Smithsonian Associates May 2024 program guide

Dear Friends and Members,

Families come together as they mourn the loss of a member, and the Smithsonian family is no exception. Recently, we’ve been sharing memories of the late Barbara Tuceling, the director who led—and transformed— Smithsonian Associates from the mid-1990s to her retirement in 2013.

Barb arrived on the National Mall in 1975 to lead a newly formed international travel program. An energetic and enthusiastic guide, Barb embraced the cultures and arts from the more than 100 countries she visited. Her adventurous spirit and meticulous attention to detail carried over to her next professional destination, leading Smithsonian Associates.

At the time, Associates was the only platform in Washington where audiences could regularly interact with speakers like Betty White, Walter Cronkite, Muhammad Ali, Madeleine Albright, and other notables. Under her leadership the scope of program offerings expanded, attracting thousands of loyal members, eager to learn. Barb’s accomplishments were tremendous, but she also addressed challenges with insight, tenacity, vision, and deep commitment to creating learning opportunities for all ages.

One of the most lasting aspects of Barb’s legacy lies in her role as a mentor shaping educational and professional opportunities for many young women, including the daughter of one of our current staff members. We’ve been swapping stories about Barb as friend, colleague, educator, and dynamic presence within the Institution.

A former staff member recalls a hymn being sung during a memorial service for another Smithsonian colleague: “I heard this incredible voice rise above everyone else's. It was simply beautiful, deep and resonant. I looked around to see who was singing, and it was Barb. Her voice surprised and touched me. I knew it came from a good heart.”

A good heart indeed. And one that reached those of countless others. With gratitude to you, Barb, from your Smithsonian family.

PS: Barbara Tuceling’s other family suggests honoring her memory by supporting programming that held a special meaning for her: Smithsonian Associates, Youth and Family Programs, P.O. Box 23293, Washington, DC 20026-3293

May 2024

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Smithsonian Associates In Person

We invite you to join us for selected in-person programs, concert series, and studio arts classes and workshops in our nation’s capital, as well as walking tours, full-day study tours, and overnight tours.

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs

Lincoln: The Months Before Sumter

Wed., May 1

Drawing on his new book, The Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson examines the chaotic five months that led to the start of the Civil War— a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two. (see p. 3)

A Wine Dinner at Shilling Canning Company

Mon., May 13

Chef Reid Shilling showcases the bounty of the Chesapeake in a special dinner menu that features locally sourced, creatively inspired dishes. Sommelier Erik Segelbaum pairs wines with the courses and joins Shilling to talk about the food and drink. (see p. 17)

Koji: The Secret Ingredient

Thurs., May 30

HAIR

A Singapore-Style Dinner at Cranes

Thurs., June 13

Singaporean chef Danny Ng Wei Jun takes over the kitchen of Cranes for a fourcourse dinner developed specially for Smithsonian Associates that features a menu that reflects the history of Singaporean hawkers. (see p. 16)

Thurs., June 20 | FREE PROGRAM

Discussing the ongoing relevance of HAIR is a panel including theater critic Peter Marks, original Broadway cast members Shelley Plimpton and Dale Soules, and longtime HAIR publicist Merle Frimark, moderated by arts journalist Patrick Pacheco. Attendees have the opportunity to see objects from the National Museum of American History’s HAIR collection that are not on public display. (see p. 26)

Takashi Sato, an eighth-generation member of a family that has produced tamari and other sauces for 200 years, shares how the traditional ingredient called koji creates the flavors behind many Japanese dishes. Sample foods and beverages that have been flavored with it. (see p. 17)

A Lebanese Lunch at ilili DC

Wed., June 5

Enjoy a three-course lunch designed exclusively for Smithsonian Associates. Chef and owner Philippe Massoud and executive chef Satinder Vij are on hand to introduce the menu, which includes mezze, an entrée, and dessert. (see p. 16)

Studio Arts

Let your creative side shine in a wide variety of hands-on classes led by professional artists. (see pp. 45–46)

An Italian Lunch at Alta Strada

Thurs., July 11

Executive chef Matt Smith introduces the menu and guides participants through a tortellini-folding lesson before the meal. Enjoy a three-course lunch specially designed for Smithsonian Associates at Alta Strada in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. (see p. 17)

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

Sat., June 1

The ensemble closes their season with a salute to the centennial year of "The Divine One," Sarah Vaughan. (see p. 23)

Tours

Our expert-led tours offer one-of-a-kind travel experiences. (see pp. 53–60)

In Person

Lincoln: The Months Before Sumter

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the unlikely victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds—Southern extremists were moving closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but the passions of North and South came to focus on a federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter.

Drawing on his new book, The Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson examines the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals. Lincoln described these five months of trials as “so great that, could I have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them.”

Using information from diaries, secret communiqués, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson discusses the pivotal period between the election of Lincoln and the start of the Civil War—a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two. A pre-signed copy of The Demon of Unrest (Crown) is included in the ticket price.

Wed., May 1, 6:45 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History; CODE 1L0-571; General Admission $50

A Journey Through Ancient China

Historian Justin Jacobs takes you on a thematic tour of four important topics in ancient Chinese history: relations with nomads, sacred mountains, the civil service exams, and the maritime voyages of Zheng He. Each lecture includes a rich, nuanced overview based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides.

The Wide Awakes

The Forgotten Force that Spurred the Civil War

Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, is the author of several books.

MAY 1

China and the Nomads

MAY 8 Sacred Mountains of China

MAY 15

MAY 22

The Chinese Civil Service Exams

The Maritime Voyages of Zheng He

4-session series: Wed., May 1-22, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-358; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Individual sessions: Wed., May 1 (CODE 1J0-358A); Wed., May 8 (CODE 1J0-358B); Wed., May 15 (CODE 1J0-358C); Wed., May 22 (CODE 1J0-358D); 6:45 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

At the start of the 1860 presidential campaign, a handful of fired-up young Northerners appeared as bodyguards to defend anti-slavery stump speakers from frequent attacks. The group called themselves the Wide Awakes. Soon, hundreds of thousands of young white and Black men and a number of women were organizing boisterous, uniformed, torch-bearing brigades of their own.

Drawing on his new book, Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War, Smithsonian historian Jon Grinspan examines exactly how the nation crossed the threshold from a political campaign into a war. He traces how the Wide Awakes—whose members were mostly working-class and in their 20s—became one of the largest, most spectacular, and most influential political movements in our history. Within a year, the nation would be at war with itself—and many on both sides would point to the Wide Awakes as one of the mechanisms that got them there.

Copies of Wide Awake (Bloomsbury Publishing) are available for purchase.

Wed., June 26, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-580; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

Erik Larson

Huà Shān

CHENSIYUAN

Making Democracy Count

Math’s Influential Role in Voting and Representation

Presenting mathematical thinking as an objective, nonpartisan framework, math professor Ismar

Volić examines why he believes the current voting system stifles political diversity; the size of the House of Representatives contributes to its paralysis; gerrymandering entrenches partisanship and disenfranchisement; and the Electoral College needs to be rethought. Volić also taps into the legal and constitutional practicalities involved in representative government while proposing a road map for repairing our democracy.

Volić’s new book, Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Thurs., May 2, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1T0-002; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The 80th Anniversary of D-Day

June 6, 2024, will mark the 80th anniversary of the greatest amphibious operation in history. D-Day was the most complex, intricately planned, and competently executed military operation the world has ever seen, and it signaled the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany.

Kevin Weddle, professor emeritus of military theory and strategy at the U.S. Army War College, traces the development and deployment of the Allied military strategy for Europe and the cross-channel invasion known as Operation Overlord; the execution of the plan on D-Day; and the resulting stalemate and the Allied breakout from the narrow Normandy lodgment.

MAY 7

Allied Strategy and Operation Overlord

MAY 14 D-Day: Breaching the Atlantic Wall

MAY 21 Breakout: From Stalemate to the Liberation of Paris

3-session series: Tues., May 7–21, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-463; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

“Bridgerton” and the Real World of Regency London

In Regency England the London season—from the end of January, when Parliament reopened, until July—brought members of the titled peerage into the city to conduct government. Meanwhile, their wives held balls and parties to network. Known as the “Ton,” they comprised a few hundred wealthy families whose strict codes of conduct, fashion, and social customs dictated who and what was acceptable. They were the celebrities of the early 19th century, engaged in what was described as “a business of pleasure.”

Historian Julie Taddeo examines the men and women who lived “in the fashionable mode” and were circumscribed by exacting rules that dictated everything from what they wore to who they married, where they lived to what work men did. It was not easy to gain entry to this elite circle, as fans of the series “Bridgerton” know, and anything done beyond its rigid proscriptions was enough to render the offender ignored—or worse. Eventually the Ton was forced to change over time to welcome non-aristocratic members into their ranks or risk dying off.

Mon., May 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-568; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Men of the 16th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 1st Infantry Division, wading ashore on Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT LIBRARY

History, National Identity, and International Affairs

A shared understanding of history is a core part of national identity. However, in countries as disparate as Russia, China, Turkey, Germany, and the United States, leaders are increasingly trying to control how historical narratives are shaped, taught, and even discussed.

In Russia, criticism of Soviet policy during World War II can land you in prison. In Turkey, recognition of the Ottoman genocide of Armenians in 1915 is illegal and seen as an insult to “Turkishness.” In Germany, it is illegal to deny the Holocaust. Vladimir Putin insists that there has never been a separate Ukrainian nation, making his war on Ukraine justified to reunite the country.

Historian Hope M. Harrison of George Washington University explores how and why certain versions of history are being used by world leaders to support contemporary policies—and why all citizens should develop the skills to critically view the political uses of history.

Wed., May 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-813; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Reverse Underground Railroad Slavery and Kidnapping in Pre-Civil War America

In the decades before the Civil War a clandestine network of human traffickers and slave traders stole away thousands of free African Americans from the northern states to sell them into slavery in the Deep South. Philadelphia was the Reverse Underground Railroad’s northern terminus. The city’s proximity to the Mason-Dixon line, which divided the mostly free North from the expanding slave South, made its many free Black residents attractive targets. Those captured could fetch up to the equivalent of $15,000 in today’s money in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, three of the new territories and states rising along the Gulf Coast.

Historian Richard Bell of the University of Maryland examines the prevalence of this heinous practice, the routes the kidnappers took, and the techniques they used to lure free Black people. He considers the dramatic impact these kidnappings had on American history by accelerating the spread of slavery into new corners of the country, radicalizing Black communities across the free states, and focusing the public’s attention for the first time on the suffering of Black families forcibly separated by slavery. He also discusses the actions of state and city governments to end the kidnappings and the ways in which some children and adult victims were rescued

Wed., May 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-321; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials

Their History and Legacy

In 1945, Nazi officials involved in heinous crimes committed during the Holocaust of World War II and Japanese leaders responsible for war crimes including aggressive war, mass murder, and torture were indicted by International Military Tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo. The principal trials were conducted by a four-state tribunal in Germany and by many more states in Japan. Together with subsidiary trials by national tribunals, these proceedings set new standards for war crimes and crimes against humanity, leading to the creation of the International Criminal Court.

Defense counsel addresses the court at the International Military Tribunal in Tokyo, 1946

President Franklin D. Roosevelt personally ordered the creation of rules in the American trial of German spies and saboteurs. Whether the trials would be fair depended largely upon the attitude of the judges, prosecutors, and, notably, of who was in command. As a result, the proceedings sometimes ended with agonizingly fair results and even complete acquittals of defendants—and other trials were hardly fair at all.

Even today, the trial rules from 1946 have echoes in current events. They were copied in 2001 as the initial evidence rules for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and as recently as January, the Israeli Knesset was legislating procedures for dealing with unlawful enemy combatants. Evan Wallach, a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and one of the nation’s foremost experts on war crimes and the law of war, explores the history of these trials and their impact on the world.

Thurs., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-812; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

1838 woodcut of the kidnapping of a free Black woman to be sold into slavery

The Wonders of Copan and Tikal

Classic Maya City-States of Central America

The sophisticated courts of the classic Maya offer a trove of information and artifacts. Classic Maya civilization (3rd through 9th centuries) flourished in the form of a network of interconnected city-states, each with its own dynasties of ruling elites and court culture, whose interactions involved trade, marriage alliances, warfare, treaties, diplomacy, and civic and religious ceremonies.

At the heart of these city-states are the impressive architecture of palaces, temples, and ball-courts; intriguing relief carvings of deities, kings, queens, and scribes; painted ceramic vessels; and richly appointed burials.

Cultural historian George Scheper of Johns Hopkins University, an expert on the Indigenous cultures of the Americas, explores the storied splendors of Copan and Tikal and how the decipherment of Maya glyph-writing has opened new worlds of written history of the dynasties of these impressive sites.

Thurs., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-322; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Maya of Yucatan

Ancient Monuments, Modern Lives

The Classic Maya city-states of Central America that flourished from the 3rd through the 9th centuries famously “collapsed” in the 9th and 10th. However, in the distinctive environment of the Yucatan Peninsula the Maya experienced a greater continuity, and a resurgent Post-Classic Maya culture arose that persisted uninterruptedly until the incursion of the Spanish in the 16th century.

Cultural historian George Scheper leads a virtual excursion to the most storied ancient Maya sites of Yucatan and considers the historical persistence of Maya cultural life through the impacts of the Spanish colonial period, Mexican sovereignty, and contemporary international tourism.

Tues., Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-335; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Urban Oasis

A History of Rock Creek Park

Established in 1890, Rock Creek Park was the third national park created in the United States and the first in a major city. More than 2,000 acres winding through Northwest Washington were set aside as a refuge for wildlife and an escape for District residents. Before the founding of the park, the land supported Indigenous people, agriculture, fishing, and industry. The creek powered mills, watered orchards, and was a conduit for trade in the nation’s capital.

While the landscape feels natural today, much of Rock Creek Park was meticulously laid out by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural firm. Their rustic style of bridges, roads, and structures helped set the tone of national “parkitecture” across the country. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, surveys familiar parts of the landscape, including the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, as well as lesser-known landmarks, memorials, ruins, and other remnants of Rock Creek Park’s past.

Thurs., May 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-081; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Temple 1 at Tikal

GEORGE SCHEPER

Boulder Bridge, Rock Creek Park

Painted bas relief in Palenque

GEORGE SCHEPER

The Archaeology of Judaism

The period of post-biblical Judaism is exceedingly rich in archaeological evidence, found both in Israel and in the lands of an everwidening Diaspora. In an illustrated full-day program, biblical scholar Gary Rendsburg of Rutgers University synthesizes archaeological findings and literary evidence to reveal a multifaceted portrait of Jewish life in late antiquity.

10 a.m. The First Diasporas: Egypt and Babylonia

11:30 a.m. The Jews of Hellenistic Egypt

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The Diaspora

2:45 p.m. The Land of Israel

Sat., May 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-323; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

It’s About Time

Organizing the Calendar, Time Zones, and the Clock

Once upon a time, humans could mostly ignore the clock, but the Industrial Age and its expanding system of railroads forced societies to devise a system of global timekeeping. Journalist and historian Adam Tanner traces the intriguing evolution of the human invention of time—the source of today’s crazy quilt of different times across the globe, which developed after surprisingly heated international debate.

He also discusses how it took many centuries before Europe widely embraced the system of counting years from the first century and why Daylight Saving Time remains controversial even today.

Fri., May 17, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-082; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Working the Night Shift

The Ancient World After Dark

As twilight settled in the ancient world, a host of activities began, some of which were significantly different from what people did during the daytime. Some artifacts, features, and buildings associated with these activities were particular to the dark, while other material culture was transformed in meaning as the sun set. So much of our economic, social, and ritual lives takes place at night and yet, until recently, relatively little archaeological research has been undertaken specifically on nocturnal quotidian practices.

April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria, Canada, discusses the people who worked the night shift in ancient societies—from the hunters, agriculturists, sewage workers, and ironsmiths to the poets, navigators, and rebellion leaders. Drawing on archaeological data and textual evidence, she argues that night in the ancient world was anything but sleepy.

Tues., May 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-814; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Our programs...your time

Registered for a Smithsonian Associates online program but missed it because of a schedule conflict? Wish you could take a second look at a presentation you loved? Associates Encores offers the answer to these questions—and more.

Aerial view of the Tel Arad fortress archaeological site

Adventures in the Archives—and Beyond

A Historian’s Unconventional Research

For historians like Megan Kate Nelson, the “archive”—usually a library, university, museum, or historical society collection—is a sacred place. They go there to uncover the lived experiences of past Americans through first-person accounts: diaries, letters, family papers, newspapers and magazines, and other primary source materials. But what happens when these sources don’t contain the answers they seek?

Nelson discusses research adventures that led her to places beyond the traditional archives during her preparation for The Three-Cornered War, a book about the American Civil War in the desert Southwest that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. A visit to a pass in the Organ Mountains of New Mexico revealed that battle reports, letters, and maps don’t always account for the environmental realities of warfare. A two-month search for information on the daughter of a colonel who commanded U.S. troops in New Mexico showed Nelson how and why women often disappear from the historical record. And viewing baskets and blankets woven by Navajo women helped her use insights from material culture to tell the story of Juanita, a Navajo civilian whose story is at the heart of The Three-Cornered War.

Nelson’s behind-the-scenes glimpses offer unique perspectives on the historical research process for her book and the challenges historians face as they try to reconstruct the large-scale and intimate details of past events.

