Smithsonian Channel

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.

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.

The American Museum of Natural History in NYC gets a cave-like extension; an arts center inspired by migrating birds is built on a lake in China; Boston University gains a fossil-free, Jenga-like tower.

In the Alps of Switzerland, Mike helps an elite team install a new cable (rope) system on an iconic mountain gondola line, helps fix the world's steepest cogwheel railway track and explores mountaintop family farms only accessible.

Navigating the historic Potomac River from West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay, passing through Washington, D.C. and the national monuments and ending at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate.

Peek at landmarks in places where they shouldn't be; wing your way over an imperial pyramid in the Netherlands, a metal sphere in remote Russia, a lion shape carved into an English hillside and a bare swath cut through an Austrian forest.

Chris Ward sets out with Josh Moreira and Ward's younger brother to salvage a light aircraft that's sitting on the seabed; Jeremy Birch braves the arctic conditions to salvage two vessels that have fallen prey to the crushing ice conditions.

Navigating the historic Potomac River from West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay, passing through Washington, D.C. and the national monuments and ending at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate.

Confront objects that make no sense; spot a spinning island in an Argentinian marsh, a colossal triangle stuck in the Arizona desert, mysterious multicolored pools across northern Ethiopia and a huge human figure hidden in the Australian outback.

Unveils the Cold War as a conflict of spies, not soldiers, involving constant risk, subterfuge and tools like miniature cameras, coded messages, stealth and poisoned umbrellas.

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

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

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

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

Dan discovers a series of anomalies in Tutankhamun's burial and notices that the faces on his coffins and canopic jars differ from those of the famous golden mask; Raksha looks at Seti's tomb, which shows how hurried Tutankhamun's was by comparison.

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

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Germany's selection of strange bedfellows in the form of despots and dictators comes back to haunt them.

Follows historian Guy Walters and Justine Ostrowska on a 4,000-kilometer journey across Europe, chasing legends of hidden Nazi treasure.

Germany's selection of strange bedfellows in the form of despots and dictators comes back to haunt them.

Follows historian Guy Walters and Justine Ostrowska on a 4,000-kilometer journey across Europe, chasing legends of hidden Nazi treasure.

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Germany's selection of strange bedfellows in the form of despots and dictators comes back to haunt them.

Chris Ward sets out with Josh Moreira and Ward's younger brother to salvage a light aircraft that's sitting on the seabed; Jeremy Birch braves the arctic conditions to salvage two vessels that have fallen prey to the crushing ice conditions.

A journey down one of the wild rivers in the world, the Yukon; the unusual trip starts in an aircraft piloted by a painter and the odyssey ends with a visit to a graveyard of disintegrating rear-wheel steamers.

Take a deep dive into watery enigmas; glide over a sunken Italian city; a unique underwater cemetery in the Florida Keys; a yellow brick road to nowhere in the depths of the North Pacific; puzzling rocky constructions off the coast of Australia.

Bundles of cedar wood tree trunks are smashed apart, releasing thousands of logs on the shoreline; Jeremy and his crew must work fast to recover the cargo.

A journey down one of the wild rivers in the world, the Yukon; the unusual trip starts in an aircraft piloted by a painter and the odyssey ends with a visit to a graveyard of disintegrating rear-wheel steamers.

Psychedelic swirls in the Utah wastelands; a bizarre configuration of circles in the Sahara; hidden lines with the help of a drone; a remote polka-dot lake in Canada.

Experts go on a search for New York's hidden stories, involving the Statue of Liberty, the 21 Club and Typhoid Mary.

Investigate one of Egypt's oldest monuments to eternity: the Buried Pyramid of Sekhemkhet; explore a well-preserved underground tomb and view a mysterious sarcophagus during the first-ever on-camera exploration of this 4,500-year-old sacred place.

Visiting the heart of history in the Dahshur necropolis, where the first of the great pyramids was built; examining what a mini-scanner called a LiDAR reveals about this landmark's enduring mysteries.

Takes an unprecedented look inside the secret chambers of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, and see what they reveal about the pyramid's origins.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

The Black Pyramid is a decaying brick-and-clay structure that contains an elaborate network of tunnels filled with ancient artifacts; Egyptologists use a mini-laser to uncover the mysteries contained within.

Investigate one of Egypt's oldest monuments to eternity: the Buried Pyramid of Sekhemkhet; explore a well-preserved underground tomb and view a mysterious sarcophagus during the first-ever on-camera exploration of this 4,500-year-old sacred place.

Visiting the heart of history in the Dahshur necropolis, where the first of the great pyramids was built; examining what a mini-scanner called a LiDAR reveals about this landmark's enduring mysteries.

Zaha Hadid cuts the top off a mountain and builds a museum inside. A Vancouver tower rises clean over a 115-year-old church. And starchitect Santiago Calatrava spans 7 live railway tracks with a column-free glass and steel station.

Mike Davidson embarks with the team to one of the most extreme, avalanche-prone ski mountains in the world: Snowbird; they battle to keep the steep and deep slopes safe with shovels, snowcats and even a WWII Howitzer.

Going on a journey across Lithuania on big trains packed to the brim as massive ships wait to collect their bounty and take it across the ocean.

Zaha Hadid cuts the top off a mountain and builds a museum inside. A Vancouver tower rises clean over a 115-year-old church. And starchitect Santiago Calatrava spans 7 live railway tracks with a column-free glass and steel station.

Mike Davidson embarks with the team to one of the most extreme, avalanche-prone ski mountains in the world: Snowbird; they battle to keep the steep and deep slopes safe with shovels, snowcats and even a WWII Howitzer.