Seriously Amazing Objects

A seemingly normal trip to the Smithsonian turns into quite an adventure for lucky museum-goers! Join host Xavier Carnegie as he quizzes Smithsonian visitors for an opportunity to enter the vaults for an up-close look at some of the items that changed the course of our nation. From the compass Lewis and Clark carried west, to the original Wright Flyer, to Ben Franklin's electrostatic machine, Seriously Amazing Objects puts ordinary people in touch with the extraordinary, and even sends some off on a trailblazing adventure of their own!

America is truly a melting pot, one that's been simmering for centuries, and made up of warriors, innovators, icons, and the objects they left behind. Follow one lucky couple as they're whisked to Montana to witness a re-creation of the Battle of Little Bighorn. Then watch as a friends' trip to the zoo turns into an art project with pandas. Private tours of the secret vaults to see Edison's first bulbs, the first Colt revolver, and other incredible artifacts make for a Smithsonian visit they'll never forget.

Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, Irving Berlin's piano, and Seinfeld's puffy shirt. These are just some of the many items flown, touched, played, and worn by American icons, whose great success stories can be found at the Smithsonian. Join us as we give lucky museum goers a chance to get close to some Seriously Amazing Objects. Many of these treasures are locked deep in the vaults and are not always on public display... until now.

There are some Seriously Amazing Objects in the Smithsonian. Learn more about Abe Lincoln's shawl, Muhammad Ali's boxing robe, and the haunting photos of Titanic survivors taken after their rescue. In this episode, we quiz Smithsonian museum-goers for a chance to see, touch, and even ride some of the items invented, used, or inspired by our nation's greatest icons, many of which changed the world. Then follow the fortunate museum-goers hand-picked for an exclusive look at these remarkable treasures.

Our world exists because of tools, from stone choppers used nearly two million years ago to the smart phones we depend on today. Join us as we celebrate the remarkable, and sometimes peculiar, history of these objects, many of which are on display or in the archives of the Smithsonian Institution. We'll peer into high-tech telescopes, examine an Alaskan beluga whale gutskin parka, learn the inspiration for the flexible drinking straw and more. And we'll bring some lucky museum-goers along for the ride!

Join host Xavier Carnegie as he gives select Smithsonian visitors a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with artifacts and animals that represent amazing stories of survival. One guest will learn how the idea of camouflage was developed. Another gets an up-close look at the kite that helped America win World War II. And finally, one guest enters the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, where scientists are racing to save cheetahs from the brink of extinction.