Smithsonian TV Guide — Saturday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Saturday, 29 August 2026. 24 programmes listed , including 6 tonight. US listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.

Early Morning

00:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S14 · E1 · Choosing Sides Documentary

Choosing Sides

In 1989, a British Midland jetliner flying out of London loses thrust from both its engines, and the pilots are forced to make an emergency landing.

01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Instrument Confusion True

Instrument Confusion

Instrument failure or confusion involved in air accidents.

02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E16 · Survivors True

Survivors

Survivors from three plane crashes discuss their experiences and procedures in case of an emergency.

03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S17 · E9 · Deadly Discussions Documentary

Deadly Discussions

On August 31, 1999, LAPA Flight 3142 crashed while taking off from Jorge Newbery Airfield in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 63 people on board.

04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S17 · E6 · Storming Out Documentary

Storming Out

On July 2, 1994, USA Flight 1016 stalled and crashed into a residential area while trying to land during a storm at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Poor Piloting True

Poor Piloting

A team of aviation experts examine the incidents where an accident was caused by an error in the cockpit and the pilots couldn't avoid it.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Northern Extremes True

Northern Extremes

When three aircraft fall out of the sky, investigators are left to gather the pieces amid the severe conditions of the far North.

07:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E64 · The Great Plains Travel

The Great Plains

An aerial exploration is taken of a massive region of grassland that stretches from the tip of Texas across ten states to the Canadian border.

08:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E28 · Alabama Travel

Alabama

A flight over the Cotton State reveals much more than cotton fields, with a popular NASCAR speedway and the historic sites of many civil rights battles.

09:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E11 · South Carolina Travel

South Carolina

With prominent Civil War and Revolutionary War landmarks as well as Sullivan Island, the point of entry for slaves, the Palmetto State is full of history.

10:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E61 · Roadside Attractions Travel

Roadside Attractions

A road trip in the air soars above the Oregon Trail, the fields of Gettysburg, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon and other popular sightseeing destinations.

11:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E59 · New England Travel

New England

An aerial tour of New England passes over the Massachusetts harbors where America's first acts of rebellion took place and the pristine lakes on Maine's border.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E13 · Georgia Travel

Georgia

Viewed from the sky, the Empire State of the South offers views of natural wonders such as the Appalachian Mountains as well as the imposing skyline of Atlanta.

13:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E10 · Oregon Travel

Oregon

An aerial tour of the Beaver State reveals a lake in the cone of a long-dormant volcano and a mountain range with four of the highest peaks in the U.S.

14:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E70 · Boston 24 Travel

Boston 24

The revolutionary history surrounding the city of Boston is examined as an in-depth look is taken at the individuals who founded the city.

15:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E47 · Alaska's Call of the Wild Travel

Alaska's Call of the Wild

Alaska lures adventurers with picture-postcard beauty and unspoiled wildernesses, but its lethal dangers have claimed the lives of those who were unaware.

16:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E73 · Coasts Travel

Coasts

An aerial tour of coastlines in America showcases the history of the country's borders.

17:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E41 · Utah Travel

Utah

From the air, the Beehive State has an otherworldly beauty, with exotic geologic formations and the blinding white of the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Evening

18:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E60 · On the Water Travel

On the Water

In a certain area of the San Francisco Bay lie hundreds of ships that were sunken on purpose because they were left behind by immigrants who were moving inland.

19:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E18 · New York Travel

New York

The Empire State is home to natural wonders such as Niagara Falls and a huge city that is full of historic architecture and rich with stories of its people.

20:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E15 · New Hampshire Travel

New Hampshire

The state whose motto is 'Live Free or Die' hosts a population of free thinkers living among its impressive mountains, beautiful rivers and colonial villages.

21:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E52 · Missouri Travel

Missouri

An aerial survey of Missouri reveals St. Louis, Kansas City and regions in between with everything from bustling river ports to breathtaking mountain views.

22:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E8 · Rhode Island Travel

Rhode Island

A flyover of America's smallest state reveals historic lighthouses and a stone millhouse that may have been built by Norsemen before the time of Columbus.

23:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E16 · Maryland & Delaware Travel

Maryland & Delaware

Maryland and Delaware have been the sites of everything from a terminus of the Underground Railroad to the battle that inspired 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'