Hosted by actor Tom Cavanagh, ''Stories from the Vaults'' is a series of 30-minute shows featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

, the world's largest museum complex. The new series, produced b
Caragol Wells Productions
showcases the Smithsonian's rarest treasures as Tom Cavanagh meets with the experts behind the Smithsonian and discusses what it takes to preserve these precious artifacts for the generations to come. Stories from the Vaults debuted September 2007 on Smithsonian Networks. The second season premiered Sunday July 12, 2009.

SEASON 1

Episode 1: "Famous Donors"

Cavanagh visits with Dr. Hans-Deiter Seus and collections manager Linda Gordon who oversee 580,000 mammal specimens. They discuss the science of tracking environmental and ecological changes and examine the Smithsonian's vast collection of specimens. Cavanagh also stops by to see the Entertainment Collection curator to enjoy a collection of jokes donated by the first woman to enjoy a comedy career in television.

Episode 2: "Superlatives"

Tom Cavanagh goes in search of the most misunderstood, the best and the tiniest to learn what it takes to stand out in a collection of 142 million objects. Paul Rhymer discusses the art of taxidermy with Tom before Cavanagh heads over to the

National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center is a historical museum in Washington, D.C. It collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and m ...

for a unique test. In a "cello challenge" Cavanagh has to identify the difference in sound between an ordinary cello and that of a 300-year-old

Stradivarius A Stradivarius is one of the string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and guitars, crafted by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), in Cremona, Italy, during the late 17th ...

, one of the finest instruments in the world.

Episode 3: "No Place Like Home"

In "No Place Like Home", Tom examines four unique forms of homes: the earliest

space suits A space suit (or spacesuit) is an environmental suit used for protection from the harsh environment of outer space, mainly from its vacuum as a highly specialized pressure suit, but also its temperature extremes, as well as radiation and ...

, the

tipi A tipi or tepee ( ) is a conical lodge tent that is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure, and historically made of animal hides or pelts or, in more recent generations, of canvas stretched on ...

of the plains Indians, mobile homes, and the life of the

roundworm The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (hel ...

– a parasite able to make its home in almost any type of ecosystem.

Episode 4: "Beauty"

Beauty comes in many forms and in this episode Tom Cavanagh explores the subject through the perspective of three Smithsonian curators and their views on

ants Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of ...

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...

and the world of advertising.

Episode 5: "Firsts"

In the world of technological innovation there are many important firsts. Join Tom Cavanagh as he examines the cockpit of a jumbo jet,

Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February11, 1847October18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, ...

's earliest light bulbs, and the first video game consoles ever invented.

Episode 6: "Life after Death"

At the Smithsonian, many researchers and historians find valuable clues about life through the study of death. From a colony of flesh-eating

beetles Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

to the idea seeking immortality by posing for a portrait, the Smithsonian presents many ways to answer the question, "Is there life after death?"

Episode 7: "Random"

The Smithsonian collection is anything but random. Each of its objects has a scope that encompasses answers to questions as yet unasked, from photography, providing a multiplicity of meaning a single image, to the National Zoo, housing animals and

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...

for study in future centuries.

SEASON 2

Episode 1: "Let's Eat!"

Learn how to cook Native American dishes with the executive chef of Mitsitam Café; discover the origins of the American coffee break at the

and visit the National Museum of Dentistry, where host Tom Cavanagh learns how food takes a toll on our teeth.

Episode 2: "Top Secret"

The Smithsonian's most compelling mysteries are revealed. Can an artist outsmart the world's top spies? How does a

missile A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor. Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a target; this ...

filled with mail make a political statement to the world? These questions are answered.

Episode 3: "Nature's Vault"

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama tracks

sloth Sloths are a Neotropical realm, Neotropical group of xenarthran mammals constituting the suborder Folivora, including the extant Arboreal locomotion, arboreal tree sloths and extinct terrestrial ground sloths. Noted for their slowness of move ...

s. Then search the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...

for clues to the creation of the Panamanian Isthmus, and rise sixteen stories atop the rainforest in a construction crane to do bug research.

Episode 4: "Crystal Ball"

The Smithsonian's Vaults and labs feature designers who have shaped our future, sneak a peek at museum of the future, and talk to scientists helping to preserve the future of the tropical rainforest.

Episode 5: "Going, Going, Gone"

This episode goes behind the scenes and see what might be called "extreme conservation": like saving animals from the brink of

extinction Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

; finding new ways to preserve a provocative work of art; or reviving an entire genre of music. Also learn what Smithsonian experts are doing to protect the best aspects of our world for future generations.

Episode 6: "Sex 101"

People may not like to talk about it, but sex is everywhere ... even at the Smithsonian. The topic may not be featured in major museum exhibitions, but the vaults and labs of the Smithsonian feature stories about "the birds and the bees." Host Tom Cavanagh goes behind the scenes of the Smithsonian to find evidence of romance and sex.

Episode 7: "Villains and Rogues"

Explore the crime "scene" at the Smithsonian's Vaults: photographic evidence from the Crime of the Century; everyone's favorite natural villain, the snake; and America's first "Lone Gunman":

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, assassinated United States president Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the p ...

External links

*{{imdb title, 1063019
''Stories from the Vaults'' Smithsonian Networks Homepage''Stories from the Vaults'' YouTube clips
Smithsonian Channel original programming 2007 American television series debuts 2009 American television series endings