The Smithsonian Channel: Classic History Channel + Classic Discovery Channel Reborn?

[Guestx]

I know we've talked about the demise of channels like The History Channel, Discovery and TLC. They all went from legitimate educational television to mere shades of their former selves: While all these channels still have some legitimate educational content, they've been badly marred by reality shows and other assorted bullshit.

But the other day I added the Smithsonian Channel to my Roku and dug into its free content. I started by watching a show on the interesting case of the 1933 Double Eagle gold dollar and then rolled into a show about the life of insects. Then I watched a show about the history of the samurai and now I'm watching a program on the Sphinx.

And then it hit me: This shit is legit. I mean just look at the episodes online:

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/full-episodes

From what I can tell, it's essentially a combination of old school History Channel and old school Discovery, back when both channels were on their A game. There are no reality shows, no filler. It's just full-on well-made non-fiction content on a wide variety of topics.

Has anyone else taken the time to check this channel out? If not, and you miss the way channels like History, Discovery and TLC used to be, you should give it a look.

 

[MusterX]

Speaking of the Smithsonian. I went there when I was a kid and for those that have never been, I highly recommend it. Its hard to comprehend the immensity of the Smithsonian complex of museums. From what I recall we spent 3 days there and it didn't even come close to viewing what was available. I can remember walking in the front door of the Natural History museum and there is a preserved elephant in the lobby.

Not only that, they have one dead of pretty much everything on earth that has been collected. Look at these lions and water buffalo. These are actual animals, not models.

You could spend hours alone just in the wing containing insects.

It is difficult to comprehend the collections at the Smithsonian. It is unlike any experience I can compare it to. The aviation museum contains full sized friggin planes, lots of them.

Then you have an enormous collection of basically everything, the first atom smasher, Fonzi's leather jacket, here is Archie Bunkers chair.

Anyway, its unbelievable, words can't do it justice. A little off topic there but yes Shadowpriest, the Smithsonian is legit as fuck.

 

[The Senator]

Smithsonian Channel is indeed legit. A few weeks back, I watched a documentary on the JFK shooting that walked through the event, practically frame by frame, showed some footage I don't recall seeing before, it reminded me very much of the old History Channel.

Great to have something back to fill in that gaping chasm that the demise of History Channel and the other "serious" cable channels left.

 

[Guestx]

Speaking of the Smithsonian. I went there when I was a kid and for those that have never been, I highly recommend it. Its hard to comprehend the immensity of the Smithsonian complex of museums. From what I recall we spent 3 days there and it didn't even come close to viewing what was available. I can remember walking in the front door of the Natural History museum and there is a preserved elephant in the lobby.

Not only that, they have one dead of pretty much everything on earth that has been collected. Look at these lions and water buffalo. These are actual animals, not models.

You could spend hours alone just in the wing containing insects.

It is difficult to comprehend the collections at the Smithsonian. It is unlike any experience I can compare it to. The aviation museum contains full sized friggin planes, lots of them.

Then you have an enormous collection of basically everything, the first atom smasher, Fonzi's leather jacket, here is Archie Bunkers chair.

Anyway, its unbelievable, words can't do it justice. A little off topic there but yes Shadowpriest, the Smithsonian is legit as fuck.

That's cool. You know until a few years ago I always thought that "the Smithsonian" was a single museum? It kind of blew my mind when I found out it was actually a collection of several different museums.

Going to check out the Smithsonian is on my bucket list. Gotta do that one day. And from what you said, it sounds like I need to dedicate a couple of weeks to that trip.

 

[Guestx]

Smithsonian Channel is indeed legit. A few weeks back, I watched a documentary on the JFK shooting that walked through the event, practically frame by frame, showed some footage I don't recall seeing before, it reminded me very much of the old History Channel.

Great to have something back to fill in that gaping chasm that the demise of History Channel and the other "serious" cable channels left.

That was exactly my reaction, it felt so much like watching the History Channel 20 years ago.

Apparently the channel launched in 2007. I regret that I didn't really discover it until just recently.

 

[MusterX]

That's cool. You know, until a few years ago I always thought that "the Smithsonian" was a single museum? It kind of blew my mind when I found out it was actually a collection of several different museums.

Going to check out the Smithsonian is on my bucket list. Gotta do that one day. And from what you said, it sounds like I need to dedicate a couple of weeks to that trip.

Yea, its big beyond reason. I'm telling you its absurd.

Nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park, comprise the Smithsonian museums. Eleven are on the National Mall, the strip of land that runs between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol.

Now here is the thing, 19 museums and galleries but some of those museums, are IMMENSE. We spent 3 days there and we saw just a tiny fraction of what was held there. The Smithsonian Natural History museum which contains all the animals is just one museum. Check out the size of things at the Smithsonian.

The main building on the National Mall contains 1.5 million square feet of space overall and 325,000 square feet of exhibition and public space; altogether the Museum is the size of 18 football fields, and houses over 1000 employees.

 

[MusterX]

That was exactly my reaction, it felt so much like watching the History Channel 20 years ago.

Apparently the channel launched in 2007. I regret that I didn't really discover it until just recently.

Its so ridiculous, I just found this while trying to get numbers on the Natural History museum, keep in mind this is one of their 19 museums. Consider these numbers and have your mind blown.

