Smithsonian Associates August 2023 program guide

Dear Friends and Members,

August marks the height of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This year may be remembered as the one when land and ocean temperatures reached new highs and fires, floods, and pollution added to a toxic environmental mix. Yet here at Smithsonian Associates, we remain optimistic for the future as our colleague scientists and researchers, curators and educators seek new ways to address these challenges in an initiative titled Life on a Sustainable Planet (science.si.edu).

We’re inviting you to join this work and find insights into the planet’s past and learn how we can contribute to building a resilient future while exploring and appreciating natural wonders today.

The ongoing geological survey of Western National Parks continues with profiles of sites in Oregon, California, and Wyoming that share volcanic origin stories (p. 28). New technologies shed light on the once-mysterious world beneath the waves, revealing dramatic oceanscapes of soaring mountains, deep abysses, and imagination-defying creatures (p. 30). Examine the American West’s environmental history as an ancient homeland with landscapes that humans have inhabited, modified, and managed across time (p. 31).

We can all do our part to help restore nature. Discover practical steps to rewild everything from public spaces to waterways, community gardens to window boxes (p. 31). Learn about some environmentally friendly strategies to address global light pollution and restore the luster of stargazing (p. 33).

Gather your hiking gear for study tours designed for nature lovers: Follow scenic paths at Great Falls, Virginia (p. 59); explore Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary on the Patuxent River (p. 61); and hike the Potomac Gorge at Carderock, Maryland (p. 63). And plan on a special autumn overnight experience at Shenandoah National Park (p. 61).

Looking forward to learning and adventuring with you!

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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 that visit a range of local and regional destinations in the Washington, D.C. area.

Thinking Like a Historian

Sat., Aug. 26

An Introduction to Sake

Thurs., Aug. 10

Learn about sake’s history, how it’s made, and how it’s categorized with sake expert and sake sommelier Jessica Joly-Crane. A sampling of sake follows the program.

(see p. 15)

Christopher Hamner, an associate professor of American history at George Mason University, guides you in how to think about and interpret the past in this unique workshop.

(see p. 5)

When Washington Burned

Thurs., Aug. 24

Historian

Robert P. Watson examines the British campaign and American missteps that led to the fall of Washington during the War of 1812.

(see p. 4)

Anderson Cooper on the Astors

Sat., Sept. 23

The story of the Astors is an American story of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention. Journalist Anderson Cooper, in conversation with CNN’s Dana Bash, discusses the family’s riveting history.

(see p. 10)

Studio Arts

Let your creative side shine in a wide variety of hands-on classes led by professional artists.

(see pp. 45–47)

Tours

Our expert-led tours offer one-of-a-kind travel experiences. They’re perfect ways to learn more about topics that intrigue you— and satisfy your yen for exploring.

(see pp. 57–64)

Naples and the Amalfi Coast: A Delicious Guide

Tues., Sept. 26

Food historian Francine Segan leads a delightful exploration of the foods and sights of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii. A reception follows the program with tastings of regional delights and recipes to take home.

(see p. 15)

Lidia Bastianich

Thurs., Oct. 5

Join Lidia Bastianich in conversation as she talks about the stories and passed-down recipes in her new cookbook, Lidia’s From Our Family Table to Yours, as well as how food has shaped her family memories.

(see p. 17)

Musical Event

A Middle Eastern Pantry

Tues., Oct. 24

Lior Lev Sercarz draws on his new cookbook, A Middle Eastern Pantry, offering homage to the pantry staples that define one of the world’s most ancient cuisines. A reception follows the program featuring spices and flavors discussed in the book.

(see p. 17)

DC Theater Preview

Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington

Mon., Oct. 2

Join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, and a panel of experts as they explore why D.C. is considered one of the best theater towns in the country and what’s in store on local stages large and small for the 2023–24 season.

(see p. 21)

Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Song

Thurs., Sept. 7–Nov. 2

Sing songs by the Beatles, Carole King, the Beach Boys, and others. Rehearsals culminate in a free performance on Nov. 9. No audition is required. Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble.

(see p. 19)

Read more about these in-person programs in this guide on our website. SmithsonianAssociates.org

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

America’s Main Street: Pennsylvania Avenue

America’s most famous avenue, connecting the White House and U.S. Capitol, hasn’t always been a grand thoroughfare. Pennsylvania Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood have been renovated, re-imagined, and revitalized over and over again. From Murder Bay, a center of crime, gambling, and prostitution to the stately boulevard of presidential inaugurations, Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, unfolds the story of a metamorphosis along America’s Main Street. Highlights include the White House; the Eisenhower Executive Office Building; Blair House; Federal Triangle; the Willard Hotel; the Old Post Office Tower; the J. Edgar Hoover Building; the U.S. Navy Memorial; the National Archives; and the Temperance Fountain.

Wed., Aug. 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-044; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Washington’s Neighborhoods: The Soul of the City

Locals in the capital city often make a distinction between “Washington” and “D.C.” Washington is the federal city—grand government buildings, monuments, memorials, and the icons of America’s capital. But D.C. is where the real soul of the city lives. Each of the District’s diverse neighborhoods has its own unique character, rooted in everything from the well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture of Georgetown to the up-to-the-minute transformation of the Southwest Waterfront. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, explores far beyond the Mall to find the real history of the District revealed in neighborhoods that also include LeDroit Park, Dupont Circle, and Mount Pleasant.

Wed., Sept. 6, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-048; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Epic Story of Wildlife and People in America

Historian Dan Flores chronicles the epoch in which humans and animals have coexisted in the “wild new world” of North America—a place shaped by evolutionary forces and momentous arrivals of humans from Asia, Africa, and Europe. These arrivals precipitated a massive disruption of the teeming environment they found. In telling the story, Flores sees humans not as a species apart but as a new animal entering a place that had never seen our like before.

Flores’s book Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America (W.W. Norton & Company) is available for purchase.

Mon., Aug. 7, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-019; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Dan Flores

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

The Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel in Georgetown, designed by James Renwick Jr. in 1850

“Celebrities in Chief”

American Presidents and the Culture of Stardom Americans today expect their president to be not only commander in chief, but also chief executive, crisis manager, and consoler. They also expect our national leader to be our “celebrity in chief.” Ken Walsh, a historian, author, and journalist who covered the White House for more than 30 years for U.S. News & World Report, highlights this important and fascinating theme in a richly illustrated and nonpartisan presentation.

Drawing the distinction between shallow celebrity (simply fame with no larger purpose) and consequential celebrity (fame linked to American values or goals), Walsh surveys presidents across the centuries who made the most effective use of their celebrity—and those who didn’t. Learn why he places Washington, Lincoln, both Roosevelts, Kennedy, Reagan, and Obama in the first category, while Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter represent the second.

Bill Clinton is offered as an example of a president whose celebrity produced a mixed record of success—a category into which Joe Biden also falls, for different reasons. And as Donald Trump seeks another term, Walsh looks at why he believes Trump will need to channel his celebrity in positive directions.

Tues., Aug. 22, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-022; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Only Winner in War Is Medicine

The history of medicine is replete with advances made by hard-working maverick doctors who made astonishing progress against humankind’s deadliest diseases. Yet surgeon Andrew Lam says one factor spurred more medical breakthroughs than any other: war. He reveals how D-Day, Luftwaffe bombing raids, top-secret Liberty ship cargo, and aerial dogfights bequeathed to humanity i nnovations in surgery, cancer treatment, and trauma care that still serve us today. Lam’s book on medical history, The Masters of Medicine: Our Greatest Triumphs in the Race to Cure Humanity’s Deadliest Diseases (BenBella Books), is available for purchase.

Wed., Aug. 23, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-281; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

When Washington Burned

Perhaps no other single day in U.S. history was as threatening to the survival of the nation as August 24, 1814, when British forces captured Washington, D.C. This unique moment significantly altered the nation’s path forward, but the event and the reasons behind it are little remembered by most Americans. Historian Robert P. Watson examines the British campaign and American missteps that led to the fall of Washington during the War of 1812.

He analyzes the actions of key figures on both sides of the conflict, pinpoints why the campaign was such a disaster for the United States, and covers the stories of the courageous young clerks and the bold first lady, Dolley Madison, who risked their lives to save priceless artifacts and documents, including the Constitution, from the flames.

Watson’s book When Washington Burned: The British Invasion of the Capital and a Nation’s Rise from the Ashes (Georgetown University Press) is available for purchase and signing.

Thurs., Aug. 24, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-390; Ripley Center; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt (left) before becoming president, with Richard Harding Davis, Stephen Bonsall, and Major George Dunn

Andrew Lam

Thinking Like a Historian: A Practical Guide

Whatever their area of expertise, professional historians draw on a shared set of practical skills—locating primary sources, placing them in context, reading texts closely and precisely, and corroborating multiple accounts—to make sense of the past.

In an innovative hands-on workshop, Christopher Hamner, an associate professor of American history at George Mason University, demystifies this process by guiding you in how to think about and interpret the past. Hamner introduces participants to the skills and thought processes of the historical profession, employing actual primary sources from 300 years of American history. Participants have the opportunity for hands-on work with sources and to practice thinking like a historian themselves.

10 a.m. Historical Thinking Skills

12:30 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own)

1:30 p.m. How Historians Think About Cause and Effect

Sat., Aug. 26, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1D0-023; Ripley Center; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

The Jesuits in the United States A Modern Perspective on 500 Years

The history of Catholicism in America cannot be told without the history of the Jesuits. David J. Collins, SJ, of Georgetown University offers a panoramic overview of the Jesuit order in the United States from the colonial era to the present and places it against the backdrop of American religious, cultural, and social history.

He compares the historical and contemporary relationship of Jesuit activities in America to those in Europe and other countries, especially in Latin America. Collins also covers the papacy’s suppression of the Jesuit order and its restoration period and reflects on its future in light of its past.

His book The Jesuits in the United States: A Concise History (Georgetown University Press) is available for purchase.

Thurs., Aug. 31, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-024; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Indigenous DC Native Peoples and the Nation's Capital

Washington, D.C., was built on American Indian land, but Indigenous peoples are often left out of the city’s narrative. To redress this invisibility, Elizabeth Rule, an assistant professor at American University and Chickasaw scholar-activist, shines a light on the contributions of Indigenous tribal leaders and politicians, artists, and activists to the history of the District of Columbia.

Rule explores sites of importance to Native peoples throughout the nation’s capital, including Theodore Roosevelt Island, the White House lawn, and Anacostia and the Potomac. She also showcases empowering stories of how the city is a place of tribal history, gathering, and advocacy.

Thurs., Sept. 7, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-283; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Lummi Nation totem poles at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

The George Peabody Library, a 19th-century focused research library of The Johns Hopkins University

The Making of England

England is by far the largest and most populous of the three nations that occupy the island of Britain, but how did its borders take their current shape, and why did Wales and Scotland maintain their distinctive national identities, despite eventually coming under English rule?

Historian Jennifer Paxton recounts how Germanic settlers mixed with the existing Celtic-speaking population at the end of Roman rule in Britain, leading to the rise of several small kingdoms that coalesced into the entity that we know as England.

Thurs., Sept. 7, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-274; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Scandalous Royals from George III to Charles III

Scandals about the royals have always been more than just fodder for the tabloids. They tell us a great deal about the power of public opinion, especially as Britain became an increasingly democratic nation, and how the royals have carefully crafted an image that balances their special status with a veneer of “ordinariness.”

Historian Julie Taddeo discusses several royal-family scandals from the reigns of “Mad King” George to the most recently crowned monarch. She highlights scandals that circulated around Charles III during his days as Prince of Wales and those involving his sons and daughters-in-law, particularly how “Megxit” echoes scandals past. The death of Queen Elizabeth II severed the nation’s most important tie to its imperial history and sense of greatness. Taddeo speculates if and how the monarchy can survive in a post-Brexit world under the rule of an elderly king.

Wed., Sept. 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-529; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

From Suez Purchase to Suez Crisis

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire

Beginning in 1875, Britain spread its institutions, culture, and language throughout a vast territorial empire that extended into North America, the Caribbean, areas of Africa, the entire Indian subcontinent, Australasia, territories in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and parts of the Middle East. For many Britons, the empire was a source of pride and an essential part of their national identity. Others feared imperialism was a betrayal of their liberal values of freedom.

By 1956, the British Empire had lost India and suffered humiliation at the hands of Egyptian nationalists during the Suez Crisis. Historian Richard Aldous examines how British rule changed the lives of those in the colonies, as well as how the empire changed the British themselves and led to the creation of the multiracial, multicultural society that Britain is today.

Tues., Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-784; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Richard II meeting with the rebels of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381

Charles III and Queen Camilla waving from the front balcony of Buckingham Palace

Lithograph of British infantry, 1887

Rebuilding Jewish Life in Postwar Germany

The American Zone of occupied Germany became the haven for about 250,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors from eastern Europe. These displaced persons built a full infrastructure with a Yiddish press, political parties, theaters, sports clubs, schools, and religious institutions on what they called the “blood-stained soil” of Germany. While 90% of them had left for Israel and the United States by the early 1950s, those remaining, together with German-Jewish survivors and returnees from exile, rebuilt Jewish life in postwar Germany.

Historian Michael Brenner discusses this era, what it means to be Jewish in Germany, and the importance to Germany of a vibrant Jewish community. He also examines the massive Russian-Jewish immigration following the fall of the Berlin Wall, which significantly increased Germany’s Jewish population, and includes the newest immigrant group—Israelis in Berlin.

Tues., Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-783; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Supreme Court: A Preview of the New Term

Each first Monday of October the Supreme Court’s justices begin hearing and deliberating the country’s most important—and often most controversial—legal cases. Each term the court hears cases that have the potential to reshape American law on topics including race, elections, education, and religious protections. And it’s important for engaged citizens to understand the role that the Supreme Court plays in our lives and how its decisions impact us.

Join Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law and one of the nation’s foremost Constitutional scholars, as he previews the critical issues raised in some of the cases the court will take up.

Wed., Sept. 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-786; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Impact of Ferdinand and Isabella From Christopher Columbus to Charles III

When Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile married in 1469, they incorporated not only their two kingdoms but also independent Spanish dominions into a large, unified country that wielded political and religious power over much of Europe for years. Tudor scholar and historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger traces the history of this famous couple and their lasting impact on the thrones of several European nations.

Lloyd-Stanger considers the individual accomplishments of Isabella as a rare female ruler at a time of male domination. She also delineates the legacy of Ferdinand and Isabella through royal houses of Europe right up to King Charles III.

Wed., Sept. 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-276; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

Berlin's New Synagogue, an iconic landmark in a neighborhood that was a thriving center of Jewish life before the Holocaust, reopened in 1995

Wedding portrait of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile

The Pursuit of Happiness

The African American Diaspora in the Revolutionary War

In return for taking up arms against the patriots in the American Revolutionary War, enslaved people won pledges from British military that they would be freed when Britain won the war. But what happened when Britain lost?

Historian Richard Bell explores these Black fugitives’ extraordinary odyssey through the remainder of Britain’s global empire after 1783 to examine the ways they tried to pursue happiness and forge an African American diaspora.

He reveals this forgotten chapter of the Revolutionary era through the life of Harry Washington, a loyalist stableman at Mount Vernon who found his way to Sierra Leone in 1792, where he sought to start a new life as an independent farmer. Bell traces the forces that led Washington and his fellow settlers to undertake a dramatic 1797 uprising to depose the colony’s British administrators and declare their own independence once and for all. Thurs., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-277; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall marked the tense epicenter of the Cold War for 28 years. Three decades after its building in 1961, the sudden, unexpected opening of the border symbolized the end of the Cold War. East Germans flooded through the divide into the arms of cheering West Berliners. But the scars it left have not fully gone away.

Nor have the questions it raised: Why was Berlin divided and how did it affect life in the city? What or who brought down the Berlin Wall? How is the legacy of division still visible in attitudes in East and West about Russia’s war on Ukraine?

Historian Hope M. Harrison of George Washington University examines these issues and others, including how the global memory of the Berlin Wall has influenced German memory and how it has joined the Holocaust as a fundamental part of German identity.

Wed., Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-782; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

New York City in the Gilded Age

A Cultural History

The late 19th century in New York City was an era of spectacular architecture, beautiful parks and squares, exquisite mansions, and palatial public buildings—all magnificent markers of what has become known as the Gilded Age and the wealth that made it possible.

Yet the city was a study in dichotomies, an urban society whose facets were both celebrated and critiqued in the writings of Edith Wharton and Henry James and boldly exposed by Jacob Riis in his photographs of immigrant life.

Lecturer George Scheper of Johns Hopkins University surveys the cultural panorama of New York and the contrasting realities of its inhabitants.

Thurs., Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-278; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Detail from John Singleton Copley, The Death of Major Peirson, 6 January 1781 (1783), Tate Gallery, London.

Crowd atop the Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate, 1989

Lodgers in a Crowded Bayard Street Tenement—Five Cents a Spot, 1889, by Jacob Riis

A New History of the American South

For at least two centuries, the South’s economy, politics, religion, race relations, fiction, music, and foodways have figured prominently in nearly all facets of American life. W. Fitzhugh Brundage, editor of A New History of the American South, discusses how the new book offers a fresh way of looking at a part of the country that many people think they have long figured out.

