Blog
Smithsonian Student Travel | Blog
Interview with Program Leader and Astrobiologist Dr. Graham Lau
Graham Lau is an astrobiologist and science communicator, as well as a father and self-described “sci-fi nerd, fitness enthusiast, and explorer.” He has twice led our aerospace program in Washington, D.C. & Houston. This summer, he will lead our program in Iceland...
Must Eats: Culinary Adventures in Japan
Japan, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes, is also a paradise for food enthusiasts. From delicate sushi to rich, steaming bowls of ramen, Japanese cuisine offers an array of flavors and textures that are sure to delight the taste buds of...
Interview with Edward Becker, New York & Denmark Expert
Edward Becker is an architect and professor who will join Smithsonian students in Denmark this summer. Edward has lived, studied, and worked all over the world and is currently working on what he considers “the most fun projects an architect can have.” In this...
Interview with Dr. Neeti Bathala, Costa Rica Program Expert
Dr. Neeti Bathala is an ecologist and conservation biologist who will join Smithsonian students in Costa Rica this summer (on our second departure). Over her two decades of experience, she has spent time at numerous biological research stations in Costa Rica and has...
Better Belize It
Devon Swinburne is a Program Director who has led student programs in Patagonia, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. She recently returned from Belize, where she reconnected with our local partners and put the finishing touches together for this summer’s...
The New York Times’s “52 Places to Go” in 2024
The New York Times recently released their annual "52 Places" article highlighting 52 Places to Go in 2024, and we're thrilled to see that several of these destinations align with our program itineraries! Explore the enriching experiences awaiting our students in...
Reflections from Our Japan Program Director
Recently, program director Ed Thanhouser spent nearly two weeks traveling up and down Japan’s main island of Honshu meeting with our local contacts, exploring new locations, and putting the finishing touches on next summer’s Japan program. Here is his report from the...
Thailand & Vietnam: A Program Director’s Insights
To many travelers from the West, Thailand and Vietnam can seem culturally homogenous at first glance. However, the lush, green mountains of Southeast Asia’s highlands are home to many ethnic minority groups with their own distinct cultural traditions, languages, and...
Science, Conservation, & Adventure in East Africa
For summer 2024, we’re excited to announce our new Smithsonian Student Travel program in Kenya and Tanzania! These East African countries are home to renowned conservation areas and some of the world’s most iconic megafauna, and are ideal locations for the next...
Behind the Scenes with a Program Leader
Go behind the scenes with one of our Program Leaders, Evan Overton, to read about his experiences leading and get an in-depth look at how art has shaped modern culture in Europe on our Smithsonian Student Travel program to Portugal & Spain. How do you define...
Summer Highlight: Meeting Architects in Denmark
Enjoy this student entry from this summer's architecture program in New York and Denmark. On the 9th day of the Sustainable Architecture and Design trip with the Smithsonian, we planned to leave the city of Copenhagen and go to Aarhus (Oar-hoos). But before we left...
Summer Highlight: Belize’s Tobacco Caye
We're happy to share this student post from our summer 2023 Belize program. Yesterday, we went on wonderful boat ride in the warm waters surrounding Tobacco Caye. We started off our day of snorkeling by checking out the different types of mangrove trees around the...
Summer Highlight: The Light of Athens
We're happy to share this highlight from our summer 2023 Greece & Italy program. Hello friends and family! On Tuesday, we woke up early on a sunny day, and although still affected by the jet-lug, we were filled with anticipation and excitement. While taking our...
Highlight from Iceland: Ísafjörður
We're happy to share a highlight from our Summer 2022 Iceland program about their time spent in Ísafjörður. We have spent three days in Ísafjörður (our bus driver’s hometown). It was been some of the best bonding and adventure that a group could have. Here is a...
Highlight from Washington, D.C. & Houston: Space Policy, the SR-71, & Shenandoah
In this Summer 2022 blog post, our Washington, D.C. & Houston group shares some highlights from their trip including discussing the future of privatized space exploration with Virgin Orbit and exploring the famous stalagmites and stalactites at Louray Caverns in...
Highlight from New York & Denmark: Rainbows in Aarhus
Enjoy this Summer 2022 blog highlight written by two students about their day in Aarhus, Denmark. This post features student writing. Today was a packed day for the student travelers, meeting with three professionals and visiting a local museum. However, despite...
Highlight from Greece & Italy: Naples and Rome!
In this Summer 2022 highlight, our Greece & Italy group shares their exciting last few days in Naples and Rome. The last few days have been BUSY—in the absolute best way possible. We finished our time in Santorini with an amazing pottery class with master potter...
Highlight from Costa Rica: Turtle Patrol
We're happy to share a highlight from our summer 2022 Costa Rica program, which works with the Sea Turtle Conservancy for a portion of the itinerary. This post features writing and photography by students Berkeley and Will. Today we started our morning at 6am by going...
Highlight from Iceland: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
In this Summer 2022 highlight, students from our Iceland program share photos and stories from caves to waterfalls on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This post features student writing by Meredith and Max. We started today with the Italian geologist Giuseppe who guided us...
Highlight from Washington, D.C. & Houston: Rovers, Mission Control, & Our Last Few Days
In this Summer 2022 highlight, our Washington, D.C. & Houston group reports on their last few days in Houston. Enjoy! Our time in Houston was a whirlwind! Here is a visual summary… Our group coded rovers to get them through a model Martian landscape:...