Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Wednesday, 28 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
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. -
01:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S1 · E3 · North Rail Express ScienceNorth Rail ExpressA train called the North Rail Express is followed as it travels from the Arctic Coast through a hazardous route to deliver freshly caught seafood. -
02:00 1h
Mighty Trains
S2 · E5 · KiwiRail ScienceKiwiRailThe largest rail transport in New Zealand, the TranzAlpine takes passengers in the South Island and the Northern Explorer takes a trip through the North Island. -
03:00 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. -
04:00 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. -
05:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S1 · E4 · Celebrity Solstice TravelCelebrity SolsticeThe Celebrity Solstice carries nearly 3,000 passengers on a luxurious journey along Australia's northern coast, with 10 restaurants and 12 bars.
Morning
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06:00 1h
Mighty Cruise Ships
S4 · E1 · Norwegian Joy TravelNorwegian JoyNorwegian Joy sails amid icebergs in Alaska's Inside Passage, treating guests to glaciers, humpback whales, and the largest zipline in the world. -
07:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S5 · E4 · Tunnels & Towers ScienceTunnels & TowersWitness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge. -
08:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S4 · E9 · Facelifts & Scaffolds ScienceFacelifts & ScaffoldsA new museum building bends 1,100-glass tubes to form a facade & tunnels below the water table; an 11-storey glass atrium is built on the former Berlin Wall. -
09:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S4 · E8 · Summit & Submerge ScienceSummit & SubmergeA mountain-top center defies extreme altitude; a stunning museum is sunk into an old dock; a 600-foot tower with floating gardens rises in Singapore. -
10:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S3 · E9 · Curved & Cables ScienceCurved & CablesA new performance center with a tent-like glass-and-steel lobby tests engineers in Kansas City; two twisting apartment towers make heads spin in Ontario. -
11:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S2 · E9 · Mirrors & Marble ScienceMirrors & MarbleThe engineering and design story behind the Oslo Opera House, Australia's One Central Park and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Daytime
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12:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S3 · E3 · Canyons & Curves ScienceCanyons & CurvesEngineers are challenged by an apartment building torn apart by a man-made canyon, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri and a triangular office building. -
13:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S4 · E1 · Space Stations & Super Inventions ScienceSpace Stations & Super InventionsHost Jay Ellis learns about the construction of the International Space Station and about the engineering marvels that were involved in its assembly. -
14:00 1h
How Did They Build That?
S4 · E10 · Floating Parks & Upcycled Towers ScienceFloating Parks & Upcycled TowersOn inadequate foundations, San Francisco's MOMA triples in size creating an exterior light enough to prevent collapse; a 1970s Sydney skyscraper is recycled. -
15:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S2 · E4 · Super Stallion Helicopter ScienceSuper Stallion HelicopterMike Davidson meets the US Marines' "Heavy Haulers" squadron as they keep their fleet of CH53 'Super Stallion' choppers in the air. -
16:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S1 · E4 · Panama Canal Railway SciencePanama Canal RailwayHost Mike Davidson rides the Panama Canal Railway and reveals the track repairs such as an engine overhaul and the searches involved in keeping it rolling. -
17:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S1 · E1 · Heli-Logger ScienceHeli-LoggerHost Mike Davidson helps a crew haul millions of pounds of timber while fighting against the elements and handling emergency repairs as they journey on.
Evening
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18:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S4 · E2 · Volcano Power ScienceVolcano PowerHost Mike Davidson goes to Iceland where he sees engineers harness the power of volcanoes to keep geothermal energy flowing as they fight the weather. -
19:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S4 · E3 · Water Work ScienceWater WorkIn Florida, Mike tackles one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet, commercial diving, when he helps a specialized team keep waterways safe. -
20:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S4 · E4 · Sky Rides ScienceSky RidesHost Mike Davidson goes to the Alps to help a team install a new cable on a gondola line, fix a steep cogwheel railway track and visits a family farm. -
21:00 1h
How Did They Fix That?
S3 · E3 · ITER ScienceITERHost Mike Davidson goes on a global journey to see the world's mightiest machines and meet the mechanics, engineers and technicians who keep them running. -
22:00 1h
Ice Airport Alaska
S7 · E4 · Live And Let Fly OtherLive And Let FlyAn exploration of the typically dangerous conditions at Ted Stevens International Airport in Alaska highlights the dedicated crews that keep passengers safe. -
23:00 1h
Mayday: Air Disaster
S16 · E6 · Dangerous Approach DocumentaryDangerous ApproachOn January 19, 1988, Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286, crashed into terrain near Bayfield, Colo., on approach to Durango-La Plata County Airport.