Smithsonian Discloses Cable Programs

Smithsonian Networks, the on-demand cable channel that drew criticism over its exclusive content agreement with Showtime Networks, said yesterday that its first slate of programming would include two programs taking viewers behind the scenes of the Smithsonian’s vast collections of American memorabilia. “Stories from the Vaults,” a series of six 30-minute shows, will look at both the museum’s treasures and the people “who care for and unlock their secrets.” “American Treasures” will focus on a National Museum of American History exhibition of 150 of the most unusual items in the collection, including the hat that Abraham Lincoln wore on the night of his assassination. Other programs will highlight the mystery surrounding the 1933 Double Eagle, one of the world’s rarest and most valuable gold coins; commercial applications of scientific data, like how the hydrodynamics of penguins have influenced car design; and pre-Katrina Mardi Gras in New Orleans.