Smithsonian Channel Documentaries

See how a Victorian lady’s botanical curiosity drove her to conquer the globe and create over 800 paintings.

Barack Obama launched into our national consciousness at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and ever since, he's delivered messages of patriotism, unity, and hope through the power of words. But of all the speeches he's given, six in particular may define his legacy as, in historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's words, "one of the best writers and orators in the presidency." Interviews with eminent historians and key figures in his writing process give rare insights into these iconic speeches, as well as the Obama presidency and the man himself.

See a part of World War I that few knew even existed, in an underground city hidden below the battlefields.

The island of Barro Colorado in the Panama Canal is full of mysteries, some involving the wide diversity of wildlife, and some involving the island itself. Every year, hundreds of scientists and students come here to uncover the rainforest's secrets, but this year is very different. The island is running dry and no one knows why. Follow several research teams as they observe, experiment, and conduct research in this pristine habitat, and most pressing of all, try to find out what happened to the rain and when it will come again.

The story of Pocahontas has been passed down through the centuries. Her relationship with John Smith has been characterized as a romance that united two cultures and created lasting peace. However, the life of this American Indian princess was anything but a fairytale. Join us as we look beyond the fiction and reveal the real story of Pocahontas, a tale of kidnapping, conflict, starvation, ocean journeys, and the future of an entire civilization.

The sinking of the Titanic sent shockwaves around the world and started debates that continue to this day. But new, explosive evidence from the most unlikely of sources may finally lay all arguments to rest and reveal, for the first time, the full story of what possibly doomed the "unsinkable" liner. Join us as we unveil recently discovered and never-before-seen photographs of the super ship that exposes shocking clues that investigators and historians once dismissed but can no longer ignore.

There are few ceremonies in the world that are as lavish or as vibrant as Indian weddings. And for Indian-Americans, the unions are just as extravagant here in the States, with an average cost of half a million dollars. Witness the big Bollywood marriages of three couples as they attempt to balance millennia-old traditions and modern American sensibilities. Then see how they celebrate their love and honor their families, without breaking their budgets.

By mid-1945, Hitler is dead and the war has ended in Europe. Halfway around the world, however, the fighting is still going strong on a small island in the Pacific. Okinawa was the site of the last battle of the last great war of the 20th century, with a casualty rate in the tens of thousands. Through it all, military cameramen risked their lives to film the conflict, from brutal land combat to fierce kamikaze attacks at sea. See the footage they captured and experience this intense battle the way the soldiers saw it -- in color.

On the harsh and unforgiving plains of central Namibia, Africa, a young honey badger named Grit has just left home to venture out in the great, wide world, but it won't be easy. Fewer than half of all young honey badgers survive their first few weeks on their own, as they deal with intense heat, starvation, and round-the-clock threats from the many predators of the savannah. In a world where every day is as relentless as the last, Grit will need resourcefulness, resilience, and a little bit of luck in order to survive.

Two miles from the bustling towns of southern India, the lush Western Ghats rainforest harbors a sacred but deadly deity, the king cobra. Reaching lengths of up to 18 feet and packing enough venom to kill an elephant with a single strike, this apex predator is both revered and feared by its human neighbors. But right now, the imposing beast isn't looking for a fight. He's looking for love. It's mating season in the Western Ghats, a period when most human-snake conflicts occur, and it's up to an expert wrangler, Gowri Shankar, to keep the peace.

Take a cross-country flight over Ireland's natural wonders and ancient ruins. In this spectacular overview of the historically significant Emerald Isle, we explore the sites, the people, and the milestones of this unique gem of Western Europe.

Take an epic voyage over the remote island nation of New Zealand, the last habitable landmass to be discovered on the planet. No bigger than the state of Colorado, this small country offers an incredibly diverse landscape view that changes dramatically with each mile. From snow-capped mountains to sandy beaches, and from the glacier-carved Fiordland National Park to the crater lake of Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand is a land of extremes. It's a place where fire clashes with ice and people are always pushing the limits.

In Africa's Simien Mountains, Braveheart is the undisputed king of his gelada family. For four years, he has fought off predators, kept the peace, and in return, has had his pick of potential mates. But now, his reign is under siege by a pack of marauding males, led by Braveheart's younger brother, Tiko, who has a score to settle. Witness this royal battle up close as we enter the most complex social structure of any animal except humans, one where women rule the roost and have final say on who sits on the throne and for how long.

In Rwanda, Africa, a new era is dawning after a brutal civil war ripped through the country, killing close to two million people and wiping out its most iconic wildlife: the regal lion. Now, 25 years later, the big cats are being reintroduced to the region to reclaim their throne. Follow this magnificent seven, a collection of five females and two males, as they travel thousands of miles from South Africa to Akagera National Park and attempt to figure out their new land, form relationships, and restore the pride of a nation.

In the heart of India, young tiger Kumal has been banished from his home. Hungry and alone, he must develop his skills as a predator and a fighter if he has any hope of surviving. But his journey will prove to be long and dangerous, fraught with challenges from a variety of foes, including a fierce rogue male tiger and nearby villagers on an aggressive campaign to hunt him down and kill him. Follow Kumal as he runs for his life, searching to find a territory of his own as well as a mate to continue his legacy.

It's fall in Panama. Across the U.S., birds fly south for the winter, jaguars and coyotes navigate the jungle corridors, and sea turtles take over the beaches. This narrow isthmus is a vital pit stop for millions of migrating animals, but it's currently in danger. Development, pollution, and climate change threaten to disrupt this fragile throughway. Researchers are scrambling to address these challenges, using modern tracking devices to follow the animals and protect the millions that journey along this unique cross-continental passageway.

The Badlands of America: a geological phenomenon that provides a 75-million-year history lesson, presented layer by colorful layer. By all appearances, it's a hostile place to live. But half a million years ago, the elements began carving out a stretch of rich grassland that brims with life every spring and summer. Join us as we meet the unique cast of characters that inhabit this boomtown, such as American bison, cliff swallows, and the bustling prairie dog.