The volume weaves a new narrative of the South from its ancient past to the era of Black Lives Matter by drawing on well-established and new currents in scholarship, including global and Atlantic world history, histories of the African diaspora, and environmental history. It also encompasses individuals and groups whose experiences are absent from or underrepresented in scholarship of the South, including those of Black, Indigenous, and poor communities. Join Brundage in conversation with contributing historians

Kate Masur and Martha S. Jones

Copies of A New History of the American South (Ferris and Ferris Books) are available for purchase.

Wed., Sept. 20, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1L0-519; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Intelligence: The New Cold War

Intelligence was a defining characteristic of the Cold War, and it is again today, amid the geopolitical clash unfolding among the United States, China, and Russia. These shadow wars use disinformation, intelligence networks and the latest in technology to create disruption among the superpowers in the hopes of toppling governments and sowing discord.

Calder Walton, historian of intelligence and global security at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, goes inside the history of Cold War espionage, counterintelligence, and covert action. Using newly declassified records from both sides of the conflict, Walton provides fresh light on some of the most famous and infamous espionage cases in history and offers insights into the clandestine struggles being fought today between East and West—and where we seem to be heading.

Thurs., Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-787; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Countering the Myth of the Lost Cause

Truths About the Past

For generations the Myth of the Lost Cause cast a long shadow over the Civil War, America’s watershed event. The persistence of that narrative, created by ex-Confederates as a social and cultural movement to define the Confederacy’s value and justify the just-concluded conflict, remains part of contemporary America.

Historian Stephen D. Engle rejects that notion and challenges the enduring Southern reverence for the Confederacy. His analysis focuses on how slavery gave rise to the Republican Party that elected Abraham Lincoln, which incited secession and the Confederacy’s creation. Engle covers issues central to the myth over generations by targeting its origins during Reconstruction, its cultural endurance through the 1920s and the Great Depression, its challenges to the civil rights era, and even its symbolism in rallying patriotism today.

Tues., Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-279; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Lost Cause ideology includes fallacies about the relationships between slaves and their masters

W. Fitzhugh Brundage and Martha S. Jones

Anderson Cooper on the Astors

The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story—of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention. From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society.

In a new book, Astor: The Rise and Fall of An American Fortune, authors Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe chronicle the lives of the Astors and explore what their name has come to mean in America. Cooper, in conversation with Dana Bash, anchor and chief political correspondent at CNN, discusses the riveting history of a legendary American family and how they built and lavished their fortune.

A pre-signed copy of Astor: The Rise and Fall of An American Fortune (Harper) is included in the ticket price.

Sat., Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1L0-531; Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

The March of the Roman Legions

For nearly a thousand years, the Roman legions were the most successful infantry formation on a large part of the globe, carving out one of history’s greatest empires. In heavy-soled hobnailed boots and precise cadence, they marched from the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf bringing terror and death, as well as order and civilization. What was the secret of their success—and why did they eventually fail?

To answer these questions, author and military historian Barry Strauss of Cornell University examines some of Rome’s greatest battlefield victories, such as Cynoscephalae and Zama, as well as some of its greatest failures, including Cannae and Adrianople. Strauss’s most recent book is The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium.

Wed., Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-785; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

From Soft News to Hard News

The Long Journey of Women’s Sections

Get the scoop on the evolution of the women’s pages of newspapers and a female journalist who defied the staid conventions of her times and attracted millions of readers. For many years, most women’s sections focused on what were considered traditional female issues—clothes, homemaking, and child rearing, i.e., soft news. Eventually, they became more progressive in the issues they covered. Kimberly Voss, author and professor of journalism at the University of Central Florida, explores the significance of these sections and how they evolved. Soft news didn’t interest journalist Elsie Robinson, who wrote a well-read column for the Hearst empire in the early to mid 20th century, sharing her unapologetic opinions in support of women’s rights and immigrants and deriding racism. Allison Gilbert, a journalist and coauthor of Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, delves into Robinson’s career and life.

Wed., Sept. 27, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-292; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

How Cable Television Upended American Politics

As television began to overtake the political landscape in the 1960s, network broadcast companies, bolstered by powerful lobbying interests, dominated screens across the nation. Yet over the next three decades, the expansion of a different technology, cable, changed all of this.

Drawing on her new book, 24/7 Politics: Cable Television and the Fragmenting of America from Watergate to Fox News, Kathryn Cramer Brownell tells the story of how the cable industry worked with political leaders to create an entirely new approach to television, one that tethered politics to profits and divided and distracted Americans by feeding their appetite for entertainment—frequently at the expense of fostering responsible citizenship. She also examines how cable created new possibilities for antiestablishment voices and opened a pathway to political prominence for seemingly unlikely figures like Donald Trump by playing to narrow audiences and cultivating division instead of common ground.

Copies of 24/7 Politics (Princeton University Press) are available for purchase.

Tues., Oct. 3, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-533; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

American Icon: The Golden Gate Bridge

People called it “the bridge that couldn’t be built.” When first proposed in the 1910s, no suspension bridge had ever been constructed over such a distance or in such daunting open-ocean conditions. Spanning the famed mile-wide entrance to San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge was both a milestone of engineering and a monumental example of Art Deco architecture when completed in 1937.

Historian John Martini discusses the origins, design considerations, construction, and operational history of San Francisco’s most famous landmark. Learn about the bridge’s ongoing maintenance challenges along with its evolution into a worldwide symbol of San Francisco and California.

Wed., Oct. 4, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-049; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

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The First Battle of Manassas and the Experience of War

The first major battle of the Civil War took place on July 21, 1861, along the banks of Bull Run, some 25 miles from Washington, D.C. Expecting a quick victory, both Union and Confederate officers were surprised by their experience at Manassas and learned the painful lesson that waging war in practice is much more difficult than waging it in theory.

Career U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Marc Thompson examines the battle and its role in the Civil War.

Thurs., Oct. 5, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-022; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Special Offer: Receive a complimentary ticket to this program by registering for the Oct. 28 The First Battle of Manassas bus tour (see page 62).

The Battle for America: The French and Indian War

In all the centuries of wars fought between the European superpowers before 1740, North America had never been more than a sideshow. But that changed in 1756 as it took center stage in the world’s first truly global war, a conflict so massive that it spanned seven years and five continents in a bitter contest among the great empires of Britain, France, and Spain: the French and Indian War.

Historian Richard Bell focuses on the parts of this conflict that took place on American soil, tracking the shifting fortunes of the several European forces as well as their Indigenous and colonial American allies. He also considers the peculiar legacy of the American colonists’ involvement—a participation that reinforced a sense of themselves as essential partners in the British Empire but also sowed the seeds of the imperial crisis that would culminate in American independence just 20 years later Tues., Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-287; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Visiting the Normandy Battlefields

A Military History Travel Talk

Journalist Kevin Dennehy, a military veteran who co-authored The D-Day Visitor’s Handbook, provides an overview of what you need to know to plan and make the most of your visit to the site of the biggest seaborne invasion in history: the Normandy battlefields. While describing the most significant land invasion of World War II, he provides information on detailed battlefield maps and tours, identifies monuments and attractions, and locates museums and historical sites to make your planning easier and less stressful. He also shares tips on where to stay, dine, and shop; the best D-Day museums; and how to find war relics still at the battlefield sites.

Dennehy’s newest book, The D-Day Visitor’s Handbook, 80th Anniversary Edition: Your Guide to the Normandy Battlefields and WWII Paris (Skyhorse Publishing), is available for purchase.

Wed., Oct. 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-417; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

A View of the Taking of Quebec, 1797 engraving

A Brief History of Taiwan

Taiwan, a small island off the southeastern coast of China, has played an outsized role in modern Asian politics. Long before it became a global flashpoint, however, Taiwan experienced a revolving door of migrants and foreign conquerors, each of whom left a distinct legacy behind. Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, provides an overview of Taiwan’s complex history over the past several centuries, from Austronesian seafarers and Dutch merchants to Japanese conquerors and Chinese refugees.

Wed., Oct. 25, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-301; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Religion in the Andes

Civilization in the Andes Mountains emerged in almost complete isolation from other parts of the world, as did religion there. Three critical concepts underpin Andean religion: animism and anthropomorphism, oracular divination, and ancestor worship, says Kevin Lane, an archaeologist and senior researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council at the University of Buenos Aires.

Lane delves into the nature of Inca religious practice and traces the emergence of organized religion in the highland Andes. He focuses on how religion was changing just before the arrival of the Spanish in 1532, especially the role of animism and anthropomorphism in viewing landscapes and their elements as living beings.

Mon., Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-298; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Constantine the Great The First Christian Roman Emperor?

Few individuals have played such a dramatic role in history, or provoked as much controversy, as the Roman emperor Constantine (306–337). In October 312, after he triumphed against his rival Maxentius, Constantine became the first Roman emperor to declare his support for Christianity. Over the next 25 years, he poured imperial patronage and resources into the church.

Yet in more modern times, commentators have questioned Constantine’s motives and the sincerity of his faith. David Gwynn, an associate professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, focuses on the words of Constantine himself to understand him and offers a new evaluation of his legacy.

Wed., Nov. 1, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-306; 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.

Visit SmithsonianAssociates.org for more information

Chihkan Tower, originally a Dutch fort, was rebuilt under the Qing dynastic rule

mosaic ca. 1000

CEPHOTO, UWE ARANAS

Andrew Jackson’s Presidency and the Rise of the Democratic Party

From 1829 to 1837 no figure dominated American political culture as did Andrew Jackson. Historians and the public alike remain fascinated by Jackson, his presidency, and his impact on the development of the Democratic Party. “Old Hickory” was a complex man whose forceful personality transformed the nation’s struggle for popular rights into the two-party system we know today. His leadership style reversed decades of congressional supremacy and shifted power from the aristocrats and elites to the common man.

Historian Stephen D. Engle examines Jackson’s enormous influence on the people and the presidency and traces how his political triumph, his bold executive initiatives, and his popular appeal transformed the social and cultural landscape that gave rise to a legacy that has become controversial because of his stance on slavery.

Mon., Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-289; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Three Pillars of Chinese Culture: Architecture, Film, and Ideology

Chinese culture boasts a vibrant history reaching back thousands of years. This three-part series introduces enduring elements of Chinese architecture, examines how the modern era was represented in early 20th-century films, and delves into the sweeping cultural changes enacted under communism.

Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, is the author of several books, including The Compensations of Plunder: How China Lost Its Treasures.

NOV 7 Chinese Architecture

NOV 28 Chinese Silent Films

DEC 19 Cultural Reform under Mao

3-session series: Tues., Nov. 7, Nov. 28, Dec. 19, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-302; Members $60; Nonmembers $70

Individual sessions: Tues., Nov. 7 (CODE 1J0-302A); Tues, Nov. 28 (CODE 1J0-302B); Tues., Dec. 19 (CODE 1J0-302C), 6:45 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Live from Turkey Exploring Anatolia: A Turkish Odyssey

Anatolia’s colorful history has left a windfall of riches—ancient ruins, ornate Byzantine churches, supremely elegant mosques, and magnificent Ottoman palaces. In an illustrated series, Serif Yenen, a Turkish-born tour guide and author, highlights the heritage and splendor of ancient Turkey through an examination of some of its cultural gems.

NOV 8 Neolithic and Bronze Ages

NOV 15 Iron-Age, Hellenistic, and Roman Periods

NOV 22 Christianity in Anatolia

NOV 29 The Turkish Period’s Capitals

4 sessions: Wed., Nov. 8–29, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-239; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Ulu Cami mosque in Bursa, completed ca. 1399

Facade of the Library of Celsus at Ephesus, completed ca. 117

CULTURE HI STORY CU LTURE

ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS

TOURS

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

In Person

An Introduction to Sake With Tasting

Sake, the national drink of Japan, is making its mark in the United States. Consisting of four key ingredients—rice, water, yeast, and koji (a fermentation agent)—the beverage is transforming the way culinary experts approach food pairings across the world.

Sake expert and professional kikizakeshi (sake sommelier) Jessica Joly-Crane of Sake Discoveries discusses the basics behind this historic, yet revolutionary drink. Learn about sake’s history, how it’s made, and how it’s categorized. Joly-Crane analyzes three types of sake based on region, aroma, tasting notes, and pairing ideas. Use your new-found knowledge as you enjoy samples of sake following the presentation.

Thurs., Aug. 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-527; Ripley Center; Members $50; Nonmembers $65

Spices 101: Garlic

In defiance of its unassuming stature, garlic is a culinary heavyweight. Few ingredients appear in as many recipes or skip across international cuisines so lightly. Its power isn’t limited to the kitchen: Garlic is reputed to repel vampires, snakes, and evil spirits and has through the ages been decried by various world religions. Cookbook author Eleanor Ford examines the botany, cultivation, history, and lore of garlic. She explores the flavor profiles of garlic in its many forms and how various cooking methods can adjust its effect. She also offers plenty of kitchen tips, tricks, and recipes along the way.

Wed., Sept. 13, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-047; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

In Person

Naples and the Amalfi Coast: A Delicious Guide With Tasting

Food historian Francine Segan leads a delightful exploration of the most delicious foods and unforgettable sights of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii. Learn about distinctive Italian specialties including buffalo milk mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, limoncello, and the weird but wonderful chocolate eggplant dessert, melanzane al cioccolato. Throughout, Segan shares the most intriguing destinations to visit on your next trip to Italy. Then enjoy a reception featuring regional delights and take home recipes and recommendations for creating your own delicious Neapolitan specialties, both savory and sweet.

Tues., Sept. 26, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-025; Ripley Center; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Amalfi, Italy

Jessica Joly-Crane

Italian Summer Wine Adventures

AUG 18 Drink Like an Italian Sommelier

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE

Spend several fascinating Friday 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.

Italian wines captivate the hearts, minds, and palates of many American wine lovers, but their consumption is largely limited to a few major varieties and appellations. Reflecting thousands of grape varieties, Italian wine is an immensely complex subject that can make even the most knowledgeable sommelier’s head spin. Segelbaum unravels the subject in a delicious, off-the beaten-path exploration of some wonderful yet lesser-known Italian wines. If you’ve ever wanted to drink like an Italian sommelier, this is the session for you!

SEPT 22 Piedmont Wines Explored

With September marking the start of the Piedmontese truffle season, it’s only fitting to explore the complementary wines of one of Italy’s most famed regions, home to more DOCGs than any other in Italy. While Barolo reigns supreme here, Piedmont’s wines have so much more to offer. Learn why Nebbiolo is named for the famed “nebbia” fog and how Piedmont’s semi-alpine wines belong at almost any dinner table.

Northern Italy’s Piedmont region

Individual sessions: Fri., Aug. 18 (CODE 1L0-524); Fri., Sept. 22 (CODE 1L0-525), 6 p.m., Members $65; Nonmembers $75

Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes curated personal tasting kits 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 series. Each session has separate kits available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program, 1–5 p.m. at Restaurant Chloe, 1331 4th St. SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line. Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to each session. 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 Art Collectors presents

The Art of Philip Guston

Inscapes: Words and Images was a 1976 city-wide festival held in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the collaboration of poetry and visual arts. To commemorate the festival, the Smithsonian commissioned Guston and poet Stanley Kunitz to create this collaborative work inspired by and featuring one of Kunitz's poems.

Philip Guston Now is on view through August 27 at the National Gallery of Art.

Inscapes: Words and Images, 1977 Poster | Retail: $35; Member: $20*

*Member pricing applies to Promoter level and above For membership levels visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Jacques Pépin: Cooking My Way

All great chefs know not to waste ingredients, time, or effort—and for master chef Jacques Pépin, this means thinking efficiently about cooking, even at home. In his new book Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way, the legendary cooking teacher offers 150 recipes and illustrated menus for each season—as well as insights on cooking economically at home with techniques that save money, time, and cleanup effort.

For example: Shop for ingredients seasonally when they’re the most affordable, flavorful, and full of nutrition. Don’t overlook inexpensive cuts of meat and poultry. Use up as much of your ingredients up as possible, like saving your meat and vegetable trimmings for a stock, soup, or eventually, a sauce. Transform leftovers into an entirely new, pleasurable meal. Find more great tips when Pépin joins chef Carla Hall for a lively conversation about smart home-kitchen strategies that produce delicious results

Copies of Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way (Harvest) are available for purchase. Thurs., Sept. 28, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-530; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

In Person

Lidia Bastianich From Our Family Table to Yours

Nothing brings a family together like food. And no one knows food like Lidia Bastianich. In her new cookbook, Lidia’s From Our Family Table to Yours, she shares the dishes she cooks for those she loves the most. It’s the first book Lidia has written since the death of her mother, Nonna. Filled with family stories and passed-down recipes, in many ways it can be seen as a tribute to her.

The book features the traditional recipes that graced Lidia’s table as a young girl alongside the new creations that she makes for her children and grandchildren today. Bringing together more than a hundred easy-to-make Italian recipes, From Our Family’s Table to Yours is a celebration of the dishes Lidia’s family turns to over and over—and the next-best thing to a seat at her kitchen table. Join Lidia as she discusses favorite recipes and how food has shaped her family memories.

