Smithsonian HD Network
United States
Smithsonian HD Network presents documentary and factual programming drawn from the institution’s archives and research. The channel focuses on American history, natural sciences, space exploration, and cultural heritage, often featuring archival footage and expert commentary. Programs cover topics such as military technology, paleontology, aviation, and the lives of U.S. presidents. The network’s content is produced in high definition and avoids commercial interruptions during many of its documentary blocks. It is available through cable and satellite providers across the United States.
Viewers can access the channel’s schedule through their local TV guide or the network’s website, which lists upcoming programs by date and time. Some episodes are also available for streaming on demand through participating cable platforms. The network does not air movies, music videos, or live sports. Its programming is designed for an audience interested in educational content and institutional storytelling, without reliance on reality series or shopping segments.
Schedule
00:00 - 01:00
How Did They Fix That?
Iter
Series, Documentary
At ITER in southern France, teams move massive reactor components, repair a leaking cryostat and test giant robotic arms as they build the world's largest fusion experiment with extraordinary precision.
01:00 - 02:00
How Did They Fix That?
Deep Space Telescope
Series, Documentary
Host Mike Davidson goes to the remote Atacama Desert in Chile; at observatory ALMA he works alongside the expert team as they repair some of the world's biggest antennas.
02:00 - 03:00
How Did They Fix That?
Iter
Series, Documentary
At ITER in southern France, teams move massive reactor components, repair a leaking cryostat and test giant robotic arms as they build the world's largest fusion experiment with extraordinary precision.
03:00 - 04:00
Ice Airport Alaska
Live And Let Fly
Series, Documentary, Aviation
A lone bush pilot races to stock ultra-marathon checkpoints, a heli pilot risks a sling-load at 4,000 feet and comes inches from disaster, and a vintage DC-3 plane is a village's only lifeline as a storm closes in.
04:00 - 05:00
Air Disasters
Free Fall
Series, Documentary, Aviation
A computer glitch causes a highly automated Qantas Airways flight to nearly fall out of the sky; Australian investigators must find the cause before it happens again.
05:00 - 06:00
Air Disasters
Sabotage
Series, Documentary, Aviation
From delusional hijackers to suicidal pilots, three flights fall victim to astonishing acts of sabotage.
06:00 - 07:00
Air Disasters
Deadly Mission
Series, Documentary, Aviation
A new investigation sheds light on the controversial 1961 plane crash that killed U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld.
07:00 - 08:00
Air Disasters
What Happened To Malaysian 370?
Series, Documentary, Aviation, Crime drama, History
Leading aviation experts are confronted with a shocking theory as they investigate one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time.
08:00 - 09:00
Air Disasters
Fatal Flaw
Series, Documentary, Aviation, Crime drama, History
A look at several air disasters that involved small components that failed; accidents caused by minor defects or errors; how the follow-up investigations led to changes that have made flying safer.
09:00 - 10:00
Air Disasters
Massacre Over the Mediterranean
Series, Documentary, Aviation
On June 27, 1980, Aerolinee Itavia Flight 870 crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea near the island of Ustica, Italy; all 81 people on board were killed.
10:00 - 11:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Ocean Endeavor
Series, Documentary, Travel
Cruise among the icebergs of Greenland and the Canadian High Arctic aboard the expedition cruiser Ocean Endeavour.
11:00 - 12:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Viking Star
Series, Documentary, Travel
We follow passengers and crew aboard Viking Star during its two-week tour from Barcelona to its home port in Bergen, Norway.
12:00 - 13:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Roald Amundsen
Series, Documentary, Travel
The world's latest, most-advanced expedition cruise ship Roald Amundsen whisks passengers on an adventurous voyage to Antarctica.
13:00 - 14:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Koningsdam
Series, Documentary, Travel
Set a course for breathtaking sights on Koningsdam's 15-day voyage from Amsterdam to the northern tip of Norway.
14:00 - 15:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Viking Long Ship Gefjon
Series, Documentary, Travel
Take a river tour through some of Europe's greatest cities--Budapest, Vienna, and Amsterdam--on Viking Longship Gefjon.
15:00 - 16:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Paul Gauguin
Series, Documentary, Travel
The Paul Gauguin offers five-star luxury while sailing near the coral reefs, mountainous islands and tropical playgrounds of French Polynesia.
16:00 - 17:00
Mighty Trains
Hector Rail
Series, Documentary, Travel
Hector Rail's trains haul timber to a pulp mill in Ostrand, Sweden on some of the most difficult railways in the country.
17:00 - 18:00
Mighty Trains
Tren Turistico
Series, Documentary, Travel
A trip through Lima details the voyage's breathtaking scenery and engineering challenges.
18:00 - 19:00
Mighty Trains
The Canadian
Series, Documentary, Travel
VIA Rail's passenger train travels between Vancouver and Toronto on four-day, four-night journey that cater to everyone.
19:00 - 20:00
Mighty Ships
Norwegian Breakaway: The Build
Series, Science
Follow the building of the Norwegian Breakaway at Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard; it is the largest ship they've ever built, and they have only 18 months to finish it.
20:00 - 21:00
Mighty Ships
Fram
Series, Science
The world's most adventurous cruise ship, MS Fram, battles ice-choked fjords of Greenland to visit wildlife and icebergs.
21:00 - 22:00
Mighty Ships
Oasis of the Seas
Series, Science
The maiden voyage of the Oasis of the Seas, the largest, most revolutionary cruise ship in the world.
22:00 - 23:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
Le Soléal
Series, Documentary, Travel
New luxury liner Le Soleal navigates the uncharted waters of Indonesia to give her passengers one-of-a-kind encounters at exotic destinations.
23:00 - 00:00
Mighty Cruise Ships
MSC Divina
Series, Documentary, Travel
Experience romance on a mega cruiser that pampers its guests with the best of Italian design and American convenience.