Seriously Amazing Objects

Modern treasure hunters, led by archaeologist Ben Gates, search for a chest of riches rumored to have been stashed away by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War. The chest's whereabouts may lie in secret clues embedded in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and Gates is in a race to find the gold before his enemies do.

Hapless museum night watchman Larry Daley must help his living, breathing exhibit friends out of a pickle now that they've been transferred to the archives at the Smithsonian Institution. Larry's (mis)adventures this time include close encounters with Amelia Earhart, Abe Lincoln and Ivan the Terrible.

The Tibetans refer to the Dalai Lama as 'Kundun', which means 'The Presence'. He was forced to escape from his native home, Tibet, when communist China invaded and enforced an oppressive regime upon the peaceful nation. The Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959 and has been living in exile in Dharamsala ever since.

In flashback, fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Edison tells his story starting at age twenty-two with his arrival in New York. He's on his way with the invention of an early form of the stock market ticker.

This program recounts the life of scientist, inventor, and visionary Nikola Tesla, often remembered as more of an eccentric cult figure than an electrical engineering genius. Many of his achievements are still attributed to contemporaries Thomas Edison and Guglielmo Marconi. Tesla's surprising inventions are revealed in his autobiographical and scientific writings, supplemented by rare photographs and re-creations.

The origins of the "Seinfeld" TV series.

A look inside the Playboy mansion around the year 2000. Features Hugh Hefner and his 7 girlfriends pre-Girls Next Door.

For thousands of years, the Great Plains were home to countless numbers of American bison, but in the late 1800s, the number of bison dropped from nearly 30 million to just a few hundred in less than 100 years. What happened to place this national icon on the brink of extinction? Join us as we detail the events that led to this mass extermination. Then follow the story of William Temple Hornaday, a chief taxidermist at the Smithsonian Institution who headed west to hunt bison for the museum, but ended up saving the species instead.

BBC Two takes us inside the world's biggest invention time capsule - the Science Museum vaults - and asks the nation to vote for Britain's Greatest Invention.

Americans know President Ronald Reagan s politics, his policies, and his oratorical prowess. But as we approach what would have been his 100th birthday in February 2011, the totality of the legacy of America s 40th president is still eclipsed by the myth. While some say he s a hero, and others call him an empty suit, one thing is for certain President Ronald Reagan made history. But what made him? Using rare archival footage and personal interviews with those who knew him best, REAGAN goes beyond the myth to reveal the epic story of an unforgettable man who, against all odds, rose to the pinnacle of power. A brand-new HISTORY special that uses rare archival footage and personal interviews to reveal the President Reagan that few of us knew.

Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the ancient Christian practice of preserving holy relics and the largely forgotten art form that went with it, the reliquary. Fragments of bone or fabric placed inside a bejewelled shrine, a sculpted golden head or even a life-sized silver hand were, and still are, objects of religious devotion believed to have the power to work miracles. The documentary features interviews with art historian Sister Wendy Beckett and Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum.

These real, amazing and very human stories reawakened interest in the bizarre and eccentric world of the circus and carnival sideshow, turning the spotlight on the legendary headliners of yesteryear and their modern-day counterparts who have chosen to be sideshow performers and found real happiness in their strange careers. This revealing look takes viewers backstage for an unforgettable glimpse at the world's most fascinating personalities. Narrated by Jason Alexander ("Seinfeld"). An entertaining cult hit co-produced with TLC, one of cable network's all-time, top-rated programs. Features Percilla the Monkey Girl, Jeanie Tomaini (the World's Only Living Half Woman), Melvin Burkhardt (the Human Blockhead), Siamese Twins Ronnie and Donnie Gaylon, the Wolf Boys of Mexico, Sandy Allen (the World's Tallest Woman) and others.

This film tells the history of the United States from pre-Revolution through 1939.

The film takes you on a journey inside the Vatican like you've never seen it before. From the ancient "City of the Dead" beneath St. Peter's basilica to the vaults of the Secret Archives, to the Pope's private offices and TV room. The show also explores the long and tumultuous relationship between the Vatican and the U.S., uncovering documents that date back to the Civil War and exploring Reagan's relationship with John Paul II in their quest to combat the Soviets during the Cold War.

A thrilling journey through legends, belief and folklore, this film goes behind the scenes with the British Library as they search to tell that story through objects in their collection, in an ambitious new exhibition: Harry Potter: A History Of Magic. J.K. Rowling, who is lending unseen manuscripts, drawings and drafts from her private archives (which will sit alongside treasures from the British Library, as well as original drafts and drawings from Jim Kay) talks about some of the personal items she has lent to the exhibition and gives new insight into her writing, looking at some of the objects from the exhibition that have fired her imagination.