Copies of Lidia’s From Our Family Table to Yours (Knopf) are available for purchase and signing.

Thurs., Oct. 5, 6:45 p.m; Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art; CODE 1L0-532; Members $25; Nonmembers $30; Member + Book $50; Nonmember + Book $65

In Person

A Middle Eastern Pantry

Growing up on a kibbutz in northern Israel, spice master Lior Lev Sercarz has a long affinity for local ingredients and produce. After becoming a chef and then devoting his career to sourcing and blending spices, he recognized the intensive labor, skill, and craftsmanship that goes into the development of Middle Eastern pantry staples, from olives to silan (date molasses) and tahini to sujuk (a fermented and dried sausage).

Drawing on his new cookbook, A Middle Eastern Pantry, Sercarz explores the everyday ingredients used throughout this vast region as he offers an homage to the staples that define Middle Eastern cuisine. He looks at the production, history, and cultural resonance of the pantry items and shares an array of recipes crafted for home kitchens.

Join Sercarz as he discusses recipes from his book, as well as origin stories that lend cultural relevance and insight into one of the world’s most ancient and beloved cuisines. Afterward, enjoy a light reception featuring spices and flavors discussed in the book.

Copies of A Middle Eastern Pantry (Clarkson Potter) are available for purchase and signing.

Tues., Oct. 24, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-535; Ripley Center; Members $40; Nonmembers $50

Jacques Pépin

Ayn Rand: The Controversy Continues

Few people are neutral about Russian-American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand. She generated legions of fans—and detractors—through her bestselling books The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and her ideology. As the founder of Objectivism, Rand positioned herself as a defender of the individual who provided a philosophical base for the ideals of the Enlightenment and its greatest political achievement, the United States.

Why is Rand so controversial to this day? Onkar Ghate, a senior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute, explores some of the central ideas of Rand’s worldview and why they continue to draw both devoted adherents and impassioned rejection.

Tues., Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-778; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks: Grandmasters of Comedy

For more than seven decades, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks made America laugh, through either their remarkable solo careers or their legendary partnership. Media historian Brian Rose takes a look at (and gives a listen to) their impressive achievements, from their work together on comedian Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” and their creation of the classic “2,000-Year-Old Man” sketches to their accomplishments as writers, directors, and performers.

And no one will ever pull off sporting a cocked, broadbrimmed hat and flowing cape like Brooks, even if they live to be 2,000.

Wed., Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-279; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Kurt Weill: Romantic Satirist, Modern Populist

Throughout his career, whether shaping German modernism in Weimar or composing musical theater masterpieces in the United States, Kurt Weill never wavered from his belief that music was a democratic art and that America best embodied that democracy.

Pianist and popular lecturer Rachel Franklin explores the early works that led to Weill’s extraordinary partnership with Bertolt Brecht and traces his subsequent artistic evolution on Broadway working with lyricists including Ira Gershwin, Langston Hughes, and Maxwell Anderson—collaborations that produced such beloved songs as “Speak Low,” “September Song,” “Lost in the Stars,” and “My Ship.” Featured works include Mahagonny Songspiel, The Threepenny Opera, Knickerbocker Holiday, Lady in the Dark, and Street Scene.

Tues., Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-380; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

instagram.com/smithsonianassociates

Carl Reiner

Mel Brooks

Portrait of Ayn Rand for the first edition of Atlas Shrugged by Phyllis Cerf, 1957

Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya at home, 1942

Reading Faulkner

Chronicler of the Deep South in Literature

He was an uncompromising modernist, a great chronicler of the American South, and an inspiration—as well as an immovable obstacle—for the generations of writers who followed. William Faulkner stands as one of the greatest, and one of the most problematic, figures in American literature.

A reading series led by Michael Gorra, author of The Saddest Words: William Faulkner’s Civil War, focuses on a trio of Faulkner’s greatest novels: The Sound and the Fury, Light in August, and Absalom, Absalom!

3-session series: Mon., Aug. 21, Sept. 18, and Oct. 23, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-021; Members $60; Nonmembers $70

Individual sessions: Mon., Aug. 21 (CODE 1D0-021A); Mon., Sept. 18 (CODE 1D0-021B); Mon., Oct 23 (CODE 1D0-021C); 6:45 p.m.; General Admission $25

The Genius of Sergei Rachmaninoff

Prodigious as pianist, conductor, and composer, throughout his life Sergei Rachmaninoff bestrode the musical world like a colossus. In his 150th birthday year, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin celebrates his unparalleled mastery of all these fields through recordings, video clips, and live demonstrations at her piano.

British-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music, film scores, and the fine arts.

SEPT 6 Russian Roots

SEPT 13 Conquering a New World

2 sessions: Wed., Sept. 6 and 13, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-386; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Song

Looking for a choral program that celebrates memorable music across the decades? This is the one for you. Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the hits you know and love, such as songs by the Beatles, Carole King, the Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, and others. Singers receive general instruction in vocal techniques that include exercises in healthy breath management and improving your singing tone and range, and rehearsals culminate in a free performance. No audition is required. However, it is important that participants be able to sing on pitch; have a basic understanding of musical notation; follow a choral score as music is rehearsed; and practice their vocal part by listening to rehearsal links that are provided.

9 sessions plus performance: Thurs., Sept. 7–Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m.; Thurs., Nov. 9 performance, 7 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1P0-813; Members $120; Nonmembers $135

William Faulkner

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Over the Rainbow: The Hollywood Career of Judy Garland

Judy Garland was one of the most talented people to ever set foot in Hollywood. While she was among the greatest live entertainers in show biz history and one of the top recording artists of her time, her appearances in front of the camera remain her legacy. Media historian Brian Rose examines her remarkable Hollywood career, which began in her young teens at MGM and continued with such timeless classics as The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, Easter Parade, and her stirring comeback in 1954’s A Star is Born.

Tues., Sept. 12, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-282; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

“One for My Baby”

The Hollywood Songbook of Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra had a voice that was mesmerizing in person and evocative in recordings. It was ideally suited for the big screen as well. His 100 musical performances in motion pictures reveal a vocalist who almost from the start recognized how the camera could enhance his artistry as much as the microphone did.

Media historian Brian Rose surveys Sinatra’s extraordinary Hollywood musical career, which began with uncredited appearances with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and continued through his celebrated days with the Rat Pack.

Mon., Oct. 16, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-294; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Taiwan’s Vibrant Cuisine

For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been miscategorized under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food, says Clarissa Wei, a journalist based in Taipei. Her new cookbook, Made in Taiwan, makes a case for why it deserves its own spotlight. In it she offers an in-depth exploration of the vibrant food and culture of Taiwan, with over 100 recipes inspired by the people who live there today. Join Wei in conversation with food writer Esther Tseng as she discusses the flavorful cuisine of Taiwan—and what makes it distinctive in Asian cooking.

Copies of Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation (Simon Element) are available for purchase.

Tues., Sept. 19, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-528; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Clarissa Wei

Chaucer’s European Life

Biographer Marion Turner offers a fresh account of the extraordinary story of how a wine merchant’s son became the poet of The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer is often called the father of English literature, but Turner reveals him as a great European writer and thinker. Drawing on new information about Chaucer’s travels, private life, and the circulation of his writings, she reconstructs in detail the cosmopolitan world of Chaucer’s adventurous life, focusing on the places and spaces that fired his imagination.

From the wharves of London to the frescoed chapels of Florence, Turner recounts Chaucer’s experiences as a prisoner of war in France, as a father visiting his daughter’s nunnery, as a member of a chaotic Parliament, and as a diplomat in Milan, interweaving the story of his life with the story of his writings.

Fri., Sept. 22, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-394; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov

Two Great Russian Novels

For more than a century, Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov have captivated readers with their spellbinding narratives, philosophical brilliance, and insights into human psychology and spirituality. Join Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, as he takes you inside two of the most consequential novels ever written and explores how their insights continue to illuminate our lives today.

10 a.m. A Tale of Two Novelists

11:15 a.m. Anna Karenina: The “Perfect” Novel?

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. The Brothers Karamazov: Toward the “Theological” Novel

2 p.m. Anna Karenina and The Brothers Karamazov: In Dialogue

Sat., Sept. 23, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-290; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

DC Theater Preview 2023–24

Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington

Washington is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, and theater is set to be especially exciting in the 2023–2024 season. With more than 80 professional companies in the area, how can theater fans really know what might be the hottest ticket in town, what’s worth the price, and what they might be able to skip?

As part of the annual Theatre Week celebration, join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, and a panel of experts as they explore why D.C. is considered one of the best theater towns in the country and what’s in store on local stages large and small.

Mon., Oct 2, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-028; Ripley Center; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Anna Karenina by Aleksei Mikhailovich Kolesov, 1885, National Museum in Warsaw

Fyodor Dostoevsky (detail) by Vasily Perov, 1872

Gothic Fairy Tales

A lonely, overgrown castle sits abandoned in a dark wood. Villagers whisper that the tallest tower contains a beautiful princess, trapped in dreams from which only a foretold love may wake her. While it is easy to believe that this story is taken from an old Gothic novel, of course it describes the “Sleeping Beauty” fairy tale. Gothic literature and the fairy tale are, in fact, much more closely related than one might expect.

Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore the connection between these two seemingly disparate literary modes. They are cofounders of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic.

Wed., Oct. 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-293; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Supernatural Classics

Musical Magic, Ghouls, and Ghosts

What do Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit, Schubert’s Erl-King, and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique have in common? All are deliciously spooky excursions into the musical supernatural, eternally popular with classical audiences eager to experience a good scare within the relative safety of respectable art music.

The febrile world of enchantment and witchery has always appealed to composers, and the range of works featuring spectral creatures, demonic valets, trolls, devils, and necromancers is vast. In the perfect run-up to Halloween, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin leads a hair-raising tour of some of the best-loved classical music haunts, showcasing works by Mozart, Mussorgsky, Berlioz, Dukas, Liszt, Britten, Schubert, Ravel, Humperdinck, Offenbach, Saint-Saens, and others.

Mon., Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-402; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Movie Monsters

Exploring the Art Behind Classic Creature Features

Join film historian Max Alvarez for a romp through the weird, blood-curdling, and often downright outrageous netherworld of classic movie monsters. In a rich multimedia presentation featuring film selections and behind-the-scenes secrets of legendary and notorious creature features, Alvarez traces the movie monster from the early silent era (including Thomas Edison’s 1910 Frankenstein and F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu) to the succession of computer-generated horrors that have flourished during the 21st century.

Along the way Alvarez looks at the Universal monster cycle launched in the early 1930s and subsequent Cold War–era creature chillers like The Thing and Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Japanese monster movie and its family of destructive creatures—including Gojira, Mothra, and Rodan—that set cinema screens ablaze during the 1950s and ’60s. And although movie monsters faced serious underemployment during the 1970s, he examines how Ridley Scott’s bloodcurdling Alien gave renewed life to the genre and a pre-CGI James Cameron brought dignity to hand-crafted horrors in his late-’80s sequel, Aliens

Thurs., Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-399; Members $30;

Nonmembers $35

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

Broadway’s Backstory

The Evolution of an Entertainment Powerhouse

Today Broadway is a globally recognized brand representing roughly 40 legitimate playhouses located in and around Times Square. But prior to that, it was a sprawling entertainment mecca encompassing a considerable range of stage forms. Minstrelsy, vaudeville, nightclubs, and burlesque were all an integral part of Broadway in the early 1900s. Ragtime and jazz were developed and refined here. And it was primarily on Broadway that the American musical was born.

The so-called Main Stem has a rich and complex history. It reaches back to the 1700s and continues to reflect the social, cultural, and political sensibilities of the country. Musical theater artist and historian Ben West chronicles the development of the Broadway stage and highlights several pivotal artists and shows along the way— particularly musicals. Join him for an exciting and informative look at the dazzling history of the original incubator of American entertainment.

Mon., Oct. 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-023; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Special Offer: Receive a complimentary ticket to this program by registering for the Dec. 13 Radio City Music Hall bus tour by Oct. 1 (see page 64).

Stephen Sondheim: Wizard of Broadway

For over five decades he spun his words and music to be sung on the stages of Broadway theaters. Stephen Sondheim transformed musical theater into psychodrama, exploring characters and emotions in such a novel and robust way so that no one ever leaves the theater quietly after a Sondheim musical.

American music specialist Robert Wyatt leads a path through Sondheim’s life and creations, from the trailblazing contributions of West Side Story, Follies, and Company to the animated precision of shows like A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd to the boldness of later works such as Assassins and Passion. The program is brought to life with musical recordings, videos of performances, cast albums, and clips of Sondheim speaking. Experience the wizardry of Stephen Sondheim as Wyatt pairs the virtuosity of his words with the passion of his music—which sends you exiting the theater with “Send in the Clowns” ringing in your ears.

Tues., Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-284; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Beethoven Symphonies

A new century literally began as Ludwig van Beethoven completed his first symphony in the year 1800. Within the next quarter century, his great cycle of nine symphonies was complete, taking its place as the measure for the entire symphonic repertoire that followed it. In a 5-part series, classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein uses the finest audio and video recording as he discusses each symphony, as well as examines Beethoven’s personal journey of creation against the backdrop of Viennese society.

OCT 17 Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2

OCT 24 Symphonies No. 3 (“Eroica”) and No. 4

OCT 31 Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6

NOV 7 Symphonies No. 7 and No. 8

NOV 14 Symphony No. 9

5 sessions: Tues., Oct. 17–Nov. 14, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-283; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

Jews and Arabic

Judeo-Arabic, Its Literature, and Why It Matters

Between the 6th and 11th centuries, Arabic was the native language of most of the Jewish population. Focusing on the writings of central thinkers and scholars during this critical era of Rabbinic Judaism, Miriam Goldstein, a scholar of interreligious relations in the medieval Arabic-speaking world, examines the significance of the sweeping linguistic and cultural transformations in Judeo-Arabic religious scholarship that shaped Judaism as we know it today.

OCT 18 Speaking, Reading, and Writing Arabic: A Revolution in Jewish History

OCT 25 The New Jewish Bookshelf: The Lasting Impact of the Adoption of Arabic

NOV 1 How Does it “Read” in Arabic? New Ways to Write about the Bible

NOV 8 The Queen and the Handmaiden: Hebrew vs. Arabic in Jewish Literature

NOV 15 How Do We Know This? Manuscript Hunting in the 19th Century

5 sessions: Wed., Oct. 18–Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-281: Members $85; Nonmembers $95

In Search of the Soul

Comparative Visions in World Religions

What is the soul? What animates our bodies? Does a part of us continue to exist after death?

Comparative religion scholar Graham Schweig explores perspectives from ancient traditions around the world as he examines concepts such as pre-existence and immortality, nature spirits, ancestral connections, “non-soul” paradigms, and divine spirits and beings. He draws on mystical texts, sacred writings, poetry, art, and music to illuminate the mystery of the self and considers how they can offer profound visions of the soul that speak to us today.

Thurs., Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-286; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Smithsonian Nights at the Opera Operas of Giuseppe Verdi

Showcasing the Beauty of the Human Voice

The operas La traviata and Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi occupy unassailable positions as two of the most frequently performed in the world today, and his Aida and Otello have also maintained widespread popularity since their first performances in the late 19th century. Recognized as pinnacles of inspiration from an operatic master widely regarded as the national composer of Italy, these works are treasured for their emotional power and exceptional understanding of the capabilities of the solo voice singing in Italian.

Musicologist Daniel E. Freeman offers a survey of four of Verdi’s most popular operas with an emphasis on the ways in which they reflect the composer’s approach to musical setting and character development. Analysis of the principal musical and dramatic components of each work includes video recordings of performances staged at the world’s leading opera houses.

OCT 19 Verdi’s Operatic Style

OCT 26 Rigoletto (1851)

NOV 2 La traviata (1853)

NOV 9 Aida (1871)

NOV 16 Otello (1887)

5 sessions: Thurs., Oct. 19–Nov. 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1M2-285; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

13th-century Judeo-Arabic manuscript of Toledot Yeshu (Life of Jesus)

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Much Ado About Shakespeare

Why Three Great Comedies Still Matter Today

Though Shakespeare is well-known for such tragedies as Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, he is also one of the greatest playwrights in the history of comedy. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, explores how three of Shakespeare’s comedies—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It—continue to enchant audiences with their brilliant psychological insights, profound meditations on human nature, and spellbinding lyricism.

10 a.m. Shakespeare’s Comedies: Elements of a Genre

11:15 a.m. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Shakespearean Lyricism

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. As You Like It: The Forest, the Court, and the Spaces of Comedy

2 p.m. Twelfth Night: Mistaken Identity and Misplaced Desire

Sat., Oct. 21, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-296; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

More Concertos: Front and Center!

A superb concerto performance is one of the great emotional highs of the concert experience. Concertos can be intimate, grand, virtuosic, or downright gladiatorial. Little can beat the adrenaline rush that we feel when the soloist thunders at top speed towards a colossal musical peak, with the orchestra surging massively just behind. (Just think Rachmaninoff.) But how did this singularly theatrical art form evolve, and why does it remain as treasured as ever with audiences?

Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin returns to the fascinating topic of concertos with a follow-up course to her previous exploration of this most glamorous form of musical display. Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and both historic and contemporary video clips to explore the birth of the solo concerto, glory in its great masterpieces, and consider its role in more modern times.

OCT 26 Early Masters

NOV 2 Classical Perfection

NOV 9 The Glory of Virtuosity

NOV 16 Concertos of Our Time

4 sessions: Thurs., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 12–2 p.m. ; CODE 1K0-400; Members $95; Nonmembers $105

More Stories from the American Songbook

Explore more wonderful songs from the golden age of the Great American Songbook and the stories behind their long and unexpected lives. This season, each session takes up the work of a famous songwriting team and some of their forever-familiar songs, where daydreams and romance, razzle-dazzle, and all our “where or whens” still live.

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

NOV 1 George and Ira Gershwin

NOV 15 Rodgers and Hart

NOV 29 Kander and Ebb

3-session series: Wed., Nov. 1, 15, and 29, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-403; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Individual sessions: Wed., Nov. 1 (CODE 1K0-404); Wed., Nov. 15 (CODE 1K0-405); Wed., Nov. 29 (CODE 1K0-406); 12-1:15 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Duel Scene from ‘Twelfth Night’ by William Powell Frith, 1842

Franz Liszt Fantasizing at the Piano by Josef Danhauser, 1840

High School Classics Revisited

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

The Scarlet Letter

For many American high school students, reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel The Scarlet Letter from 1850 is a literary rite of passage, introducing them to the time’s moral codes and immersing them in the Puritans’ notions of gender, sexuality, and religion. Luzzi returns to this touchstone of American literature to see how and why it is still relevant and fresh today. Explore the nuances of Hawthorne’s language and style and the ways in which his vivid characters, especially the embattled protagonist Hester Prynne, and their plights relate to concerns in the modern world.

Thurs., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-288; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Catcher in the Rye

Many young readers list reading J.D. Salinger’s blockbuster novel, The Catcher in the Rye, as one of their most formative and influential experiences with literature. Luzzi revisits this epochal work to see how it has aged since its publication in 1951, highlighting the ways in which readers throughout the world continue to see themselves reflected in the tormented character of its complex protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Luzzi discusses how Salinger’s novel connects with issues and concerns in postwar American life and their effects on generational struggles.

Thurs., Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-291; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Great Gatsby

Many people consider F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, a candidate for the Great American Novel. Why do its themes—especially Jay Gatsby’s quest for the American Dream through his vast wealth and lifelong love for Daisy—resonate so powerfully with readers? Luzzi revisits Fitzgerald’s iconic work to see how, almost 100 years after its publication in 1925, the work continues to cast a powerful spell with its piercing psychological insights and gorgeously lyrical language.

Thurs., Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-295; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck’s literary portraits of American life remain as captivating today as when they were written decades ago. Luzzi explores the themes, ideas, and style of Steinbeck’s brief 1937 masterpiece Of Mice and Men. This haunting tale of friendship and economic struggle continues to enchant readers today. Luzzi explores how Steinbeck’s depictions of those on the margins of American society present a powerful record of human psychology and the broader economic forces that can shape—and in some cases unmake—a life.

Thurs., Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-297; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Mini Skirts, Pantsuits, and Go-Go Boots

Fashion in the 1960s

The youth culture of the 1960s collided with haute couture like an atomic bomb. Design historian and curator Elizabeth Lay examines how Influences like Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, the Rolling Stones, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and antiestablishment creeds resulted in massive shifts in fashion—as did the Pill, the Cold War, space travel, and new materials.

Baby boomers were a rising force, demanding clothing that was versatile and affordable. Established fashion houses closed as their places were filled by ready-to-wear shops like Mary Quant in London. The look was androgenous, slim and lithe with large, exaggerated eyes as epitomized by Twiggy and her lean, boyish figure. Models like China Machado and Iman represented a wider range of ethnicities.

Pierre Cardin was expelled from the Chambre Syndicale for creating a line of ready-towear, and Yves Saint Laurent took it further with his enormously popular Rive Gauche line in 1966…and the go-go boots marched on. Join Lay for a delightfully illustrated look at the youthquake that shook the world of fashion.

Wed., Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-411; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Elvis in Hollywood

From 1956 to 1969, Elvis Presley made 31 films, starring in all but one. That’s a remarkable achievement, and it helped make him one of the wealthiest performers in Hollywood. But Elvis’s dream of being taken seriously as an actor was never fulfilled, thanks to the crass commercial instincts of his manager, Col. Tom Parker.

Media historian Brian Rose examines Presley’s Hollywood career, which started off with such promise in films such as King Creole and Jailhouse Rock but concluded with dozens of mediocre movies like Harum Scarum and Paradise, Hawaiian Style. Rose also looks at musical highlights of Presley’s movies, including “Love Me Tender,” “Return to Sender,” and “Viva Las Vegas.”

Fri., Nov. 17, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-303; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Leadership Lessons from Shakespeare From the Battlefield to the Boardroom

Writing in a time of civil unrest, religious chaos, and threat of foreign invasion, William Shakespeare lived in the heart of England’s power center and saw the best and worst of leaders and leadership. He captured it all in some of the most famous stories in history, from the dangers of out-ofcontrol ambition in Macbeth to the power of an inspirational speech in Henry V, and from the pitfalls of procrastination in Hamlet to the value of building consensus in Julius Caesar

Shakespeare and Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores the lasting lessons that can be found in Shakespeare’s plays by comparing effective actions of Antony and Henry V to the mistakes of Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear. She analyzes how Shakespeare considered some of the greatest challenges leaders faced and what contributed to their success or failure. She also links the characters and stories of 16th–century England to the 21st century through Shakespeare’s timeless understanding of human behavior and interaction.

Tues., Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2290; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

King Henry V, by unknown artist, late 16th or early 17th century

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY/ LONDON

A Grand Tour of the Solar System

A Grand Tour of the Solar System

Presented in partnership with George Mason University Observatory

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.

Mars, Voted Most Likely

Mars is the most explored planet in our solar system besides Earth, and for good reason. Although its surface is cold and inhospitable, evidence from nearly 50 years of robotic exploration suggests that Mars was once much more Earth-like. Katie Stack Morgan, the deputy project scientist on the Perseverance rover mission and a mission scientist on the Curiosity rover mission, explains why Mars remains the best place in the solar system to look for signs of ancient life.

Tues., Aug. 29, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-284; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Geology of Western National Parks

Geologist Kirt Kempter explores the geology of Western National Parks over the course of 2023, with an in-depth look at one or more locations every month. Each program’s content is enhanced by geologic maps, photos, and Google Earth imagery.

AUG 7 Crater Lake, Oregon, and Lassen, California

SEPT 11 Yellowstone, Wyoming

Mon., Aug. 7 (CODE 1NV-042); Mon., Sept. 11 (CODE 1NV-043); 7 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Crater Lake, Oregon Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date at SmithsonianAssociates.org.

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

Dust-storm activity captured by the Mars Color Imager aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, 2018

NASA/JPL

Age-Proof Your Brain

There’s more to keeping your brain in tip-top shape and lowering your risk for dementia than crossword puzzles, brain games, and Sudoku, according to scientist and author Marc Milstein. Drawing on his book The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia, he examines why serious mental decline may not be an inevitable part of aging—and how individuals can boost short- and long-term brain health.

Milstein covers daily practices to improve memory and productivity; increase energy and boost your mood; reduce the risk of anxiety and depression; form healthy habits to supercharge your brain; and prevent nongenetic Alzheimer’s and dementia. He also offers science-based guidance in identifying the difference between what’s real and what’s hype in the world of brain health.

Tues., Aug. 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-045; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Body Farm: What the Bones Reveal

To many people, a skeleton is just a hopeless pile of bones. But to a forensic anthropologist, skeletal remains are the key to identifying an individual and how and when they died. And nowhere else do they get a better understanding of decomposition than at the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee, aka the body farm. Here donated bodies decompose under every imaginable circumstance in order to allow scientists to determine exactly how and when real-life murder victims died. Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, the director of the center, digs into how forensic anthropologists from around the world learn from these bodies.

Thurs., Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-781; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

From One Cell Life’s Origins and the Future of Medicine

Each of us began life as a single cell, eventually emerging as a dazzlingly complex, exquisitely engineered assemblage of trillions. This metamorphosis constitutes one of nature’s most spectacular yet commonplace magic tricks— and one of its most coveted secrets. Physician and researcher Ben Stanger offers a glimpse into what scientists are discovering about how life and the body take shape and why these revelations might hold solutions to some of our most persistently confounding medical challenges, from cancer to cognitive decline to degenerative disease.

Stanger’s book, From One Cell: A Journey into Life’s Origins and the Future of Medicine (W. W. Norton & Company), is available for purchase.

Thurs., Aug. 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-391; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

A student excavates a shallow grave at the body farm in Knoxville, Tennessee

Ben Stanger

The Deep Ocean A Mysterious World Beneath the Waves

For centuries, people believed the deep was a sinister realm of fiendish creatures and deadly peril. But as cutting-edge technologies have allowed scientists and explorers to dive miles beneath the surface, we are beginning to understand this underworld: It’s a place of soaring mountains, smoldering volcanoes, pink gelatinous predators, and sharks that live for half a millennium.

Join award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Susan Casey for a dive into the deep ocean. Casey’s book The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean (Doubleday) is available for purchase.

Thurs., Aug. 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-379; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Bonsai: Small Wonders

Bonsai, tiny trees in pots or miniature landscapes on trays, have delighted and intrigued people for centuries, from their origins in China to their exquisite refinement in Japan to their global popularity today. Join Michael James, the U.S. National Arboretum’s bonsai curator, and Ann McClellan, author of Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace and Beauty, for an illustrated talk about the arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and its unique collections. They share stories about how the diminutive trees were created and came to Washington, plus a few tips on how to care for these living works of art.

Wed., Aug. 23, 12-1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-046; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Alien Worlds

Inside the Hidden Realm of Insects

Life on Earth depends on the busy activities of insects, but global populations of these teeming creatures are currently under threat, which, says wildlife documentary filmmaker Steve Nicholls, carries grave consequences.

Nicholls offers a rare, up-close look at the alien realm of insects, discussing their origins and wondrous diversity as well as their astonishing sensory world. He also explains the remarkable success of social insects, from termites and ants to bees and wasps, and reveals why their fate holds implications for our own.

Nicholls’ book Alien Worlds: How Insects Conquered the Earth & Why Their Fate Will Determine Our Future (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.

Fri, Sept. 8, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-395; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Susan Casey

Sargent juniper, Juniperus chinensis var. Sargentii, in training since 1905

Steve Nicholls

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

Interstellar Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars

In his 2021 book Extraterrestrial, theoretical physicist Avi Loeb of Harvard University presented a controversial theory: that Earth had likely been visited by a piece of advanced alien technology from a distant star. In his newest, Interstellar, he dismantles science-fiction fueled visions of a human and alien life encounter and suggests a blueprint for how such an interaction might occur.

From searches for extraterrestrial technology to the heated debate of the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena, Loeb discusses the current progress in science and technology he sees as preparing us for contact and lays out the implications of becoming—or not becoming—interstellar.

Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars (Mariner Books) is available for purchase.

Tues., Sept. 12, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-392; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Losing Eden An Environmental History of the American West

Far from being the wilderness described in early histories, the West was never an undiscovered Eden. Instead, it was an ancient homeland with landscapes that humans have inhabited, modified, and managed for thousands of years.

In her book Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West, historian Sara Dant draws on historic data and the latest scientific research to trace the environmental history and development of the American West and explain how the land has shaped and been shaped by the people who live there.

Mon., Sept. 25, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-021; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

A Practical Guide to Rewilding

The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. How can an individual ever make a difference?

Journalist and author Isabella Tree and her husband, conservationist Charlie Burrell, know firsthand how spectacularly nature can bounce back if you give it the chance. And what results is not just wildlife in abundance but solutions to other environmental crises.

Join Tree and Burrell to learn practical steps to rewild everything from rivers and ponds to public spaces and window boxes. Their new book, The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small (Bloomsbury), is available for purchase.

Sun., Oct. 1, 3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-299; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Avi Loeb

The Wave, Coyote Buttes, Arizona

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

The Science of Free Will

It is popular these days to claim that free will is an illusion—that our brains, our genes, or even just the laws of physics actually determine our actions. Neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell delves into these claims and explains how and why he finds they are hollow.

Mitchell traces the story of how living beings capable of choice and control emerged from lifeless matter and evolved into humans with the remarkable capacity for conscious cognitive control, i.e., free will. Mitchell’s new book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Thurs., Oct. 5, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-305; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Elemental

How Five Elements Will Shape Our Future

Following a thread woven from five of life’s essential elements—hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus—scientist Stephen Porder explores how microbes, plants, and people have used these fundamental building blocks to change the planet.

He begins with two stories from the deep geologic past and then jumps to the present to explore how human ingenuity in gathering these elements underpins the success of modern society. But the unintended consequences of our success now pose an unprecedented challenge.

Porder is a professor of ecology, evolutionary biology, and environment and society at Brown University. His new book, Elemental: How Five Elements Changed Earth’s Past and Will Shape Our Future (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Tues., Oct. 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-300; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Colors of Crawly Creatures

For centuries, naturalists have used patterns of color in identifying and classifying life on this planet. It follows that the accurate rendition of color in images of animals is critical for this purpose and thus was the focus of much attention by early artist-naturalists.

However, animal color tells us much more than where they belong in a classification scheme. Color plays a role in the ecology and behavior of insects, reptiles, and amphibians and can be a part of their physiology. Kay Etheridge, a professor emerita of biology at Gettysburg College, gives visual examples of color in these roles and discusses the challenges of naturalistic representation.

Fri., Oct. 13, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-304; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The cainarachi poison frog (Ameerega cainarachi)

Her Space, Her Time

Trailblazing Women Scientists Who Decoded the Hidden Universe

Women physicists and astronomers from around the world have transformed science and society, but the critical roles they played in their fields are not always well-sung. For instance, Henrietta Leavitt and Margaret Burbidge helped discover the Big Bang and the cosmic calendar; Anigaduwagi (Cherokee) aerospace scientist Mary Golda Ross helped make the moon landings possible; and Marietta Blau, Hertha Wambacher, and Bibha Chowdhuri contributed to the discovery of the building blocks of the universe and, in doing so, played a crucial role in determining who gets to do physics today.

Author and quantum physicist Shohini Ghose brings to light the remarkable stories of rule-breakers and trendsetters who illuminated our understanding of the universe and reshaped the rules of society.

Ghose’s book Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe (MIT Press) is available for purchase.

Tues., Oct. 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-029; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Darkness in Distress

Halting the Rise of Light Pollution

Light pollution has become a pervasive and glaring consequence of our 24/7 society, increasing at the alarming rate of 10% per year over the past decade. Few of us canenjoy a star-spangled night sky any longer, because of the glowing pall caused by all the lights that line roadways, parking lots, and backyards. More ominously, a growing body of research finds that excessive light at night disrupts nocturnal ecosystems, sometimes dramatically. It can also inhibit the production of melatonin, a compound produced as we sleep—and only in darkness— that seems to play multiple roles in maintaining general human health.

Fortunately, the spread of light pollution can be halted and even reversed. Join Sky and Telescope magazine’s Kelly Beatty as he discusses how we can safely light up our homes, businesses, and communities without wasting energy, disturbing the neighbors, or creating an unhealthy environment for humans and wildlife.

Wed., Oct. 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-534; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Nature’s Toxins: From Spices to Vices

Scratch beneath the surface of a coffee bean, a red pepper flake, a poppy seed, a mold spore, a foxglove leaf, a magic mushroom cap, a marijuana bud, or an apple seed, and you’ll find a bevy of strange chemicals. We use these to greet our days (caffeine), titillate our tongues (capsaicin), recover from our surgeries (opioids), cure our infections (penicillin), mend our hearts (digoxin), bend our minds (psilocybin), calm our nerves (CBD), and even kill our enemies (cyanide).

Evolutionary biologist Noah Whiteman reveals the origins of toxins produced by plants, mushrooms, microbes, and even some animals; the mechanisms that animals evolved to overcome them; and how humans came to use and abuse some of them. Join him as he uncovers the deadly secrets that lurk within our spice racks, medicine cabinets, backyard gardens, and private stashes.

Whiteman’s book Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices (Little Brown Spark) is available for purchase.

Wed., Oct. 25, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-030; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

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 Certificate Program in World Art History

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 and year round. Credits are counted from day of registration and are not given retroactively.

Register now and receive invitations for informal gatherings with course leaders and other program participants.

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Stepping Forward: Women Designers 1900–1950

The earliest women to gain prominence in design in the 20th century entered through traditionally domestic portals such as textiles, fashion, jewelry, and interior design. Then, with access to educational opportunities and the changes wrought by a world war, women began to expand their skills to architecture, industrial design, and manufacturing.

Many of these women are lost to the traditional narrative apart from a few “design heroines,” notes design historian and curator Elizabeth Lay. Often these women received public recognition and celebrity during their lives, only to be obscured by history—or the work of their male design partners.

