Smithsonian Channel has made nearly 70 episodes of its ground-breaking series Aerial America available for free to view online. The show takes viewers on an exciting flight across the USA, offering rare glimpses of treasured landmarks, quiet landscapes and more, all from magnificent heights.
Described by the Smithsonian Channel as “the most expansive aerial television project ever produced,” Aerial America aims to tell stories that can only be fully revealed from the air.
From Oregon’s Monkey Face - the soaring 350-foot spire at Smith Rock State Park that is beloved by climbers – to the sun-kissed beaches of the Florida Keys, the programme tells the tales of each state’s unique history, culture and natural wonders. Highlights include bird’s eye views of Civil War battlefields, journeys like the Underground Railroad, as well as showing New York City’s green skyscrapers from a different perspective.
“Aerial America has always been a show that brings people together. Despite differences and distances, we can literally see our common ground in this series. It invites viewers to soar above it all for a little while, taking in our shared landscapes and landmarks, our battlegrounds and gathering grounds. And there’s something innately soothing about floating above it all, while listening to a calming narrator, and that can be helpful in this tumultuous time. Ultimately, we want to do whatever we can to help people relieve a little stress while still staying connected to our world,” Smithsonian Channel told Lonely Planet.
To make the series, the production team flew more than 2500 hours and covered over 150,000 miles. The channel also described the 50 state (with the addition of Washington DC and Puerto Rico) tour as a great family-friendly, armchair adventure series that allows viewers to reflect on where they have been, get inspiration for where they would like to go in future, or to simply learn new history about their home state.
