From These Lands

By: National Museum of Natural History

Published by Smithsonian Institution, 2026-04-28

Exquisite photography showcases the beauty of gleaming freshwater pearls, a carved walrus tusk, and 100+ other natural history treasures from all 50 states from a new exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Explore the breadth and magnificence of the world's largest natural history collection and marvel at the most awe-inspiring natural specimens and cultural objects from across the United States. With visually stunning photographs, From These Lands features more than 100 objects from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and five inhabited territories—American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, including: Crocodilian egg geode (Colorado) Petrified wood fossil (Arizona) Longfin inshore squid (Rhode Island) Menominee dugout canoe (Wisconsin) Martha, the last passenger pigeon (Ohio) Megalodon teeth (North Carolina) Gypsum stalactite (Kentucky) Tools made by CHamoru blacksmiths (Guam) Book spreads also group shells, pinecones, insects, and birds from across the country to display the diversity that can be found even among the most common specimens. The book explores regional nature and culture to reveal how a range of distinct geographies and environments make up the place we call home. From These Lands tours through the nation's natural and cultural history to reveal the beauty, complexity, and wonder all around us.