Join Lay for a course in which she focuses on two generations of women working as skilled design professionals in the modern era. Some names, such as fashion designers Jeanne Lanvin, Madeleine Vionnet, and Coco Chanel and architects and furniture designers Eileen Gray and Florence Knoll, may be familiar. And you’ll make the acquaintance of other artists like Clara Driscoll of Tiffany Studios, jewelry designer Suzanne Belperron, architect Charlotte Perriand, and the women of the Bauhaus textile department.

2 sessions: Mon., Aug. 7 and 14, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-385; Members $35; Nonmembers $45

Reflective Writing Workshop

Summer’s Discoveries

Experience the power of reflective writing guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. Inspired by works of art by Georgia O’Keeffe and poetry by Mary Oliver, explore the lessons that the summer season offers us when we slow down, look closely, and reflect.

Designed for writers of all levels, and for the curious, the workshop invites you to look at the world through the lens of painting and poetry and to respond through reflective writing. These reflections can become creative fertile ground for memoir, poetry, and more. The workshop has a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.

Tues., Aug. 22, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-389; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Florence Knoll, 1956

Mary Hall Surface

Image: Frida Kahlo by Magda Pach, 1933 NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Lesser-Known Museums of Rome

In this quarterly series, Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero spotlights the significant collections of Rome’s sometimesoverlooked museums.

ART

World Art History Certificate electivs: Earn ½ credit

Private Art Collections of Rome, Part 2

In 17th-century Rome, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, assembled one of the greatest art collections in history, which is still displayed today in the Borghese Gallery, one of Rome’s most popular museums. His eclectic taste combined works from ancient times, Renaissance masters, and contemporary Baroque artists, such as the tormented painter Caravaggio, as well as the phenomenally talented sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Ruggiero examines the history of the Borghese Gallery and its collection of artistic treasures.

Mon., Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-280; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Intersection of Art and Literature

Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein

The notion that a picture is worth a thousand words is meant to convey the power of imagery. But what of the power of words—if they are personal interpretations of art that mix fact and fiction such as Giorgio Vasari’s Lives, or the writings of Dante and Shakespeare that inspired Auguste Rodin, or Émile Zola’s written defense of his great friend Édouard Manet’s work and the portrait it inspired.

Pablo Picasso’s relationship with Gertrude Stein was multifaceted: She was a patron, artistic subject, and correspondent. Though Stein never put brush to canvas, in poems like “If I Told Him, A Completed Portrait of Picasso” she turns away from linear narrative and toward a non-hierarchical method of poetry, mirroring Picasso’s earlier move from linear perspective toward flat surfaces. David Gariff, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art, examines this fascinating creative connection..

Sun., Aug. 27, 3 p.m.; CODE 1H0-773C; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Picasso: Beyond Innovation

His name is synonymous with 20th-century art, and art historian Nancy G. Heller reminds us why. A bona fide child prodigy, Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) grew up to become a co-creator of Cubism, one of art’s most explosively influential avant-garde movements. But that was just the beginning. For the next six and a half decades Picasso was a wildly successful, prolific, and often-controversial painter, sculptor, draftsman, printmaker, and theatrical designer. His grand passions—for women and art—led to a complicated personal life and an enormous body of work, countless exhibitions and awards, and an ever-growing bibliography.

Heller explores the highlights of Picasso’s extraordinary career, examining the sociopolitical and cultural contexts in which he lived and worked. Through images of his works, she also discusses Picasso’s rich relationship to earlier art history and his continuing relevance for art lovers and emerging artists in the 21st century.

Thurs., Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-291; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

Boy with a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio

Portrait of Gertrude Stein by Pablo Picasso, 1906

Pablo Picasso, in front of his painting The Aficionado, 1912

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Portrait of a Woman (Dora Maar) by Pablo Picasso

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

Andy Warhol's World History

Many critics consider Andy Warhol a mirror of his time. Join Grace Marston, arts educator at the Andy Warhol Museum, as she delves into how historical events in the United States and around the world affected Warhol’s art and life. Marston presents artworks from the museum’s permanent collection, including works that are rarely on public display.

AUG 14 1950s and 1960s

AUG 21 1970s and 1980s

2 sessions: Mon., Aug. 14 and 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-020; Members $40; Nonmembers $50

Individual sessions: Mon., Aug. 14 (CODE 1CV-A20); Mon., Aug. 21 (CODE 1CV-B20); 6:30 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Edward Hopper: American Modernist

Edward Hopper (1882–1967) is widely regarded as one of the great American realists of modern art. His works capture a quintessential view of New York City at a certain time that became part of our cultural fabric. Certainly, many noir films of the 1940s and 1950s reflect Hopper’s personal vision of city life reflected in his paintings: austere, silent, moody, and lonely. Hopper’s oeuvre also includes landscapes which were painted on vacations and road trips.

Art historian Bonita Billman explores the highlights of Hopper’s career and examines the sociopolitical and cultural contexts in which he lived and worked.

Thurs., Sept. 14, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-275; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Art of Chagall

Whimsical, colorful, and populated with images from the stories of his native Russian culture, Marc Chagall’s oeuvre is both emotionally and poetically dream-based in a style that transcends reason and logic. He forged a path from his early days in a Russian shtetl to his adult years in France while embracing his identity as part of the Jewish artistic tradition.

Chagall’s distinctive vision—seen in projects from stage sets to murals to tapestries—is considered a precursor of Modernist art while it simultaneously employs traditional subjects drawn from his Jewish roots. Art historian Joseph Cassar explores the wide creative span of his lifetime of works.

The Fiddler by Marc Chagall, 1912–1913

Tues., Sept. 19, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-393; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

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YANN CARADEC

Mind Energy (detail) by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 1985

New York Restaurant by Edward Hopper

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

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The Decorative Arts Collection of the White House A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Before Jacqueline Kennedy hired the first White House curator in 1961, furnishings from the executive mansion’s collection had come and gone for more than 160 years, reflecting changing fashions. Today, the Office of the Curator fulfills the enormous responsibility of ensuring that the White House Collection is cared for, documented, displayed, and, in collaboration with the White House Historical Association, shared with the public.

The upcoming book Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection marks the first published collaboration of four of those curators, whose cumulative experience exceeds 100 years. Together, they have witnessed the collection evolve since the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. In a richly illustrated conversation, two of the contributing curators, William G. Allman and Melissa C. Naulin, and the book’s principal photographer, Bruce M. White, discuss this landmark publication and reflect on their experiences acquiring, conserving, storing, and photographing objects in the White House Collection.

Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection (White House Historical Association) is available for purchase.

Wed., Aug. 23, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-398; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

Exploring the Arts of Latin America

From colossal Olmec heads to the paintings of Frida Kahlo, Aztec temples to Mexican murals, this survey of Latin American art sweeps through centuries and locations including ancient Mesoamerica, coastal Peru, and the top of the Andes. Michele Greet, the director of the art history program at George Mason University, traces the significant creators, works, influences, and trends that defined and shaped the arts of Latin America from their earliest expressions through the 19th and 20th centuries.

AUG 3 The Arts of Ancient Mesoamerica

AUG 10 The Arts of the Andes

AUG 17 The Arts of Viceregal Latin America

AUG 24 Modern Art in Latin America

4 sessions: Thurs., Aug. 3–24, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-278; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Cave Art: Where it All Began

Forty thousand years ago, humans began to paint animals, mysterious symbols, and even people on cave walls. For over a century, researchers have been interested in how these images were created and what they might have meant. Paleolithic archaeologist April Nowell explores cave art and objects including figurines, items of personal adornment, decorated tools, and musical instruments made during the Upper Paleolithic. She examines techniques of manufacture, interpretation, and dating and highlights questions about who made this art, what we can infer about its meanings, and what we can learn about the individuals and the communities behind their creation.

Drawing on examples from sites in Indonesia, Australia, Europe, and Siberia, Nowell looks at the science behind the art and how cutting-edge technology is leading to a new understanding of the lives of Ice Age peoples.

Wed., Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-779; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

José Clemente Orozco, Mural Omnisciencia, 1925

Ocher painting of a horse, Altamira cave, Spain

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Humor and Humanism

The great 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder may be best remembered as one of the pioneers of genre scenes in Renaissance art. However, this master of the ordinary, especially of scenes inspired by peasant life, was steeped in the humanist culture of his era.

His wonderful inventiveness and wit are reflected throughout his œuvre— where almost every painting becomes a point of departure for a deeper philosophical consideration. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores various facets of Bruegel’s creativity that have secured him such a special place in our collective memory.

Fri., Aug. 11, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-388; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Golden Age of Vienna

The Art of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele

At the turn of the 20th century, Vienna was the capital of a great empire ruled by the Hapsburgs. The city was a center of political power as well as avant-garde culture, home to some of the world’s greatest composers, architects, writers, and artists. Two who helped define this age of glamour, elegance, and decadence were artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.

Art critic and adviser Judy Pomeranz explores the lives and art of these extraordinary individuals and the age in which they lived. She examines how they were influenced by their time and place and illustrates how powerfully they reflected them in works both beautiful and shocking.

Wed., Aug. 16, 12-1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-387; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Hudson River School

Art, History, Science, and National Identity

The paintings of the Hudson River School artists define our image of early 19th-century America: romantic, light-suffused landscapes that capture the wonders of nature and the promise of an expanding nation. Works by painters such as Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, and Frederic Edwin Church—in addition to the less well-known Sarah Cole, Susie Barstow, and Mary Josephine Walters— synthesize the European landscape tradition with a distinctly American view of nature, science, and spirituality reflected in Thoreau and Emerson. The results range from Church’s dramatic views of Niagara Falls to Durand’s idealized landscapes bathed in a golden glow.

Art historian Heidi Applegate examines the themes that circle around the group of diverse artists assigned the Hudson River School name—one that became a disparaging term when American artistic tastes turned from landscape and genre subjects to more cosmopolitan themes influenced by European-trained painters after the Civil War. She explores why these Hudson River School artists were so popular, how they fell out of favor, and why their art has generated renewed interest.

Fri., Aug. 25, 12-1:15 p.m.; CODE 1H0-780; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565

Self-Portrait with Physalis by Egon Schiele, 1915

Niagara by Frederic Edwin Church, 1857

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Painting in France

The popular style of 19th–century French painting known as Impressionism—filled with color, light, and scintillating brushwork—was an act of extreme rebellion when it appeared in the 1870s. For ar tists to depict fleeting sensations of rain, a sunrise, or a human gesture was shocking to other artists, art lovers, and critics who had been taught that fine art should focus on timeless and unchanging subject matter.

The work of these modern masters—notably Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, and Morisot—led in turn to the radical art of the Post-Impressionists. During the 1880s and ’90s, Seurat, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh used vivid colors and form to depict subjects from the real world, but in ways that were not always fully realistic.

In a lavishly illustrated 5-session course, art historian Nancy G. Heller explores the sources, masterpieces, and later influences of these rebels, including their impact on 20th-century art.

5 sessions: Wed., Aug. 30–Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-273; Members $85; Nonmembers $95 Related studio arts class: Impressionism in the Franciscan Monastery Gardens (see p. 45)

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Ganges: River and Goddess

The Ganges River Basin was the heartland of South Asian urban development in the 6th century B.C.E., and the river remains deeply important to many people in ways that are both physical and conceptual. Robert DeCaroli, a professor of art history at George Mason University, traces the Ganges from its origins in the peaks of the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, exploring historic and sacred locations along this mighty river.

The physical river, however, is only half the story. Since ancient times, the Ganges has been embodied as the goddess Ganga, and her reach stretches well beyond the riverbanks. DeCaroli examines the art and architecture used to enhance and replicate access to Ganga’s sacred waters.

Tues., Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-289; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

The Gif t of Color

For details, visit ArtCollectorsProgram.org

Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat, 1884, National Gallery, London

The Siesta by Paul Gauguin, ca. 1892–94, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sunset on the Ganges River in Varanasi August Breakfast/Maine by Carolyn Brady (detail)

with Flowers by Elizabeth Catlett (detail)

Red Geranium by Robert Kushner (detail)

Limited-edition prints from the Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program make great gifts for all occasions.

For a Country by Mindy Weisel (detail)

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Extreme Architecture Around the World

Throughout history, architectural styles have evolved based on construction methods, materials, and function, as well as principles of design, elements of architecture, and aesthetic ideals. Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton leads a fascinating journey through some of the most creative and extreme examples of architecture constructed worldwide in recent years. From Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (the world’s highest building) to the Nautilus House in Mexico City (a giant psychedelic mollusk shell) to a Malibu residence designed around the wings of a decommissioned Boeing 747-100, the surprising structures blend innovation, technology, and imagination.

Wed., Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1D0-026; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Byzantine Art and its Legacy

A key feature of the visual culture of the Byzantine Empire was its orientation toward religious themes as shaped by Orthodox Christianity. These were explored in a remarkable variety of media, from wall frescoes to miniature mosaics and exquisitely carved ivories. Though this empire came to an end with the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it left a lasting cultural imprint, both in areas that were under its political control and in those adjacent to it, from Italy to Russia. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores some of the most important aspects of the visual arts of this empire at the cultural crossroads of West and East.

SEPT 28 The Birth of the New Rome and its Metamorphosis into Istanbul

OCT 5 Monuments of Byzantine Art in Greece and the Balkan Peninsula

OCT 12 Beyond the Borders of Byzantium

3 sessions: Thurs., Sept. 28–Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0396; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Faces of the Italian Renaissance

In the 15th and 16th centuries, portraits played a vital role in every aspect of human life: childhood, politics, friendship, courtship, marriage, old age, and death. It was also widely believed that a person’s appearance mirrored their soul, with physical beauty indicating qualities such as morality, virtue, and religious devotion. As such, artists developed highly individual approaches to the representation of ideal beauty. Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo provides fresh insights into fundamental issues of likeness, memory, and identity as she reveals a remarkable community of Renaissance personalities—from princes, envoys, and merchants to clergymen, tradesmen, and artists.

Fri., Sept. 29, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1D0-027; 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

The Tempi Madonna (detail) by Raphael, 1508

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa

Marble head of Constantine

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy

The churches of Italy are renowned for their artistic treasures, from Giotto’s 14th-century frescoes in Florence, Padua, and Assisi to Giacomo Manzu’s great 20th-century bronze doors for St. Peter’s in Rome. Some churches are known for a specific space or work that makes a pilgrimage a necessity, such as Masaccio’s Brancacci Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. Others, such as the Florentine Santa Maria Novella or the Frari in Venice, showcase virtually the entire history of the art and culture of their respective cities.

In a splendidly illustrated seminar, art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University explores churches that represent some of Italy’s greatest repositories of sacred art.

10 a.m. The Basilica of Saint Mark and the Treasures of Venice

11:30 a.m. The Gothic Dream: The Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta in Siena

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Riches of Florence

2:45 p.m. St. Peter’s and Rome, the Eternal City

Sat., Sept. 30, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-280; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit each session

Lunchtime with a Curator

Decorative Arts Design Series

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

In the mid-20th century, America overtook Europe as the world’s foremost designer and producer of costume jewelry. What uniquely American social and historic trends propelled the demand for and design of mass-produced, affordable jewelry? Phyllis Gerstell, a decorative arts historian and costume jewelry expert, explores the beauty and history of a now largely vanished American art form.

For more than 40 years, wearing a creation by milliner Sara Sue Sherrill Waldbauer of Miller & Rhoads department store in Richmond was a mark of status and taste. Nichol Gabor, curator of costume and textiles at Richmond’s The Valentine museum, offers a delightful look at why Sara Sue’s signature confections defined the fashionable hat for the city’s ladies who lunched.

For those aligning themselves with the Patriot cause, shoes became an unexpected signifier of political allegiance in the decades leading up to the American Revolution. Kimberly Alexander, director of museum studies at the University of New Hampshire, examine how the choice of footwear came to represent colonial economic independence and symbolized a break from the yoke of trade with Great Britain.

OCT 2 Fabulous Fakes: The Golden Age of American Costume Jewelry, 1935–65

OCT 16 “Designed for You”: Hats Created by Milliner Sara Sue of Virginia

OCT 30 Shoes and the American Revolution: Purchasing Patriotism, 1760s–1770s

3-session series: Mon., Oct. 2, 16, and 30, 12–1 p.m.; CODE 1K0-407; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Individual sessions: Mon., Oct. 2 (CODE 1K0-408); Mon., Oct. 16 (CODE 1K0-409); Mon., Oct. 30 (CODE 1K0-410); 12-1 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Detail of The Last Judgement, a fresco in the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore, ca. 1579

Piccolomini Library in the Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta in Siena

Costume jewelry from the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit Expressionism: The Art of Emotions

Expressionism as an artistic movement developed in the early 20th century, a period in which new and influential explorations of psychology and human behavior were taking place. Artists began to look at the world more subjectively, often distorting their depictions to achieve an emotional effect in artworks that still hold the power to move and challenge viewers. Art historian Joseph Cassar traces the movement’s roots, meaning, influences, and most notable practitioners.

OCT 4 The Origin and Meaning of Expressionism

OCT 11 Die Brücke and the Art of Woodblock Printing

OCT 18 Der Blaue Reiter Group

OCT 25 Expressionists and “Degenerate Art”

4 sessions: Wed., Oct. 4–25, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-397; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

New Series: A Mid-century Modern Focus

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Saarinens

A Family Tradition in Architecture and Design

Eero Saarinen was one of the most prominent architects in America working in the mid-20th century. Among his best-known and most photographed works are Dulles Airport, the Gateway Arch in St Louis, and the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport. From 1948 when Saarinen won the competition to design the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which became the iconic Gateway Arch, his fame was assured. However, his story begins much earlier in Sweden. With a father who was an architect and city planner and a mother who was a textile artist and sculptor, the family often collaborated on projects. Lecturer Bill Keene explores the family’s creative history, as well as the span of Eero Saarinen’s brief career, studded with a series of iconic and trendsetting projects including the General Motors Technical Center, a chapel at MIT, and the CBS Building in New York City, before his death at age 51.

Wed., Oct. 11, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-050; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

From Rococo to Realism

Masters and Masterpieces of 18th-and 19th-Century European Painting

The 18th and 19th centuries were complex and contradictory times, characterized by political revolution, industrialization, and social change throughout the Western world. These upheavals are reflected in the diverse approaches that contemporary visual artists took toward their work and the codification of—and rebellion against—rules laid down by various royal academies of the fine arts.

In a lavishly illustrated series, art historian Nancy G. Heller focuses on the principal European cultural movements of the 1700s and early 1800s—Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism—as demonstrated in paintings by masters of the period. She also touches on parallel developments in European sculpture, architecture, literature, and music.

OCT 19 Ornamental, Elegant, and Sometimes Naughty: The Intimacy of Rococo Art

OCT 26 Sober, Moralizing Art: Neoclassical Dignity and Stoicism

NOV 2 The Allure of the Exotic and the Fear (and Thrill) of the Irrational: Romanticism

NOV 9 Paintings of Modern Life: Realism

4 sessions: Thurs., Oct. 19–Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-282; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Tiger and Snake by Eugène Delacroix, 1862

The Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter) by Wassily Kandinsky, 1903

Gateway Arch in St Louis

The Bath of Venus, by François Boucher, 1766

MATT KOZLOWSKI

Collecting Fine Art: From Conception to Conservation

Collecting art can be one of life’s most exciting, consuming, and satisfying pleasures. The research, the hunt, the thrill of discovery and acquisition, the amazing people you meet along the way, and the expanded world view and self-knowledge that attend it all are simply exhilarating.

In this 2-session course for new and seasoned collectors alike, art critic and adviser Judy Pomeranz explores how to find your own collecting passion that also fits the dimensions of your pocketbook; where to find and buy art; how to perform due diligence; and how to negotiate systems within the various marketplaces. She also discusses collection management, including caring for, installing, protecting, and conserving works; cataloging, valuing, and insuring them; and deaccessioning.

2 sessions: Mon., Oct. 23 and 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-401; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Exploring the Cluny Museum in Paris

Step from the bustling sidewalks of the Left Bank in Paris into a veritable treasure house: the Cluny Museum. The remains of ancient Roman baths and the Gothic Paris residence of the abbots of Cluny provide the fairy-tale backdrop for marvels of medieval art. Barbara Drake Boehm, a curator emerita of The Met Cloisters, explores the museum, renovated and reopened last year.

The masterpieces inside include the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, sculpture from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame that was buried during the French Revolution, and a Jewish wedding ring hidden by its owner during the Black Death.

Mon., Oct. 23, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1J0-287; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

New York’s Art Museums

A Virtual Exploration

Manhattan is one of the most exciting art centers in the world. It is filled with talented working artists and commercial art spaces such as galleries, art fairs, and auction houses—and it’s also home to some of the greatest art museums on the planet.

Art critic and adviser Judy Pomeranz looks at several of these institutions—from large and comprehensive to small, focused gems—examining their histories and exploring the objects that help define the museums’ distinctive personalities and are not to be missed when you’re visiting.

NOV 6 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters, and Frick Collection

NOV 13 The Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, and Whitney Museum of American Art

NOV 20 The Neue Galerie New York, Hispanic Society Museum & Library, Jewish Museum, Morgan Library, and Studio Museum in Harlem

3 sessions: Mon., Nov 6, 13, 20, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-416; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

The Lady with the Unicorn, Cluny Museum, Paris

Art collector Judy Pomerantz at home

The Guggenheim Museum

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit Art Deco: Vibrant, Eclectic, and Dynamic

With the advent of the Jazz Age, the art world searched for modern forms and decorative motifs to reflect this exciting new era. They were found in bold geometric shapes such as chevrons, lozenges, zigzags, and sunbursts and in contemporary technology and materials. Drawing on a variety of historical sources, including ancient Egypt, the classical world, and Asian art, Art Deco soon reflected modern living, the machine age, and the skyscraper.

Art historian Bonita Billman discusses this vibrant movement that used all major media including glass, ceramics, metal, wood, textiles, paper, marble, and paint. Through illustrated lectures she highlights examples of Art Deco in architecture, furniture, interiors, fashions, advertisements, and films.

10 a.m. Art Deco’s Origins

11:30 a.m. Le Jazz Hot: French Art Deco

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Art Deco in England and the Empire

2:45 p.m. American Art Deco and Streamline Moderne

Sat., Nov. 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-288; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

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. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for three online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, wordsketching, and imaginative response to prompts.

Each workshop has a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.

OCT 24 Collage and Poetry

OCT 31 Symbol and Story

Mary Hall Surface

The sessions spotlight a diverse range of visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice.

Keep Connected with Smithsonian eAlerts!

NOV 7 Place and Perspective

3-session series: Tues., Oct. 24, 31 and Nov. 7, 10-11:30 a.m.; CODE 1K0-412; Members $105; Nonmembers $115

Individual sessions: Tues., Oct. 24 (CODE 1K0-413); Tues., Oct. 31 (CODE 1K0-414); Tues., Nov. 7 (CODE 1K0-415); 10-11:30 a.m.; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Subscribe now to our topic-based eAlerts to match your interests. You can look forward to receiving timely information about new programs, special Smithsonian offers, our curated Digital Digest newsletter, and much more to spark your imagination and inspire learning. Explore a whole world of subjects—from art and architecture to history, culinary arts to science, travel to literature, and so much more! Simply sign up at SmithsonianAssociates.org/eAlerts and you’re set.

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Lady with Panther by George Barbier, display card for Louis Cartier, 1914

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

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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.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden: Drawing Treasures

Stretch your creative muscles and deepen your observational skills at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Create a drawing-treasure map using simple and fun drawing tools as you visually explore time, space, and place.

IN PERSON: Sun., Sept. 10, 10 a.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden; CODE 1V0-0XQ; Members $105; Nonmembers $115

By Renee Sandell

Beginning Drawing

This introductory course teaches the basic skills needed 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.

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 2 p.m., no class Nov. 21; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0YB; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Intermediate Drawing

Participants refine and expand their drawing skills through studio practice in traditional media. Sessions focus on classic subject areas such as landscape, portrait, and figure; warm-up exercises, critiques, and demonstrations are included.

By George Tkabladze

NEW CLASS

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m., no class Nov. 21; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00YA; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

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Impressionism in the Franciscan Monastery Gardens

Cézanne-Inspired En Plein Air Landscape Intensive

Popular theory holds that the right brain is primarily responsible for the intuitive understanding of visual and spatial relationships. This class improves the way people see and record objects on paper by working through a set of visual exercises that help build the ability to draw.

IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 11–Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m., no class Nov. 22; Shahin Talishkhan; Ripley Center; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YC; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

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Beginning Oil Painting

Capture the nuances of the natural light in the gardens of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America with water-based oils, watercolors, or acrylic paints on canvas as Impressionist artists would.

By Sandra Gobar

IN PERSON: Sat., Aug. 12 and 19, 10 a.m.; Sandra Gobar; details and supply list on website; Franciscan Monastery gardens; CODE 1V0-0XE; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

Related program: Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Painting in France (see p. 39)

In this course, gain the technical background and experience you need to get started as a painter. Lectures, demonstrations, and experimentation introduce the medium of oils. Working from museum masterpieces, still-life arrangements, or your favorite photos, explore basic techniques, including color-mixing, scumbling, and glazing.

IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 11–Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 22; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0YK; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

Fall Plein Air Landscape Painting in Oil

Learn the secrets of plein air landscape oil painting working in the beautiful surroundings of Rock Creek Park. Students learn how to capture the spirit and essence of a fall landscape while developing strong observational painting techniques on location.

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The Ancient Art of Henna Tattoos

By Michelle René Cobb

IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 9–Oct. 7, 1 p.m., no class Sept. 16; Michelle René Cobb; details and supply list on website; Rock Creek Park; CODE 1V0-0XS; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

Introduction to Indirect Oil Painting: Cézanne-Inspired Still-Life Compositions

The vibrant medium of oils was a favorite among Impressionist artists because of its luminosity and color layering effects. Working from still-life arrangements reminiscent of Cézanne’s, learn to achieve the brilliant, subtle effects achievable with oil paints.

IN PERSON: Sun., Oct. 15–Nov. 12, 11 a.m., no class Oct. 29; Sandra Gobar; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0YM; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

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Paper Frenzy

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

By Sharon Robinson

IN PERSON: Wed., Aug. 16–Sept. 6, 6 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XM; Members $175; Nonmembers $195

Mixed-Media Remix

Henna tattoos reflect an ancient and beautiful practice of body art. Explore the form’s history as you learn to apply simple traditional Indian henna designs.

IN PERSON: Sun., Sept. 10, 12:30 p.m.; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XV; Members $65; Nonmembers $75

Mosaic Jewelry

Learn the techniques needed to create unique fine mosaic jewelry as you create beautiful silver-plate mosaic pendants using a wide variety of materials.

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

IN PERSON: Sat., Nov. 18, 10:30 a.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZJ; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

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Embroidered Patch Workshop

Use basic stitches to create an embroidered 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., Sept. 9, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00XU; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

By Heather Kerley

Freestyle Embroidery Basics

Beginners are introduced to freestyle hand embroidery. In this style, the stitches are applied freely, disregarding the weave or structure of the ground cloth. Students learn how to select and prepare fabric using a simple design, ready their hoop, and begin stitching.

By Sharon Robinson

Rev up your collage and mixed-media experience and incorporate dimension into your artwork with an expanded repertoire of materials and techniques. While the focus is on innovative ways to use common materials, you also explore alternatives for the application of materials in smaller-format artwork.

IN PERSON: Sat., Oct. 14–Nov. 4, 1:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00ZX; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

By Heather Kerley

IN PERSON: Wed., Nov. 1, 6 p.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZC; Members $55; Nonmembers $65

Still Life with Apples and Peaches by Paul Cézanne, 1905

Clay Portrait

Develop basic sculpting skills in this introduction to the concepts and techniques of sculpting the human head. Create copies of a plaster cast portrait or sculpt from a live model. Both beginning and experienced students are welcome.

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 21; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZE; Members $285; Nonmembers $315

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On-Location Photography with Neutral-Density Filters

Neutral-density filters help achieve very slow shutter-speed photos in bright sun and capture streaking light at night. Appropriate camera controls and filter techniques are covered, and students get to apply what they’ve learned.

IN PERSON: Wed., Aug. 16–30, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XJ; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

Introduction to Photography

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 21; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZL; Members $225; Nonmembers $255

IN PERSON

Introduction to Studio Portraiture

This photography course is designed for those who want to learn how to create portraits, using the special lighting controls of the studio. Students work in the format of their choosing and may work in either black-and-white or color.

By Marty Kaplan

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 21; Marty Kaplan; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZM; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

Introduction to Photography II

Whether you work digitally or on film, this course is ideal for students who are familiar with their cameras and are interested in expanding their understanding of photography fundamentals.

IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 11–Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 22; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZN; Members $225; Nonmembers $255

By Andargé Asfaw

By Andargé Asfaw

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., Oct. 15–Nov. 19, 1:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZR; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

By Joe Yablonsky

By George Tkabladze

ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS CULTURE HI STORY STUDIO ARTS

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

ONLINE

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.

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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Composition

This workshop examines fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in studio-art practice, offering participants tools to enrich their work as well as to analyze and appreciate visual art in general.

Color Theory and Practice

Explore the basics of color theory, including temperature, value, and harmony-creating color schemes. In three hands-on projects, learn to use a color wheel with tinting and toning, color charts, and color harmony studies.

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.; Theresa Ottenson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00YF; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Mon., Aug. 7–28 (CODE 1V0-0XC); Thurs., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m. (CODE 1V0-0YG); Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

By Renee Sandell

In an afternoon of artistic experimentation, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches. Create visual journaling pieces and engage in mark-making and mapping exercises.

ONLINE: Sat., Sept. 9, 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XN; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

Creative Mind Mapping

By Mïa Vollkommer

Learn how to create mind maps worthy of framing. Incorporate easy mixed-media techniques to illustrate your thoughts and goals, which can be applied to list making, bullet journaling, visual notetaking, and, most important, an organized action plan.

ONLINE: Mon., Nov. 6 and 13, 6:30 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0YH; Members $75; Nonmembers $95

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Anatomical Drawing

Learn the fundamentals of drawing the human body, starting with an exploration of the skeleton and planes of motion. Then review gesture drawing, musculature, body segments, and key anatomical features. Previous drawing experience is required.

ONLINE: Tues., Aug. 1–Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m.; Trisha Gupta; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XA; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

By Theresa Ottenson

Drawing Heads, Hands, and Feet

Beginning Drawing

This class focuses on the most challenging and expressive details of the human figure: heads, hands, and feet. Working from photographs, students use dry media to experiment with line, modeling, foreshortening, structure, expression, and varied rates of drawing.

SOLD OUT

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2–Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.; Trisha Gupta; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XB; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

NEW CLASS

Introduction to Water-Soluble Colored Pencils

SOLD OUT

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Loved by artists for their versatility, water-soluble colored pencils emulsify when water is added, making them a viable alternative to watercolor paints. Students learn about the many types of water-soluble colored pencils on the market and how to use them.

ONLINE: Thurs., Sept. 7 and 14, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XP; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Drawing Light and How the Masters Did It

Learn the strategies that Rembrandt, Daumier, Cézanne, and Van Gogh used to harness light and unify, intensify, and give dimension to their images. Exercises focus on using graphite, ink, and pastel to draw studies of masterworks.

By Nick Cruz Velleman

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 10–Nov. 7, 1 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XZ; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

This introductory course teaches the basic skills needed 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, Oct. 15–Dec. 10, 10:15 a.m., no class Nov. 26; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YD; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

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., Oct. 29–Dec. 10, 1 p.m., no class Nov. 26; Sughra Hussainy; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YE; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

Sketchbook Habit: The Art of Everyday Life

Focus 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 travels, past or present.

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Sun., Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZZ; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Introduction to Trois Crayons

Trois crayons is a drawing technique using three colors of chalk: red, black, and white. Students hone skills in identifying light and shadow while creating drawings with full mid-range tones using the three colors.

By Lori VanKirk Schue

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 12 and 19, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AB; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

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Western Landscapes Under the Milky Way

The American West’s beautiful landscapes are especially breathtaking beneath its expansive dark skies. Using watercolor, learn how to capture the night sky’s subtle tints and re-create the texture of the region’s red-rock landscapes. Previous experience with watercolor is required.

ONLINE: Tues., Aug. 22 and 29, 6:30 p.m.; Natalia Wilkins-Tyler; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XR; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

By Natalia Wilkins-Tyler

Portrait Painting in Oil and Acrylic

By Nick Cruz Velleman

Drawing Light How the Masters Did It In Color

Using watercolor, learn the strategies Morisot, Turner, Monet, and Cézanne employed to harness light in their images. Participants investigate how these masters’ use of color manipulates our experience of light in their images.

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Nov. 8, 1 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YJ; Members $165; Nonmembers $195

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Techniques in Modernist Painting

Experiment with a variety of Modernist painting styles such as Cubism, Suprematism, and Abstract Expressionism. Through a series of exercises, including still-life setups and model sessions, participants learn practical applications of the concepts and techniques of Modernism.

By Shahin Talishkhan

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 16–Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YP; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Painting Skies, Clouds, Trees, and Mountains in Watercolor

Students learn how to paint expressive portraits as they improve their observational skills, ability to see angles and shapes, and understanding of color and value. The class emphasizes how to define a subject’s unique features by determining shapes of light and shadow. Students may work from a bust or statue or copy a painting or photograph.

By Eric Westbrook

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Nov. 15, 7 p.m.; Eric Westbrook; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YL; Members $205; Nonmembers $235

Capture the atmosphere and beauty of a scene in your watercolor landscape by gaining confidence in painting natural elements. Demonstrations and exercises introduce techniques for using vibrant color mixtures and balancing the colors in both simple and complex areas of the composition.

By Lubna Zahid

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 17–Dec. 12, 10:30 a.m.; no class Nov. 21; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YQ; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

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., Oct. 16–Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YN; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Explorations in Art and Poetry

Discover your inner artist or poet, or both, in this course that lets you delve into mixed-media and poetry. Using discussions, research, and experimentation, create both visual and written works of art.

By Josh Highter

Exploring Color in Watercolor

Take control of your palette as you enhance your knowledge and understanding of color theory in watercolor. Learn practical skills such as identifying and mixing colors correctly to create a cohesive palette.

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 17–Dec. 12, 5 p.m., no class Nov. 21; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YR; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

By Lubna Zahid

By Richard Allen May

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 10–31, 6 p.m.; Richard Allen May; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XT; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Crepe Paper Flowers: Clematis

Learn floral papercraft techniques, using different weights of both crepe paper and floral wire, to create the beautiful clematis, known to gardeners as the queen of climbers.

ONLINE: Sat., Aug. 19 and 26, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XF; Members $100; Nonmembers $120

Collage and Mixed-Media: People and Places

By Karen Cadogan

Build a Tiny Interior

Imagine your dream home, either from your past or in the future, then bring its tiny interior to life using papier-mâché, acrylics, and other mixed-media techniques. Exercises include visualizing the possible inhabitants of your small space, then designing furniture, fixtures, clothing, or accessories for them.

Collage is a highly accessible art technique that playfully combines sometimes unlikely materials. Explore the possibilities of collage, realistic abstraction, and altered images as you create works centered around people and places.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 9–23, 6 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VX; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 22; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YT; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

Collage Jumpstart

Discover a variety of approaches to creating mixed-media collages and learn techniques for creating personalized papers. Capitalize on everyday materials such as coffee filters, magazines, and book pages; use household tools and utensils to make stencils and create patterns and textures on papers.

By Sharon Robinson

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZV; Members $140; Nonmembers $160

Collage and Mixed-Media

This class focuses on the variety of choices in collage. Whether constructing a piece of personal history with mementos or an abstract piece, students learn through experimentation with color, form, and design. They explore the use of text, images, texture, and natural and found objects.

Artists throughout the centuries have developed practices to center themselves, find calm, and prepare for making art. The same techniques can be helpful in everyday life as well, offering both a quiet escape and a spark for your imagination. Explore mark-making with lines, swirls, and puddles, and use paper to experiment with folding and tearing.

By Sushmita Mazumdar

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 23–Dec. 4, 12 p.m., no class Nov. 20; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YV; Members $95; Nonmembers $125

Search and Rescue: Back from the (Creative) Edge

Breathe new life into your unfinished or “failed” collages or paintings. Find ways to infuse interest and change the look and feel of your pieces.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m., no class Nov. 22; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YS; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Exploring Abstraction

Explore the basis of abstraction by studying color, line, and shape as they relate to composition. Learn to create exciting and innovative works of art using drawing, painting, and collage exercises designed to examine nontraditional ways of handling traditional materials and subject matter.

By Delna Dastur

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 12–Dec. 7, 12 p.m., no class Nov. 23; Delna Dastur; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YU; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

By Sharon Robinson

Gyotaku II: Hawaiian Style

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 23–Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZW; Members $105; Nonmembers $125

If you’ve taken the studio arts class “Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing,” you are ready to try Hawaiian-style gyotaku. It includes printing in colorful inks and thin acrylics and adding color and texture with watercolor crayons and acrylic media.

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 28, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AA; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

Holiday Card Workshop: Fancy Folds

ONLINE

Sustainable Closet: Mending and Darning

By Karen Cadogan

Create four different fancy-fold cards sure to knock the stockings off the people on your holiday card list. Fancy folds can be intimidating, but this workshop guides you through the steps. Detailed instructions provide you with everything you need to create fancy folds on your own after the class.

ONLINE: Sun., Nov. 5, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YX; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

Holiday Card Workshop: Season’s Greetings

Learn to do beautiful, visible mending using patches, embroidery, and darning to make your clothes last longer. Get an introduction to basic alterations for resizing clothing, transforming T-shirts, and recycling fabric scraps for accessories.

By Heather Kerley

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 14 and 21, 1:30 p.m.; Lauren Kingsland and Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00YZ; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

Basics of Quiltmaking by Hand

This year, send friends and family bespoke holiday cards. Learn tips and techniques for creating simply elegant, unique cards. Topics include card construction, sentiments, foreground, background, and statement embellishments. Beginners and experienced card makers are welcome.

By Karen Cadogan

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 4, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YW; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

FIBER ARTS n

Tapestry Weaving

Begin by learning basic tapestry weaving techniques and design. Then create a miniature woven tapestry on a small frame loom. Techniques covered include warping the loom; color mixing and hatching; and how to create horizontal stripes, vertical lines, irregular shapes, shading, and contour.

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 21; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YY; Members $225; Nonmembers $255

By Tea Okropiridze

Whether you want to stitch together three basic layers of cloth for warmth or create an elaborate art quilt, there is room for you in this class. You view examples of historic and modern quilts to get a big picture of quiltmaking before designing and creating your quilt.

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 16–Nov. 20, 12 p.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZA; Members $145; Nonmembers $175

By Lauren Kingsland

Abstract Embroidery

Take an intuitive, free-flowing approach to embroidery, much like expressive abstract painting. Learn how to emphasize form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition, and process. Use different stitches to create interesting marks, textures, and movement, and explore a variety of materials, including found fabrics, beads, floss, and yarn.

By Heather Kerley

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZU; Members $115; Nonmembers $135

NEW CLASS

Log Cabin Quilt Building Blocks

The log cabin quilt, with blocks of simple strips built around a center, is a traditional style, yet remains a modern favorite. Learn this technique, then finish 10 blocks into a table runner.

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Bead Weaving: On and Off the Loom

By Lauren Kingsland

ONLINE: Wed., Nov. 1-15, 12 p.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00ZB; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

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Introduction to Blackletter Calligraphy: Textura

Of Blackletter’s various styles, Textura is the one most associated with the Gothic aesthetic. Students discover its history and special characteristics and learn to create letters, numbers, and punctuation marks.

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 14–Dec. 9, 2 p.m., no class Nov. 25; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00AC; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

Introduction to Afghan Manuscript Illumination

The beautiful decorations of religious and secular manuscripts are centuriesold Islamic traditions. In this beginning course, students learn elements of gold-leaf manuscript illumination in the Afghan tradition and create geometric, vegetable, and floral motifs and naturebased designs.

By Sughra Hussainy

ONLINE: Sun., Oct. 15–Dec. 10, 9 a.m., no class Nov. 26; Sughra Hussainy; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZD; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Bead weaving offers an endless possibility of stitches, designs, and color combinations to explore and create. Learn two bead weaving methods—with and without a loom—as well as two different stitch patterns with a myriad of design possibilities. The class focuses on how to start and finish wearable pieces, create patterns, and choose bead colors and finishes.

ONLINE: Sat., Aug. 12–26, 12 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; CODE 1K0-0WF; details and supply list on website; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

By Mïa Vollkommer

Fibula Pin Workshop

Create three different fibula pins, with a variety of bead and wire embellishments. The fibula is a versatile pin that can be straightforward or whimsical and has interchangeable components to match your favorite fall sweater or scarf. Previous wirework experience is helpful but not required.

By Mïa Vollkommer

ONLINE: Sat., Sept. 9, 11 a.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0XW; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

Orchids for Beginners

Join an orchid care expert to learn how orchids grow in their native environments and how to keep them blooming in your home. You also learn how to repot a Phalaenopsis orchid, one of the easiest orchids to raise indoors.

ONLINE: Wed., Sept. 13, 6:30 p.m.; Barbara Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XX; Members $35; Nonmembers $45 Schlerianna Inflorescence Phalaenopsis

The Art of Floral Design

Explore the spectrum of floral design. Among the practical areas covered are sourcing (with a focus on sustainability), making the most of seasonal flowers, creating centerpieces, wiring techniques, and photographing your work. The class is designed for students of all levels.

By Arrin Sutliff

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Arrin Sutliff; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZF; Members $155; Nonmembers $185

Mosaics for Beginners

This introduction to the traditions and techniques of mosaics includes weekly lectures, demonstrations, and work-along periods. Select from eight patterns designed by the instructor with the option to work in either glass tiles or unglazed porcelain.

ONLINE

PHOTOGRAPHY: Beginner n n n n

Focus and Depth of Field

Gain a better understanding of focus modes, area modes, and hyperfocal distance and focusing. Learn the variables that contribute to depth of field, including fast lenses, depth-of-field tables, and the preview button.

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2 and 9, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0XG; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

Taking Better Photos

By Joe Yablonsky

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11–Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details and supply list on website CODE 1V0-0ZG; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

Learn to develop your photographic vision and take better photos more consistently. After fostering a more deliberate approach to composition, balance, lighting conditions, and keeping it simple, students see improvement in their photographs of people, landscapes, gardens, and architecture.

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

NEW CLASS

Wirework Intensive: Wrapped Stones

Learn to encase stones in fine wire to use as pendants or unique home décor. Weaving, knotless netting, and macramé are covered, in addition to making bails for hanging and creating handmade clasps to finish a necklace. Previous wirework experience is recommended.

By Mïa Vollkommer

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 12–26, 6 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0ZH; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 3–17, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0XH; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

Introduction to Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom is a useful program for organizing and editing either RAW or JPEG image files. The workshop offers users an overview of Lightroom, with a focus on working with the Library and Develop modules. Functions such as importing, exporting, deleting, and grouping files; sorting and ranking files for quality; and attaching keywords for easy retrieval are covered.

By Eliot Cohen

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., Aug. 12 and Sun., Aug. 13 (CODE 1V0-0WW); Sat., Oct. 14 and Sun., Oct. 15 (CODE 1V00ZY), 9:30 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details on website; Members $275; Nonmembers $295

Introduction to iPhone Photography

Learn how to use a welldesigned secondary camera app to help your iPhone camera create and capture more sophisticated images.

SOLD OUT

ONLINE: Sat., Sept. 30 and Sun., Oct. 1, 10 a.m.; Peggy Feerick; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00XY; Members $80; Nonmembers $100

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Photographic Creativity, Design, and Composition

By Peggy Feerick

Introduction to Photography

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m., no class Nov. 21; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; CODE 1V0-0ZK; Members $225; Nonmembers $255

By Andargé Asfaw

Photo 101 Aspect Ratios

Gain an understanding of aspect ratios for both digital sensors and film. The class explores changing the aspect ratio in your camera, aspect-ratio constraints in cropping and post-production, and use of the Photoshop image size and canvas size commands.

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0ZP; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

By Joe Yablonsky

The balance of tension in an image is fundamental in creating well-made visual relationships. This course offers participants a better understanding of compositional elements in photography and how best to apply them. Emphasis is placed on simplicity, balance, and using natural lighting conditions.

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 12–Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0ZQ; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

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 own personal interests.

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 18 and Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0ZS; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

iPhone Photography II

Take your iPhone camera skills to another level in a two-day workshop that focuses on the ProCamera app and editing techniques; organizing, printing, and posting your photos; and a critique session on images.

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 21 and Sun., Oct. 22, 10 a.m.; Peggy Feerick; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZT; Members $80; Nonmembers $100

By Peggy Feerick

TOURS ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS CULTURE HI STORY TOURS

Designed for people who want more than just a getaway, Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer one-of-akind in-person experiences—no matter how far from home you travel. 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.

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

Walking Tour

Inside Smithsonian Libraries The Cullman Library

The largest and most diversified museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items in a network of 21 library research centers and an institutional archive throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, New York, and Panama. These rich resources are used by Smithsonian curators, staff, researchers, and scholars, as well as members of the public.

Guided by outreach librarian Erin Rushing, visit the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History in the National Museum of Natural History for a rare look at this research library, typically open by appointment only.

SOLD OUT

Upon arrival, tour Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ newest exhibition, “Nature of the Book,” with the conservators who curated it. The exhibition focuses on books of the handpress era (from about 1450 to the 19th century) through the natural materials that went into making them.

This collection features contains approximately 10,000 rare volumes on the natural sciences, all published before 1840. Topics include botany, mineralogy, and zoology, and some of the books belonged to Smithsonian founder James Smithson.

TWO OPTIONS: Wed., Aug. 2, 9:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-A09); Fri., Aug. 4, 9:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-C09); detailed tour information on website; Members $40; Nonmembers $50

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Objects of Devotion

The Buddha Across Asia

Buddhism—and the art it inspired—helped shape the cultures of Asia. Today, its extraordinary art is a source of beauty and contemplation for audiences across the world. Join Robert DeCaroli, an art historian and specialist in the early history of Buddhism, as you spend the day exploring Buddhist and other Asian works of art in two major museum collections in the region.

Begin at the National Museum of Asian Art for a look at the museum’s holdings, focusing on objects showcasing the Buddha’s life story and early devotional practices as well as the schools and visual forms that developed in East Asia. Explore the permanent collections with museum docents and DeCaroli, co-curator of the Smithsonian’s recent exhibition, “Encountering the Buddha.”

After lunch, visit the Walters Art Museum’s newly installed “Across Asia: Arts of Asia and the Islamic World.” A private tour of the exhibition highlights the Buddhist art collection while exploring cultures and spiritual traditions across Asia.

While traveling by bus between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, DeCaroli provides insights and answers questions generated by the day’s experiences.

Thurs., Aug. 3, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; CODE 1CD-018; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $155; Nonmembers $205

Leslie Overstreet reviews a volume in the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, which she heads

Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room (detail) from the Alice S. Kandell Collection, National Museum of Asian Art

SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES

Bus Tour

Namikawa Sosuke (Japanese, 1847–1910), Bowl with Chrysanthemum Blossoms, ca. 1900, Walters Art Museum

Architecture on the Nation’s Front Lawn

Walking Tour

Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 plan for the National Mall envisioned a grand “public walk.” By 1900, that plan had been stymied and ignored. The far-reaching and critically influential McMillan Plan of 1902 reinterpreted the ceremonial core of the city, and much of what we see on the Mall today reflects that proposal.

Enjoy a morning walking tour and discover the Mall’s history, design, and architecture, from its earliest incarnation to the latest developments. Learn what happened to the museum park and the railroad station and its tracks and why the Mall does not align with compass directions.

Take in a wide range of architectural styles as you view the Smithsonian’s buildings—from the first permanent structure, the 1846 Castle, to the 2016 National Museum of African American History and Culture—as well as the National Gallery of Art and the Department of Agriculture. Styles range from the Castle’s Gothic Revival to the Arts and Industries Building’s exuberant Victorian architecture to the Natural History Museum’s Beaux Arts classicism. Compare the varied interpretations of Modernism expressed in the Hirshhorn Museum, American History Museum, Air and Space Museum, American Indian Museum, and African American History and Culture Museum. The tour concludes at the newest addition to the Mall, the Frank Gehry–designed Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial.

The tour leader is Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture. THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Aug. 12, 8:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-A10); Fri., Aug. 18, 8:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-B10); Sun., Aug. 27, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C10); detailed tour information on website; Members $50; Nonmembers $70

Philadelphia: A Revolutionary City

Founded in 1682, Philadelphia has long played a critical role in American life and culture. Home to the First and Second Continental Congresses and chosen as the temporary capital, the city played a key role in America’s fight for independence and the formation of the United States. Join historian Denver Brunsman, an expert on Colonial and Revolutionary times, as you explore Philadelphia’s days as America’s former capital city.

Begin the day at the Museum of the American Revolution, located just off Independence Mall, for a guided tour of the collection and learn how soldiers, women, African Americans, Native Americans, children, and others experienced the tumultuous events of the Revolution through the stories and objects left behind. Enjoy a lunch-and-learn session with museum educators discussing Philadelphia’s days as a Revolutionary city.

After lunch, visit Independence Hall and stand in the Assembly Room where, in 1776, the Continental Congress declared American independence from Great Britain and, in 1787, the United States Constitution was debated and signed. Look closely and you can spot the Rising Sun Chair that Washington sat in while presiding over the Constitutional Convention. Just blocks away from Independence Hall, tour the Powel House, home of Samuel and Elizabeth Powel, who hosted convention delegates in the evenings for entertainment and intellectual discussions. Elizabeth—well-educated and intelligent—would become one of Washington’s closest confidants before, during, and after his presidency.

Sun., Sept. 10, 7:15 a.m.–8 p.m.; CODE 1CD-020; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $215; Nonmembers $265

National Museum of African American History and Culture

ALAN KARCHMER

Independence Hall in Philadelphia

Bus Tour

Historic Chestertown

With a Cruise on the Schooner Sultana

Enjoy a full day discovering the Chesapeake Bay and its environs. The Sultana was a Boston-built merchant vessel that served for four years as the smallest schooner ever in the British Royal Navy. A 2 ½-hour cruise on a replica of the vessel is part of regional historian Hayden Mathews’ exploration of the rich heritage of Chestertown in Kent County, the oldest county on the Eastern Shore. On land, Chris Cerino, Chestertown’s former mayor, leads a walking tour of the town’s National Register Historic District, which includes many restored Georgian-style homes.

TWO OPTIONS: Sun., Sept. 10 (CODE 1ND-A05); Sun., Sept. 17 (CODE 1ND-B05); 7:45 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $210; Nonmembers $260

Sunrise Hikes at Great Falls, Virginia

Located just 15 miles outside Washington, the Great Falls of the Potomac is the most magnificent natural landmark in the metropolitan area. Rise early on an early-fall morning, avoid the crowds, and enjoy a small-group experience in the great outdoors with naturalist Keith Tomlinson.

The excursions at Great Falls National Park include a hike past Great Falls and into Mather Gorge, two of the area’s most remarkable geologic features. Learn the natural history of the area’s forest, observe a variety of birds, and learn about the effect of local land-use patterns on conservation efforts along the Potomac. The hike covers about 3 miles of hilly walking and rocky trails.

THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Sept. 23 (CODE 1NS-A02); Sun., Sept. 24 (CODE 1NS-B02); Fri., Sept. 29 (CODE 1NS-C02); 6:30–9:30 a.m.; detailed tour information on website; Members $55; Nonmembers $75

Booth’s Escape Route

Fleeing Ford’s Theatre on the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth traveled through Maryland into Virginia, where, a few days later, he was found and fatally shot. Historian Michael Kauffman retraces Booth’s escape route and reveals the personalities and intrigues surrounding the Lincoln assassination.

Stops include Ford’s Theatre; the house near Clinton, Maryland, belonging to Mary Surratt, who was hanged for her involvement in the plot; and the house of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, who set Booth’s broken leg.

Enjoy a seafood lunch at Captain Billy’s Crab House at Popes Creek Landing, near where Booth and co-conspirator David Edgar Herold crossed the Potomac. In Virginia, visit sites where they contacted local sympathizers and where Booth was captured and died.

Sat., Sept. 23, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; CODE 1CD-021; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $170; Nonmembers $220

A reproduction of the 1768 schooner Sultana under full sail on the upper Chesapeake Bay

Great Falls at sunrise

Interior of Ford’s Theatre

Bus Tour

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

Walking Tour

Dupont Circle and Embassy Row

During the late 1800s, Washington’s movers and shakers strolled the streets of Dupont Circle, where Massachusetts Avenue was the city’s premier residential address. Heiresses, industrial magnates, newspaper tycoons, and political elites built opulent mansions along the avenue, in architectural styles including Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, and Queen Anne. Designed to entertain and impress, these homes were filled with the finest artwork and furnishings money could buy.

However, this lavish lifestyle collapsed during the Great Depression, after which many of these magnificent mansions were sold and converted into embassies, social clubs, and offices. Join Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, on a walk through the neighborhood for views of grand homes such as the Walsh-McLean House (now the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia), Townsend House (now the Cosmos Club), Woodrow Wilson House (now a museum), and Franklin Delano Roosevelt House (now the residence of the ambassador of Mali).

THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Sept. 23, 1–3 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A11); Sun., Sept. 24, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B11); Fri., Sept. 29, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C11); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Met’s Magnificent Cloisters Museum and Gardens

Even if it weren’t the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval art, the Cloisters’ location alone would inspire. It rises from a promontory high above the Hudson River, in Fort Tryon Park on the northern tip of Manhattan. The cliffs of the New Jersey Palisades are visible on the opposite shore.

The Cloisters’ architectural elements—including chapels, sections of monastic cloisters, and chapter house—date from the 12th through 15th centuries. They were brought from various sites in France and reconstructed between 1935 and 1938, when the museum opened to the public.

Its collections comprise medieval objects such as the illuminated book the Belles Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry; exquisite stained glass chapel windows; stone sculptures; painted icons; and a carved ivory cross. The Treasury exhibit space houses priceless pieces meant for liturgical celebrations, personal devotions, and secular uses.

Begin with a guided tour of the galleries, where you can view the allegorical Unicorn Tapestries, and the three gardens, which focus on horticulture in medieval Europe and were planted following medieval designs. Free time is available to wander through serene interior spaces or to sit and contemplate in one of the gardens.

Art historian Ursula Wolfman leads the tour.

Fri., Sept. 29, 7 a.m.–9:45 p.m.; CODE 1CD-022; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $230; Nonmembers $280

Bus Tour

Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters

Walking Tour

16th Street and Adams Morgan

Just a few miles north of the White House, D.C.’s Northwest neighborhoods feel a world away from the towering monuments and expansive boulevards of downtown Washington. Sixteenth Street bisects the District along its north-south axis, as the area transitions from law firms and think tanks to embassies and urban parks. The neighborhoods along this crucial thoroughfare, like Columbia Heights, Mount Pleasant, and Adams Morgan, have long been recognized for their rich history and cultural diversity. Home to ambassadors and politicians, revolutionaries and civil rights leaders, these areas have hosted and housed every type of District resident.

Join Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, for a walk through some of Washington’s most vibrant communities and hear stories of movers and shakers, protests, disasters, and social scandals. Explore the oasis of Meridian Hill Park, visit the site of a former castle, learn about the “Empress of 16th Street,” and see what used to be the largest fire station in the city.

THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Oct. 7, 1–3 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A12); Fri., Oct. 13, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B12); Sun., Oct. 15, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C12); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Walking Tour

Autumn Wonder and Wine

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

Spend a day on a journey into the enchanting embrace of autumn at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, a 1,700-acre natural and cultural preserve along the Patuxent River less than 25 miles outside of Washington, D.C.

Join Liana Vitali, naturalist and educator at Jug Bay, and park volunteers to explore the preserve and learn about the unique ecology of the area against a background of rich fall colors. Embark on a hike covering a portion of the 19 miles of trails—and be sure to bring your binoculars, because along the way you’ll spot some of the sanctuary’s nearly 300 species of birds, including native osprey and waterfowl. Glide through the expansive golden marsh on a pontoon boat. Savor the essence of the area with a wine tasting featuring selections from a local vineyard.

A catered lunch is included.

Sat., Oct. 14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1CD-023; Members $115; Nonmembers $165 NOTE: Tour participants meet on site; detailed tour information on website

2-Day Tour

Outdoor Adventures in Shenandoah National Park

Virginia’s fabled Skyline Drive weaves through the length of Shenandoah National Park, one of the region’s top draws for hikers. In a twoday active getaway designed for outdoor lovers, meet up and explore the Blue Ridge trails at the height of their fall beauty and stay at a historic lodge on Skyline Drive that offers magnificent panoramic views of the mountain landscapes. Naturalist and study leader Keith Tomlinson leads two moderate-level hikes in the park and presents an engaging evening program that offers insights into the area’s history, geography, geology, wildlife, and forest environment. Pack your hiking gear, meet on site, and experience the natural splendor of fall in an unforgettable way.

Sun,. Oct. 15, 11 a.m.–Mon., Oct. 16, 4 p.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1NN-SNP; Members $510; Nonmembers $680

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

Chesapeake History and Heritage

Exploring Historic St. Mary’s County

Established in 1637, St. Mary’s County, Maryland, became the first permanent settlement in the state and home to the first state capital. It is also where Lord Baltimore provided religious freedom for any Christian sect—a first of its kind in the New World. Join Chesapeake historian Hayden Mathews for a day in St. Mary’s County exploring its storied history.

Begin with a visit to Sotterley Plantation on the Patuxent River for insight into the land, lives, and labor that shaped this corner of the region from the 18th through 20th centuries. After lunch, visit Historic St. Mary’s City with Peter Friesen, education director for the city’s historic commission. The city was the original state capital and now is part living history museum and part archeological treasure trove. Stops include the Brick Chapel, constructed in 1667 and a symbol of religious freedom, and the St. John’s Site Museum, where you get to look into the fully open excavated site of the St. John’s house, built in 1638. Afterward, take time to explore on your own. A box lunch is included.

Fri., Oct. 20, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-024; Members $160; Nonmembers $210

The First Battle of Manassas

Led by inexperienced commanders and fought by unseasoned troops, the First Battle of Manassas quickly demonstrated that the road to Richmond would be long and hard. Career U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Marc Thompson leads a visit to the site of this epic Civil War battle.

The tour begins with a visit to the Stone Bridge, where Union forces made initial contact with Confederate units on July 21. It continues to Sudley Church, near the ford on Bull Run where other Federal troops tried to outflank the same Confederates engaged at the Stone Bridge. The morning concludes with visits to Matthews Hill and the Stone House, where the Confederates attempted to buy enough time for reinforcements to join them in blunting the Federal advance.

Following lunch at a local restaurant, the tour resumes with a stop at Henry Hill, where participants walk the portion of the battlefield on which Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earned the nickname “Stonewall.” Participants also visit the Robinson Farm, site of heavy fighting during the early afternoon of July 21; the location of the Henry House, where 85-year-old Judith Carter Henry suffered fatal injuries, making her the first civilian casualty of the conflict; and other sites where fighting took place. The tour concludes with a stop at Chinn Ridge, the location of the Federals’ final attempt to defeat rebel forces before retreating to Washington, D.C.

Sat., Oct. 28, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; CODE 1CD-025; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $140; Nonmembers $190

Special Offer: All participants who register for this tour receive a complimentary ticket to the streaming program The First Battle of Manassas and the Experience of War on Oct. 5 (see page 12 for program details).

Sotterley Plantation

The Stone Bridge

Bus Tour

Bus Tour

The Stone House

Brick Chapel

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

Nature Hike in the Potomac Gorge at Carderock, Maryland

Join author and naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley for an autumn nature hike in the scenic Potomac Gorge at Carderock, Maryland, and learn how to forest bathe. Hike on the Billy Goat Trail, section C, starting at the Carderock climbing area. The trail offers dramatic river vistas and passes through a mature forest of oaks, hickories, maples, beeches, black walnuts, and sycamores.

Stop along the route to admire trees with their autumn foliage and fruit, notice birds and other wildlife, and see wildflowers. Midway in the walk, enjoy a few moments of forest bathing, quietly appreciating the splendor of the surroundings. The hike returns to the Carderock climbing area parking lot on the C&O Canal towpath.

THREE OPTIONS: Tues., Oct. 24 (CODE 1CS-A13); Wed., Oct. 25 CODE (1CS-B13); Thurs., Oct. 26 (CODE 1CS-C13); 9 a.m.–12 p.m.; Members $55; Nonmembers $75

The Corning Museum of Glass: An Insider’s Adventure

Get a crystal-clear view of the history, art, and science of making glass at the Corning Museum of Glass. A four-day trip offers participants an insider’s experience and includes curator-conducted sessions and tours. A four-day trip led by Bill Keene offers participants a true insider’s experience and includes curatorconducted sessions and tours.

Curatorial staff members lead the group through more than 3,500 years of glassmaking history in the Ancient Glass, European Glass, and Contemporary Glass galleries. The newest special exhibition, “Dig Deeper: Discovering an Ancient Glass Workshop,” spotlights insights into ancient glassblowing and glassmaking through the presentation of artifacts from a 4th-century glass workshop discovered in Jalame, Israel. Afterward, explore the many ways glass touches wine as it travels from the grape to your goblet in “Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine.”

Take a guided tour of the Contemporary Art + Design Wing. Its 26,000-square-foot gallery—where a sophisticated system of diffused skylights supplies most of the lighting—is the world’s largest space dedicated to the display of contemporary art and design in glass.

A conservator leads participants behind the scenes to look at the work of the conservation lab. The group also is welcomed to the Rakow Research Library, the world’s foremost library on the art, history, and science of glass and glassmaking. Meet with collections and exhibits specialists to explore how the museum manages and displays its collections.

At the Innovation Center, learn about the science and technology behind innovations in glass through hands-on exhibits. Experience the fire and flow of glassmaking as you view a demonstration at the stateof-the-art Amphitheater Hot Shop. Included with your visit is the opportunity to try your hand at a seasonal glassmaking project, working one-on-one with artisans.

Wed., Nov. 1, 7 a.m.–Sat., Nov. 4, 8:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CNCOR; Members $1,180; Nonmembers $1,580

4-Day Tour

Contemporary Art + Design Wing

Behind the scenes at Rakow Research Library

CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS

Innovation Center Optics Gallery

The Corning Museum of Glass exterior

THE CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS

Along the Billy Goat Trail

2-Day Tour

Jewels of Queens

Arts journalist Richard Selden continues his series of overnight trips to New York City’s outer boroughs with this visit to the largest of all, Queens—home of the Mets, the U.S. Open, and two of the metropolitan area’s three major airports.

Among the jewels on the itinerary are Flushing Meadows Corona Park, site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs; the Museum of the Moving Image, a movie and television museum located in the historic (and reborn) Astoria Studio complex; the Noguchi Museum, where the full range of the Modernist sculptor’s work is displayed; and the Louis Armstrong House Museum. To sample the borough’s international cuisine, an Asian lunch in Flushing and a Greek dinner in Astoria are included.

SOLD OUT

The overnight accommodations spotlight one of the borough’s newest jewels: the TWA Hotel. Eero Saarinen’s landmark 1962 TWA Flight Center at Idlewild (now JFK) Airport has been restored and reimagined as a first-class hotel that celebrates the Jet Age glamour of the 1960s.

Sun., Nov. 12, 7 a.m.–Mon., Nov. 13, 9:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1NN-QUE; Members $675; Nonmembers $835

Radio City Music Hall

Front and Center for the Christmas Spectacular

There’s no more iconic holiday performance in New York than Radio City Music Hall’s famed Christmas Spectacular. And there’s no better way to see the precision dancing of the Rockettes than from prime orchestra seats in the fabulous Art Deco theater where the show has been a tradition since 1933.

Before the theatrical magic begins at a matinee performance, get a special behind-the-scenes VIP tour of the music hall, covering the stunning 1930s interiors and art, the Great Stage, Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, and an opportunity to meet a Rockette along the way.

Wed., Dec. 13, 6:45 a.m.–11 p.m.; by bus; CODE 1ND-006; detailed tour information on website; Members $325; Nonmembers $375

Special Offer: All participants who register for this program by Oct. 1 receive a complimentary ticket for the streaming Broadway’s Backstory program on Oct. 16 (see page 23).

Unisphere, Flushing Meadows

TWA Hotel

The Radio City Rockettes

Bus Tour

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.

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

HELPFUL I NFORMATION

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

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

Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•)

Courses, Performances, and Lectures—Multi-Session

Lectures and Seminars—Single Session

HELPFUL I NFORMATION

Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•)

Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•)

Tours—Single and Multi-Session•

Sat.,

Thurs.,

Sat., Oct. 28 The First Battle of Manassas ..................................62

Wed., Nov. 1 The Corning Museum of Glass ................................63

Wed., Dec. 13 Radio City Music Hall ................................................64

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

Studio Arts

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.

NOTICE TO OUR PATRONS:

Smithsonian Associates offers our popular online programs, as well as a number of in-person programs. Because our patrons’ well-being remains Smithsonian Associates’ highest priority, all in-person programs will follow current CDC guidelines. For additional information, please contact us at 202-633-3030 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday

To address your concerns, we are providing the most current information on ticket purchasing and policies, membership and audience services, and communicating with our staff.

SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

MEMBERSHIP Depending on your level of support, you will receive special benefits, including significant savings on most Smithsonian Associates program tickets and a monthly Smithsonian Associates program guide, and much more! Visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/join for more information. Join today!

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REFUNDS are only issued when a program is canceled or if it sells out before we receive your order.

CREDIT TO YOUR SM ITHSON IAN ASSOCIATES ACCOUNT

Credit for cancellations or exchanges are only available for ticket orders that cost more than $40. If in compliance with the specific guidelines below, credit is issued to your Smithsonian Associates account, not your credit card. Credits are non-transferable.

Important note: Cancelling your program in the Zoom personal link that you received will not entitle you to a Smithsonian Associates credit or refund, unless the cancellation took place at least two weeks prior to the program and you notified Customer Service via email about the cancellation.

All Smithsonian Associates online programs, study tours, and Studio Arts classes: If you wish to cancel or exchange tickets for any ticket order costing more than $40, please contact Customer Service via email at least two weeks before the program date to request a credit. Please note that there is a $10 cancellation fee, as well as a cost adjustment when there is a price difference if you are applying your credit to another program.

Courses: To receive credit to your Smithsonian Associates account for a course, (excluding Studio Arts classes), please contact Customer Service via email at least two weeks before the first session. Credit will also be issued within two weekdays after the first session, provided that Customer Service is contacted within that period. Credit will be prorated to reflect the cost of the first session. No credit will be given after the second session.

CHANGES I N PUBLISHE D SCHE DU LES Smithsonian Associates reserves the right to cancel, substitute speakers and session topics within a course, and reschedule any program, if needed. Occasionally, a time or date of a program must change after it has been announced or tickets have been reserved. Participants are

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Viewing Smithsonian Associates Online programs on Zoom

If you have not yet downloaded Zoom go to www.zoom.us/download and download the latest version of the Zoom desktop application.

Because Internet speeds vary, try to use a hardwired internet connection (ethernet cord) to your computer. Limit the number of devices and close other applications in use while viewing, and avoid any high bandwidth activities.

You will receive two emails after registering for a program: The first is an immediate automatic confirmation of your purchase from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org and a second one from no-reply@zoom.us at least 24 hours prior to the program date with a link to your online program on Zoom.

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Once the meeting is open in Zoom, maximize the window by clicking “Enter Full Screen” in the top right corner. Also, make sure your speakers are on.