America's stories told by the Smithsonian

SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL HD

On inadequate foundations, San Francisco's MOMA triples in size creating an exterior light enough to prevent collapse; a 1970s Sydney skyscraper is recycled into a 21st century tower; in Dallas, a five acre park is created.

How Did They Build That?

Floating Parks & Upcycled Towers

A 70,000-seat stadium defies seismic forces and international flight paths in LA. Zaha Hadid's dramatically twisted 33-story tower rises around ancient vaults in Malta.

Super Stadiums & Extraordinary Elevators

A new museum building bends 1,100-glass tubes to form a facade and tunnels below the water table. A vast 11-storey glass atrium HQ is built on the former Berlin Wall site to represent unity.

Facelifts & Scaffolds

Building an eco-friendly visitor centre in the permafrost on Colorado's Pikes Peak tests the team. A museum is constructed in a disused dry dock that's in danger of collapse.

 Summit & Submerge

A 284ft wooden skyscraper built from 1,200 bespoke pieces tests fire safety limits in Milwaukee. A decaying Amsterdam crane track transforms into elegant glass offices.

Shipyards & Slender Builds

America has so many stories to tell. And nobody brings them to your home like Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian Channel HD

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Ecobuilds & Earthquakes

Defy gravity in an Amsterdam high-rise that hangs 164 feet above the water; marvel at three interconnected towers in Chicago that have a road running through them; examine the revolutionary framework of Paris' controversial Pompidou Centre.

High Waters & Harsh Winds

Peek inside a cloud-inspired library in Canada that's built over a live railway; see how clever engineering helped a huge Seattle skyscraper go up without harming its iconic neighbour, then cross an Australian bridge that floats above a busy river.

Speedcore & Steambend

Paying tribute to the brave, gravity-defying design of the U.S. National Medal of Honor Museum; traveling to Singapore for a look at a leaning tower of gambling, then exploring a New York City office building that lets the sun shine through.

Medals & Marinas

Celebrating one of humanities biggest engineering achievements, the International Space Station, a meteor proof lab bigger than a football field, constructed by astronauts traveling 250 miles above us at 17,500 miles an hour.

Space Stations and Super

Watch TV Networks, Shows and Movies | DIRECTV

The latest movies and must watch shows!

Watch Peacemaker exclusively on the HBO Max app, included with an HBO Max subscription.

Data/messaging rates may apply for app download/usage. HBO Max subscription required.

Welcome to your ultimate entertainment destination and the Dexter Universe. Watch new episodes of Dexter Resurrection and more all in one network.

Watch exclusive originals like the new psychological thriller The Institute and Hollywood hit movies.

MGM+ is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp. All copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights are the property of their respective owners.

Watch visionary original series like <b>BMF Season 4, Outlander, Power Book III: Raising Kanan,</b> and much more.

Buckle up for Hollywood hits like Barbie and behind-the-scenes exclusives when you add CINEMAX to your current DIRECTV package. 

Exploring the engineering and architectural masterpieces like The Copper in Manhattan to Gardens By the Bay in Singapore.

S4 E5 | Ecobuilds & Earthquakes