Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Tuesday, 6 October 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
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00:00 1h
Ice Airport Alaska
S7 · E1 · Fuel's Gold OtherFuel's GoldFather-son aviators battle turbulence to refuel a remote mine, bush pilots fight an aerial jam to reach Alaska's biggest sled race. -
01:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
S20 · E1 · Headline News TrueHeadline NewsAfter three plane crashes make the front page of all the newspapers, the media starts putting pressure on the authorities to uncover the cause of these crashes. -
02:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
S19 · E2 · Rookie Errors TrueRookie ErrorsAfter a cargo jet crashes into the Swedish Arctic, a team of investigators pours over the evidence and discovers a terrifying picture of chaos and confusion. -
03:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
S5 · E8 · Mixed Signals DocumentaryMixed SignalsIn 1996 a Boeing 757 carrying returning vacationers back to Germany crashes soon after takeoff as the pilot's air speed indicator gives spurious readings. -
04:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
S23 · E5 · Control Catastrophe DocumentaryControl CatastropheA team of experts investigates a string of unfortunate events which caused the Air Astana Flight 1388 to become completely uncontrollable. -
05:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
Splash Down TrueSplash DownAn investigation of three aircraft landing on open water in emergency situations.
Morning
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06:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
Maintenance Mistakes TrueMaintenance MistakesA team of aerial investigators investigates a trio of crashes and learns that the nuts and bolts of each plane went unchecked, which spells catastrophe. -
07:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S3 · E4 · Viking Star TravelViking StarThe Viking Star-class cruise ship visits southern Spain, Normandy and the canals of Amsterdam, as the crew navigates narrow passages and battles rough seas. -
08:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S4 · E7 · Roald Amundsen TravelRoald AmundsenThe Roald Amundsen sails where few ships will ever go, the vessel was built specifically to take passengers on an unforgettable voyage to Antarctica. -
09:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S4 · E8 · Sky Princess TravelSky PrincessThe Sky Princess carries passengers from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to three Central American stops, and it manages to get into and out of ports despite its size. -
10:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S2 · E2 · Viking Sea TravelViking SeaA captain and his crew struggle to navigate a new route aboard a vessel known as the Viking Sea as they sail from London to Scotland. -
11:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S2 · E3 · Carnival Vista TravelCarnival VistaCarnival Vista is the latest edition to the Carnival Cruise Line, but it suffers from growing pains and it's up to a captain and crew to resolve its issues.
Daytime
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12:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S2 · E4 · Royal Clipper TravelRoyal ClipperA modern-day ship known as the Royal Clipper pays homage to traditional seafaring ships of the late-1800s with five masts and 42 sails. -
13:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S3 · E2 · Rovos Railway ScienceRovos RailwayThe luxurious Rovos Rail travels from Pretoria to Cape Town, South Africa, in classic carriages pulled by a series of steam, diesel and electric locomotives. -
14:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S1 · E2 · The Shinkansen ScienceThe ShinkansenThe world's fastest bullet-train known as Shinkansen is examined to see how rail operators keep passengers safe and handle earthquake-prone areas in Japan. -
15:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S4 · E3 · Seven Stars of Kyushu ScienceSeven Stars of KyushuJapan's Kyushu Railway Company unveils the super-luxury Seven Stars train at its train yard in Kitakyushu in Fukuoka prefecture in October 2013. -
16:00 1h
Mighty Ships
S5 · E3 · Le Boreal TrueLe BorealInstead of lingering in the sunny tropics, one luxury cruise ship ventures into hostile, chilly waters to bring her guests the Antarctic experience. -
17:00 1h
Mighty Ships
S10 · E3 · MSC Meraviglia DocumentaryMSC MeravigliaThe MSC Meraviglia cruise ship is the largest ship made by a European cruise line, built by STX France, it can hold up to 4,500 passengers.
Evening
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18:00 1h
Mighty Ships
S8 · E3 · Quantum of the Seas TrueQuantum of the SeasRoyal Caribbean's huge Quantum of the Seas takes her first full length, 12-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean with 4,000 guests aboard. -
19:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S3 · E5 · Symphony of the Seas TravelSymphony of the SeasThe MS Symphony of the Seas is built to house, feed, transport and entertain more than 5,500 passengers as they sail to ports in Spain, France and Italy. -
20:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S3 · E6 · Marina TravelMarinaThe MS Marina is Oceania Cruises' largest ship and makes a 12-day voyage with stops at ports in Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Iceland. -
21:00 1h
Mighty Planes
S1 · E6 · Blue Angels TrueBlue AngelsAn in-depth and up-close look is taken at the Blue Angels, one of the best military display teams in the world, featuring profiles of the pilots and crew. -
22:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S2 · E2 · Tren Crucero ScienceTren CruceroPassengers can experience an exceptional journey through Ecuador's Andes mountain range and coastal region on the Tren Crucero flagship luxury train. -
23:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S4 · E4 · Nieuw Statendam TravelNieuw StatendamPinnacle-class cruise ship MS Nieuw Statendam is the world's largest boutique cruise ship at 300 meters long and can carry over 4,000 passengers.