Thurs., May 30, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-075; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Eisenhower and the Planning of Operation Overlord

In the months leading up to D-Day, General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s attention was in relentless demand, whether he was negotiating, rallying troops, or solving crises from his headquarters in Bushy Park, London. He projected optimism throughout, but after a rousing speech to troops on the day of the invasion he drafted a resignation letter in case of its failure.

Drawing on his new book The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower, author Michel Paradis discusses the strategic planning of Operation Overlord—which led to D-Day and the liberation of France—focusing on the six months preceding the mission when Dwight Eisenhower grew from a widely respected general into one of the singular figures of American history.

Copies of The Light of Battle (Mariner Books) are available for purchase.

Mon., June 3, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-577; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Axis Powers and the Buildup to World War II

To America, it was a day that would live in infamy. But for Japan, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was merely an attempt to protect its flank from the U.S. Navy while it pursued a decades-long plan to conquer China.

But the move proved to be a colossal losing bet by the Axis that unleashed the U.S. and its mighty military arsenal as the decisive war machine in World War II. Hitler’s High Command had not focused their intelligence on America as an enemy and were left with little intelligence to assess its war policy—which cost Germany the war.

Military historian Harry Yeide studied original documents from Axis powers to understand how and why they underestimated America. He identifies the points in time when Axis leaders realized America and its American-supplied allies were on the path to victory. Yeide is the author of Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views of the United States (Casemate), which is available for sale.

Thurs., June 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-818; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Adolf Hitler during a conference with officers on the Eastern Front UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM

After 1177 B.C.

The Survival of Civilizations

At the end of 1177 B.C., many of the Late Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean lay in ruins, undone by invasion, revolt, natural disasters, famine, and the demise of international trade. An interconnected world that had boasted major empires and societies, relative peace, robust commerce, and monumental architecture was lost and the so-called First Dark Age had begun. But what happened over the next four centuries?

Classicist and anthropologist Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, surveys this dramatic period and examines how the demise of powerful civilizations created circumstances to which people and societies had to adapt. Those who failed to adjust disappeared from the world stage, while others transformed, resulting in a new world order that included Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Neo-Hittites, Neo-Assyrians, and Neo-Babylonians. Far from being the First Dark Age, says Cline, it was one that ushered in new inventions and new opportunities.

After 1177 B.C. (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.

Wed., June 5, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-051; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Architects of “Toxic Politics”

With the 2024 presidential race in full swing, many Americans are troubled by the caustic nature of today’s campaigns. The reality is vitriol has been at play from the beginning of the Republic, reflected in character assassin J.T. Callender; the vicious 1800 presidential battle of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams; and Andrew Jackson's no-holds-barred campaigns in the mid-1800s.

Today, the same phenomenon is undermining our public life again. The political climate has been intensified over the years by the news media and social media—inherently attracted to conflict and outrage—and by a variety of political provocateurs, merchants of discord, and peddlers of anger.

Veteran White House correspondent, historian, and author Ken Walsh explores the history of poison politics in America and highlights the figures who helped shape the modern landscape.

His book The Architects of Toxic Politics in America: Venom and Vitriol (Routledge) is available for purchase.

Mon., June 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-055; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Battle of Remagen

A Pivotal Moment in WWII

General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the March 7, 1945, capture of the bridge at Remagen “one of those bright opportunities of the war.” The Rhine River was the last natural barrier left open to Germany’s heartland. As Allied troops advanced, the only bridge still spanning the river was the Ludendorff railroad bridge at Remagen.

The 9th U.S. Armored Division took control of the strategically vital bridge only minutes before German forces had planned to destroy the Rhine crossing. What followed was an intense and extended battle for the Americans to cross—and for the Germans to blow up—the bridge first. Military historian Mitch Yockelson examines how this pivotal action ultimately shortened the war in Europe.

Mon., July 29, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-822; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

9th Armored Division with the original sign they posted on the Ludendorff Bridge, 1945

Henry VIII: The Man Behind the Royal Image

The image of Henry VIII is immediately recognizable—hands on hips, lips curled into a sneer, eyes piercing and unrelenting. He has been portrayed as a large, buffoonish womanizer by Charles Laughton, a slender athletic lover by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and a stern, powerful monarch by Damian Lewis.

Was he a tyrant seeking wealth and power willing to destroy a thousand years of spiritual and cultural tradition in the process? Or a true reformer, seeking to rid the church of years of corruption? An egomaniacal misogynist who used and disposed of women, or a dedicated king putting his kingdom’s need for an heir ahead of his own desires?

The real Henry VIII is all these men, a complex king who built a dynasty that changed England and Europe. Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores how Henry continues to resist efforts to be reduced to a one-dimensional character and how he seized on the challenges and opportunities of a changing world to become a monarch who fascinates us more than 450 years after his tumultuous reign.

Tues., June 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-327; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

1932: FDR, Hoover, and the Dawn of a New America

In 1932, the country was experiencing a broken economy, natural disaster, bubbling political radicalism, and a rise of dangerous forces ushering in an era of global conflict. Amid this turmoil loomed a choice in the presidential election between two men with different visions of America. Republican President Herbert Hoover embraced small government and a largely unfettered free market, while New York Democratic Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt believed that the path out of the economic crisis required government intervention and a national sense of shared purpose.

Author Scott Martelle places that campaign in the context of Americans’ daily lives and the significant political and social issues of the day in his book

1932: FDR, Hoover and the Dawn of a New America (Kensington), available for purchase.

Thurs., June 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-041; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Inside Georgetown

Rags to Riches in Washington’s Oldest Neighborhood

Founded 50 years before the federal capital of Washington, D.C., Georgetown got its start as a gritty port city on the banks of the Potomac River. Despite very modest beginnings, the area eventually came to have some of the most expensive and desirable property in the District. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, reveals the highlights and secrets of one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods, home to palatial mansions, notable cemeteries, stately churches, and a world-class university.

Fri., June 14, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-085; Member $25; Nonmembers $30

What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A

Portrait of Henry VIII after Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1537–1562

Georgetown University

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Herbert Hoover

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The Normal Women of England

900 Years of Making History

What did women do to shape England’s culture and traditions in nine centuries of turmoil, plague, famine, religious reform, and the rise of empire and industry? Author Philippa Gregory offers the answer as she draws on her new book, Normal Women.

With accounts of female soldiers, highwaywomen, pirates, miners, ship owners, international traders, theater impresarios, runaway enslaved women, “female husbands,” social campaigners, and rebels, Gregory discusses the individuals, the prejudice they faced, and how they built a society as diverse and varied as the women themselves. Her radical retelling of her nation’s story focuses not on the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen but on the social and cultural change powered by the determination, persistence, and effectiveness of women from 1066 to modern times.

Copies of Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of History (HarperOne) are available for purchase.

Sat., June 15, 1 p.m.; CODE 1L0-579; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Last Island

In November 2018, a young American missionary kayaked onto a remote beach in the Indian Ocean and was killed by Indigenous islanders wielding bows and arrows. News of that fatal encounter on North Sentinel Island—a small patch of land in the Andaman archipelago—fascinated people around the world. Most were unaware such a place existed in our time: an island whose hunter-gatherer inhabitants still live in near-total isolation.

Author and historian Adam Goodheart, who has also traveled to the waters off North Sentinel, tells the stories of others drawn to the island and its surrounding archipelago through the centuries, from imperial adventurers to an eccentric Victorian photographer to modern-day anthropologists. He also discusses other Andaman tribes’ encounters with the outside world and how the modern age is drawing closer to North Sentinel’s shores.

Goodheart’s book The Last Island: Discovery, Defiance, and the Most Elusive Tribe on Earth (Godine) is available for purchase.

Thurs., June 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-483; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Wars of the Roses

Family Feud, Plantagenet Style

Long before royal exploits were splashed across the tabloids, England’s ruling family played out their dramas on the national stage during the mid-to-late 15th century. The heirs of Edward III fought a series of battles that came to be known as the Wars of the Roses. With cousins challenging cousins, brothers turning against brothers, and an uncle locking nephews in the Tower of London, this clan seems tailor-made for peak television.

Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger looks at the battles between the houses of Lancaster and York from the inside out, revealing the truth behind Shakespeare’s warning in Henry IV, Part 2, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

Tues., July 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-332; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Miniature

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

Philippa Gregory

Adam Goodheart JULIE NAPEAR

of the Battle of Tewkesbury, late 15th century

Saying “I Do” at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Author Coleen Christian Burke takes a look at weddings of presidential family members that reflected a mix of the private, the public, and the political—as well as traditional romantic spectacle. Christian Burke focuses on three presidential daughters: Lynda Byrd Johnson, Tricia Nixon, and Luci Baines Johnson. She details the grandly elegant style of these celebrations with a look at photos, invitations, and memorabilia and examines how the high-profile events played out against the changing cultural and political mores of the day. In addition, she talks about White House nuptials through history.

Fri., June 21, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-376; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Last Kings of Shanghai

The Jewish Dynasties That Shaped Modern China

At the height of World War II, two rival Jewish families in China—the Sassoons and the Kadoories—joined together to rescue and protect 18,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. But that was only one chapter in a remarkable 175-year-long story of survival, ambition, and political intrigue that connects the families, both originally from Baghdad, who dominated Chinese business and politics and whose lavish buildings define Shanghai and Hong Kong to this day.

Author Jonathan Kaufman, director of the Northeastern University School of Journalism, opens the rarified world these dynasties encountered and examines how their members helped transform China during pivotal years of growth, responded to revolutions that changed the future, and reluctantly had to leave it all behind with the advent of communism.

Mon., June 24, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-819; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Visions of Cuba: A Photographic Tale

Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist Essdras M Suarez leads a visual tour of two of Cuba’s most captivating cities: Havana and Trinidad. Suarez’s street photos document Havana’s rich history and resilient spirit, while his shots of Trinidad evoke its charm through cobblestone lanes and pastel adobes. In photographs that reveal the cultural tapestry of Havana and the timeless allure of Trinidad, Suarez captures the deep connection between their inhabitants and their environments.

Tues., July 2, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-090; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

President George W. Bush poses with the flight deck crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln May 1, 2003

Ships of State: Presidents at Sea

The allure of the sea has long captivated some of America’s most notable leaders. Whether aboard naval vessels or exploring wild coastal landscapes, Theodore Roosevelt found solace and inspiration in the vast waters. Franklin D. Roosevelt, facing the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II, sought respite aboard his beloved presidential yacht, the USS Potomac.

John F. Kennedy, a seasoned sailor and keen strategist, embraced the sea as a recreational escape, a source of comfort, and an incubator of his ideas and policies. And George H.W. Bush, a decorated Navy pilot and lifelong enthusiast of maritime pursuits, cherished moments spent sailing along the rugged Maine coast.

Veteran White House correspondent and historian Ken Walsh traces the history of presidents and their relationships to the sea and considers how it served as a backdrop for reflection and decision-making.

Thurs., July 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-056; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Shanghai Bund, 1930

PAUL MORSE / WHITE HOUSE

Wedding of Lynda Bird Johnson and Captain Charles Robb, 1967

YOICHI R. OKAMOTO, LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Images: Courtesy of Essdras M Suarez

The Great Hunger: The Irish Potato Famine

The potato famine of 1845–1849 led to the death of a million people and the emigration of a million more, reducing the population of Ireland by roughly one quarter. Historian Jennifer Paxton explores the origins of the famine in the difficult economic and political circumstances in which many people in the countryside were dependent on the potato for subsistence.

She also examines the controversy over the degree to which the British government can be held responsible for the disaster and the impact of the famine on the Irish landscape and culture; the Irish diaspora that spread resentment of British rule to North America and beyond; and the legacy of the famine in Ireland and around the world today.

Thurs., July 18, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-330; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Cities of the Bible

From Athens to Jerusalem to Babylon, understanding the Bible means understanding the cities and cultures that produced it. The story of these centers— their history, their archaeology, their mysteries, and the people who inhabited and later excavated them—is also the story of the Bible itself.

Weaving together biblical archaeology, history, and personal experience, Robert Cargill, assistant professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Iowa, leads a fascinating tour through Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Babylon, Athens, Alexandria, and Rome to reveal how their stories shed new light on the Bible.

Thurs., July 18, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-820; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Live from Poland

Krakow: Off the Beaten Path

Home of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Krakow is also known for beautiful, ancient architecture, tempting restaurants, and fun festivals. But tour guide and author Christopher Skutela leads you off the beaten path in the city, revealing sites where tourists don’t tend to go. Explore historic neighborhoods, one of the hidden health resorts in Poland, and a former socialist utopia district. Then get a breath of fresh air at Kosciuszko Mound and Bielany Hermitage and Woods.

Mon., July 29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-381; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Dead Sea Scrolls: Why They Matter

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s and early 1950s forever changed the study of ancient Judaism and early Christianity. As additional documents surfaced and archaeological fieldwork continued, the understanding of these religious traditions came into greater focus.

Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Gary Rendsburg describes the discovery of these precious manuscripts, what we know about their origins, the controversies surrounding them, and their influence on the development of both ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

Tues., Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-334; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Kosciuszko Mound monument in Krakow

Temple Scroll, column 23, one of the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, 2nd century B.C.E.

THE ISRAEL MUSEUM

Inside the Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem

Engraving of emigrants leaving Ireland by Henry Doyle, 1868

Court Life in 17th-Century London

A Visitor’s Guide

For centuries, the royal court in London was the political, social, and cultural headquarters of the nation. Anybody who was anybody—or who wanted to see somebody or be somebody—attended court. And at its center was the sought-after figure who could make or break the great and the good: the sovereign.

Historian Robert Bucholz evokes the experience of being present in a drawing room at Hampton Court Palace at the end of the Stuart Age. A formal gathering there was a glittering stage where guests could increase their power, consolidate their families’ importance, and share gossip and tales of palace intrigues—all with the goal of capturing the eye of the ruler.

Thurs., July 25, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-821; Members $20, Nonmembers $25

Daily Life in Tudor London

The Tudor dynasty (1485–1603) spanned just three generations of monarchs, but each left an indelible mark on the character of London. The city on the Thames bustled with the daily life of common people living in a rapidly evolving world simultaneously shaped by—and conforming to—the revolutionary changes in government, culture, and religion that ushered in early-modern England and left a legacy for the entire English-speaking world.

Historian Cheryl White examines the role that London played in securing the Tudor dynasty and illuminates this extraordinary era by looking through the lens of the ordinary Londoners who worked its docks and shops, paid taxes to the Crown, and spent their everyday lives in one of the greatest cities of the world.

Thurs., Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-333; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Thomas Jefferson and the Nuances of Leadership

Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence and our third president, has been called the architect of American democracy. However, his legacy has been seriously questioned in large part because he participated in the foul institution of American slavery, owning over 600 people during his lifetime. John Ragosta of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello examines the question of what a wealthy, white, slave-owning aristocrat has to teach us about the nature of American leadership, especially political leadership.

Wed., July 31, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-377; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Spice Race

The

West’s Enduring Obsession with Asia

Afonso de Albuquerque, Viceroy of Portuguese India, 16th century

Starting in the 15th century, Europeans embarked on dangerous maritime voyages to reach Asia. The Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, and British competed to acquire pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices, as well as porcelain, silks, tea, and much more from Asia. The great names of Western exploration were driven to find new and faster routes to India, China, and other Asian sources of alluring commodities.

In this quest to obtain goods from abroad, Europe built empires, established colonies, and left virtually no corner of the globe untouched. Writer and former foreign correspondent Adam Tanner examines why this historic Western focus on Asia is essential to understanding our world today.

Thurs., Aug. 8, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-095; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANCIENT ART, LISBON

The ceiling of the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace

PHOTO BY DAVID ILIFF. LICENSE: CC BY-SA 3.0

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

Spring Wine Adventures

MAY 17 Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Part 1: Chilean Wine

Winemakers in Chile are amid a new era of innovation, modernization, discovery, and rejuvenation—leading to some of the most exciting wines the country has ever known. With a much deeper focus on regional identity and making wines based on terroir, rather than commercial market factors, Chilean wine has never been better. This delicious deep dive into one of the wine world’s hidden gems is sure to surprise and delight. The session’s special guest is Amanda Barnes, author of The South American Wine Guide.

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE

Spend two fascinating evenings expanding your knowledge of wine as you travel the world with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable wine-tasting adventures. Each immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.

JUN 28 Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Part 2: New Zealand

Wine

Despite producing only 1% of the world’s wine, New Zealand has had a commanding presence in the international wine market. For years, bright and tropical Sauvignon Blanc was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s vinous reputation. However, the modern New Zealand winescape has much more complexity and depth. This delicious exploration spotlights New Zealand’s commitment to viticultural sustainability and the country’s distinctive fusion of traditional and modern winemaking.

Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes a curated personal tasting kit with enough wine for one person to sample the full lineup of wines. Additional participants must register individually to receive their own tasting kit, which is an essential component of the workshop. Kits are available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program and the day of the program, 12–5 p.m., at Shilling Canning Company (360 Water Street SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line). Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to the program.

Due to state and federal laws, Smithsonian Associates cannot ship wine kits. However, SOMLYAY may be able to provide kits to participants outside the Washington, D.C., area (who must cover shipping costs). Please contact erik@thesomlyay.com for more information.

