Smithsonian Channel

Architects and engineers build an eco-friendly convention center on Vancouver's waterfront, a lift bridge in Bordeaux and a cocoon-shaped skyscraper in Tokyo each with unique challenges like marine habitats and massive spans.

At Monster Jam, custom-built monster trucks roll, flip and fly through the air; with the metal-bending beating these trucks endure, teams of specialized mechanics race against the clock to repair these engineering marvels in time for the next event.

Discover the Chinook, the heavy-lift helicopter that rewrote the rules of aviation; born in the 1950s America, the Chinook entered service in Vietnam; its bent airframe and tandem rotors gave it a huge lift capability.

The first fly-by-wire helicopter is put through its paces, as test pilots harness freezing temperatures; in Anchorage, a jet is lifted for repairs.

Viewing Northern Italy from the air; the fashion capital of Milan; the canals of Venice; the peaks of the Dolomites; the colorful coast of Cinque Terre.

Discover the Chinook, the heavy-lift helicopter that rewrote the rules of aviation; born in the 1950s America, the Chinook entered service in Vietnam; its bent airframe and tandem rotors gave it a huge lift capability.

The first fly-by-wire helicopter is put through its paces, as test pilots harness freezing temperatures; in Anchorage, a jet is lifted for repairs.

Viewing Northern Italy from the air; the fashion capital of Milan; the canals of Venice; the peaks of the Dolomites; the colorful coast of Cinque Terre.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Find out how Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and a few hundred conquistadores unravelled the fabric of Aztec society. Examine the political manoeuvres, rebellions, and cultural misunderstandings that led to the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Find out how Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and a few hundred conquistadores unravelled the fabric of Aztec society. Examine the political manoeuvres, rebellions, and cultural misunderstandings that led to the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Find out how Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and a few hundred conquistadores unravelled the fabric of Aztec society. Examine the political manoeuvres, rebellions, and cultural misunderstandings that led to the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.

Architects and engineers build an eco-friendly convention center on Vancouver's waterfront, a lift bridge in Bordeaux and a cocoon-shaped skyscraper in Tokyo each with unique challenges like marine habitats and massive spans.

At Monster Jam, custom-built monster trucks roll, flip and fly through the air; with the metal-bending beating these trucks endure, teams of specialized mechanics race against the clock to repair these engineering marvels in time for the next event.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

Decoding the secrets of long-lost human settlements; scrutinizing a mysterious Norwegian mound, a prehistoric stone circle on the banks of the Tagus River, a lost city in the cradle of civilization and bizarre rock shapes.

Crews work around the clock to build the world's largest underwater concrete bed to salvage the Costa Concordia; operating in secrecy, teams work under high security to repair one of the world's most iconic cruise liners.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

Decoding the secrets of long-lost human settlements; scrutinizing a mysterious Norwegian mound, a prehistoric stone circle on the banks of the Tagus River, a lost city in the cradle of civilization and bizarre rock shapes.

Crews work around the clock to build the world's largest underwater concrete bed to salvage the Costa Concordia; operating in secrecy, teams work under high security to repair one of the world's most iconic cruise liners.

A sculptural high-rise with rippling balconies breaks the mold in Chicago; Mammoth machines bore 26 miles of tunnels for an underground railroad beneath London's city streets.

Mike is in Iceland, where teams harness the power of volcanos to keep the geothermal energy flowing; they battle harsh weather to maintain and upgrade giant power systems, fixing miles of steam pipes, and bringing a dead well back to life.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Find out how Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and a few hundred conquistadores unravelled the fabric of Aztec society. Examine the political manoeuvres, rebellions, and cultural misunderstandings that led to the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Find out how Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and a few hundred conquistadores unravelled the fabric of Aztec society. Examine the political manoeuvres, rebellions, and cultural misunderstandings that led to the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

Cinematographer and noted Egyptologist Ramy Romany has produced, directed, filmed and been featured in more than 100 documentaries on ancient Egypt. That experience makes him the ideal host for this series, in which he investigates spellbinding secrets of fascinating burial sites, mass graves and ancient tombs around the world. Each episode finds Romany in the midst of legends, myths, curses and c

