Smithsonian TV Guide — Tuesday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Tuesday, 11 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

How Did They Build That?

S1 · E2 · Towers & Roofs Science

Towers & Roofs

An in-depth look at numerous innovative structures around the world includes a Manhattan high-rise, an Athens cultural center and a university in Singapore.

01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S25 · E6 · Cabin Chaos Documentary

Cabin Chaos

After a Chinese airplane lands at a top-secret U.S. Air Force base, the search is on for the cause of a deadly rollercoaster ride in the sky.

02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Ticking Time Bomb True

Ticking Time Bomb

How three airlines were brought down by deteriorating parts.

03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S12 · E10 · Death of the President True

Death of the President

In April 2010, a pilot for the Polish Air Force tries to land a Tupolev Tu-154M jetliner carrying Poland's president, Lech Kaczynski, on a fogged-in airstrip.

04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S23 · E3 · Bad Data True

Bad Data

High-profile air disasters are examined through computer graphics, re-enactments, and accounts from witnesses, including their emotional aftermath.

05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Deadly Data True

Deadly Data

Using official reports, transcripts and interviews with people who were on the plane when something went wrong, officials can now determine what happened.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E5 · Runway Breakup True

Runway Breakup

A 737 aircraft crashes on a Caribbean island just before it makes it to the runway, but investigatorsbelieve that the crash may not have been an accident.

07:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S4 · E1 · Seven Seas Explorer Travel

Seven Seas Explorer

Sailing from Chile all the way to Costa Rica, guests paraglide over sand dunes, cruise through mangroves, and zipline through jungles on a luxurious ship.

08:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S4 · E2 · AIDAnova Travel

AIDAnova

The world's first cruise ship running on liquefied natural gas, AIDAnova visits the volcanic landscape and stunning beaches of the Canary Islands and Madeira.

09:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S1 · E4 · Celebrity Solstice Travel

Celebrity Solstice

The Celebrity Solstice carries nearly 3,000 passengers on a luxurious journey along Australia's northern coast, with 10 restaurants and 12 bars.

10:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S1 · E5 · Stella Australis Travel

Stella Australis

The Stella Australis takes passengers to parts of South America few people have seen, visiting sub-polar forests, vast glaciers and other remote areas.

11:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S4 · E2 · MSC Regal Princess Travel

MSC Regal Princess

A detailed look is taken at a cruise of the Baltic Sea on the Regal Princess ship, and how the captain and crew deliver memorable experiences to passengers.

Daytime

12:00 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.

13:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S3 · E2 · Rovos Railway Science

Rovos Railway

The 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 Science

The Shinkansen

The 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 Science

Seven Stars of Kyushu

Japan'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

S7 · E1 · Norwegian Breakaway - The Voyage True

Norwegian Breakaway - The Voyage

The floating city called Norwegian Breakaway contains 29 restaurants, 22 bars and a casino, and its maiden voyage begins with a North Atlantic winter storm.

17:00 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.

Evening

18:00 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.

19:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S2 · E2 · Viking Sea Travel

Viking Sea

A 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.

20:00 1h

Mighty Cruise Ships

S2 · E3 · Carnival Vista Travel

Carnival Vista

Carnival 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.

21:00 1h

Mighty Planes

S4 · E2 · Airbus A400M True

Airbus A400M

The Airbus A400M Atlas is a four-engine, turboprop military transport aircraft which was designed as a tactical airlifter and can haul massive loads.

22:00 1h

Mighty Trains

S2 · E2 · Tren Crucero Science

Tren Crucero

Passengers 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

S2 · E4 · Royal Clipper Travel

Royal Clipper

A modern-day ship known as the Royal Clipper pays homage to traditional seafaring ships of the late-1800s with five masts and 42 sails.