Smithsonian TV Guide — Tuesday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Tuesday, 27 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

00:00 1h

Ice Airport Alaska

S7 · E4 · Live And Let Fly Other

Live And Let Fly

An exploration of the typically dangerous conditions at Ted Stevens International Airport in Alaska highlights the dedicated crews that keep passengers safe.
01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S18 · E7 · Free Fall Documentary

Free Fall

On October 7, 2008, Qantas Flight 72 from Singapore Changi to Perth made an emergency landing at Learmonth airport near the town of Exmouth, Western Australia.
02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Sabotage True

Sabotage

Investigations into Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961, Italia Airlines Flight 870 and LAM Airlines Flight 470 reveal how sabotage can occur in many forms.
03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S15 · E5 · Deadly Mission Documentary

Deadly Mission

In 1961, a United Nations DC-6 fatally is involved in a crash on the way to Ndola Airport from Zambia, which kills the Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjold.
04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S14 · E11 · What Happened to Malaysian 370? True

What Happened to Malaysian 370?

On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport.
05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S6 · E2 · Science of Disaster: Fatal Flaw True

Science of Disaster: Fatal Flaw

A review of several notable crashes reveals that they were caused by mechanical problems, ranging from mistakes in maintenance and repairs to design flaws.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S13 · E7 · Massacre Over the Mediterranean True

Massacre Over the Mediterranean

In 1980, an Aerolinee Itavia McDonnell Douglas DC-9 crashes into the Tyrrhenian Sea; there are many theories about the crash, including conspiracy.
07:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S2 · E5 · Ocean Endeavour Travel

Ocean Endeavour

A unique cruise ship known as Ocean Endeavour offers passengers a different experience from the usual tropical expedition by traveling across Arctic ocean.
08:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S3 · E4 · Viking Star Travel

Viking Star

The Viking Star-class cruise ship visits southern Spain, Normandy and the canals of Amsterdam, as the crew navigates narrow passages and battles rough seas.
09:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S4 · E7 · Roald Amundsen Travel

Roald Amundsen

The Roald Amundsen sails where few ships will ever go, the vessel was built specifically to take passengers on an unforgettable voyage to Antarctica.
10:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S3 · E1 · Koningsdam Travel

Koningsdam

The MS Koningsdam is a Dutch mega-cruise ship operated by Holland America, it is their largest and most technologically advanced ship ever constructed.
11:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S3 · E2 · Viking Long Ship Gefjon Travel

Viking Long Ship Gefjon

The Viking Longship Gefjon is one of the latest in Viking Rivers' line of longships that cruises the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers, navigating tight channels.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S1 · E1 · Paul Gauguin Travel

Paul Gauguin

The crew of the MS Paul Gauguin, a ship that sails through French Polynesia, deals with rough weather, narrow passageways and shallow channels.
13:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S2 · E6 · Hector Rail Science

Hector Rail

Based in Stockholm, the Hector Rail is an independent train haulage provider operating in Europe, and hauls timber for paper products in Ostrand, Sweden.
14:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S4 · E1 · Tren Turistico Science

Tren Turistico

A tourist train's engineering is challenged every time the train takes passengers through Lima, Peru and up the Andes mountains.
15:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S1 · E1 · Canadian Science

Canadian

An in-depth look is taken at a legendary locomotive called the Canadian as its crew works tirelessly to keep the train in pristine condition on its journey.
16:00 1h

Mighty Ships

S7 · E2 · Norwegian Breakaway - The Build True

Norwegian Breakaway - The Build

Germany's Meyer-Werft Shipyard takes on the challenge of building a cruise ship three times the size of HMS Titanic in just 18 months.
17:00 1h

Mighty Ships

S9 · E6 · Fram True

Fram

MS Fram, a cruise ship that goes where others fear to tread, leaves Reykjavik, Iceland, sailing in and out of the fjords of Greenland on its way to Ilulissat.

Evening

18:00 1h

Mighty Ships

S5 · E1 · Oasis of the Seas True

Oasis of the Seas

The largest cruise ship in the world has 21 swimming pools, 24 restaurants, a zip-line, a casino and replicas of Central Park and the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
19:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S1 · E2 · Le Soleal Travel

Le Soleal

A 14-day voyage through Indonesia on Le Soleal goes to places most cruise ships cannot get to, showing its passengers unique wildlife and live volcanoes.
20:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S2 · E6 · MSC Divina Travel

MSC Divina

The crew and passengers aboard a cruise ship called MSC Divina is in danger of ending in disaster when a tropical storm grows to hurricane force.
21:00 1h

Mighty Planes

S1 · E1 · Orbis True

Orbis

A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that has been fitted with a state-of-the-art operating room and a laser treatment facility attempts to land in Mongolia.
22:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S3 · E1 · Thai Rail and Death Railway Science

Thai Rail and Death Railway

The State Railway of Thailand travels through ancient areas, historic tunnels and raging rivers; the infamous Thai-Burma "Death Railway" is featured.
23:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S4 · E3 · Diamond Princess Travel

Diamond Princess

The Diamond Princess is a British-registered cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises, carrying passengers to some of Japan's most iconic cities.