Historian Dan Snow tells the dramatic story of the life, death and rediscovery of young Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

Cinematographer and noted Egyptologist Ramy Romany has produced, directed, filmed and been featured in more than 100 documentaries on ancient Egypt. That experience makes him the ideal host for this series, in which he investigates spellbinding secrets of fascinating burial sites, mass graves and ancient tombs around the world. Each episode finds Romany in the midst of legends, myths, curses and c

Historian Dan Snow tells the dramatic story of the life, death and rediscovery of young Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

Cinematographer and noted Egyptologist Ramy Romany has produced, directed, filmed and been featured in more than 100 documentaries on ancient Egypt. That experience makes him the ideal host for this series, in which he investigates spellbinding secrets of fascinating burial sites, mass graves and ancient tombs around the world. Each episode finds Romany in the midst of legends, myths, curses and c

Historian Dan Snow tells the dramatic story of the life, death and rediscovery of young Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

A sculptural high-rise with rippling balconies breaks the mold in Chicago; Mammoth machines bore 26 miles of tunnels for an underground railroad beneath London's city streets.

Mike is in Iceland, where teams harness the power of volcanos to keep the geothermal energy flowing; they battle harsh weather to maintain and upgrade giant power systems, fixing miles of steam pipes, and bringing a dead well back to life.

Tackling the grade 6 rapids and untamed waters of the Buller River on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, blessed by a Māori elder of the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

Zoom in on some otherworldly sights; spot a giant glacier on the Red Planet, let the milky seas off the coast of Java bathe your vision, ponder a huge hexagon floating above Saturn and take a spin around a doughnut-shaped lake in Saskatchewan.

Salvaging a 50-foot motor yacht in Islamorada, Fla.; a 44-foot launch hung up on a dam on the Mississippi River; repairing a major storm gate in the British Isles.

Tackling the grade 6 rapids and untamed waters of the Buller River on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, blessed by a Māori elder of the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

Zoom in on some otherworldly sights; spot a giant glacier on the Red Planet, let the milky seas off the coast of Java bathe your vision, ponder a huge hexagon floating above Saturn and take a spin around a doughnut-shaped lake in Saskatchewan.

Salvaging a 50-foot motor yacht in Islamorada, Fla.; a 44-foot launch hung up on a dam on the Mississippi River; repairing a major storm gate in the British Isles.

A new performance center with a tent-like glass-and-steel lobby tests engineers in Kansas City; two twisting apartment towers make heads spin in Ontario.

In Florida, Mike tackles one of the dangerous jobs on the planet, commercial diving; he helps a specialized team keep waterways safe; fixing construction site leaks and removing dangerous structures, all while hurricane season is in full swing.

Discover the Chinook, the heavy-lift helicopter that rewrote the rules of aviation; born in the 1950s America, the Chinook entered service in Vietnam; its bent airframe and tandem rotors gave it a huge lift capability.

The first fly-by-wire helicopter is put through its paces, as test pilots harness freezing temperatures; in Anchorage, a jet is lifted for repairs.

Viewing Northern Italy from the air; the fashion capital of Milan; the canals of Venice; the peaks of the Dolomites; the colorful coast of Cinque Terre.

Cinematographer and noted Egyptologist Ramy Romany has produced, directed, filmed and been featured in more than 100 documentaries on ancient Egypt. That experience makes him the ideal host for this series, in which he investigates spellbinding secrets of fascinating burial sites, mass graves and ancient tombs around the world. Each episode finds Romany in the midst of legends, myths, curses and c

Historian Dan Snow tells the dramatic story of the life, death and rediscovery of young Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

The first great empire of the Akkadians, led by Sargon the Great, dominated the Fertile Crescent, replacing the Sumerians and extending its influence as far north as Syria and south as Oman.

The discovery of a submerged, 9,000-year-old stone circle may reveal the mysterious origins of Stonehenge.

