American History TV visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History to learn about a 19th century U.S. Government expedition to circumnavigate the globe, map and chart Pacific islands, and prove that Antarctica was a continent. The 40 tons of specimens collected by the expedition’s six naval vessels became the foundation for the Smithsonian Institution, and are still used for scientific research today.
Airing: Sunday 8am ET, 7pm ET, 10pm ET