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Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park, Utah
Today, we"re celebrating the 102nd anniversary of southwest Utah"s Zion National Park with a visit to its Subway slot canyon. Zion is defined by its breathtakingly steep red cliffs, its maze of sandstone canyons, and its waterfalls with colorful hanging gardens. Visitors here can trek for miles, ducking into crevices and resting in canyons once occupied by the Ancestral Puebloans.Desktop Version
Bournemouth beach huts
Bournemouth beach huts
Today we"re taking our bucket and spade to the seaside resort of Bournemouth on the south coast of England. OK, it might be a bit chilly to build sandcastles this time of year, but the festive glow of these cozy beach huts will warm us up as we enjoy a stroll along the seafront for the town"s annual Christmas Tree Wonderland—a trail featuring more than 100 glittering trees and illuminations. The huts in our photo have been decked out for the holidays, providing visitors with the perfect scene for a seasonal selfie—or should that be elfie?Desktop Version
The perfect canvas for an ancient text
The perfect canvas for an ancient text
Since 2009, the city of Durham has served as a grand stage for the biennial Lumiere Durham festival. During four days in November, works of "son et lumière"—a French phrase that means "sound and light"—provide spectators with new ways of viewing public spaces and buildings. Artists from around the world design large-scale light shows paired with narratives and sound effects. It"s become the UK"s largest light festival, and Lumiere Durham"s 10th anniversary, which begins today, promises to attract more than 200,000 people to enjoy the illuminated artworks along cobbled streets.Desktop Version
A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
That mighty fortress at the top of the hill is called the Cittadella—it"s a medieval fortified city at the geographical center of the island of Gozo. Gozo is the second-largest island in the Maltese archipelago (after the island of Malta itself), and despite all appearances it"s the less densely populated of the two.Desktop Version
Windmills in Kinderdijk, the Netherlands
Windmills in Kinderdijk, the Netherlands
This stretch of windmills is one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites—you probably recognize them from postcards and calendars. Both iconic and historic, the windmills in the village of Kinderdijk have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. The Netherlands has about 1,200 windmills, though only 300 or so are still operational. Over the years they"ve played a major role in pumping sea water away from the nation"s reclaimed land. Keeping the water at bay is a perennial issue for the flat Low Countries, where much of the ground is below sea level.Desktop Version
Take a break! It s Labor Day!
Take a break! It s Labor Day!
On this Labor Day, we"re paying homage to hard work, no matter what form it takes. In this case, a worker is applying a fresh coat of paint to the Hammering Man, a symbol of laborers everywhere. Hammering Man is a series of sculptures in varying sizes that depict a man with a motorized arm swinging a hammer in a slow, steady motion. American artist Jonathan Borofsky says he created the sculptures as tribute to working-class men and women around the world, and with that in mind, Hammering Man is our Labor Day hero.Desktop Version
International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day
Happy International Mountain Day! In celebration of highlands, we"re visiting the dramatic landscape of Huangshan—the Yellow Mountains—of eastern China"s Anhui province. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Huangshan has been described as "the loveliest mountain of China" and has inspired artists and writers throughout history. Composed of granite that formed 140 million years ago, its peaks emerge from seas of clouds, rising to 6,115 feet at its highest point, Lotus Peak. Visitors come here to experience breathtaking rock formations, pine trees, hot springs, and captivating winter landscapes. So, let"s climb high, dream big, and protect our mountains!Desktop Version
First day of summer
First day of summer
After long—very long—winter nights, it"s not surprising that the First Day of Summer is cause for a big celebration in Iceland. The public holiday falls on the first Thursday after April 18, and launches Harpa, the first summer month of the old Norse calendar that was followed by the country"s first inhabitants. The year was split into just two seasons back then—summer and winter—which explains why Sumardagurinn Fyrsti, the First Day of Summer, falls in chilly April. Indeed, folklore has it that if you put a dish of water outside the night before the holiday and it freezes, you"ll have a good summer. Regardless of temperature, the holiday does herald the arrival of those famously long days with little darkness, a welcome relief after the light-deprived winter months.Desktop Version
Maybe we should be looking up
Maybe we should be looking up
