History & Cultures | Smithsonian Ocean

Canoe hulls on a sandy shore are painted with traditional Alaskan figures.

The Cook islands banknote

Sharks and Humans

Explore the love-hate relationship between humans and sharks.

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A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

Article

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

two images cropped together of women at desks facing each other

Timeline

An Irrepressible Wave

Divers at a shipwreck site

Article

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

A walrus sits on top of ice.

Article

The Cultural Icescapes of the Arctic

Scientists are finding ways to preserve and study sunken warships

Video

Battle of the Atlantic

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History & Cultures Articles

Although in reality an ichthyosaur and plesiosaur would have likely never battled, this widely shared lithograph by artist, geologist and paleontologist Henry De la Beche even inspired author Jules Verne to pen a similar scene in his book, Journey to the C

Article

Unearthing History: Mary Anning's Hunt for Prehistoric Ocean Giants

a woman's hands close a tin of sardines near a pile of empty cans

Article

Nimble Fingers: the Women Behind Maine’s Canneries

Divers at a shipwreck site

Article

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

Two men each hold a ceramic vessel at the archaeological excavation

Article

Archaeologists Study Early Whaling Community in Quebec, Canada

A sea monster attacks a wooden ship

Article

The Enchanting Sea Monsters on Medieval Maps

an old image of the sea coast

Video

Ocean Acidification in the Puget Sound

the titanic underwater

Video

The Titanic Wrecksite

Eugenie Clark collecting specimens on a dive.

Article

Eugenie Clark - The Shark Lady

As soon as Dampier set foot in Australia, he began making observations and collecting specimens of plants, which he carefully pressed between the pages of books to be studied by the “ingenious” and “curious” upon his return to England. As Dampier conducted his investigations, his artist made detailed sketches like these.

Slideshow

Discoveries in Australia and New Guinea

A map of the early European whaling site at Hare Harbor in Quebec, Canada

Slideshow

Archaeologists Investigate an Early Whaling Community

Nancy standing by the ocean

Article

Corals to Communication: Nancy Knowlton’s Success Focusing on the Imminent

Illustration of a giant squid versus a merman.

Slideshow

From Mermen to Architeuthis, Our Fascination with the Giant Squid