Smithsonian Channel

Harrowing stories of tragedy and triumph are brought to life through official reports, transcripts and interviews with the pilots, air traffic controllers and lucky survivors of history's most terrifying crashes. Widely considered to be the safest form of travel, air transportation is still in its infancy and when midair calamity strikes, the results are often catastrophic. From the cockpit to the cabin, from the control room to the crash scene, we uncover just what went wrong.

From the 1920s through the 1960s, America transformed from a young country on the rise into a global superpower. Using digital colorization technology, we present these formative decades as few have seen them, revisiting 50 vibrant years of good times and great despair, technological triumphs and natural disasters, and global villains and national heroes.

Bill Pullman introduces and narrates this four-part documentary on the world's first national park, Yellowstone.

Take a journey back in time and immerse yourself in a 150-year-old battle that nearly split our nation in two. This three-part series explores famous and little known aspects of the Civil War, from the perspectives of the Union, the Confederacy and the millions of enslaved people struggling for freedom. Hosted by Ashley Judd, Trace Adkins, and Dennis Haysbert, all of whom had ancestors greatly affected by the war, this series delivers fresh insights and untold tales, brought to life through dramatic recreations and the Smithsonian Institution's vast collection of artifacts.

They are the high-flying pride of the U.S. military, one-of-a-kind warriors that, over the decades, collectively revolutionized aerial warfare. Through rare, archival footage and compelling testimonies, meet the men and women who fly and maintain these Air Warriors and see how they've overcome incredible obstacles to rule the sky.

This series follows the stories of the orangutans and the staff at the world’s biggest orangutan rehabilitation center.

Little-known events that played a large role in determining the outcome of World War II are revealed in this documentary series.

From the Legends of King Arthur and Robin Hood to the recent events of the Russian Revolution, history is full of fascinating and evocative unsolved mysteries. They have inspired, intrigued and often confounded us – but how much do we really know about them? And can we separate fact from fiction? In Mystery Files, the dust is blown off the case files of the world’s most famous and iconic mysteries in a dynamic series that asks, what is the truth behind the greatest stories ever told?

An exploration of how some of the world's biggest man-made structures were built.

The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland, a lush environment where a tangled web of lives comes together. Tree-dwelling capuchin monkeys, gravity-defying Piraputanga fish that leap out of the water to pluck fruit from trees, and over 650 species of birds call this ecosystem home. Wade into this wonderland of biodiversity and uncover its natural rhythms.

Take off on a thrilling flight across America. This epic series offers rare glimpses of our nation's most treasured landmarks, all seen from breathtaking heights. From busy cityscapes to quiet landscapes, we capture the history and the pageantry of our amazing country, which is as diverse as the people who occupy it.

Modern historians, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and newly discovered evidence, rewrite the nation's most iconic stories.

The ocean floor is home to centuries' worth of sunken vessels integrated into marine habitats. Explore extraordinary wrecks around the world and learn how these artificial structures have become a part of the ecosystem--and in some cases, a vital tool in reversing the effects of human impact.

Ride along with the NTSB and its inter-agency partners as they work together towards determining the probable cause of aircraft accidents. These NTSB investigations provide a window into the integral role of air travel in Alaskan life, while raising awareness that might prevent future accidents.

Enter a world of mummies, witches, zombies, and shamans as we explore Britain's mysterious sites and mystic past.

Encounter the Pearl Harbor attacks, the L.A. riots, the Son of Sam murders and Patty Hearst's kidnapping the way they unfolded on TVs and radios across America. We present these shocking events from the 20th century, not through traditional journalistic reportage, but in real-time, as they were covered by national and local news broadcasts. This footage, much of which has not been seen in decades, gives an intimacy and immediacy to stories we thought we knew but will now rediscover through a unique perspective.

This documentary series brings to life Egypt’s great pyramid builders and traces one remarkable century of epic construction at Giza, shining a light on the personal stories of individuals who took part in the construction of the pyramids and the Great Sphinx.

Recent findings in the Middle East have radically changed our understanding of the birth of mankind and the spread of civilization across the globe. Join us on a 12,000-year journey uncovering how this region became a vital link between continents and lead the world's religious, scientific, and cultural enlightenment. On-location excavations and expert testimonies bring to life this epic journey of discovery from the East to the West.

Aerial Africa reveals the fascinating stories you'd never find if you weren't in the air.