When it first flicked on the projector lights in 1930, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago was the only one in the Western Hemisphere, and it featured an innovative new lens imported from Germany. But the American public"s fascination with stars and distant worlds, it turned out, was skyrocketing. By 1934, the Adler had welcomed over a million visitors.Desktop Version
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
More than 2 miles above sea level, near the crest of the Andes, is an anomaly of the natural world, a salt flat bigger than many countries. The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt flat in the world at about 4,000 square miles. The salt flat is the remains of an ancient lake that evaporated long ago leaving behind a thick mineral crust that is both a source of edible salt and a critical breeding ground for, of all things, flamingos. But for a battery-hungry world, the greatest riches might lie below the crust—a vast brine rich in lithium.Desktop Version
Fall for birding
Fall for birding
This common loon is spreading its wings in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota, near the US border with Canada and along the northern bank of Lake Superior. As temperatures cool, the protected area becomes a birder"s paradise while migrating flocks stop over on their flights south. The Superior National Forest’s 3.9 million acres and 2,000 lakes offer the right combination of water, woods, and wetlands to support over 155 species of birds, the most avian diversity found in any US national forest.Desktop Version
Commemorating the life of a famous railroad conductor
Commemorating the life of a famous railroad conductor
What better way to celebrate Harriet Tubman Day than with a visit to Harriet Tubman Park? It"s in the South End neighborhood of Boston, where this bronze statue by local artist Fern Cunningham commemorates the great abolitionist"s life. It depicts Tubman leading fellow slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Under her arm, Tubman holds a Bible. Deeply religious, Tubman felt it was her duty to help people escape bondage in the South. It"s estimated she helped free more than 300 slaves on 19 trips north, communicating with coded songs and maps. Tubman is widely regarded as the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. But she wasn"t just a conductor—during the Civil War, she worked as a spy and a nurse, and she led the Combahee River Raid which set free 700 slaves. After the war, she traveled here, to Boston, to work on women"s voting rights.Desktop Version
Central Highlands of Vietnam
Central Highlands of Vietnam
The woods are a tranquil place, but they can be scary for a lone wanderer. Out here, you could suddenly find yourself running from the Big Bad Wolf, trying to escape a witch"s clutches, or just plain old lost. Though often in the old stories, scary places like this are also where the hero overcomes a great obstacle or finds a valuable treasure. Could you be in luck?Desktop Version
World Lizard Day
World Lizard Day
When trying to draw attention to World Lizard Day, you don"t want to lead off with a scary Gila monster or monitor lizard. Nope, what you want front and center is a cute little gecko like the one we see here. Geckos come in varying sizes across 1,500 species and are unique among lizards for their vocalizations for mating, distress, and social interactions.Desktop Version
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day serves as a reminder not only of the man, but also of his mission. He stood for advances in civil rights, nonviolent resistance, and a dream of racial harmony. In 1983, the third Monday of January was made a federal holiday to mark his birthday, which was on January 15. It"s the only federal holiday that"s designated as a national day of service and the "day on, not a day off" continues to inspire unity, progress, and the ongoing struggle for equality.Desktop Version
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the institution s 175th anniversary
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the institution s 175th anniversary
In 1846, when Congress authorized an institution "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge," no one could have predicted what the Smithsonian Institution would eventually become. Today, on our 175th anniversary, the Smithsonian is the world"s largest museum, education, and research complex. And in the decades that I have worked here—as an educator, curator, museum director, and now as Secretary—I have watched us grow into a vital and vibrant 21st-century institution: conducting groundbreaking research, becoming a national leader in K-12 education, creating new museums that represent the American experience more fully, and equipping our audiences to tackle the world"s most pressing challenges.Desktop Version
Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park, California
Fancy witnessing a fiery waterfall? The seemingly impossible can be found at this time of year on the eastern side of El Capitan, Yosemite National Park"s famous rock face. Horsetail Fall is a seasonal waterfall that flows only when there has been plenty of snowfall, and when temperatures have been warm enough to melt it. For a couple of weeks in February, if skies are clear, water is flowing, and the sun shines at just the right angle, the long, slender waterfall takes on a glowing, flame-hued appearance. Hundreds gather in Yosemite Valley to see this mesmerizing natural spectacle. The phenomenon has earned the moniker "firefall," an homage to the historic Yosemite Firefall, a manmade event from the top of the park"s Glacier Point that took place between 1872 to 1968. Eventually, park rangers decided that dumping embers over a cliff onto the land below wasn"t the brightest idea.Desktop Version
Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Val Gardena in Northern Italy is a popular destination for skiing, rock climbing, and woodcarving enthusiasts, which transforms into Christmas Valley at this time of year. Wooden huts open their doors to visitors, and a nostalgic cable car ride, each cabin adorned with twinkling fairy lights, travels above snow-covered slopes. During the 18th century, the valley became famous for its production of intricately carved wooden figurines, initially made to decorate Catholic churches. Among those creations, the peg wooden doll emerged as one of Val Gardena"s best-known products and is still being produced today.Desktop Version
Kagami-ike, Nagano, Japan
Kagami-ike, Nagano, Japan
This serene Japanese landscape is reflected in the still waters of an artificial reservoir known as Kagami-ike, meaning ‘mirror pond." Surrounded by lush greenery and the Togakushi Mountain Range in Nagano Prefecture, Kagami-ike emerges from the morning mists to create an enchanting spectacle. During the cherry blossom season, visitors walk among sakura petals that float along the breeze while, in autumn, they can enjoy its surrounding orange and yellow foliage. This secluded spot is a wonderfully peaceful place for mindful meditation and self-reflection.Desktop Version
Christmas market at Belvedere Palace in Vienna
Christmas market at Belvedere Palace in Vienna
Christmas markets win the holiday trifecta: You can buy interesting, often handcrafted gifts, they are set in picturesque, romantic towns and villages in Europe, and they tempt you with mulled wine and local delicacies. What"s not to like? Christmas markets, or "Weihnachtsmärkt," are one of Europe"s oldest Advent events.Desktop Version
Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Hey, don"t judge. Migrating takes it out of you! Yes, these sandhill cranes are sleeping on their feet in the waters of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in southern New Mexico. The birds start arriving around Halloween each year, and as many as 10,000 of them will stay to rest and feed in local fields until February. What"s on the menu? Well, sandhill cranes aren"t picky; they"ll eat whatever"s available, from plants and grains, to insects, snails, and even snakes. And they have plenty of avian company at this beautiful refuge each winter—whooping cranes, ducks, and snow geese from as far away as Alaska and Siberia also count Bosque del Apache as a favorite resting spot before heading north to their breeding grounds when the days get warmer. Thankfully, there"s plenty of room to spread their wings at the 57,000-acre refuge.Desktop Version
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in China"s Heilongjiang province, begins today with all the spectacle and fanfare you"d expect from the world"s largest festival of its kind. Big, bold, and beautiful, the event features more than 2,000 ice sculptures made from 240,000 cubic yards of ice collected by nearly a thousand workers from the nearby Songhua River. Many of the sculptures are illuminated with colored lights, creating a vibrant, glowing world of ice. It"s estimated the colorful sights attract more than 18 million visitors each year. The event, which runs through late February, also features alpine skiing, cold water swimming in the aforementioned Songhua, as well as a festive ice lantern show.Desktop Version
The largest American bison around
The largest American bison around
Emerging from a stand of trees in the Northwest Territories of Canada comes a wood bison, the larger of the two subspecies of the American bison. (The plains bison is the other type). The wood bison once numbered in the tens of thousands, roaming the chilly boreal forests and open meadows in northwestern Canada and parts of Alaska. But by the early 1900s, these majestic animals, as with their cousins to the south, were driven almost to extinction by hunting, disease, and habitat loss.Desktop Version
Celebrating Panama s independence
Celebrating Panama s independence
What do you get when you cross historic feats of engineering with unmatched natural beauty? Answer: This photo of a suspension bridge in a rainforest. Or more generally: Panama, where the photo was taken.Desktop Version
Jazzed for Mardi Gras
Jazzed for Mardi Gras
To celebrate the Big Easy"s enduring legacy of music, we"re in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans for Fat Tuesday. As Carnival season culminates today with Mardi Gras celebrations throughout the city, this historically black neighborhood adjacent to the French Quarter will come alive with the music of jazz bands like the one depicted here. The sculptural profile of a traditional marching brass band marks one entrance to Louis Armstrong Park, a community space honoring New Orleans" musical roots with a 12-foot statue of its jazz legend namesake, as well as other art pieces depicting iconic NOLA musicians.Desktop Version