Smithsonian Associates’ Digital Digest is a lively monthly e-newsletter filled with information about programs and experiences that are entertaining, informative, eclectic, and insightful. Be sure to see the current issue at: smithsonianassociates.org/digital-digest

A Lebanese Lunch at ilili DC

In colloquial Lebanese Arabic, “ilili” means “tell me.” A casually intimate phrase, “ilili” tempts the listener to share whatever’s in their heart: a joke, a secret, a desire, or just the daily gossip. It’s always an invitation.

Take advantage of your invitation to visit The Wharf in Southwest Washington and break fresh pita at ilili DC in a three-course lunch designed exclusively for Smithsonian Associates. A culinary expression of Lebanon, ilili offers both traditional Mediterranean plates and their creative contemporary inspirations. Chef and owner Philippe Massoud and executive chef Satinder Vij are on hand to introduce the menu, which includes mezze, an entrée, and dessert.

Please note: The price includes meal and gratuities; drinks are not included and may be purchased separately at the restaurant.

Wed., June 5, 12 p.m.; CODE 1L0-578; ilili DC at The Wharf, 100 District Square, SW (Metro: L’Enfant Plaza, Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Green lines); Members $100; Nonmembers $130

A Singapore-Style Dinner at Cranes

Ask about the key element of local heritage in Singapore and you’re likely to hear one resounding answer: hawker culture. Singapore hawker centers are large food markets ringed by stalls that serve everything from full meals to snacks and drinks.

You’ll usually find a selection of local dishes as well as flavors from across the world, including China, Malaysia, and India. The culinary artisans at Singapore’s hawker centers have nourished generations across diverse backgrounds. Hawker food goes beyond satiating hunger: It stands as a legacy that unites all Singaporeans.

Singaporean chef Danny Ng Wei Jun (formerly of Jiwa Singapura in Tysons Galleria) takes over the kitchen of Cranes for a four-course dinner developed specially for Smithsonian Associates that features a menu that reflects the history of Singaporean hawkers. He offers an overview of hawker culture and each course’s connection to it.

Please note: The price includes meal and gratuities; drinks are not included and may be purchased separately at the restaurant.

Thurs., June 13, 7:30 p.m.; CODE 1L0-583; Cranes, 724 9th St., NW (Metro: Gallery Place, Red, Green, and Yellow lines); Members $100; Nonmembers $125

IMAGES

IMAGES COURTESY OF CRANES

Danny Ng Wei Jun

In Person

A Wine Dinner at Shilling Canning Company

Celebrate spring with a delicious evening at Shilling Canning Company, a modern Mid-Atlantic restaurant where executive chef Reid Shilling serves his take on seasonal cuisine highlighting ingredients from around the Chesapeake. His specially designed canapes and four-course menu for the event showcase locally sourced, creatively inspired dishes—all in the restaurant’s spirit of sharing the bounties of the Bay region.

Smithsonian Associates’ favorite sommelier Erik Segelbaum, who leads the popular Wine Adventures series, pairs wines with the courses. Chef Shilling and Segelbaum are on hand to talk about the food and drink.

Please note: The price includes meal and gratuities; drinks are not included and may be purchased separately at the restaurant.

Mon., May 13, 6:30 p.m.; Shilling Canning Company, 360 Water St. SE, Washington, DC (Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark Station, Green line); CODE 1L0569; Members $250; Nonmembers $280

In Person

With Tasting

Koji: The Secret Ingredient

In Person

One of the biggest food trends today is a traditional Japanese ingredient called koji, the moldinoculated grains responsible for miso, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and a host of other ingredients. Although it has been a culinary mainstay in Asia for centuries, it’s only recently that Western chefs have started catching on to its transformative powers as a seasoning and a curing agent.

Takashi Sato, president of San-J International in Virginia, is an eighth-generation member of the founding family of a tamari and miso brewery. He shares how koji creates the flavors behind your favorite Japanese foods and discusses his work to support and revive the tradition of the country’s fermentation culture. After the presentation, savor the secret ingredient as you sample foods and beverages that have been flavored with koji, including small bites provided by chef Matt Baker of the Michelin-starred D.C. restaurant Gravitas and sake from the Embassy of Japan.

Thurs., May 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-572; Ripley Center; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

An Italian Lunch at Alta Strada

James Beard Award–winning chef Michael Schlow opened the first Alta Strada in Wellesley, Massachusetts, in 2005. The restaurant was born from his wish to share his love and passion for Italian food, reflected in the menu’s handmade pastas and other authentic classics.

Enjoy a three-course lunch specially designed for Smithsonian Associates at Alta Strada in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. Executive chef Matt Smith introduces the menu and guides participants through a tortellini-folding lesson before the meal.

Please note: The price includes meal and gratuities; drinks are not included and may be purchased separately at the restaurant.

Thurs., July 11, 12 p.m.; Alta Strada Mosaic District, 2911 District Ave #150, Fairfax, Virginia; CODE 1L0-584; Members $100; Nonmembers $130

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs

Takashi Sato

Susan Page on Barbara Walters

Television’s Rulebreaker

Barbara Walters was a force from the time TV was exploding on the American scene in the 1960s to its waning dominance in a new world of competition from streaming services and social media half a century later. By the end of her career, Walters had interviewed more of the famous and infamous, from presidents to movie stars to criminals to despots, than any other journalist in history. Then at 67, past the age many female broadcasters found themselves involuntarily retired, she pioneered a new form of talk TV with “The View.”

Drawing on her new book, The Rulebreaker, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief of USA Today, examines the woman behind the legacy. She looks at how Walters was driven to keep herself and her family afloat after her mercurial and famous impresario father attempted suicide. She never lost the fear of an impending catastrophe, which led her to ask for things no woman had ever asked for before, to ignore the rules of misogynistic culture, outcompete her most ferocious competitors, and to protect her complicated marriages and love life from scrutiny.

Page’s portrait of the most successful female broadcaster of all time reveals a woman whose personal demons fueled an ambition that broke all the rules and finally gave women a permanent place on the air. Copies of The Rulebreaker (Simon & Schuster) are available for purchase.

Wed., May 8, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-574; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, revisits and provides new perspectives on novels that typically appear on high school reading lists.

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs High School

Macbeth

Shakespeare’s Macbeth from 1606 is one of his bloodiest and most haunting plays, as its recurrent use of the supernatural distinguishes it from most of his other tragedies. Luzzi guides participants through the rich verbal intricacies and captivating themes of the play, especially its treatment of political ambition and the nature of the monarchy, with special attention to how Macbeth relates to other great tragedies in Shakespeare. Also considered is how the play provides valuable insight into Shakespeare’s relationship with his patron King James I.

Thurs., May 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-361; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Lord of the Flies

Ever since its publication in 1954, Nobel laureate William Golding’s iconic novel Lord of the Flies has been a mainstay of syllabi and reading lists throughout the world. A harrowing story of a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island during a time of war, the narrative develops complex themes regarding violent tendencies in human nature and the way that group psychology and power struggles can lead to fatal consequences. Luzzi leads participants through a detailed analysis of a work celebrated for its narrative force and psychological tensions.

Thurs., May 23, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-371; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

COWARD-MCCANN

HANNAH GABER

Susan Page

The Future of Exploration

Former National Geographic executive vice president and chief science officer Terry Garcia and nature and cultural photographer Chris Rainier, a National Geographic Explorer, lead a journey with some of the world’s most renowned explorers, scientists, astronauts, visionaries, and authors as they discuss their insights about what motivates them, what is left to explore, and why we should care. Following the presentation, Garcia and Rainier are joined by deep sea explorer Katy Croff Bell for a discussion on the future of exploration.

Garcia and Rainier’s new book, The Future of Exploration: Discovering the Uncharted Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Human Potential (Simon & Schuster), is available for purchase. Mon., May 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-359; Members $20; Nonmembers $30

The Golden Age of Television

When NBC and CBS began broadcasting to their East Coast affiliates at the end of the 1940s, they offered viewers a wide variety of programs, including live original dramas. Within a few years, these programs, such as “Kraft Television Theatre” and “Ford Television Theatre,” launched the careers of soon-to-be-famous directors like Arthur Penn and John Frankenheimer, actors like Paul Newman and James Dean, and playwrights like Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling.

But by the end of the 1950s, the era of live TV theater was over. Media historian Brian Rose looks at the forces that made this golden age such an intriguing chapter in TV history and why it was so short-lived.

Tues., May 7, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-360; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Spiritual But Not Religious Healthy Trend or Crisis of Faith?

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious at the same time? Self-identification as “SBNR” is a growing trend, even a movement, in the United States and abroad that promotes the deinstitutionalization of religion and a kind of spiritual individuation. But what meanings do the words “spiritual” and “religious” carry? Is this a healthy trend or a crisis of faith?

Comparative religion scholar Graham Schweig of Christopher Newport University examines the nature of the SBNR movement, compares the advantages and disadvantages of the spiritual and the religious positions, and analyzes this phenomenon psychologically and theologically by drawing from ancient Eastern and Western wisdom traditions.

Tues., May 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-325; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

Language Peeves

Inner Grammandos vs. Inner Wordies

Are you someone who still isn’t sure whether the pronoun “they” can be singular? Have you noticed younger speakers using “on accident” rather than “by accident”? Do you worry that no one knows how to use the apostrophe anymore? If so, this lively session on language is word-perfect for you.

From her perspective as a historian of the English language, linguist, and veteran English professor at the University of Michigan, Anne Curzan examines some common peeves in grammar, tackling such puzzlers as “who vs. whom,” “less vs. fewer,” “ based on vs. based off,” and the eternal “between you and I.”

Curzan explains that everyone has an inner grammando (who can’t help but judge bits of usage we see and hear) and an inner wordie (who loves to play Wordle and make new puns and the like). Her observations are designed to help both sides hash out what we’ve learned is “right” and “wrong” in language. You’ll leave with a heightened awareness of changes afoot in the English language and tools for becoming an even more skilled word watcher.

Curzan’s most recent book, Says Who? A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words (Penguin Random House), is available for sale.

Thurs., May 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-319; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

More Stories from the American Songbook

Explore and enjoy glorious songs from the Great American Songbook with stories about their long, oftenunexpected lives. The spring lineup covers songs that are considered “simply the best”—ageless and favorite beauties, many by songwriters unmet in prior sessions of this popular series.

Combining a lively lecture with a wide variety of film clips, filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson traces how these songs came to be and how different artists, unexpected arrangements, and changing times transformed them into something new but still the same.

MAY 15 Harold Arlen: The Most Original of Them All

MAY 29 Makers of Magical Worlds: Lerner and Loewe

JUNE 12 The Great Forget-Me-Nots: Songs That Stand Alone

3-session series: Wed., May 15, May 29, June 12, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-458; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

Individual sessions: Wed., May 15 (CODE 1K0-469); Wed., May 29 (CODE 1K0-470); Wed., June 12 (CODE 1K0-471); 12 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Words, Words, Words

English-Language Dictionaries and the People Who Made Them

Dictionaries are repositories of erudition, monuments to linguistic authority, and battlefields in cultural and political struggles. For centuries, they were also works of almost superhuman endurance, produced by people who devoted themselves for years, even decades, to the wearisome labor of corralling, recording, and defining the vocabulary of a language. Today, the future of the printed dictionary is in question, but the central relevance of dictionaries, whatever their format, to communication and culture is unchanged.

Educators Bryan A. Garner and Jack Lynch share some of the stories behind these great works of scholarship and the people who produced them, including towering figures of English lexicography— Samuel Johnson (who mocked his own trade by defining a dictionary writer as “a harmless drudge”); Noah Webster; the Oxford English Dictionary’s James Murray—and more obscure lexicographers whose achievements and biographies are no less fascinating.

Garner and Lynch’s book, Hardly Harmless Drudgery: A 500-Year Pictorial History of the Lexicographic Geniuses, Sciolists, Plagiarists, and Obsessives Who Defined the English Language (Godine), is available for purchase.

Mon., May 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-474; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Inventing English Literature

The Story of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer is often called the “father of English literature” because of his groundbreaking work, The Canterbury Tales, written between 1387 and 1400, a remarkable collection of stories that contains a wealth of narrative innovations and captivating literary forms. Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, explores what makes this masterpiece tick. He explains the defining elements of Chaucer’s style and examines the social and cultural issues informing his aesthetic vision.

10 a.m. Geoffrey Chaucer: From Personal Drama to Literary Success

11:15 a.m. Chaucer, High and Low: Narrative Elements

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. Literature’s First “Real Woman”? The Wife of Bath

2 p.m. Rethinking Tradition

Sat., May 11, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-363; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Writing Letters, Writing Books

With Joyce Carol Oates

In 1975, author Joyce Carol Oates received a letter from graduate student Greg Johnson about a professor’s suicide. She wrote back empathetically. Soon the two began a largely epistolary friendship, and Johnson eventually wrote several biographies of Oates.

The letters give a fascinating glimpse into her writing practice. They also display her droll and sometimes wicked sense of humor, phenomenal energy, and mastery of the lost art of letter writing.

Inspired by the letters in her new book, Joyce Carol Oates: Letters to a Biographer (Akashic), Oates, in conversation with author Rebecca Boggs Roberts, discusses her writing process and style over the past four decades. The book is available for purchase.

Mon., May 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-365; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue A Centenary Celebration

George Gershwin’s groundbreaking fusion of classical music and jazz, Rhapsody in Blue, is one of America’s most beloved cultural icons, a symbol of the nation’s melting pot self-image and its vigor, optimism, and constant reinvention.

Pianist and speaker Rachel Franklin celebrates this very big birthday by diving into how Gershwin conceived the work; the roles of arranger Ferde Grofé and bandleader Paul Whiteman; and the composition’s myriad reincarnations since its exuberant premiere with Gershwin at the piano on February 12, 1924, as part of a concert titled “An Experiment in Modern Music.”

Wed., May 22, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-472; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

Illustration of the Wife of Bath, 1889

Rebecca Boggs Roberts

Joyce Carol Oates

Cover of the original sheet music of Rhapsody in Blue, 1927

George Gershwin, 1935

Igor Stravinsky: The Classicist

Igor Stravinsky’s spectacular early ballet scores such as Le Sacre du Printemps can sometimes distract us from where this amazing artist went next. Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein examines a selection of the classically inspired masterworks Stravinsky composed between 1918 and 1951.

Works explored include L’Histoire du Soldat, which compresses the rhythmic vitality of his earlier large ballet scores into a miniature masterwork for just seven instruments; the Bach-inspired Octet for Winds; the opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex, which Leonard Bernstein called the “most awesome product” of Stravinsky’s neoclassical period; the Symphony of Psalms, one of the greatest choral works of the last century; and The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky’s brilliant farewell to classicism.

Each session features outstanding performances captured in musical and video recordings. Lilienstein also provides a portrait of a man and a conductor through a series of film excerpts of Stravinsky in conversation with other artists.

MAY 28

Toward Neoclassicism and Italian Comedy

JUNE 4 Stravinsky, Cocteau, and Koussevitzky

JUNE 11 Stravinsky and Balanchine

JUNE 18 Stravinsky in America

JUNE 25 A Culminating Work

5-session series: Tues., May 28–June 25, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-329; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

Anna May Wong: Hollywood’s Unsung Heroine

History has long neglected the wild and inspiring story of Anna May Wong, a taboo-smashing star whose career left an indelible mark on Hollywood. Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks’ 1924 silent blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest.

After starring in acclaimed films in Germany, France, and England, Wong returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film. Biographer Katie Gee Salisbury discusses the vibrant, radical career of a groundbreaking artist, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history.

Salisbury’s book, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong (Dutton), is available for purchase.

Thurs., May 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-050; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Golden Age of Hollywood

From the late 1920s through the end of World War II, Hollywood studios including MGM, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and RKO dominated film production throughout the world. Despite the economic problems posed by the Depression, the studios became virtual entertainment factories, with each studio producing more than 50 movies a year.

The results of these years of frenzied activity are among the best-loved and most significant films ever made. Media historian Brian Rose examines the forces that made Hollywood the giant of global filmmaking, studio politics and economics, the star system, and the nature of the movie-going experience.

Tues., June 4, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-367; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Anna May Wong, 1937

Igor Stravinsky by George Grantham Bain

In Person

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

2023–2024 Concert Series

Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition.

The concert’s musical program is subject to change.

Sat., June 1 | Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One

Sarah Vaughan’s colorful vocal tone, unparalleled range, elastic stylized phrasing, and all-around dynamic musical interpretation earned her the moniker “The Divine One.” Also known as “Sassy,” Vaughan became one of the greatest jazz vocalists in the history of the music. The SJMO features singer Sharón Clark in celebration of the centennial year of NEA Jazz Master Sarah Vaughan. Songs like “After You’ve Gone,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and “The Lady’s in Love with You” rekindle the Vaughan spell. (Full Orchestra)

Sat., June 1, 7 p.m.; CODE 1P0-837; Baird Auditorium in the National Museum of Natural History; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

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Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in concert

Charlie Young

JACLYN NASH

Baseball in the Movies

Baseball has always been a symbol as much as a sport, offering a sunny rendering of the American Dream—both the hard work that underpins it and the rewards it promises. Film, which magnifies and mythologizes all it touches, has long been the ideal medium to canonize this aspirational idea.

Washington City Paper film critic Noah Gittell sheds light on well-known classics and overlooked gems while exploring how baseball cinema creates a stage upon which the American ideal is born, performed, and repeatedly redefined. Gittell’s new book, Baseball: The Movie (Triumph), is available for purchase.

Wed., June 12, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-372; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Alfred Hitchcock Behind the Curtain of Suspense

Legendary master of screen tension Alfred Hitchcock shocked, thrilled, amused, and delighted moviegoers and TV viewers throughout his half-century directing career. The meticulous planning that went into his productions resulted in more than 50 tension-filled films—among them Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Vertigo, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window, North by Northwest, and Psycho—that continue to grip audiences in the 21st century.

Signature Hitchcockian moments are among the most famous in film history: ominous crows gathering on a playground jungle gym to await the exodus of schoolchildren; repentant embezzler Janet Leigh taking a fateful shower in a dreary motel; James Stewart spying from a wheelchair on one neighbor too many in his Greenwich Village apartment; Cary Grant facing off with a crop-dusting biplane; emotionally damaged police detective Stewart making the fatal mistake of falling in love with mysterious Kim Novak; and Grace Kelly defending herself with scissors.

Film historian Max Alvarez traces Alfred Hitchcock’s professional and artistic development from silent filmmaker in 1920s England to a Hollywood commercial force to be reckoned with during the 1940s and ’50s. He includes electrifying selections from the director’s filmography and rare behind-the-scenes archival material illustrating how key Hitchcock productions evolved from page to screen.

Wed., June 26, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-484; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Milton’s Paradise Lost

John Milton’s Paradise Lost from 1667 is generally considered to be the greatest epic poem in the English language. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, examines the literary elements and cultural contexts that make Milton’s writing essential reading, exploring such issues as Milton’s relation to ancient literature, his rewriting of religious doctrine, and his role in major political and social struggles. Attention is also given to Milton’s dramatic personal circumstances, including his blindness and his role as one of the major pamphleteers of the times.

10 a.m.

John Milton: An Inimitable Life and Its Literary Innovations

11:15 a.m. War in Heaven and Free Will

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. Questions of Creation and Cosmic Battles

2 p.m. Human Disobedience and the Fate of Humankind

Sat., June 8, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-368; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Alfred Hitchcock, 1955

1905

Broadway’s Beginnings

Pull back the curtain on show-biz history to explore Broadway’s early years: an era of roofgarden theaters, tap shoes, theatrical con artists, and a ghost or two. Tim Dolan, an actor and owner of Broadway Up Close tours in New York City, leads a virtual stroll down the Great White Way as he shares rare photos and stories of the theater district’s past and shines a spotlight on some of its most intriguing secrets.

Dolan’s itinerary includes landmarks like Keens Steakhouse and Times Square and the sites of today’s Nederlander, New Amsterdam, New Victory, Lyric, and Todd Haimes theaters. Along the way, learn the difference between Broadway theaters and their off-Broadway counterparts, find out how a Broadway show is put together, and explore the spirits that may still be lurking in the backstage shadows

Tues., June 11, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-087; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

“Beauty and the Beast”: A Tale as Old as Time

Few stories capture the imagination like “Beauty and the Beast,” the romantic tale of a beautiful girl who sees past appearances to fall in love with a hideous monster. One of the oldest fairy tales, it has existed in countless forms. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore “Beauty and the Beast,” discussing what the tale looks like around the world, how it has been retold in contemporary times, and what kinds of reactionary, rebellious, and revolutionary points it has allowed tellers and authors to make. They explain why it has had such staying power and why many people count it as their favorite fairy tale. The lecture also includes a few prompts for audience interaction.

Mon., June 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-373; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Fiddler on the Roof: To Life!

A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? Yet this musical about a poor Jewish milkman, his wife, and five daughters who live in a tiny village in a corner of Eastern Europe captivated the entire world. From Paris to Beijing to Baltimore, whatever their background, audiences see themselves in the stories and songs.

How did this happen? The songwriters Jerr y Bock and Sheldon Harnick juggled love with tears and laughter with melancholy, mixed it with loving parents, hopeful children, and colorful friends all trying to survive in a precarious world to create a joyous, tearful celebration of life, music, and love unlike any other.

Documentary filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson shares film clips and stories that trace the show’s improbable beginnings in Yiddish short stories by Sholem Aleichem and its journey to the stage led by the best—often squabbling— Broadway talents who created a miracle of a musical.

Tues., June 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-478; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A

New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City,

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

Performance of Fiddler on the Roof at Otterbein University, 2016

At the Gilded Age Table Dining and Entertaining

Whether their fortunes were old or new, members of Gilded Age society reveled in hosting and attending teas, cotillions, lawn parties, luncheons, and formal dinners—all of which had their own codes of dress and manners. Even picnics were served on fine china. Food historian Francine Segan highlights the variety of foods, elaborate etiquette, and entertainments enjoyed by the period’s upper crust.

Uncover the favored toasts of that era and discern the etiquette surrounding glove removal and hat tipping. Decode the calling card equivalent of unfriending someone and find out why the nutmeg grater was the must-have accessory of the 1890s. And enjoy a trivia contest on the uses for dozens of unique but now-obsolete objects from the era, as well as period recipes to recreate at home.

Mon., June 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-054; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 HAIR

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

In 1968, HAIR not only changed the face of the American musical theater but also proved that a Broadway musical could be a powerful form of protest and free speech, exploring the ideas of rebellion and challenging the political, social, and theatrical norms the creators observed around them. Discussing the ongoing relevance of HAIR is a panel including theater critic Peter Marks, original Broadway cast members Shelley Plimpton and Dale Soules, and longtime HAIR publicist Merle Frimark, moderated by arts journalist Patrick Pacheco

Following the panel discussion, attendees have the rare opportunity to see objects from the National Museum of American History’s HAIR collection that are not on public display and hear from curators Ryan Lintelman and Krystal Klingenberg about collecting the objects. The program also includes a special performance by members of the cast of Signature Theatre’s current production of the musical.

Thurs., June 20, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-375; in person at the National Museum of American History’s Warner Bros. Theater and online via Zoom Free, registration required

Presented in partnership with the National Museum of American History

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

The Gilded Age: Art, Architecture, and Society

The words Gilded Age capture it all: a golden era of opulent architecture, extravagant fashions, stunning art, and above all, the wealth that made it possible. America in the booming post-Civil War decades was a place of contradictions and dichotomies. This was a world ruled by robber barons, magnates who accumulated tremendous fortunes in railways, communications, and industries. But it was also one in which serious societal ills—such as those documented by photographer and journalist Jacob Riis—were hidden by a gilt façade.

Art historian Bonita Billman examines the art, architecture, fashion, and interior design of the upper crust between 1870 and 1912 and explores the dramatic distance between their lives and those on the other end of the social and economic scales.

10 a.m. How the Other Half Lives

11:30 a.m. Gilded Gotham

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The “Cottages” of Newport

2:45 p.m. Idle Hours

Sat., July 20, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-331; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

The mansion of Cornelius Vanderbilt II at the corner of 5th Avenue, 57th Street, and Grand Army Plaza, New York, 1908

Roadside Attractions

Reasons to Stretch Your Legs

What do a giant rocking chair, a field of spray-painted Cadillacs, and a 15-foot-tall Superman all have in common? Nothing much, except that they’re all examples of the thousands of unique, amusing, and sometimes-bizarre sights that travelers across America visit each year.

From Houston’s Beer Can House to South Dakota’s Corn Palace, many of these quirky tourist magnets have interesting stories behind them, or at the very least make for a great photo opportunity.

Travel expert and author Bill Clevlen shares some of those tales, including how a loving Oklahoma husband built the giant Blue Whale of Catoosa; why travelers routinely spray-paint the cars in Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch; and who the world’s largest wind chime— the pride of Casey, Illinois—celebrates.

Wed., July 10, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-091; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Jazzmen

In Search of America

Travels with Charley (and Clay)

Historian Clay Jenkinson is a John Steinbeck scholar who is retracing Steinbeck’s 1960 driving tour chronicled in his book Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Though Steinbeck finally admitted that America was too big to know, Jenkinson intends to explore the mood and face of the country on the eve of our 250th birthday.

Beginning this spring, he’ll cover the perimeter of the United States and along the way read all of Steinbeck’s works and file daily posts about his travels. Jenkinson examines Steinbeck’s extraordinary account of his road trip and his own attempt to make sense of what the author called “this monster country” by traveling less-visited byways, taking time to see America with fresh eyes, and listening to—and reporting on—the many voices of its past, present, and future.

Tues., July 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-487; Members $35; Nonmembers $40

The longtime kings of jazz—Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie—were born within a few years of one another and battled poverty and prejudice to become some of the most popular entertainers on the planet. Larry Tye, author of The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America, traces the story of how these revolutionary musicians orchestrated the chords that throbbed at the soul of 20th-century America. Each defied racial boundaries by opening America’s eyes and souls to the magnificence of their music. In the process, says Tye, they wrote the soundtrack for the civil rights movement.

Copies of The Jazzmen (Mariner Books) are available for purchase

Tues., July 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-093; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Barbie

The History of America’s Best-Selling Doll

For more than 60 years, Barbie has been the world’s best-selling fashion doll, inspiring millions of fans to play with, collect, and adore her. Cultural historian Leslie Goddard explores the history of Barbie, beginning with her inventor, the passionately creative and intensely competitive Ruth Handler. She also delves into the complex cultural battles Barbie has inspired over the decades and offers insights into why the doll has been at the center of deep-rooted debates about what it means to be an American woman and what those debates reveal about us.

Wed., July 17, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-043; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Leslie Goddard with dolls and accessories from her Barbie collection

LESLIE GODDARD

Clay Jenkinson CLAY’S

INC.

The Sublimely Subversive Cinema of Billy Wilder

Billy Wilder, the European-born genius behind The Apartment and Some Like It Hot captured the outrageous quirkiness of the United States better than most of his Hollywood contemporaries.

The Wilder gift for provocation and dark humor dared to take on topics from the devastation of alcoholism (The Lost Weekend) to the cruelty of Hollywood (Sunset Boulevard), while his romantic side surfaced in sophisticated adult romps such as Sabrina and Love in the Afternoon. Film historian Max Alvarez offers a tribute to the director-writer who was in many respects the ultimate commentator on American culture.

The Art of Breathing Yogic Philosophy and Practices

Yoga can be a lifestyle medicine that promotes brain health, mental health, and overall well-being. Linda Lang, a certified yoga therapist, offers an opportunity to embrace yogic thinking and learn simple, gentle breathing practices to cultivate a healthier relationship with your body and mind.

Wed., July 17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-496; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Magnificence of Mozart’s Concertos

The concertos of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart number among the greatest bodies of work that exist in the Western concert music canon. He composed over 40 for a wide variety of instruments, and without his lifelong fascination with this form we would not have the mighty Romantic and modern soloistic showcases that we love today.

From vivacious early experiments to the magisterial later masterworks, Mozart’s sublime invention never dimmed. Pianist and scholar Rachel Franklin explores how he built the modern concerto form with inexhaustible creativity and shaped our contemporary expectations of virtuosity allied with expressive power.

JULY 24 Form and Function

JULY 31 Mozart’s Soloists

2-session series: Wed., July 24 and 31, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0489; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

A heightened awareness of the ways we tend to breathe (or not) throughout the day can lead to remarkable selfdiscoveries: controlling emotional reactivity; regulating heartbeat and blood pressure; increasing the flow of anti-inflammatories; and reducing fatigue. In an informative interactive session, find ways to strengthen your body, mind, and confidence in dealing with difficult situations and people as you begin to breathe your way to better being.

Thurs., July 18, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-094; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Dancing in the Dark

A History of Dance in the Movies

Dancing on the big screen has provided some of the most ecstatic moments in film history—whether it’s Fred Astaire gliding on the ceiling in Royal Wedding, the Nicholas Brothers leaping down a staircase in Stormy Weather, Moira Shearer pirouetting through the dreamscape of The Red Shoes, or John Travolta burning up the dance floor in Saturday Night Fever. Employing more than 75 video clips, media historian Brian Rose surveys 130 years of thrilling movie dance performances and discusses how the cinema helped change the nature of dance.

Wed., Aug. 6, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-378; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

Original flyer for the film The Red Shoes, 1948. Collection at Ailina Dance (Archives)

Portrait of a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Giambettino Cignaroli, 1770

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

A Grand Tour of the Solar System

Presented in partnership with George Mason University Observatory

This series treks to the sun and the four inner terrestrial planets before traveling outward to the asteroid belt, four Jovian planets, and beyond. At each session, a professional astronomer presents the latest research on a solar system body. Following the talk and a question-and-answer period, Peter Plavchan, a professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, brings that night’s sky right into participants’ living rooms via remote control of the university observatory, weather permitting.

Comets: Dirty Snowballs

In the distant past, people were both awed and alarmed by comets, perceiving them as longhaired stars that appeared in the sky unpredictably. We now know that comets are leftovers from the dawn of our solar system around 4.6 billion years ago and consist mostly of ice coated with dark organic material. They have been referred to as “dirty snowballs.” They may yield important clues about the formation of our solar system. Carey Lisse, a planetary astronomer at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, highlights what we know about comets and what we hope to find out.

Tues., May 21, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-366; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Kuiper Belt: Way Out There

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland observed the comet Lovejoy when it passed near Earth in 2015

Pluto was the first discovered object in the Kuiper Belt, which contains hundreds of thousands of icy bodies near and beyond Neptune’s orbit. The orbits of Kuiper Belt objects provide information about the formation of our solar system and how the planets moved around in the past. Most exploration of this far-off part of the solar system is conducted via telescopes. Samantha Lawler, an astronomy professor at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, discusses how these meticulous observations and simulations are carried out.

Tues., June 25, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-374; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

A composite image of one of the many icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt, created from data captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft

Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines

From beneficial yeasts that aid digestion to toxic molds that cause disease, we are constantly navigating a world filled with fungi. Drawing on the latest advances in mycology, Nicholas P. Money, professor of biology at Miami University in Ohio, explores the amazing ways fungi interact with our bodies, showing how our health and well-being depend on an immense ecosystem of yeasts and molds inside and all around us.

Money leads a guided tour of a marvelous unseen realm, describing how our immune systems are engaged in continuous conversation with the teeming mycobiome inside the body and how we can fall prey to serious and even life-threatening infections when this peaceful coexistence is disturbed. He also sheds light on our complicated relationship with fungi outside the body from wild mushrooms and cultivated molds that have been staples of the human diet for millennia to the controversial experimentation with magic mushrooms in the treatment of depression.

Money’s book Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines: Our Lifelong Relationship with Fungi (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.

Thurs., May 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-466; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Nicholas P. Money GIA

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates I N SI DE S C I ENCE

MARIANI

Silk: A World History

Silk—prized for its lightness, luminosity, and beauty—is also one of the strongest biological materials known. More than a century ago, it was used to make the first bulletproof vest, and yet science has barely begun to tap its potential. The technologies it has inspired—including sutures, pharmaceuticals, and replacement body parts—continue to be developed in laboratories around the world and are now beginning to offer a sustainable alternative to the plastics choking our planet.

Aarathi Prasad, author of Silk: A World History, outlines the cultural and biological history of the fabric, from its origins and the ancient silk routes to the biologists who learned the secrets of silk-producing animals. From the moths of China, Indonesia, and India to the spiders of South America and Madagascar and the mollusks of the Mediterranean, Prasad offers a mix of biography and science that brings to life the vast, winding history of silk and looks to its future as a powerful resource.

Copies of Silk: A World History (William Morrow & Company) are available for purchase.

Tues., May 14, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-086; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

A New Theory of Being Human

Humans have long thought of their bodies and minds as separate spheres of existence, with the body as physical and the mind as mental. But such thinking is a barrier to discovery and understanding, and a new framework is needed, argues neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux.

He shares his latest research, which says that human beings are a composite of four fundamental realms of existence—biological, neurobiological, cognitive, and conscious. Together our realms account for all of what and who we are, LeDoux says.

His book The Four Realms of Existence: A New Theory of Being Human (Harvard University Press) is available for sale.

Tues., May 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-815; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Hog Island: Maine’s Showcase of Nature

Tucked away along coastal Maine, Hog Island is the home of a National Audubon Society nature-study camp that has been in operation since 1936. Isolated from the outside world and filled with both pristine forest and coastal habitats, the surrounding Muscongus Bay teems with terns, bald eagles, common eiders, harbor seals, and gray seals.

Eastern Egg Rock, the site of Project Puffin, is a vital location for breeding Atlantic puffins, Artic terns, and black guillemots and is perhaps the southernmost point where puffins breed. The forest of Hog Island is primarily red and black spruce frosted with lichens. Clearings of hay-scented ferns and coves around the island have productive wetlands, as well as small bogs with carnivorous plants, including sundews and pitcher plants.

Naturalist Matt Felperin shares his experiences at the Audubon camp and in southern Maine, displays striking wildlife photos, and reveals why Hog Island should be on your bucket list of nature-education programs.

Wed., May 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-083; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) off the coast of Maine

From Ancient History to the Heavens

Digital Technology Reveals Insights

Using sophisticated tools that include a repurposed particle accelerator and working with museums, universities, and private collectors, Michael B. Toth and his colleagues have digitized everything from manuscripts to fossils to historical astronomical plates, mining them for new information about their content and creation. Among the pieces they have worked on are the earliest known copy of work by Archimedes, Sir Isaac Newton’s sketch of how a rainbow is formed, Gutenberg and other early Bibles, and Muslim manuscripts. Toth, the president of R.B. Toth Associates, talks about some of their findings.

Mon., June 3, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-369; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Literary Theory for Robots

High-tech equipment creates images of a Gutenberg Bible and early Confucian pages

In a provocative look at the shared pasts of literature and computer science, former Microsoft engineer Dennis Yi Tenen provides a context for recent developments in artificial intelligence, which holds important lessons for the future of humans living with smart technology.

Intelligence expressed through technology should not be mistaken for a magical genie capable of self-directed thought or action, holds Yi Tenen. Rather, he asks us to look past the artifice—to better perceive the mechanics of collaborative work. Something as simple as a spell-checker or a grammar-correction tool, embedded in every word processor, represents the culmination of a shared human effort spanning centuries. Blending history, technology, and philosophy, he discusses why AI should be viewed as a matter of labor history, celebrating the long-standing cooperation between authors and engineers.

Yi Tenen is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University and an affiliate at Columbia’s Data Science Institute. His book, Literary Theory for Robots: How Computers Learned to Write (W. W. Norton & Company), is available for purchase. Tues., June 4, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-475; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Heart and the Chip The Future of Robots

Robots have enabled us to explore dark ocean depths and the surface of Mars. They can act as transportation, serve as personal trainers, help diagnose disease, plow fields, milk cows, and even do household chores. Though robots can mimic a great deal, they cannot replicate care, says pioneering roboticist and computer scientist Daniela Rus: They lack heart.

Drawing on her new book, The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots, co-written with Gregory Mone, Rus—the first woman to direct MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory—reframes the way we think about intelligent machines and weighs the moral and ethical consequences of their role in society. She envisions a world in which these technologies augment and enhance our skills and talents, both as individuals and as a species, and where the proliferation of robots allows us to be more human.

Copies of The Heart and the Chip (W. W. Norton & Company) are available for sale.

Mon., June 10, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-089; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates I

Dennis Yi Tenen

Nature of the Book

Throughout history, books were handwritten, printed, bound, and decorated using a wide variety of materials from the natural world, from standard ingredients like flax, leather, copper, and lead to the unexpected, like wasps and seaweed. The “Nature of the Book” exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History, assembled by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, shows what the use of these materials in a book can tell us about it, touching on questions of purpose, process, global trade, and economy. Book conservators Katie Wagner and Vanessa Haight Smith, who curated “Nature of the Book,” share their process and research.

Interpreting Earth’s Patterns

The human mind is very good at discerning patterns in nature: shapes, symmetries, repetitions. Even in random visual noise like cloud shapes or Rorschach blots, we see things that have meaning to us. But why do we see hexagons in beehives, mud puddles, ice crystals, and lava flows but not sand dunes, rose bushes, or comets? What are the commonalities among galaxies, hurricanes, and ammonites that inform their spiral forms?

Callan Bentley, a geology professor at Piedmont Virginia Community College, explores various formations, from branches and braids to waves and wiggles, and explains the science behind each. By decoding some of nature’s formations—from prosaic to sublime—we can better understand our ability for pattern recognition.

Wed., June 12, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-581; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Abuzz About Bees

Mon., June 10, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1T0003; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Bees are part of the biodiversity on which we all depend for our survival, but some of their activity has been unexplainable—until now. Cornell University biology professor Thomas D. Seeley provides an up-close account of how he and his colleagues solved mysteries about honey bee nature and communication. His research illuminates how worker bees function as scouts to choose a home site for their colony, furnish their home with beeswax combs, and stock it with brood and food while keeping tens of thousands of colony inhabitants warm and defended from intruders.

Seeley’s book Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-Runners: 20

Mysteries of Honey Bee Behavior Solved (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.

Tues., June 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1T0-004; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

Cover and interior pages from Tsuru no sōshi (The Tale of the Crane), a 17th-century Japanese book

Overlapping ”lava toes,” the Galápagos Islands

CALLAN BENTLEY

SMITHSONIAN L IBRARIES AND ARCHIVES

Among the Great Whites

Since Jaws scared a nation of moviegoers out of the water nearly 50 years ago, great white sharks have attained a mythic status as the most frightening and mysterious monsters to still live among us. Each fall in the waters surrounding a desolate rocky island chain 27 miles off the San Francisco coast, the world’s largest congregation of these fearsome predators gathers to feed.

Journalist Susan Casey first saw the great whites of the Farallon Islands in a television documentary. She became obsessed with these awe-inspiring creatures and has joined scientists on their expeditions to study the species. Casey offers a presentation full of jaw-dropping images that’s part adventure tale and part natural history lesson in which she describes her time among the great whites and shares the latest in great white shark research.

Tues., July 23, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-494; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Quantum Mechanics Demystified

Theoretical physicist and philosopher Sean Carroll takes a unique approach to sharing physics with a broad audience: one that reveals how physicists really think, providing an accessible, straightforward perspective that you don’t need to be a scientist to understand.

Drawing on his new book, Quanta and Fields, he takes on quantum field theory—how modern physics describes nature at its most profound level. Starting with the basics of quantum mechanics itself, he offers insights into why matter is solid, why there is antimatter, where the sizes of atoms come from, and why the predictions of quantum field theory are so spectacularly successful.

Copies of Quanta and Fields: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe (Dutton) are available for purchase.

Tues., July 23, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-585; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Extreme Cat-itude

Exploring the Biology, Behavior, and Importance of Wild Felines

How much difference exists between a tiger and the fluffy kitten sitting on your sofa? Probably less than you think. Robert Johnson, a professor of biology at Coastal Carolina University, examines the evolution of the Felidae family, highlights big cat species, and sheds light on remarkable small cat species that go all but unnoticed in our modern world. He also provides insight into feline behavior, conservation status, and adaptations that make cats among the most effective predators on the planet.

Wed., Aug. 7, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-379; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates I N SI DE S C I ENCE

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

Art-full Fridays | Live from Italy, with Elaine Ruffolo

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each

Elaine Ruffolo, a Florence-based Renaissance art historian, examines the rich heritage of Italian art and architecture across the centuries.

The Footsteps of Piero della Francesca

More than any other creator, Piero della Francesca was responsible for the development of 15th-century, painting in Florence and its crucial dissemination throughout Italy. His compositions marry art and science with cool precision and a sophisticated grasp of perspective—he was, after all, a mathematician. Piero might in fact be defined as a “wandering painter” in the sense that he traveled continuously from the humble Tiber River valley where he was born to the great Italian courts.

Following his death in 1492, his artistic achievements faded from memory, only to be rediscovered in the mid-19th century, and he later emerged as one of the most beloved and intriguing artists today. Ruffolo follows Piero’s extraordinary career and his journey through Tuscany, Umbria, and Urbino.

Fri., May 3, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-049; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Images of Christ: Variations and Themes

Jesus Christ is an instantly recognizable figure, perhaps the most frequently depicted in all Western art. He is typically portrayed with long hair and a beard, dressed in flowing robes with long sleeves and a mantle. Yet much of what we understand about Jesus’ appearance is a result of artistic tradition.

Since Scripture does not provide a description of what Christ looked like, painters and mosaic-makers would often resort to the artistic canons of their time to create a visual image of the Nazarene. This fascinating process provides valuable insights into the diverse iconographic styles of early Christianity, as different places and people contributed to the evolving depictions of Jesus. Ruffolo delves into some of the most impactful portrayals of Christ, uncovering how the social, political, and religious contexts directly shaped the iconic image we recognize today.

Fri., May 31, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-043; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Michelangelo and the Medici Popes

Friendship, Patronage, and Betrayal

In the latter part of his career, Michelangelo undertook remarkable architectural ventures, predominantly commissioned by the Medici popes. Following the completion of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, he embarked on significant projects for his childhood friends Pope Leo X and Pope Clement VII.

However, Michelangelo’s relationship with the Medici turned sour when he joined Florentine forces attempting to throw off the yoke of the family—who were later banished into exile. Clement VII was furious with the artist’s betrayal and ordered his death. It is believed that Michelangelo hid from the wrath of the Medici for several weeks in a secret chamber in one of the structures he designed. Ruffolo takes a close look at Michelangelo’s projects for the Medici popes and the tumultuous events that unfolded along the way.

Fri., June 7, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-053; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The History of the True Cross (detail) by Piero della Francesca, ca. 1452–1466

Project drawing for the façade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence

Depiction of Jesus on the ceiling of the Florence Baptistery di San Giovanni (detail)

Writing Workshops

Experience the power of reflective writing guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. These reflections can become creative fertile ground for memoir, poetry, and more. The workshops have a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students

Mothering A Reflective Writing Workshop

The work of two British artists, painter Evelyn De Morgan and poet and playwright Carol Ann Duffy, opens participants to an exploration of Demeter, Greek mythology’s goddess of fertility and Mother Earth. Through close looking and imaginative writing, they reflect on the myriad meanings of mothering in their lives, in the natural world, and in the creative process. Designed for writers of all levels, the workshop offers an invitation to look outwardly at paintings and poetry and to look inwardly through writing.

Tues., May 7, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-465; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Write Into Art

Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art

Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art in online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and style through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. The sessions spotlight a diverse range of art by Romare Bearden, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Berenice Abbott to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice.

JULY 9 Memoir: Memory and Metaphor

JULY 16 Poetry: Words as Image

JULY 23 Setting: Explore Place and Time 3-session series: Tues., July 9–23, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-490; Members $105; Nonmembers $115

Individual sessions: Tues., July 9 (CODE 1K0-491); Tues., July 16 (CODE 1K0-492); Tues., July 23 (CODE 1K0-493); 10 a.m.; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

You love art. Now go deeper.

Art is all around us. It excites us, enriches our lives, and enlivens our imaginations. To truly appreciate any work of art, we need to understand the context and culture in which it was created. That’s why Smithsonian Associates offers a World Art History Certificate Program.

The wide-ranging offerings are designed to provide a global perspective on art and architecture and draw on the Smithsonian’s world-class collections and the rich resources of other Washington institutions. They are selected from among Smithsonian Associates courses, seminars, study tours, and studio art classes.

Look for World Art History Certificate throughout the program guide to see current listings. Get started today and complete the certificate requirements at your own pace. Registration is ongoing; for a limited time, new participants receive a World Art History Certificate tote bag. Credits are counted from day of registration and are not given retroactively.

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

DE MORGAN FOUNDATION

Demeter Mourning for Persephone by Evelyn De Morgan, 1906

Mary Hall Surface

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Great Houses of Scotland and Their Treasures

The architecture and interiors of Scotland’s finest historic houses uniquely reflect the country’s heritage and culture. Spend a day exploring more than 400 years of splendor from fortified 16th-century tower houses and palaces of Baroque extravagance to elegant 18th-century residences and exuberant revival styles of the Victorian period.

In a richly illustrated journey into history, cultural historian Lorella Brocklesby examines why so many of these residences, including three significant palaces, were fashionably updated over the centuries. Among the locations, admire Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford, which promoted a growing passion for medieval Scotland; examine Robert Adam masterpieces; and conclude in a wonderful Art Nouveau music room and an Edwardian kitchen.

10 a.m. Renaissance Inspiration and Soaring Tower Houses

11:30 a.m. Baroque Theatricality, Georgian Splendor, and Classical Harmony

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Late Georgian Elegance and Early 19th-Century Fashions

2:45 p.m. From Victorian Exuberance to Art Nouveau

Sat., May 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., CODE 1M2-318; Members $80; Nonmembers $90 Abbotsford, located in the Scottish Borders

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Introduction to Italian Futurism

In the early 20th century, a group of Italian artists sought to embrace modernity in all its glorious messiness and contradictions. The result was Futurism, not a style but a way of looking at life. Its adherents called for abrupt change and the replacement of reason and order with vitality and force of will.

Art historian Mary Ann Calo examines Futurism as an idea and a development in the visual arts. She considers the uniqueness of this movement in terms of its inflammatory rhetoric and charts the emergence of Futurist art. She also discusses why this modern artistic platform was launched in Italy.

Fri., May 10, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-362; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Lesser-Known Museums of Florence

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

In this quarterly series, Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero spotlights the significant collections of Florence’s sometimes-overlooked museums.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

Despite its name, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo is not a music museum but a museum containing extraordinary artwork that was commissioned by the opera, or building committee, of Florence Cathedral. Nearly all of the artwork was intended for or removed from this breathtaking cathedral across the street. Ruggiero explores the collection, which includes the reconstructed original 13thcentury Gothic façade of the cathedral; Lorenzo Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise,” the original bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery; and Donatello’s wooden carving of Mary Magdalene.

Mon., May 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-364; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Penitent Magdalene by Donatello

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni, 1913

LECARDINAL

World

Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Westminster Abbey: A Royal Destination

Founded over nine centuries ago, this medieval masterpiece has been cherished by monarchs and admired by Londoners. Historian Lorella Brocklesby of New York University explores Westminster Abbey’s Gothic magnificence and important royal patronage from the Middle Ages. She discusses later additions, including extravagant Tudor adornments and towers designed in the Baroque era, as well as the myriad of rare and royal treasures that abound within the spectacular soaring interior. History unfolds as Brocklesby surveys wall paintings, carvings, painted glass, Poets’ Corner, and commemorations of the famous and the noble. And everywhere are the visible reminders of England’s kings and queens, including a rare full-length medieval royal portrait, the Coronation Chair dating from the 1300s, and the dramatically impressive tomb of Queen Elizabeth I.

Mon., May 13, 6.30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-320; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin

A Creative Partnership

Art historian Joseph P. Cassar takes a close look at the brief period in the late 1880s when Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin shared the Yellow House in Arles, where van Gogh planned to develop an artists' colony. The union between the two artists would end after nine weeks, with a tragic episode in which van Gogh threatened Gauguin with a razor after a disagreement. While this proved to be a highly productive time for van Gogh, Gauguin left Arles after van Gogh’s hospitalization for cutting off his own ear.

Several works by both artists are studied and analyzed by Cassar, identifying similarities and differences to illustrate how van Gogh and Gauguin, despite their many disagreements, influenced each other.

Tues., May 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-467; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Van Gogh and the Painters of the Petit Boulevard

Vincent van Gogh spent 1886 to 1888 in Paris, living with his brother Theo, an art dealer. Theo’s connections with the avant-garde art world gave van Gogh a quick and intensive contemporary art education as he was drawn into a social and artistic circle of like-minded painters that included Pissarro, Seurat, Signac, Gauguin, Laval, Bernard, Anquetin, and Toulouse-Lautrec.

He called the rising group the Painters of the Petit Boulevard to distinguish them from the established and successful Impressionists like Monet, Degas, and Renoir. Van Gogh’s time among these young artists was among the most influential in his brief life.

Art historian Bonita Billman explores the Parisian lives and careers of the Painters of the Petit Boulevard and their depictions of the celebrities and scenes of everyday Montmartre—the night life and low life of a bohemian world.

10 a.m. The Avant-Garde Art World of Paris

11:30 a.m. Vincent in Paris, 1886–1888

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Divisionists and Symbolists

2:45 p.m. Moulin Rouge: Toulouse-Lautrec and Colleagues

Sat., June 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-328; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Vincent van Gogh Painting Sunflowers by Paul Gauguin, 1888

Haymaking, Éragny by Camille Pissarro, 1887

VAN GOGH MUSEUM

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Brilliant Exiles

Convention-Defying Women in Paris

A new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939,” illuminates the accomplishments of 60 convention-defying women who crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional aspirations in the vibrant cultural milieu of Paris. As foreigners in a cosmopolitan city, these “exiles” escaped the constraints that limited them at home.

Many used their newfound freedom to pursue culture-shifting experiments in a variety of fields, including art, literature, design, publishing, music, fashion, journalism, theater, and dance. The progressive ventures they undertook while living abroad profoundly influenced American culture and opened new possibilities for women. “Brilliant Exiles” highlights the dynamic role of portraiture in articulating the new identities that American women were at liberty to develop in Paris. The gallery’s curator of prints and drawings, Robyn Asleson, provides an overview of the first exhibition to focus on the impact of American women on Paris—and of Paris on American women—from the turn of the 20th century until the outbreak of World War II. She discusses portraits of cultural influencers such as Josephine Baker, Isadora Duncan, Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Anna May Wong, among others.

Tues., May 21, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-570; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each session

Impressionism’s Roots in Normandy and Beyond

Impressionism ignited in the rolling green countryside of Normandy, France, where Claude Monet and other local artists developed this new way of painting, shocking many traditionalists. Impressionists rebelled against the classical art tradition by painting outdoors and representing the modern world, emphasizing landscapes and everyday life. They especially focused on capturing the essence of light and how it could define a moment.

Travel writer Barbara Noe Kennedy takes you to visit the sites where Impressionism was born and evolved—even the exact places where well-known paintings were created. Maps, photos, videos, and other visuals accompany the journey through the countryside and the Paris area.

Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare by Claude Monet, 1877

MAY 29

The Origins of Impressionism in Normandy

JUNE 5 Beyond Normandy

2-session series: Wed., May 29 and June 5, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-INF; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Individual sessions: Wed., May 29 (CODE 1CV-039); Wed., June 5 (CODE 1CV-040); 7 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Josephine Baker by Stanislaus Julian Walery, 1926

Theresa Helburn by Marion H. Beckett, 1922

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Georgia O’Keeffe: American Modernist

When she died in 1986 at the age of 98, Georgia O’Keeffe’s obituary appeared on the front page of The New York Times. This was rare for any artist and unheard-of for a female painter. But she had been famous since the late 1920s, and a century later she remains an icon of American art. Images of O’Keeffe’s paintings are ubiquitous in popular culture. Collectors covet her pictures: In 2014 the painting Jimson Weed/White Flower #1 (1932) broke the auction record for a work by any female artist when Sotheby’s sold it for more than $44 million to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

In a richly illustrated program, art historian Bonita Billman explores O’Keeffe’s life and artistic career, from her upbringing in rural Wisconsin to her association with New York City’s avant-garde circle to her years in New Mexico, where the desert opened a new range of subject matter for her work. Billman also looks at the influences on O’Keeffe—including fellow artist Arthur Wesley Dow, who taught her the importance of “filling a space in a beautiful way,” and her husband, gallerist and photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

Thurs., June 6, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-326; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit each session

Lunchtime with a Curator

Decorative Arts Design Series

Join curator Elizabeth Lay Little, a regular lecturer on the topics of fashion, textiles, and American furniture, and her guests for an image-rich lunchtime series focusing on decorative arts and design topics.

A younger generation of collectors and novices are making their decorating decisions much differently than their parents: Today family portraits, silver, and antiques are no longer treasured the way they once were. Antique dealer Taylor Thistlethwaite discusses the current state of the decorative arts world and how to make it more relatable to the next generation.

La Pausa, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s deceptively simple vacation home on the Riviera, harbors a complexity not apparent at first view. Design historian Jean Marie Layton delves into the history of the home and its creation to demonstrate that it indeed mirrors its owner—a woman who promoted simplicity and modernity in women’s fashion but who was equal parts modern, simple, and complex.

Research fellow Benjamin Bowery examines the roots and evolution of American interior design, from the French-obsessed doyennes of the Gilded Age to the women decorating the mid-century boardroom. He discusses an emphasis on the designers, tastemakers, and business owners who defined the aesthetics of the modern era, including Elsie de Wolfe, Dorothy Draper, Mary and Russel Wright, and Florence Knoll.

JUNE 10 My Kids

Hate Antiques

JUNE 17

JUNE 24

Gabrielle Chanel’s La Pausa

From “Designing Women” to “Fixer Upper”

3-session series: Mon., June 10, 17, and 24, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-479; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

Individual sessions: Mon., June 10 (CODE 1K0-480); Mon., June 17 (CODE 1K0-481); Mon., June 24 (CODE 1K0-482); 12 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

Chippendale chest of drawers, courtesy of Thistlethwaite Americana THISTLETHWAITE AMERICANA

Georgia O’Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz, 1918

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit African

Art Through the Centuries

From the vibrant paintings found in Stone Age caves to the abstract sculptures produced during the continent’s colonial period, the arts of Africa have been shaped by unique creative insight as well as by specific political, social, religious, and economic forces. Art historian Kevin Tervala explores these vibrant artistic expressions through an examination of the continent’s historical trajectory.

JUNE 6 Ancient Africa (Prehistory–1000)

JUNE 13 Medieval Africa (1000–1500)

JUNE 20 Early Modern Africa (1500–1900)

JUNE 27 Modern and Contemporary Africa (1900–Present)

4-session series: Thurs., June 6–27, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-052; Members $90; Nonmembers $100

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Édouard Manet

Pioneer of an Artistic Revolution

Édouard Manet was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, as well as a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. His early masterworks, The Luncheon on the Grass and Olympia, both from 1863, caused great controversy, but today, these are considered key paintings that mark the start of modern art.

The last 20 years of Manet’s life saw him form bonds with other great artists of the time such as Pissarro, Cézanne, and van Gogh, yet he developed his own simple and direct style that would be heralded as innovative and serve as a major influence for future painters. In a richly illustrated program, art historian Joseph P. Cassar critically examines several of Manet’s key works within their historical context.

Wed., June 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-485; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit Art and Fiction

A picture is not only worth a thousand words: It can sometimes inspire a whole invented world. Independent art historian Heidi Applegate explores the art and artists behind three works of historical fiction: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles; The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt; and The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Gain new perspectives on American art and photography of the 1930s; a previously little-known 17th-century Dutch painting; art-world theft and forgeries; collecting 20th-century paintings; and Outsider art by delving into the novels, followed by Applegate’s examination of the factual background along with the fiction. It’s a “novel” way to explore the arts.

3-session series: Wed., June 12, July 10, and Aug. 14, 12 p.m.; CODE 1H0-816; Members $60; Nonmembers $65

Face mask by a Chokwe artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, early 20th century RUUD ZWART Great Mud Mosque, Djenné, Mali

The Luncheon on the Grass by Édouard Manet, 1863

The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius, 1654

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Mid-Century

Design Series

California: A Paradise of Mid-Century Architecture

Since the late 1940s, California has been an epicenter for some of the most striking and innovative modern architecture in the world. World War II and its aftermath opened the state to tremendous population growth, drawing tens of thousands of people to its aircraft and shipbuilding industries and creating a housing boom in which demand far exceeded supply. The need for housing for workers and returning GIs resulted in some of the most iconic examples of Mid-Century Modern houses in the nation.

Bill Keene, a lecturer on architecture and urban studies, surveys this bold new landscape of housing design. He examines the experimental Case Study Houses of Los Angeles, which fostered the use of new materials and construction

in residential architecture; the high-end Modernist homes of the Palm Springs desert; and how California Mid-Century

evolved from an experiment of the wealthy to a mass-marketed style trend that reached a national scale.

Tues., June 18, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-088; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Painting

World

with Monet

At pivotal moments in his career, Claude Monet would go out with a fellow artist, plant his easel beside his friend’s, and paint the same scene. Examining paintings made side by side, Harmon Siegel, a junior fellow at Harvard University, shows how Monet explored challenging questions in concrete, practical ways while painting alongside his teachers, Eugène Boudin and Johan Barthold Jongkind; his friends Frédéric Bazille and PierreAuguste Renoir; and his hero, Édouard Manet. Siegel’s book, Painting with Monet (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Mon., June 24, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-042; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Monet: Impressions of an Artist

Monet. The name alone conjures up vivid images: water lilies in Giverny, haystacks in the French countryside, trains pulling into Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris, the façade of the Rouen cathedral. A pioneer of the Impressionist movement, Claude Monet created paintings capturing nature’s fleeting moments—and rendered the scenes unforgettable.

Monet first concentrated on landscapes and seascapes because of his fascination with how the changing atmospheric elements of light, clouds, sun, and wind transformed the scenes before him. Later at his home and garden in Giverny, he found a new setting in which to explore that inspiration of a lifetime. Art historian Joseph P. Cassar leads an in-depth look at one of the most influential and bestloved Impressionist painters.

JULY 10 The Early Years

JULY 17 The Birth of Impressionism

JULY 24 A Home in Giverny

JULY 31 The Water Lilies Installation

4-session series: Wed., July 10–31, 10:30 a.m.; CODE 1K0-486; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Stahl House (Case Study House No. 22) in the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles

Portrait of Claude Monet by Nadar

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Close-Up on Rembrandt

Rembrandt van Rijn is widely considered one of the most impor tant and influential figures in Western art. Though best known for his psychologically revealing self-portraits, he is also an unrivaled master of light and shadow and expressive, luxuriant brushwor k, qualities that would be emulated by generations of later artists.

Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores the most distinctive aspects of Rembrandt’s artistic language through close looking and an analysis of some of his greatest masterpieces—from his public commissions such as The Night Watch to his representations of stories from classical history and the Old Testament, as well as in his most private of works.

10 a.m. Rembrandt’s Formation and Breakthrough

11:15 a.m. Painting and Story-Telling

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. Rembrandt’s Loves: Portrayals of Women

2 p.m. The Self-Portrait as Diary

Fri., June 14, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1K0-477; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Masterpieces and Mayhem

Caravaggio’s Artistic Revolution

The Beheading of Saint John by Caravaggio, 1608

Few artists have generated so much fascination and revolutionized the history of art as profoundly as Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio (1571–1610). He was a hot-headed, anti-social outlaw and murderer who despite a short lifespan created a sensation with a bold naturalistic style—one that evoked intense drama and emotion through theatrical light and expressive, often violent gestures. He was both loved and reviled by his contemporaries for this new approach to realism. Author Ross King explores the life and times of this complicated man and puts his innovative paintings and notorious lifestyle into the context of Rome’s turbulent first decade of the 17th century, which witnessed a crisis in the Catholic Church as well as the rise of Galileo and his new science.

Wed., June 26, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-817; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Art + History

John Trumbull’s The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis

Paul Glenshaw returns to the Art + History series to look at great works of art in their historical context. As he examines The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis painted by John Trumbull in 1820, he is joined by Revolutionary War scholar Iris de Rode, who discovered eyewitness accounts of one of the top French generals depicted in the painting. They unfold the story of the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781 and the fascinating process of the creation of the epic work by Trumbull.

Tues., July 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-488; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn

Surrender of Lord Cornwallis by John Trumbull

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

The Origins of Western Art

From the Paleolithic Through the Aegean Bronze Age

Our modern world echoes and sometimes replicates the creative vestiges of the past—and one key to understanding our surroundings is through an overview of ancient material culture. Focusing on the Mediterranean region, art historian Renee Gondek surveys the earliest traces of artistic production from the Paleolithic period through the late Bronze Age (roughly 1,500,000 B.C.E. through 1100 B.C.E.).

JULY 9 The Paleolithic and Neolithic Periods

JULY 16 The Ancient Near East

JULY 23 Ancient Egypt

JULY 30 The Aegean Bronze Age

4-session series: Tues., July 9–30, 12 p.m.; CODE 1T0-005; Members $100; Nonmembers $110

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Art Deco

Commercializing the Avant-Garde

Prior to the 1960s, the bold, geometric, machine-focused style now called Art Deco was known by many names. Drawing from a recent exhibition at Poster House in New York City, the museum’s chief curator, Angelina Lippert, offers a lively chronicle of its rise and fall. Her overview begins at the 1925 Paris Exhibition, where avant-garde Modernist styles became a global influence, and concludes as Deco graphics became more nationalistic in the lead-up to World War II. Thurs., July 11, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-092; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

German Expressionism and the Modernist Impulse

As the threat of World War I loomed over them in the opening decades of the 20th century, German artists became disillusioned with the culture around them and began to move away from art that was outward facing to one focused on their subjective feelings. Raw and uncompromising, their art reflected their Modernist interpretations of a tumultuous world.

David Gariff of the National Gallery of Art explores the vital role that German and Austrian Expressionism played in a period of volatile contradictions—providing a fertile ground for the emergence of the new visual languages of Max Beckmann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Emil Nolde, and Egon Schiele.

Sun., July 14, 3 p.m.; CODE 1H0-823; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Fresco of Primavera (or Flora), ca. 1st cent., Stabiae

Dance Hall Bellevue by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1909/1910

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

Versions of the Baroque

The age of the Baroque coincides with the 17th century, one of the most transformational periods in European history. Despite the many variants of this style, its most salient features include emphasis on sensual richness, drama, movement, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions between the various arts.

These characteristics reflected important social and cultural developments sparked by forces including religion, government, global exploration, and science. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine discusses the main currents of Baroque art in countries ranging from Italy and Spain to France and Holland.

10 a.m. Social and Cultural Context

11:15 a.m. The Growth of the Baroque in Italy

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. The Baroque in France and Spain

2 p.m. The Baroque in the Low Countries

Fri., July 26, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1K0-495: Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

Chinese Art: From the Bronze Age to the People’s Republic

With a dynamic history that spans the Neolithic period to the modern age, Chinese civilization has produced some of the world’s most remarkable artistic creations. Robert DeCaroli, a professor in the department of history and art history at George Mason University, examines how shifts in China’s social, religious, and political life have influenced transformations in its material culture.

AUG 1 Origins of Chinese Culture

AUG 8 Foundations of the Chinese Imperial System

AUG 15 China and the Outside World

AUG 22 From the Forbidden City to the People’s Republic

4-session series: Thurs., Aug. 1–22, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-380; Members $100; Nonmembers $110

Support lifelong learning at Smithsonian Associates

Please help us in presenting vibrant educational programs by making a charitable contribution today. Your gift is essential because, unlike the museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded and relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and registration revenue.

SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Girl with a Pearl Earring, 1665

A Tang Dynasty glazed pottery horse from the collection of the Shanghai Museum

IN PERSON

In-person classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors.

ART THEORY

NEW CLASS

Art Journaling for Self-Expression

Guided through mindfulness activities, delve into emphasizing process over product and play over perfection. This class is grounded in both creative theory and therapeutic principles that deepen your relationship with yourself as an artist and as a person.

SOLD OUT

By Carter Umhau

IN PERSON: Tues., May 14–June 4, 6 p.m.; Carter Umhau; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0GZ; Members $145; Nonmembers $160

DRAWING

Drawing Treasures

Sculptures in the National Gallery of Art

By Renee Sandell

Stretch your creative muscles and deepen your observational skills at the National Gallery of Art. Create a drawn-treasure map as you visually explore time, space, and place in the museum’s West Wing sculpture galleries.

TWO OPTIONS: Sat., May 18, 10 a.m.

(CODE 1E0-0EF), Sat., July 13, 11:30 a.m. (CODE 1E0-0KB); Renee Sandell; National Gallery of Art West Building, Ground Floor; Members $110; Nonmembers $125

Advantages to providing your email to customer service:

• Receive a digital version of the member program guide so you can read it anywhere

• Receive important notices regarding your class along with other useful information

Painting the Draped Figure

Learn the foundational skills needed to create a naturalistic painting from a draped (clothed) live model. The class covers basic proportion, simplified form and light, and color mixing from a limited palette.

By Mark Giaimo

IN PERSON: Sat., July 13–Aug. 17, 10:30 a.m; Mark Giaimo; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0KJ; Members $255; Nonmembers $290

MEDIA

By Sharon Robinson

IN PERSON: Sat., July 13–Aug. 3, 1 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0KD; Members $165; Nonmembers $190 MIXED

Paper Frenzy

Investigate new techniques as you have fun creating papers for collage and other art projects. Take home a glorious collection of one-of-a-kind papers accented by acrylic, inks, stamps, and other printmaking materials.

FIBER ARTS

Embroidered Patch Workshop

Use basic stitches to create an embroidered rainbowwatermelon patch to embellish a favorite jacket or pair of jeans. Learn how to prepare fabric with a simple design, then ready a hoop and begin stitching.

IN PERSON: Sat., May 4, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0ET; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

By Heather Kerley

IN PERSON

Painting with Wool

Use your knowledge of the principles of art and design as you create compositions, blend colors, and form shadows to evoke realistic or abstract painted images with felt. Play with the possibilities of felt to create 3D and relief effects.

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NEW CLASSES

Cyanotype Workshop

By Renate Maile-Moskowitz

IN PERSON: Sat., May 11 and Sun., May 12, 10:30 a.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EU; Members $185; Nonmembers $210

Embroidered Pendant Workshop

By Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer

Create a unique stitched pendant hung from a strand of colorful beads. Learn a variety of easy and lovely stitches, how to mount the embroidered cloth in a pendant bezel, and jewelry-making techniques to finish the piece.

IN PERSON: Sat., May 18, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FC; Members $75; Nonmembers $90

Freestyle Embroidery Basics

In this introduction to freestyle hand embroidery, a style in which the stitches are applied freely, students learn how to select and prepare fabric using a simple design, ready their hoop, and begin stitching.

IN PERSON: Sat., July 20, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0KC; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

By Heather Kerley

The cyanotype photographic method uses the sun to expose UV-light–sensitive chemicals in order to create rich, deep blue prints. Learn a short history of cyanotypes and how to use the cyanotype chemicals alongside objects from nature or your home, then put basic techniques to work to create prints.

By Sammie Correa

IN PERSON: Sun., May 19, 11 a.m.; Sammie Correa; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0HA; Members $70; Nonmembers $85

By Andargé Asfaw

On-Location Photography at Washington National Cathedral

In the first session, visit and photograph Washington National Cathedral—with architectural features ranging from gargoyles to stunning stained glass windows. Then in the second session, which is online, learn composition techniques and strategies during the follow-up critique.

IN PERSON: Wed., July 17 and 24, 10 a.m., Andargé Asfaw; Washington National Cathedral; CODE 1E0-0LC; Members $115; Nonmembers $140

On-Location Photography

Learn to capture this vibrant capital city and sharpen your way of thinking about shooting outdoors in a course that focuses on deploying a minimal amount of equipment and a lot of fresh perspective. Emphasis is placed on what happens before the shutter release is pressed and on truly previsualizing the photograph.

IN PERSON: Sun., July 14–Aug. 18, 1:45 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0KM; Members $195; Nonmembers $230

Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.

ONLINE

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Online classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors.

ART THEORY AND PRACTICE

Color Theory and Chroma-psychology

Learn how to make color choices in your art to bring out a reaction from the viewer. Use a color wheel to clarify your understanding of color basics and then create color combinations with pencils for a practical understanding of color theory.

ONLINE: Thurs., May 2, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; CODE 1E00EA; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

Developing Your Creative Practice

Drop the burden of creating a finished product and focus instead on developing your ideas. Begin to deal with procrastination, creative blocks, flow, problem solving, and finishing within the support of a stress-free environment and build confidence alongside other students on the same journey.

By Kate Lewis

The Sketchbook Habit

The Art of Everyday Life

In this once-a-month class on the essentials of starting a sketchbook habit, practice “close looking” exercises as you fill your sketchbook with meditative contour drawings, watercolor sketches of the natural world, and quick but evocative images from your travels.

ONLINE: Mon., July 15, July 29, and Aug. 12, 10:30 a.m., Kate Lewis; CODE 1E0-0JT; Members $215; Nonmembers $240

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Sat., July 20, Aug. 17, and Sept. 14, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; CODE 1E0-0JZ; Members $170; Nonmembers $195

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

Artists throughout the world have developed practices that allow them to center themselves and prepare for making art. Students explore some of these techniques: mark making with lines, swirls, and puddles and using paper to experiment with folding and tearing.

By Sushmita Mazumdar

ONLINE: Mon., July 22–Aug. 26, 12 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; CODE 1E0-0JU; Members $105; Nonmembers $140

By Renee Sandell

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

In an afternoon of artistic experimentation designed to strengthen creative muscles and deepen skills in visual expression, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches.

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., May 4 (CODE 1E0-0EB); Sat., July 27 (CODE 1E0-0JY); 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; Members $80; Nonmembers $95

Drawing Backyard Birds in Chalk Pastels

Learn all the techniques you need to illustrate birds and their delicate feathers, glossy eyes, and unique wings and feet with chalk pastels. The instructor discusses materials and how to use them effectively while observing the anatomy of birds to aid in accurate representations.

ONLINE: Thurs., May 9 and 16, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; CODE 1E00EM; Members $105; Nonmembers $130

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Digital Drawing Fundamentals

By Mike O’Brien

Learn to use the iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate for illustration and animation. With this deceptively minimal toolset, artists can create a wide range of visuals. Students get an introductory lecture on the basics of digital art production, demonstrations, and experience drawing in Procreate on an iPad.

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Wed., July 10, 6:30 p.m. (CODE 1E0-0KV); Sat., July 20, 1 p.m. (CODE 1E0-0KA); Mike O’Brien; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

Beginning Drawing

This course teaches the basic skills needed for a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.

ONLINE: Sun., July 14–Aug. 25, 10:15 a.m.; Josh Highter; CODE 1E0-0KH; Members $250; Nonmembers $285

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The Mark of van Gogh

This course is an introduction to Vincent van Gogh’s accomplishments in drawing, with particular attention to his unique and instantly recognizable touch. Participants investigate how his imaginative mark making forms his images. In-class exercises revolve around drawing studies of his masterworks.

By Nick Cruz Velleman

ONLINE: Tues., May 14–28, 6:30 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0EN; Members $135; Nonmembers $160

Watercolor Workshop: Quick-Sketch for a Day

Spend the day learning to capture your travels with flowing lines and painterly colors. Discover how to simplify a scene and to compose and draw more organically and confidently. This technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.

By Cindy Briggs

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., June 1 (CODE 1E0-0GA); Sat., June 8 (CODE 1E0-0HD); 10:15 a.m.; Cindy Briggs; Members $160; Nonmembers $185

Introduction to Watercolor

Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.

ONLINE: Mon., July 8–Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m.; Josh Highter; CODE 1E0-0JX; Members $250; Nonmembers $285

By Josh Highter

Introduction to Afghan Geometric Design

For centuries, religious and secular Islamic manuscripts have contained beautiful geometric decorations. Explore the history and construction of these traditional designs before creating ones of your own with opaque watercolors and gold, outlined in black ink.

By Sughra Hussainy

ONLINE: Sun., July 14–Aug. 18, 1 p.m., Sughra Hussainy; CODE 1E0-0KK; Members $235; Nonmembers $270

See videos, class photos, and meet students on facebook.com/smithsonianstudioarts

ONLINE

The Magic of Light and Shadow in Watercolor

By Lubna Zahid

Say goodbye to flat and boring painting as you learn to create patterns of light and dark in watercolor through demonstrations and hands-on exercises. You also learn how to create a strong focal point, unity, and balance within your paintings.

ONLINE: Tues., July 9–Aug. 27, 10:30 a.m., Lubna Zahid; CODE 1E0-0KT; Members $275;

Textures and Techniques in Watercolor

Take your paintings to the next level with simple secrets that every watercolor artist should know about creating washes and contrasting textured areas. Techniques demonstrated in the class are particularly useful for painting captivating landscapes.

ONLINE: Tues., July 9–Aug. 27, 5 p.m., Lubna Zahid; CODE 1E00KU; Members $275; Nonmembers $310

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MIXED MEDIA

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Mixed Media Art Warmups

Art warmups enable students to jump right into their projects knowing there are no wrong answers. Students work with positive and negative space, do quick sketches, go beyond the color wheel, and use mixed-media techniques to build layers and texture.

ONLINE: Fri., May 17–31, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; CODE 1E0-0FK; Members $175; Nonmembers $200

Collage Jumpstart

By Sharon Robinson

Newsprint Collage

Discover a variety of approaches to creating mixed-media collages and learn techniques for creating interesting, personalized papers for art applications. Find out how to capitalize on everyday materials; learn to use household tools and utensils to make stencils and create patterns and textures on papers.

ONLINE: Mon., July 8–29, 6:30 p.m., Sharon Robinson; CODE 1E0-0JW; Members $140; Nonmembers $165

Making art can be a wonderful way to escape from everyday life. It can also be a useful tool to understand current events. Working with newspapers, magazines, and mixed-media techniques, create a visual representation of the news.

By Kate Lewis

ONLINE: Tues., July 9–23, 10:30 a.m., Kate Lewis; CODE 1E0-0KS; Members $175; Nonmembers $200

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Collage and Mixed Media

Students are introduced to the materials, tools, and technologies used in collage and assemblage. They explore the use of text, images, texture, and natural and found objects as they create collage, mixedmedia, or assemblage projects.

ONLINE: Wed., July 10–31, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; CODE 1E0-0KY; Members $130; Nonmembers $155

By Lubna Zahid

ONLINE

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Collage and Mixed Media: People and Places

Explore the possibilities of collage, realistic abstraction, and altered images as you create works centered around people and places. Experiment with a range of materials and techniques to create your own story, including exploring real or imagined landscapes, architecture, portraits, and selfportraits.

ONLINE: Wed., July 10–31, 6:30 p.m., Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; CODE 1E0-0KZ; Members $130; Nonmembers $155

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When Good Patterns Go Bad

Avoiding and Fixing Knitting Mistakes

Nothing can be more frustrating than realizing there’s something wrong with your knitting and not knowing how to fix it. This workshop focuses on avoiding errors, learning to detect them sooner, and figuring out what to do once you know there’s a problem.

ONLINE: Sun., May 5, 12 p.m.; Ann Richards; CODE 1E0-0EX; Members $45; Nonmembers $60

By Heather Kerley

Botanical Illustration in Redwork

Learn the history of redwork quilts and how this type of embroidery, primarily done in red but also in blue and black, can be used to make beautiful, delicate botanical illustrations. Students create designs based on plants native to their area, transfer those designs onto fabric, and then make a basic small quilt using their embroideries.

ONLINE: Thurs., May 9–23, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; CODE 1E00EY; Members $105; Nonmembers $130

Color Theory for Embroidery Artists

Find your sense of color confidence while learning to apply color to embroidery art as would a painter using pigments and a palette. Learn the vocabulary of color theory through exercises and embroidery hoop experiments.

By Heather Kerley

NEW CLASS

ONLINE: Thurs., July 11–25, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; CODE 1E0-0KN; Members $85; Nonmembers $110

Craft a Quilted Coat

Choose to upcycle a vintage quilt or make your own fabric selection, then follow a basic pattern to have your custom quilted coat done just in time for fall.

ONLINE: Mon., July 8–29, 1 p.m., Lauren Kingsland; CODE 1E0-0JV; Members $155; Nonmembers $180

By Lauren Kingsland

Confidence with Color in Quilting

Create spectacular color combinations in your quilts as you build your color theory vocabulary and learn how to beautifully incorporate many types of printed fabric through exercises presented in this class for quilters ready to level up.

By Lauren Kingsland

ONLINE: Wed., July 17–31, 1 p.m., Lauren Kingsland; CODE 1E0-0KX; Members $115; Nonmembers $140

OTHER MEDIA

By Barb Schmidt

Propagating Orchids

Join an orchid care expert for a fun, informative evening learning to cultivate orchids. These favorite household plants are both beautiful and sometimes challenging to grow.

ONLINE: Wed., May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; CODE 1E0-0FT; Members $50; Nonmembers $65

Orchids in the Summer

Just in time for summer, learn how to safely move and care for your orchids outside in the hotter months.

ONLINE: Sat., June 1, 11 a.m.; Barb Schmidt; CODE 1E0-0FS; Members $50; Nonmembers $75

Orchids Gone Wild

In their native environments, most common orchids grow on trees. This class teaches you how to free your orchid from the confines of its pot and mount it on a piece of wood.

ONLINE: Wed., July 17, 6:30 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; CODE 1E0-0CX; Members $65; Nonmembers $70

Multi-strand Necklaces Workshop

Bring your beaded creations to the next level with multi-strand clasps, cones, and spacers to create multistrand designs with strung beads and decorative finishing.

ONLINE: Sun., July 14, 12 p.m., Mïa Vollkommer; CODE 1E0-0KE; Members $75; Nonmembers $90

Mosaics for Beginners

Build a solid creative and technical foundation for working with mosaics via weekly lectures, demonstrations, and workalong periods. Select from eight patterns designed by the instructor, with the option to work in either glass tiles or unglazed porcelain.

By

ONLINE: Tues., July 23–Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m., Bonnie Fitzgerald; CODE 1E0-0KR; Members $165; Nonmembers $190

PHOTOGRAPHY

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

By Patricia Howard

The Cyanotype: Hands-On History of Photography

Delve into the history of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue and white print, and create your own cyanotype in this unique studio arts class.

ONLINE: Sat., May 4 and 11, 12 p.m.; Patricia Howard; CODE 1E0-0GV; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

Digital Photography: Beyond the Basics

Take your digital photography up a notch by honing your use of exposure and composition to frame the information in the camera lens and create your most expressive and meaningful photographs.

ONLINE: Sat., June 1 and 8, 10 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; CODE 1E0-0GY; Members $280; Nonmembers $305 By Eliot Cohen

Bonnie Fitzgerald By Mïa Vollkommer

Lady Ackland's cattleya (Cattleya aclandiae)

BARB SCHMIDT

Natural Lighting Conditions

Light can make or break your photos. Learn the essentials of shooting in a natural-light setting and how to gauge the direction of light; recognize degree of diffusion; minimize (or emphasize) lens flare; and control conditions with lens hoods.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 11, 6:30 p.m., Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0KP; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

Fundamentals of Digital Printing

How many times do your digital prints not reflect the image on your monitor? Learn why this occurs as well as the information you need to accurately execute a digital print. Topics include monitor calibration, photographic papers, and aspect ratio.

ONLINE: Sat., July 13–27, 10 a.m.; Lewis Katz; CODE 1E0-0GW; Members $115; Nonmembers $140

By Lewis Katz

Support lifelong learning at Smithsonian Associates

Please help us in presenting vibrant educational programs by making a charitable contribution today. Your gift is essential because, unlike the museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded and relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and registration revenue.

SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Macro Photography

Take a much closer look at your photographic subjects through the art of macro photography. Get an introduction to the technique’s aesthetics and design, as well as technical tips on lenses, close-up focusing distance, depth of field, tripod use, lighting, and other key elements.

ONLINE: Thurs., May 2 and 9, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0GU; Members $90; Nonmembers $115

The Photo Essay

Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tells a story or evokes a series of emotions. Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their personal interests.

ONLINE: Wed., May 1 and 29, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0GT; Members $90; Nonmembers $115

Build Your Photographic Portfolio

Show off your photos like a pro and learn how to assemble a personal portfolio that reflects your best work and your distinctive vision as a photographer. Targeted homework assignments help you increase your collection of portfolioquality work.

By Joe Yablonsky

ONLINE: Thurs., May 16–30, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E00GX; Members $125; Nonmembers $150

Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer one-of-a-kind in-person experiences. They’re the perfect way to learn more about the places and topics that fascinate you, and you’re sure to discover plenty of new favorites along the way.

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Mid-Century Modern Design in Pennsylvania

From the period after World War II through the late 1960s, the Mid-century Modern design movement swept through the United States and Europe, emphasizing functionality, clean lines, and simplicity. Design historian Elizabeth Lay Little leads a tour to eastern Pennsylvania that explores how the movement took root in the region.

Begin the day with a private tour of the George Nakashima House, Studio, and Workshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Nakashima (1905-1990), a preeminent furniture designer-craftsman of the American studio craft movement of the mid-20th century, embraced American and International Modern styles while infusing his pieces with Japanese designs. A guided tour of the complex visits structures Nakashima built using traditional Japanese building principles—including incorporating indigenous materials and demonstrating respect for the natural landscape—while experimenting with innovations.

During the afternoon, visit Rago Auctions in Lambertville, New Jersey, one of the country’s principal specialty auction houses, founded by David Rago, a leading dealer in the field of American arts and crafts. Meet with staff members, who talk about notable modern pieces and show examples before they go to auction.

Conclude with a tour of the Michener Art Museum that focuses on the permanent collection, which showcases the strong Arts and Crafts and modern studio furniture traditions of southeastern Pennsylvania. Visit exhibitions on the studio craft movement and the Nakashima Reading Room, a traditional Japanese-style room that includes several classic pieces of furniture in the Nakashima tradition.

Fri., May 3, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; CODE 1CD-032; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $215; Nonmembers $265 (includes lunch)

The Seven Days Battles

In March 1862, Union Gen. George B. McClellan embarked upon a bold campaign to move his 100,000-man army by ship from Alexandria to Fort Monroe, Virginia, only 80 miles from Richmond, the Confederate capital. By the end of May, McClellan and his army were on Richmond’s outskirts.

Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was assigned the daunting task of stopping a Union juggernaut capable of ending the Civil War. Thus, the stage was set for what became known as the Seven Days Battles.

Led by Civil War tour guide and career military intelligence officer Col. Marc Thompson, travel to five of these battlefields: Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines’ Mill, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. The tour also includes other significant locations associated with the Seven Days Battles, including Chickahominy Bluff, Walnut Grove Church, and McClellan’s headquarters at the Trent House.

Sat., May 4, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; by bus; CODE 1CD-033; detailed tour information on website; Members $160; Nonmembers $210

George Nakashima House, Studio and Workshop, Arts Building ”Conoid Chair” by George Nakashima, 1988

SHUVAEV JIMCCHOU

Bus Tour

Beaver Dam Creek Battlefield

Captivating Spring Gardens

The Scott Arboretum and the Mt. Cuba Center

The Philadelphia region boasts the title of America’s Garden Capital—and with more public gardens than anywhere else in the country, it’s a well-deserved one. Spend a day with horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey exploring two captivating green spaces in the area and gathering new ideas for your own home garden.

Spread across more than 300 acres of the Swarthmore College campus, the Scott Arboretum is a plant lover’s delight that focuses on engaging horticultural designs, plants of merit, and creative ideas to encourage the home gardener. The campus acts as a “garden of ideas” and as you meander through the spectacular landscapes you’re sure to get your inner designer excited about the next growing season.

After lunch, visit a hidden gem in the Brandywine Valley, the Mt. Cuba Center. This native-plant haven covers 1,000 acres and is anchored by a stately Colonial Revival manor house built in 1935 by Lammot du Pont Copeland and his wife, Pamela. Sustainable gardening practices are reflected throughout the landscape as you take in the beauty of native plants in conservation settings such as woodlands and grasslands; in more formal settings around the residence; and in the trial garden, which offers insights into how the center’s research team evaluates native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value. Thurs., May 9, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-010; Members $195; Nonmembers $245

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs

World

Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Wyeths, Kuerner Farm, and the Brandywine Valley

For the past century, the Brandywine Valley has been home to the Wyeth dynasty and the origin of their artistic inspiration. While all of the area’s breathtaking scenery has been a source of creativity, Kuerner Farm, with its 19th-century farmhouse and adjacent barn, fascinated Andrew Wyeth for over 70 years. A day-long visit to the Brandywine Museum of Art led by art historian Bonita Billman brings the landscape to life and offers an opportunity to explore a trio of special exhibitions, featuring works by Andrew Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth, and Karl J. Kuerner—plus the Andrew Wyeth house and studio and Kuerner Farm (open to public tours for only a few days of the year).

“Karl J. Kuerner: The Continuity of Creativity” marks the 25th anniversary of Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s acquisition of Kuerner Farm as well as highlighting Kuerner’s work there over the decades as he continues to mine the property’s power of creative inspiration. In addition to painting, Kuerner has been offering art classes on-site for many years, part of Brandywine’s programmatic interpretation at the farm.

Also on view is “Jamie Wyeth: Unsettled,” which traces a vein of intriguing, often disconcerting imagery over the artist’s career. The exhibition, while not a retrospective, provides both a reflective look at Wyeth’s imagery and insights into the artist and the art of visual storytelling.

The third exhibition, “Every Leaf & Twig: Andrew Wyeth’s Botanical Imagination,” tells the story of Andrew Wyeth’s focus on the fragile rhythms and intimate dramas of plant life. Drawn from the holdings of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, most of the 40 watercolors and drawings have never been exhibited before.

Travel offsite in small groups to tour Andrew Wyeth’s nearby home and studio as well as Kuerner Farm. Enjoy a boxed lunch at the museum’s Millstone Café. The day ends with a private wine tasting at Chaddsford Winery, just down the road from the museum. The guided tasting features five of their signature wines.

Fri., May 10, 7:15 a.m.–8:15 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-034; Members $220; Nonmembers $270

Cunningham House and the site of the former observatory at Swarthmore College

Andrew Wyeth’s studio with reproduction painting and drawings

CARLOS ALEJANDRO

Bus Tour

Hiking Tour

Spring on Sugarloaf Mountain

Natural beauty and fascinating history await on a day spent hiking to the summit of Washington’s local mountain, a natural treasure less than an hour’s drive from the city. Picturesque and rocky Sugarloaf Mountain offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside of Montgomery and Frederick counties in Maryland.

Guided by study leader Melanie Choukas-Bradley, learn about the mountain’s plants and wildlife, seasonal changes, geology, and history. Spend time on the summit, composed of pink quartzite and forested with uncommon table mountain pines and mountain laurel, for a light lunch and a bit of forest bathing.

In addition to the deep dive into the flora and fauna, get insights into two remarkable preservation stories: Gordon Strong’s lifelong mission to save Sugarloaf Mountain from development and Montgomery County’s innovative 93,000-acre farmland preservation area known as the Agricultural Reserve. Hikers also hear tales about how plans for Sugarloaf Mountain by Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Frank Lloyd Wright were thwarted.

THREE OPTIONS: Tues., May 21 (CODE 1NW-A01); Wed., May 22 (CODE 1NW-B01); Thurs., May 23 (CODE 1NW-C01); 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; each tour is limited to 20 participants; detailed tour information on website; Members $60; Nonmembers $85

NOTE: Tour participants must be in good physical condition to hike the steep trail to the summit, which includes a long set of stone steps.

Bus Tour

The Battle of Cedar Creek and Its Aftermath Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat

Among all the battles fought in the Shenandoah Valley, none achieved more significant results and had wider consequences than the Battle of Cedar Creek on Oct. 19, 1864. What began disastrously for Union forces in the morning, as Confederate Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early’s Army of the Valley launched a surprise attack, transformed during the afternoon into arguably one of the Union’s most remarkable triumphs.

Militarily, the battle finally wrested the Shenandoah Valley, a vital source of provender for Confederate troops in Virginia and an avenue of invasion into the North, from Confederate control. Politically, the victory achieved by Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah tremendously aided President Abraham Lincoln’s bid for reelection in November 1864.

Additionally, Union success at Cedar Creek defined Sheridan’s legacy and elevated him to the pantheon of great American generals. In the decades after the Civil War, the Cedar Creek battlefield attracted both Union and Confederate veterans as they attempted to shape how this critical moment in the Republic’s history would be remembered.

History professor Jonathan A. Noyalas leads a daylong tour exploring the complexities of the battle, its impact on the soldiers who fought there and their families, its significance in the Civil War’s broader context, the battle’s aftermath, and veterans’ efforts to shape the battlefield’s commemorative landscape. The tour includes a visit to Belle Grove Plantation, a National Trust Historic Site. Lunch at the historic Wayside Inn is included.

Sat., June 1, 8 a.m.–6:15 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-035; Members $165; Nonmembers $215

View from the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain

Belle Grove Plantation

Bus Tour

Going Green in DC

The Washington, D.C., area is becoming a greener urban environment. Bill Keene, a lecturer in urban studies, architecture, and history, spotlights innovative approaches to the environment and sustainability that have taken root—sometimes literally—in many types of buildings around town.

Begin the day in the Navy Yard neighborhood at the rooftop garden of the office building at 55 M St., SE. Staff from Up Top Acres, which installed and maintains the garden, discuss upkeep, what is grown, and the garden’s community impact. The garden includes an area for annual vegetables, another for flowers, and one for native plants and perennials—plus resident pollinators at the onsite beehive. Last year, 243 pounds of produce were grown there.

At the Oxon Run community solar farm—the largest community solar project in the District—explore how the facility is helping to provide free electricity to hundreds of households in the surrounding community. Development of the site also included the restoration of native pollinator plantings, meadows, and native plant and shrub landscaping.

In the afternoon, visit the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), where a team presents an overview of the green roof movement and its environmental benefits, then offers a look at UDC’s urban agriculture farm, part of the university’s Urban Food Hubs initiative.

The day concludes at the Sidwell Friends School, which has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for its efforts. Get a look at the campus’s middle school building, which features not only a green roof but a constructed wetland and other environmentally friendly features.

Fri., June 14, 8:45 a.m.–5 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-036; Members $130; Nonmembers $180

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

Bus Tour

Historic Wilmington

With a cruise on the tall ship

Kalmar Nyckel

Travel back to 1638 in Wilmington, Delaware, with a daylong immersive exploration led by transportation expert Scott Hercik. In that year, Swedish and Finnish settlers arrived on the ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip, landing on the Christina River at the site of present-day Wilmington. Eventually they signed a treaty with the Lenni Lenape Indigenous people and built Fort Christina, creating the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley.

The first stop upon arriving in Wilmington is the Copeland Maritime Center and Museum for a private guided tour exploring why the Swedes and Finns settled in the Delaware Valley. After a boxed lunch at the museum, visit the Old Swedes Historic Site, which includes a former church and a repurposed historic home. Old Swedes Church is one of the very few surviving remnants of the New Sweden Colony in the Delaware Valley and one of the oldest structures in Delaware. The Hendrickson House, a furnished 18thcentury Swedish-American farmhouse, serves as museum, office, and research space.

Stop at Fort Christina Park, the Swedes’ 1638 landing site, before a leisurely afternoon sailing on the Kalmar Nyckel—a full-scale replica of the original ship—where you have the opportunity to haul lines, set sails, and learn the history of the ship from its crew.

Sat., June 22, 7:45 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-037; Members $225; Nonmembers $275

University of the District of Columbia’s East Capitol Urban Farm

Kalmar Nyckel

Walking Tour

East of the River

Architecture of Historic Anacostia

The rolling hills east of the Anacostia River, with a commanding view of Washington, D.C., have been settled for centuries. From the trading grounds of the Indigenous Nacotchtank to a whites-only suburb known as Uniontown to a predominantly Black community, Anacostia has seen dramatic change. The neighborhood has served as a home for abolitionist Frederick Douglass, part of the escape route for assassin John Wilkes Booth, protest grounds for World War I veterans, and a modern testament to the resilience of Washington’s Black community.

Join Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, for a look at the architecture of Anacostia, which encapsulates the area’s many identities. Highlights include Old Market House Square, built in 1913 and a centerpiece of the Anacostia Historic District; Rose’s Row; the 19½-foot-tall Big Chair; the historic home known as Big Green; and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

THREE OPTIONS: Fri., June 14, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-A20); Thurs., June 20, 4–6 p.m. (CODE 1CW-B20); Sun., June 23, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-C20); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

2-Day Tour

Summer at the Theater

The Contemporary American Theater Festival

One of the top theater festivals in the world, the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, helps shape the future of American theater. Each summer since 1991, the festival has produced bold new plays that spotlight daring and diverse stories. Washington, D.C., area theater aficionado Lynn O’Connell leads a visit to the festival.

Over the course of two days, attend the premieres of three plays. In addition to the performances, enjoy “talktheater” sessions that offer an opportunity to meet with actors, artistic directors, staff, and special guests for lectures, discussions, and staged readings, all focused on issues and themes in the plays.

Fri., July 12, 8:15 a.m.–Sat., July 13, 7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-CTF; Members $725; Nonmembers $965

Bus

North to Freedom: Harriet Tubman’s

Eastern Shore

Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, around 1822, young Araminta Ross faced adversity from an early age. These hardships transformed “Minty” into Harriet Tubman, the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad, and her childhood knowledge of the geography of the Eastern Shore played a key role in her success in ferrying more than 70 people to freedom by 1860.

Historian Anthony Cohen uncovers the saga of Tubman’s life by exploring significant sites in the region where she was raised—and that shaped her dreams of freedom and equality. He chronicles Tubman’s life and the journey she and others took on their perilous journey north to freedom. Visit the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center; Bucktown Village Store, where a violent encounter altered young Tubman’s life; and the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center. Stops at sites along the Underground Railroad provide insights into Tubman’s life and achievements

Sat., July 20, 8 a.m.–6:15 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-039; Members $185; Nonmembers $235

ECRAGG

Homes at 13th and W Sts., SE, in the Anacostia Historic District

The Marinoff Theater, site of the Contemporary American Theater Festival

Stewart's Canal in Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Historic Park

Tour

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Bus Tour

Armor of the Samurai

At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Travel to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond with historian Justin M. Jacobs for an awe-inspiring look at Japan’s exquisitely crafted samurai armor from one of the largest and finest collections in the world. The assembled works from the collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller offer a glimpse of samurai history with a focus on the flourishing culture of the Edo period.

The samurai, whose name means “those who serve,” rose to prominence as masterful swordsmen, archers, and equestrians beginning in the 12th century. During the Edo period (1615–1868), they continued to dominate political, social, and cultural aspects of Japan until their fall in the late 19th century.

The exhibition of more than 140 objects features full suits of armor and an array of weapons, helmets, masks, horse accessories, woodblock prints, and textiles. A guided tour of the exhibition is the centerpiece of a day that includes time to enjoy the museum’s extensive holdings, including a dazzling Fabergé collection.

Sun., July 14, 7:45 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-038; Members $200; Nonmembers $250

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

2-Day Tour

An Artful Weekend in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation, and Rodin Museum

The art of Impressionist-era creators is in the spotlight during a 2-day visit to three of Philadelphia’s outstanding collections led by art historian Ursula Rehn Wolfman

Begin with a guided tour of the Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibition “Mary Cassatt at Work,” devoted to the works of the celebrated Pennsylvania-born Impressionist, who challenged the conventional expectations of Philadelphia’s elite. This is the first major showing of the artist’s oeuvre since 1998–99 and presents new findings about the materials she used and her processes, which were advanced for her era. The exhibition displays over 130 works that follow Cassatt’s evolving practice and demonstrate her interest in artmaking.

Works by Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat, Monet, Manet, and Degas are among the treasures in the Barnes museum’s collection of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. The exhibition “Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes” places masterpieces from the same period near each other and traces the development of the work of these two artists. Enjoy a private guided tour of the galleries before the museum opens to the public and then time on your own before lunch in the museum’s Garden Pavilion.

In the Loge, ca. 1879, by Mary Cassatt

Focus on the art and legacy of one of France’s most influential sculptors during a visit to the Rodin Museum. Showcased in an elegant Beaux-Arts style building, the collection of nearly 150 bronze, marble, and plaster sculptures represents every phase of Auguste Rodin’s career. It is one of the most comprehensive public collections of Rodin’s work outside Paris.

Sat., Aug. 10., 7 a.m.–Sun., Aug. 11, 8 p.m., by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-PAO; Members $650; Nonmembers $865

PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART

Installation at the Rodin Museum

PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART

Sōmen (full-face mask), Edo period, 1710

© THE ANN & GABRIEL BARBIER-MUELLER MUSEUM, DALLAS. PHOTO: BRAD FLOWERS

Nimaitachidō Tōsei Gusoku armor, Muromachi period, ca. 1400

© THE ANN & GABRIEL BARBIER-MUELLER MUSEUM, DALLAS. PHOTO: BRAD FLOWERS

A Pattern of History

What Quilts Reveal

Quilting is a tradition that has transcended the limits of culture and eras, likely making its way to North America with early immigrants. As styles and techniques changed, the common thread in the creation of quilts remained their makers: women. Led by Alden O’Brien, textile and costumes curator at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, explore the role quilting has played in our society, including how it has expressed emotion and acted as a force of social justice.

Begin the day at the DAR museum in Washington, D.C., where O’Brien gives a tour of the exhibition “Sewn in America: Making—Meaning—Memory,” which features quilts, clothing, and needlework from 1750 to today. The exhibition looks at the role sewing played in the lives of American women and the ways they expressed emotions, identity, and opinions through their quilts and other textiles. Visit a selection of the museum’s period rooms, some of which include quilts and sewing tools, in self-guided tours.

Continue to the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg to go behind the scenes in the conservation lab for an up-close view of a selection of quilts from the archives. Guided tours highlight three special exhibitions, including “Sacred Threads,” which explores themes of joy, inspiration, spirituality, healing, grief, and peace through quiltwork.

Round out the day at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia. The living history museum recreates farm life in the regions that had been home to the immigrants most responsible for creating the folk culture of Virginia and traces rural life in the New World. Houses and farmyards represent life in England, Germany, Ireland, and West Africa in the 17th and 18th centuries, and Native American and European farms replicate the 1760s, 1820s, and 1860s. The farms provide a sense of some of the contexts in which women were quilting, sewing, knitting, spinning, and weaving.

Fri., July 26, 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-040; Members $175; Nonmembers $225 Related Studio Arts class: Confidence with Color in Quilting, p. 50

Silk embroidery on silk needlework with watercolor and spangles by Eliza Camp, 1810

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

5-Day Tour

The Hamptons for Art Lovers

New York’s fabled Hamptons—where privet hedges hide grand estates and Modernist homes overlook the Atlantic surf—are more than an elite summer resort. The stark natural beauty of Long Island’s South Fork has inspired painters from William Merritt Chase and Childe Hassam to Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner.

In a tour led by arts journalist Richard Selden, participants encounter works by these artists and others at the Parrish Art Museum in the Southampton hamlet of Water Mill and at Guild Hall in the Village of East Hampton. The group also visits the former home and studio of Krasner and Pollock in the Town of East Hampton and the dune-bordered fishing village of Montauk at the island’s easternmost point.

Traveling from Washington, spend time in Brooklyn and visit Prospect Park—a favorite subject of Chase—and the Brooklyn Museum, coinciding with the opening of several galleries in its American Art wing after reinstallations. From the Hamptons, ferry across Long Island Sound for an afternoon in the charming village of Mystic, Connecticut. After a night in New Haven at a hotel designed by Marcel Breuer, the Yale University Art Gallery provides the tour’s concluding art experience on the return trip.

Sat., Oct. 5, 7:30 a.m.–Wed., Oct. 9, 9:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1NN-HAM; Members $2,130; Nonmembers $2,840

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs

5-Day Tour

Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota

Badlands, Bison, and the Making of a Conservationist

In 1883, Theodore Roosevelt looked to the Badlands of western North Dakota as a place where he could transform himself from an asthmatic 24-year-old New Yorker into a big-game hunter, rancher, and authentic cowboy. A year later, it took on new meaning as a place of refuge and solace after the deaths of his wife and mother.

Over the course of the more than three decades he lived or visited there, the Badlands did indeed transform Roosevelt into the kind of vigorous outdoorsman that he’d idealized as a youth—and that shaped his public image as president. Perhaps more importantly, this corner of the West turned him into a passionate conservationist dedicated to the preservation of the rugged landscapes and native wildlife of the place he described as “where the romance of my life began.”

Experience those landscapes—filled with dramatic vistas, vividly colored canyons, and wandering herds of wild bison—on a 5-day study tour led by author and naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley that brings you into the heart of Roosevelt’s Badlands and the national park that bears his name.

Sat., Sept. 14, 6 p.m.–Wed., Sept. 18, 12 p.m.; CODE 1CN-TND; detailed tour information on website; Members $1,950; Nonmembers $2,600. NOTE: Participants are responsible for their own airfare.

Downtown Medora, North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The Big Bayberry Bush by William Merritt Chase

THE PARRISH ART MUSEUM, WATER MILL, NEW YORK, LITTLEJOHN COLLECTION

Expand Your World: Join Smithsonian

Associates

Your Membership Support Will Shape Our Future

Becoming a member of Smithsonian Associates makes you part of the largest museum-based educational program in the world. You’ll be among the first to know about the outstanding programs we bring you every month, and as an insider you’ll have unparalleled access to the Smithsonian’s world of knowledge—and enjoy exclusive benefits.

You might not be aware that unlike the Smithsonian’s museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded. We rely on individual member contributions to help bridge the gap between program expenses and ticket revenues. And that support ensures that Smithsonian Associates can continue to grow and reach even more people—all across the country—with outstanding educational programs.

Please, consider expanding your world by becoming part of ours at: SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Membership Levels

Associate ($50) Members-only ticket priority and ticket discounts, free members-only programs, Smithsonian Associates’ monthly program guide, and more.

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Promoter ($100) All the above and additional benefits: The award-winning Smithsonian magazine delivered to you, member discount on limited-edition fine-art prints created for Smithsonian Associates’ Art Collectors Program, and more.

Advocate ($175) All the above and additional benefits: An advance digital copy of the monthly program guide, two complimentary program tickets, and more.

Contributor ($300) All the above and additional benefits: Opportunity for advance registration for Smithsonian Summer Camp, recognition in the program guide’s annual donor list, and more.

Patron ($600) All the above and additional benefits: Four complimentary tickets to a headliner program, copy of the Smithsonian Annual Report, and more.

Sponsor ($1,000) All the above and additional benefits: Reserved seating at in-person programs, dedicated concierge phone line for inquiries and tickets, and more.

Partner ($2,500) All the above and additional benefits: Invitation for two to attend the prestigious annual Smithsonian Weekend, recognition in the annual report, and more.

Benefactor ($5,000) All the above and additional benefits: Recognition as a sponsor of a selected program, priority seating at all in-person programs, and more.

Bonus: Contributions at the Advocate level and higher include membership in Smithsonian Associates’ Circle of Support.

Lectures and Seminars—Single Session

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Viewing Smithsonian Associates Online programs on Zoom

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SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES ONLINE