The Wizard of Oz, the FBI and the Smithsonian, oh my!

Did you know that Judy Garland wore several pairs of Ruby Slippers during the filming of The Wizard of Oz? One of them is in the collection of the National Museum of American History, and will return to display on October 19. Another was stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn., Garland's hometown. The thief left behind a trail of broken glass and single red sequin as the only clues. After that, the heist was an unsolved mystery for years. Until now.

FBI Special Agents recently brought a recovered pairs of slippers to the museum for an expert opinion. Might this pair be a masterful replica or one of the pairs worn in the iconic 1939 movie? As it turns out, 200 hours spent conserving the museum's pair thanks to the #KeepThemRuby Kickstarter campaign provided an answer in the form of a simple glass bead.

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Five Things You Didn't Know About Discovery

It's been almost 30 years since Space Shuttle Discovery blasted into space taking one of the most important instruments for the astronomical community – the Hubble Space Telescope – with it. Discovery claimed many firsts –the first African American to "walk" in space and the first Hispanic woman in space. Did you know the tiles covering the shuttle are each custom made? Or why the American flag on the side appears to be backwards? Find out why!

PS – The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum teamed up with Google Arts & Culture to give you a 360-degree tour of Space Shuttle Discovery. Take the tour »

The Sculpture Garden is Alive… with the Sound of Music

Stroll through the Hirshorn’s Sculpture Garden between now and October 14 and a woman might start singing to you. This may look like busking, but it’s actually part of the museum’s first exclusively live work. This You by Tino Sehgal consists of a solo female singer, who connects with visitors to produce intimate and memorable experiences, and is part of the museum's focus on experimental and new media works.

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What is the Taíno movement?

As Columbus Day nears, many have taken to remembering the indigenous people of the Americas who were displaced after European colonization. In a collaboration between the Smithsonian Latino Center and National Museum of the American Indian, the exhibit Taíno: Native Heritage and Identity in the Caribbean at the National Museum of the American Indian – New York City, will not just remember, but will explore and discover the heritage and culture of the Taíno people that still lives on today.

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Smithsonian Collections In Your Home

When Google's Expeditions app launched in 2015, the Smithsonian was a pioneering presence, immersing students in Whistler’s Peacock Room – from the bustling streets of London and the tree-lined neighborhoods of Detroit, to our own Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Now, with Expeditions AR, you can place life-like 3D models of objects from the Freer|Sackler right in your living room or classroom!

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John Lennon: The Green Album

Most people know John Lennon as a member of The Beatles, but many people don’t know that he was an aspiring stamp collector as a child. The National Postal Museum is currently displaying John Lennon’s childhood stamp album, which provides a unique perspective on his already well-known life.

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Let Them Eat Cake

Have you ever thought about how sweet tea is so prevalent in the South, how bagels immediately bring New York to mind, and how coffee is synonymous with Seattle? Why are specific regions associated with different foods? Regions Reimagined, the theme for this year's Smithsonian Food History Weekend, will explore the power of place and the dynamics of change in American regional foodways, such as Maryland's lover Eastern Shore, where the unique ten-layer Smith Island Cake originates.

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PS –Regions Reimagined will run from November 1-3 at the National Museum of American History. Feed your curiosity »

Trivia: A Songbird Special

The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has recently been making strides to better understand a mysterious bird the Bluethroat European Songbird by putting tiny geolocators on their backs! These geolocators are like lightweight backpacks that won't interrupt or get in the way of the bird's daily activities, but will help researchers understand their migratory patterns so that they can better protect them.

Which of these birds is a Bluethroat European Songbird?