Smithsonian Channel Documentaries

The 1933 Double Eagle is more than just a rare coin. It's a lightening rod for history, greed and corruption. Never officially issued, the coin was slated for destruction after being minted, but some Double Eagles escaped the meltdown and immediately became the obsession of billionaires, kings and criminal investigators. Join us as we recreate the story of the world's most valuable coin, a journey that takes us to an Egyptian King's palace, a Secret Service sting operation and the most extraordinary auction of the century.

Ten years later, the events of September 11, 2001, still resonate - especially for the people who were in critical leadership positions on that fateful day. Hear intimate accounts from New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the chiefs of the NYPD and FDNY, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and many others who found themselves at the center of the action. Unprecedented decisions. Unimaginable tragedy. This is the definitive story, from 6 am to midnight, of a day that changed the world.

How do you grasp an event as enormous as September 11? At the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, you start small: A briefcase, a Blackberry, a victim's sweatshirt, and a hero's nametag. Simple objects that tell personal stories, recounted in the donors' own words. Stories from New York, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA remind us that the legacy of 9/11 is not fear - it's friendship, courage, and ordinary people pushed by extraordinary circumstances. Their stories deserve to be remembered across decades and generations. By telling them, we triumph over tragedy.

Millions of American Bison once roamed the Great Plains of North America. Now protected, their very existence relies on their instinct and ability to weather the ravages of the prairie's extreme seasonal shifts.

It is considered a wonder of the world, and one of the most popular tourist attractions on Earth, but few realize that the Taj Mahal was built as a monument to eternal love. This is the story of Shah Jahan, ruler of India's mighty Mogul Empire, and his queen, Mumtaz Mahal, and of a love too perfect to survive. The Queen's tragic death moved Jahan to construct a shrine worthy of her name, but with this iconic structure, he would ultimately pay a terrible price to complete his life's work.

In 1959, a new record label changed the sound of pop music forever. Berry Gordy's Motown label brought the world the Jackson Five, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and more. The legendary artists' unique blend of soul and pop influenced future musical idols from all over the world, including a young Phil Collins, who 50 years later, is still a fan. Join him as he teams up with Detroit session guitarists the Funk Brothers to record a tribute to Motown and prepare for the accompanying tour.

The grasslands of Africa are a banquet for feline predators. The unique grasses attract herbivores by the millions including herds of wildebeests and zebras who come to graze in spite of the danger of being eaten themselves. Take a closer look at the African savannah as we explore the hunting and nurturing habits of lions, leopards and cheetahs inside one of the most unique ecosystems on Earth.

Ultimate predators of the Amazon rainforest, black caiman grow over twenty feet long and weigh in at one ton. Seeing these massive reptiles in the wild would send most people running in the other direction, but filmmaker and biologist Rainer Bergomaz and forest ranger Yung Sandy are on a mission that will bring them closer to these behemoths than anyone has ever dared before. Take a thrilling journey up Guyana's Essequibo River as these wildlife experts leave civilization in their wake and enter the lair of the Amazon Basin's most feared predator. (Source: The Smithsonian Channel)

The cheetah excels at acceleration, gathering speeds of over 60 MPH in just a few strides. It runs down high-speed prey faster than any mammal on Earth, but its quickness comes at a cost. For one mother raising three cubs, the stakes are especially high. Her lack of stamina results in many failed attempts to capture prey, and as a single parent, hunting means leaving her cubs unattended and vulnerable to other predators of the Serengeti. The race for survival is on. The cheetah has the speed, but does she have the endurance to make it?

Eyewitnesses tel firsthand stories of the conquest of Italy by Allied forces and the capture and murder of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini during the last days of World War II as troops began the final, unstoppable push toward berlin

Eyewitnesses give firsthand accounts of the Allies' final march though Germany and the lingering resistance they encountered, the horrifying discovery of the death camps and the fall of Berlin in the last months of World War II

Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus - From Armenia (Gaghant Baba) to China (Dun Che Lao Ren), India (Ganesha) and Yugoslavia (Deda Mraz), this beloved and iconic symbol of holiday cheer is known by dozens of names. But who was he? Was he the 4th-century miracle worker Bishop Nicholas of Myra in modern day Turkey? Or the 6th-century Abbot Nicholas of Zion? Did these Middle Eastern holy men become the jolly old Saint Nick of popular lore? Is our modern-day image of Santa the brain child of Civil War-era cartoonist Thomas Nast, looking to comfort weary soldiers during the holidays - and of savvy Coca Cola ad men who adopted the image 50 years later?

Follow the yellow brick road as we take a journey into the life of the man who created the first genuinely American fairy tale. L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” has been read by millions. The film adaptation has been seen by more people more times than any other film in the history of cinema. But little is known about the man behind it all, and how the people, places and circumstances in his life influenced this timeless tale. Discover a new perspective on this much-loved classic as we pull the curtain back on this wonderful writer. No other American children’s story has been as enthusiastically embraced by young and old alike as L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The “Harry Potter” of its day, it has been adapted and re-invented by every generation since the book was first published in 1899. But how did this classic tale come to be? Visit the locations that inspired Baum’s Land of Oz, witness his family’s archival collection, and hear interviews with fans, historians, and the author’s family as we share this heart-warming story of the man behind the classic.