How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution?
Many historians have recently seen it as a tame, even disappointing affair. But in the Trump era, the old question of its radicalism is taking on a fresh charge.
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CreditTodd Heisler/The New York Times - Critic’s Pick
Madonna Returns to the Dance Floor With Focus
On “Confessions II,” a successor to her hit 2005 album “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” the pop superstar gives new energy to her origin story and shines light on the troubles she’s danced away.
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CreditXNY/Star Max and GC Images, via Getty Images - Critic’s Notebook
Natural Bedfellows: Frida Kahlo’s and Tracey Emin’s Parallel Blockbusters
In concurrent hit shows at Tate Modern, the artists’ shared preoccupations become clear.
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CreditPrivate collection - Critic’s Notebook
Taylor Swift’s Shifting Thoughts on Marriage, Through Her Own Lyrics
While many details of her wedding remain unknown, the songs from her 20-year-career tell us plenty about her thoughts on the institution.
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CreditJutharat Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
June Diane Raphael Lends a Hand on ‘Elle’
The veteran comedy actress steals scenes in this “Legally Blonde” prequel series, playing the glamorous mother to the title character.
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CreditCait Oppermann for The New York Times How to Reinvent a Dance Tradition? Be Light as a Feather.
Across generations, Lai Hung-Chung and Shen Wei are grappling with the possibilities of Chinese contemporary dance as they present their work in New York.
By Brian Seibert and
Credit White House Criticizes Smithsonian Museum for ‘Extreme Political Activism’
A scathing report released on the Fourth of July says the National Museum of American History downplays the role of the founders while emphasizing social justice.
By Graham BowleyRobin Pogrebin and
CreditAnnabelle Gordon/Reuters A Timeline of Trump’s Pressure Campaign Against the Smithsonian
Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Trump has repeatedly denounced the Smithsonian’s museums. The latest salvo came on the nation’s 250th birthday.
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CreditAnnabelle Gordon/Reuters ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ and 6 More Shows to Watch on TV This Week
The adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s book airs and the new iteration of “Little House on the Prairie” begins.
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Review: The Starriest Young Maestro Plants His Flag in Opera
“Die Frau Ohne Schatten” is a difficult opera for any conductor. Klaus Mäkelä chose it for his first new production, in front of a global audience.
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CreditMonika Rittershaus Critic’s PickOn America’s 250th, Smithsonian Museums Offer Respite and Reflection
An institution under attack from the Trump administration provided relief from the weather on July 4 — and a chance to ponder what it means to be American.
By Derrick Bryson Taylor and
Credit A One-on-One Date With a Museum’s Treasures
Visitors at the V&A East Storehouse can book appointments with artifacts that usually aren’t on show — and can even touch many of them.
By Alex Marshall and
CreditMax Miechowski for The New York Times Stream These 7 Inspiring Soccer Documentaries From Around the World
In these nonfiction accounts, the sport is a force for hope in sometimes dire situations.
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CreditNew Black Films Ltd./Mirrorpix, via Greenwich Entertainment The Most Iconic American Artwork Is the Hardest to See
The Statue of Liberty is caught between the sublime and the souvenir, our critic Jason Farago explains. Look again: She’s much stranger than you think.
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Indio Solari, Argentine Rocker Who Packed Stadiums, Dies at 77
A counterculture icon with broad appeal, he compared himself to Bob Dylan and developed an especially fervent following among working-class youth.
By Adam Nossiter
Historians Reject White House’s Criticism of Smithsonian Museum
The nation’s largest group of scholars of U.S. history denounced a White House report attacking the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
By Jennifer Schuessler
Richard H. Glanton, Combative Head of Barnes Foundation, Dies at 79
In the 1990s, he took 80 of the art institution’s paintings on tour — going against the founder’s wishes — to raise money for a renovation.
By Richard Sandomir
TimesVideoUnderstanding the World Cup in 3 Books
Miguel Salazar of the New York Times Books Review recommends three titles that can help you understand the history of the World Cup.
By Miguel Salazar and Haimy Assefa
Do You Recognize These Literary Quotations About America?
Test your knowledge of novels, essays and poems that made insightful observations.
By J. D. Biersdorfer
10-Minute Challenge: The Ceiling at Grand Central
We’d like you to look at one piece of art for 10 minutes, uninterrupted.
By Larry Buchanan and Karthik Patanjali
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 3 Recap: The Rat Banquet
Rhaenyra’s advent to power starts off rough and doesn’t get much better.
By Sean T. Collins
Mike Wallace, Who Wrote an Acclaimed History of New York, Dies at 83
His 1998 book, “Gotham,” which told the city’s story to 1898, focused on social and economic conflict. It won a Pulitzer Prize and inspired two sequels.
By Sam Roberts
The Fashion Insider’s Sale of the Century
How Martin Margiela, one of the most influential living designers, came to auction off his personal archive, and what it means.
By Vanessa Friedman
‘Human Vapor’ Review: Netflix Remakes a Japanese Sci-Fi Curio
The director Ishiro Honda took a break from Godzilla with a villain who could turn himself into a cloud of gas. A new series pipes him into the 21st century.
By Mike Hale
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