Micki and Ryan with the help of their friend Jack try to recover cursed antiques so they can store them in safety inside the antique store's vault.

Each episode toggles between the renowned surgeons of Manhattan's New York Presbyterian Hospital and the gritty world of trauma surgeons at Newark's University Hospital where the ER is a doorway to the mean streets of one of America's most violent cities. Sometimes poignant and often uproarious, this limited series takes a deep dive into high stakes medicine through the eyes of unforgettable characters, including a hilarious trio of returning ER nurses who must cope with tricky personal crises while caring for some of the nation's most bossy patients. Mehmet Oz rounds out the character roster with his extraordinary surgical skills on full display as his deft hands work to fix damaged hearts and save lives.

Take off on a thrilling flight across America. This epic series offers rare glimpses of our nation's most treasured landmarks, all seen from breathtaking heights. From busy cityscapes to quiet landscapes, we capture the history and the pageantry of our amazing country, which is as diverse as the people who occupy it.

Influential builders, dreamers and believers whose feats transformed the United States, a nation decaying from the inside after the Civil War, into the greatest economic and technological superpower the world had ever seen. The Men Who Built America is the story of a nation at the crossroads and of the people who catapulted it to prosperity.

We've all heard them ... the Mafia killed JFK, the government had a hand in 9/11 and the existence of aliens is the world's best-kept secret. Conspiracy theories are as old as mankind itself, and for just as long people have been taking sides. The advent of the internet provides a unique opportunity to level the playing field and give all men equal access to the facts. In April 2011, the FBI finally relented and established an online repository of files, documents and reports called "The Vault". Unsealed: Conspiracy Files is a ground breaking new show that shines a light on many of these archived case files.

Delve into the secret underworld of the American Mafia, as told by the criminals who lived it and the law enforcers who hunted it. This dramatic six-part series chronicles the true-life story of the modern Mob in America, as former mobsters, informants, and FBI agents expose the takedown of the deadliest and most infamous organized crime ring in U.S. history. A combination of recently declassified files, first-person accounts by federal officials and the mafioso themselves, and rare archival footage sheds a new light on the raw, violent, and corrupt underworld that gripped America for decades.

Take a journey back in time and immerse yourself in a 150-year-old battle that nearly split our nation in two. This three-part series explores famous and little known aspects of the Civil War, from the perspectives of the Union, the Confederacy and the millions of enslaved people struggling for freedom. Hosted by Ashley Judd, Trace Adkins, and Dennis Haysbert, all of whom had ancestors greatly affected by the war, this series delivers fresh insights and untold tales, brought to life through dramatic recreations and the Smithsonian Institution's vast collection of artifacts.

The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation is a weekly Saturday morning show on CBS that showcases present-day change-makers from all over the world who are creating solutions to real needs. It is hosted by news correspondent and CBS Sunday Morning regular Mo Rocca. Each episode presents stories related to the process of innovation and also includes one story on The Henry Ford—its Archive of American Innovation, its unique visitor experiences and its unparalleled expertise. The intent is to stimulate curiosity and to inspire audiences with entertaining yet educational stories about yesterday and today’s visionaries and turning points that changed the course of history, as well as innovations and inventions that are changing the world today. The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation is produced in partnership by The Henry Ford and Litton Entertainment, a leading independent production and distribution company.

Throughout history, some of the world's most amazing works of art have simply disappeared. Through re-enactment, rare archive, and expert comment we see how these treasures were looted, stolen or vanished into the archives. Some have been recovered but many more are still waiting to be found

Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 made headlines across the world sparking a global frenzy for Ancient Egypt. But over the decades since the find, many of the pharaoh’s priceless grave goods have disappeared into museum basements and archives across Egypt. Now all 5,398 objects are being reunited for the first time since their discovery at the new Grand Egyptian Museum. Many have never been seen before but together they shed new light on the short, eventful life of the so-called ‘Boy King’ and are now helping experts realize the sheer scale of Tutankhamun’s influence in the ancient world.

Step inside the nostalgic world of personal collections. Explore the amazing treasures of toys, books, memorabilia and more. Meet the real people with a passion for their possessions.

The largest art museum in the Americas prepares to celebrate its 150th birthday with a treasure trove of landmark exhibitions. When COVID-19 strikes, the world shuts down and, for the first time in its history, the Met closes its doors. Then comes another crisis: in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, there are urgent demands for social justice.

At the world-famous Explorers Club, a gathering place for trailblazers, club member Josh Gates recounts the greatest adventures of all time.

Kevin Hart stars in Confessions from the Hart, telling hilarious and personal stories from inside the vault.

Past in time, when The Sons of Liberty, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock risked everything to shape a defining moment in American history, the Boston Tea Party.