Astronaut Jim Lovell, who commanded the famous Apollo 13 mission, has died, NASA announced Friday. He was 97. Before Apollo 13, Lovell was part of Apollo 8, the first mission to circle the moon. On Christmas Eve 1968, the crew sent back the first image of Earth above the lunar surface. The picture, dubbed “Earthrise,” showed humanity the beauty and fragility of our home planet and helped invigorate the environmental movement. In 2018, Lee Cowan spoke with Lovell about that iconic trip. https://c

The people of France and the U.S. funded the creation of the Statue of Liberty, with the French donating funds for the statue and Americans chipping in for the pedestal and site. It was inspired in part by a 46-inch-tall model by artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, which was displayed in the U.S. Capitol in 1884. As we approach America’s 250th birthday, the iconic figure continues to invite reflection on the importance of liberty, justice, and the American story. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunc