Spooked at the Smithsonian

In 1935, a diver searching Lake Champlain found something extraordinary: a nearly intact warship from the American Revolution. It was the Gunboat Philadelphia. In this episode, we dive into the story of how a ragtag American army built a fleet of ships to stand up against the Bri ...  Show more

In the 1880s, a conservator at the Smithsonian set out for Montana to capture an American bison before the dwindling species vanished forever. He returned with six taxidermied bison that he displayed in the museum. The bison diorama wowed visitors so much that it helped kickstart ...  Show more

Since its establishment in 1855, the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C. has been a place of science and wonder. Its hallowed halls have seen generations of brilliant minds dedicated to their work — and it seems some of them carried their commitments beyond the g ...  Show more

When a curious teenager dares to visit a haunted asylum in Illinois, she has no idea she’s opening a door that will never fully close. Over the years, unexplained events follow her across states, homes, and generations from a possessed family campsite to a haunted workplace in D. ...  Show more

We're diving into the two most haunted houses in DC, The White House and The Halcyon House. Who was the ghost that tormented Taft's staff, which first ladies are most often seen haunting the White House grounds, and who was the eccentric owner of one of DC's most haunted houses, ...  Show more

These days, many people associate the idea of a 'haunted house' with horror novels, campfire tales and scary movies. But what happens when someone goes to court, claiming their new house is haunted? In celebration of International Women's Day, guest hosts Lauren Vogelbaum and Myk ...  Show more