At the center of the Museum’s exhibition and research programs are its expertly documented collections: more than 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts. Just to name a few of our museum holdings, the collections include 30 million insects carefully pinned into tiny boxes; 4½ million plants pressed onto sheets of paper in the Museum’s herbarium; 7 million fish in liquid-filled jars; and 2 million cultural artifacts, including 400,000 photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives. Over 3½ million specimens are out on loan each year; over 15,000 visitor days are spent in the collections; and there are almost 600,000 additional visits to collection data bases available on the Web.

 

[John Wang]

My body is ready for this channel

 

[Guestx]

Yea, its big beyond reason. I'm telling you its absurd.

Nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park, comprise the Smithsonian museums. Eleven are on the National Mall, the strip of land that runs between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol.

Now here is the thing, 19 museums and galleries but some of those museums, are IMMENSE. We spent 3 days there and we saw just a tiny fraction of what was held there. The Smithsonian Natural History museum which contains all the animals is just one museum. Check out the size of things at the Smithsonian.

The main building on the National Mall contains 1.5 million square feet of space overall and 325,000 square feet of exhibition and public space; altogether the Museum is the size of 18 football fields, and houses over 1000 employees.

Its so ridiculous, I just found this while trying to get numbers on the Natural History museum, keep in mind this is one of their 19 museums. Consider these numbers and have your mind blown.

At the center of the Museum’s exhibition and research programs are its expertly documented collections: more than 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts. Just to name a few of our museum holdings, the collections include 30 million insects carefully pinned into tiny boxes; 4½ million plants pressed onto sheets of paper in the Museum’s herbarium; 7 million fish in liquid-filled jars; and 2 million cultural artifacts, including 400,000 photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives. Over 3½ million specimens are out on loan each year; over 15,000 visitor days are spent in the collections; and there are almost 600,000 additional visits to collection data bases available on the Web.

That's pretty crazy. 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts? Sounds like a hell of a lot of shit to keep up with.

A few years ago I went to the San Diego Air and Space museum. It is no doubt quite small in comparison to the Smithsonian's, and I still spent several hours in there and could've spent several more. The most difficult thing about getting through museums is really the reading: It's typically no huge feat to LOOK at everything, but if you're going to stop and read all that's required to understand what you're looking at, that can take a very long time. I always go into museums wanting to read EVERYTHING and give every exhibit enough time to comprehend it, but I always find in the end that I don't have the stamina for all that.

I just looked at the museum list for the Smithsonian. Unless you just live in DC, it seems like anyone would have to be selective in what they put on their itinerary.

 

[shonuf]

It's okay. Their quality of show is nowhere near as good as 90's/early 2000's history channel. Their documentaries aren't good either. Their shows on museum collections seem to be their best work.

 

[Guestx]

It's okay. There quality of show is nowhere near as good as 90's/early 2000's history channel. There documentaries aren't good either. There shows on museum collections seem to be there best work.

You don't think the documentaries are good? I've enjoyed them quite a bit.

What exactly is your complaint?

 

[TrippleOG]

i miss the history channel, the science channel, and nat geo. Now its all garbage.

 

[Guestx]

i miss the history channel, the science channel, and nat geo. Now its all garbage.

What I've noticed is that all of those channels still have some VERY good programming, but that the quality programming only takes up about 1/5 of their overall air time. If you could take all of these fallen angels of the educational TV world, and combine their very best content into one single channel, then you'd really have a hell of a resource. So I can't agree that "now it's all garbage," but certainly way too much of it is.

 

[Guestx]

Been watching this show on Smithsonian. They chronicle advertising decade by decade, from the 50s to the 80s. It's pretty interesting.

 

[JAEGERX]

The history channel should be renamed the nazi channel to get around the bullshit, all they show is nazi shit

 

[Guestx]

The history channel should be renamed the nazi channel to get around the bullshit, all they show is nazi shit

Your view is about 15 years behind the times. These days it's mostly reality shows.

 

[jefferz]

It's okay. There quality of show is nowhere near as good as 90's/early 2000's history channel. There documentaries aren't good either. There shows on museum collections seem to be there best work.

Have you watched mysteries at the museum on the travel channel?
I learn something different every time I watch that show.

 

[GORETAURO]

Smithsonian Channel is indeed legit. A few weeks back, I watched a documentary on the JFK shooting that walked through the event, practically frame by frame, showed some footage I don't recall seeing before, it reminded me very much of the old History Channel.

Great to have something back to fill in that gaping chasm that the demise of History Channel and the other "serious" cable channels left.

They added footage to it. Thanks, ILM.

 

[Guestx]

Have you watched mysteries at the museum on the travel channel?
I learn something different every time I watch that show.

I watched the shit out of that show on Netflix. Really well made.

I love shows like that because they're great to throw on the TV while you're washing dishes, folding clothes, or doing other shit along those lines.

 

[ralphc1]

The history channel should be renamed the nazi channel to get around the bullshit, all they show is nazi shit

That's the American Heroes Channel, AHC. I'm watching the Hitler Rise and fall series now. History has Counting Cars on for several hours today. Discovery has Fast and Loud.

The Smithsonian Channel has some good programs on. They could produce tour videos of the various museums and broadcast or sell them. It would be cheaper and easier than visiting in person and basically get a guided tour.