Learning how displaced artifacts spark fresh investigations and rewrite timelines; unearthing a forgotten tragedy in a remote mountain lake in India, checking out footprints that change human migration stories; reopening an ancient cold case.

The first great empire of the Akkadians, led by Sargon the Great, dominated the Fertile Crescent, replacing the Sumerians and extending its influence as far north as Syria and south as Oman.

The discovery of a submerged, 9,000-year-old stone circle may reveal the mysterious origins of Stonehenge.

Learning how displaced artifacts spark fresh investigations and rewrite timelines; unearthing a forgotten tragedy in a remote mountain lake in India, checking out footprints that change human migration stories; reopening an ancient cold case.

The first great empire of the Akkadians, led by Sargon the Great, dominated the Fertile Crescent, replacing the Sumerians and extending its influence as far north as Syria and south as Oman.

The discovery of a submerged, 9,000-year-old stone circle may reveal the mysterious origins of Stonehenge.

A new performance center with a tent-like glass-and-steel lobby tests engineers in Kansas City; two twisting apartment towers make heads spin in Ontario.

In Florida, Mike tackles one of the dangerous jobs on the planet, commercial diving; he helps a specialized team keep waterways safe; fixing construction site leaks and removing dangerous structures, all while hurricane season is in full swing.

The St. Lawrence River is one that forged North America, allowing ships to traverse the continent; the adventure begins in Canada's first capital city of Kingston and near Canada's second-largest city of Montreal.

Explores strongholds abandoned by their architects; a lost city in the Amazon jungle; a desert fortress made by humanity's most notorious empire; explores a city of identical castles; examines a Greek isle's bloody history from the air.

Jeremy Birch takes on a salvage to raise a vessel with a concrete hull; it's been in the Fraser River for a month, collecting silt and mud, adding 30 tons to its deadweight.

The St. Lawrence River is one that forged North America, allowing ships to traverse the continent; the adventure begins in Canada's first capital city of Kingston and near Canada's second-largest city of Montreal.

Explores strongholds abandoned by their architects; a lost city in the Amazon jungle; a desert fortress made by humanity's most notorious empire; explores a city of identical castles; examines a Greek isle's bloody history from the air.

Jeremy Birch takes on a salvage to raise a vessel with a concrete hull; it's been in the Fraser River for a month, collecting silt and mud, adding 30 tons to its deadweight.

Follow the meteoric rise of the Macedonian conqueror who seized Egypt and built an empire that stretched from Europe to Asia; find out how founding the city of Alexandria and becoming a pharaoh transformed Alexander's life before his death at age 32.

Part 2/6. Uncover the secrets of the Old Kingdom ruler who revolutionized architecture alongside his vizier, Imhotep; piece together the mysterious life of the very first king to build a step pyramid in the heart of a grandiose and complex burial site.

Ramesses II reigns for 66 years and builds monuments and temples.

Delve into the history of the Fourth Dynasty monarch responsible for one of the great pyramids; examine the tyrannical reputation of this ancient leader and decipher the complex strategies he used to guide such a massive building project.

Part 5/6. Chart the turbulent reign of a brilliant strategist who allied herself with powerful Roman leaders in the hopes of saving her kingdom; examine the battle against Octavian that ended three millennia of Egyptian history and sealed Cleopatra's fate.

Part 6/6. Unearth the dramatic final days of the Twentieth Dynasty's great warrior king, Ramses III; view a rare judicial papyrus that recounts the story of an assassination plot hatched in the royal harem; see what the monarch's mummy reveals today.

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

A look at how the post-war period and the Cold War unfolded high up in the North; recently published archival material helps to shed light on post-war events in the Arctic.

The inside story of how the AH/MH-6 evolved over the decades to become an irreplaceable aircraft for the U.S. Military.

There are many stories behind the 1940 Battle of Britain, like pilot Bill Millington who sacrifices himself to save civilians.

A look at how the post-war period and the Cold War unfolded high up in the North; recently published archival material helps to shed light on post-war events in the Arctic.

The inside story of how the AH/MH-6 evolved over the decades to become an irreplaceable aircraft for the U.S. Military.