Smithsonian Channel
Canada
Smithsonian Channel is a Canadian television service that draws on archival footage and documentary storytelling to explore topics in science, history, nature, and culture. Its programming typically includes long-form documentaries and series that examine subjects such as aviation, space exploration, wildlife, and world events. The channel is available to viewers in Canada through cable and satellite providers, and some content may also be accessible via streaming platforms or on-demand services. The focus remains on factual, non-fiction material rather than entertainment or reality-based shows.
Programme
00:00 - 01:00
The Pharaohs: Greater than the Pyramids
Alexander the Great: Builder of an Empire
Series, History, Documentary
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.
01:00 - 02:00
Ancient Powers
Making Money
Series, Documentary, Ancient history
All ancient civilizations have to trade with their neighbors and enemies to survive.
02:00 - 03:00
Ancient Invisible Cities
Istanbul
Series, History, Documentary
Classical historian Dr. Michael Scott explores the often-invisible treasures of one of the greatest ancient cities in the world: Istanbul. The city has been at the crossroads of Europe and Asia for over two and a half millennia.
03:00 - 04:00
The Pharaohs: Greater than the Pyramids
Alexander the Great: Builder of an Empire
Series, History, Documentary
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.
04:00 - 05:00
Ancient Powers
Making Money
Series, Documentary, Ancient history
All ancient civilizations have to trade with their neighbors and enemies to survive.
05:00 - 06:00
Ancient Invisible Cities
Istanbul
Series, History, Documentary
Classical historian Dr. Michael Scott explores the often-invisible treasures of one of the greatest ancient cities in the world: Istanbul. The city has been at the crossroads of Europe and Asia for over two and a half millennia.
06:00 - 07:00
The Pharaohs: Greater than the Pyramids
Alexander the Great: Builder of an Empire
Series, History, Documentary
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.
07:00 - 08:00
Ancient Powers
Making Money
Series, Documentary, Ancient history
All ancient civilizations have to trade with their neighbors and enemies to survive.
08:00 - 09:00
How Did They Build That?
Breakthroughs & Bridges
Series, How-to
Visiting London's Gherkin, Seattle's Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and Lyon's Musée des Confluences to uncover how and why they were built.
09:00 - 10:00
How Did They Fix That?
Sealing Nevada's Abandoned Mines
Series, Documentary
Nevada has over 40,000 abandoned mines posing dangers; Mike joins contractors for a week to secure five sites; alongside biologists, they explore and document wildlife; reaching these isolated mines requires barges, helicopters and bulldozers.
10:00 - 11:00
World's Most Scenic River Journeys
River Dordogne, France
Series, Documentary, Travel
Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.
11:00 - 12:00
Mysteries From Above
Stone Cold Mysteries
Series, Documentary
Get petrified by cryptic rock structures normally hidden from view; look inside curious dwellings in the Peruvian Andes; visit a sacred monolith in Wyoming's Black Hills; haunt a Turkish stone village; spot an immovable waterfall in Mexico.
12:00 - 13:00
Extreme Weather Salvage
America's Biggest Shipwreck
Series, Weather, Reality
A mysterious object is raised from the depths of the ocean; a stranded speedboat; an elite crew works to salvage America's biggest shipwreck before hurricane season.
13:00 - 14:00
World's Most Scenic River Journeys
River Dordogne, France
Series, Documentary, Travel
Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.
14:00 - 15:00
Mysteries From Above
Stone Cold Mysteries
Series, Documentary
Get petrified by cryptic rock structures normally hidden from view; look inside curious dwellings in the Peruvian Andes; visit a sacred monolith in Wyoming's Black Hills; haunt a Turkish stone village; spot an immovable waterfall in Mexico.
15:00 - 16:00
Extreme Weather Salvage
America's Biggest Shipwreck
Series, Weather, Reality
A mysterious object is raised from the depths of the ocean; a stranded speedboat; an elite crew works to salvage America's biggest shipwreck before hurricane season.
16:00 - 17:00
How Did They Build That?
Mirrors & Marble
Series, How-to
Visiting Australia's One Central Park, the Oslo Opera House and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco to reveal their architectural secrets.
17:00 - 18:00
How Did They Fix That?
US Navy Hovercraft Overhaul
Series, Documentary
Mike joins the Assault Craft Unit 5, the U.S. Navy's team for Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs); LCACs carry heavy vehicles and troops onto beaches; Mike helps fly & fix an overhauled LCAC during a U.S. Marines beach assault training mission.
18:00 - 19:00
Rise of Dictators
Tearing Down the Old
Series, Documentary, History
Tease out the common denominators that lead to tyranny; map the rise of some of the 20th century's dictators and discover how they seized power, exploited governing systems and gutted existing power structures to gain total control.
19:00 - 20:00
Rise of Dictators
Cult of Personality
Series, Documentary, History
Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.
20:00 - 21:00
Rise of Dictators
Follow the Money
Series, Documentary, History, Biography
Dictators may appear omnipotent, but their position depends largely on a network of individuals who benefit from their rule, and their support does not come cheap.
21:00 - 22:00
Rise of Dictators
Holding On to Power
Series, Documentary, History
Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.
22:00 - 23:00
Rise of Dictators
Expanding Their Reach
Series, Documentary, History
Dictators often attempt to expand their jurisdiction beyond the borders of their country; this usually means armed invasion and the death of large numbers of soldiers and civilians.
23:00 - 00:00
Rise of Dictators
How Dictators Fall
Series, Documentary, History
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.