Destinations

Destinations in Vienna, Paris and beyond for travelers interested in tracing the footsteps of the infamous French queen

Peles Castle

These Stunning, Less-Visited Castles in Europe Are Straight Out of a Fairy Tale

Europe's hidden fortresses are postcard-perfect

Krunan Lusikka

Europe

On Restaurant Day in Helsinki, Unofficial Pop-up Eateries Take Over Everything from Home Kitchens to Tattoo Shops

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Get Lost in London’s Secret Gardens

Follow us to these fragrant green oases secreted away within central and far-flung London neighborhoods

Green waters of Lake Carezza, Italy.

Nine Places to Enjoy Naturally Green Waters This St. Patrick's Day

Leave the dye behind—these watery wonderlands are 100 percent natural

Two unidentified Australian officers examining a tree trunk which was used as an observation post at German House. The opening to the post is located at the base of the trunk. The color patches indicate the officers are members of the 3rd Division Army Services Corps. Note behind the post a dugout (center, right) and trenches.

These Fake Trees Were Used as Spy Posts on the Front Lines of World War I

On the Western Front, meticulously crafted iron trees were used by both sides to conceal enemy forces

Asli Saghatelyan stands next to her father-in-law’s 240-gallon karas, a clay vessel traditionally used in Armenia, until recently, for storing and fermenting homemade wine.

Armenia: Smithsonian Guide

Unearthing Armenia’s Giant, Ancient Earthenware

These 240-gallon clay karases, crucial to the early development of winemaking, once held enormous value

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