Smithsonian Associates June 2023 program guide

Dear Friends and Members,

No matter where your journeys take you this summer, there’s no better traveling companion than a compelling book. With a wealth of programs on writing and writers, this month’s guide offers pages and pages of inspiration for your vacation (or staycation) choices.

Spend three fascinating Saturdays with a Bard College literature professor as he delves into the lives and works of Jane Austen (p. 19) and Virginia Woolf (p. 21) and examines two of Russian literature’s most enduring novels (p. 24). Gain new insights into how the distinctive and controversial personalities of Ayn Rand (p. 22) and William Faulkner (p. 23) shaped their novels and legacies.

Discover how the alchemy of art and literature produces powerful creative collaborations among poets, painters, and photographers (p. 37), then circle back to your high school required reading list with fresh perspectives on Moby-Dick (p. 20), The Scarlet Letter, and The Catcher in the Rye (p. 24)

Authors abound in our offerings, discussing new books on topics ranging from the 1814 burning of Washington (p. 12) to discoveries of exoplanets (p. 28), and from how war affects advances in medicine (p. 11) to recent discoveries about owls (p. 28). Make space in your beach tote for some perfect summer themes like North Carolina barbeque (p. 17) and the mysteries of the ocean depths (p. 29).

If you’d rather write than read, bookmark a pair of workshops sparked by summer-themed art and poetry (p. 33). We’re also opening the doors of one of the Smithsonian’s most fascinating collections, the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, providing an inside look at this rare-book research library (p. 60).

Whatever your warm-weather plans, the entire Smithsonian Associates team is glad to make your summer stories memorable ones!

June 2023

On the cover: Dorothy Liebes Studio, New York City, ca. 1957; Dorothy Liebes Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Programs with these icons showcase Smithsonian’s world of knowledge and long-term initiatives

facebook.com/smithsonianassociates twitter.com/smithsonianSA instagram.com/smithsonianassociates issuu.com/smithsonianassociatesprograms

Frederica R. Adelman, Director adelmanf@si.edu

SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES

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

A Wine Dinner at Gravitas

Mon., June 5, Tues., June 6

Toast the start of summer and the seasonal bounty of the Chesapeake Bay with wines worth knowing at Gravitas, a Michelin-starred modern American restaurant.

(see p. 16)

Control Your Heart Disease Risk

Wed., July 26

Physician John Whyte, separates heart-health fact from fiction and provides practical advice that can help reduce your risk of a heart attack.

(see p. 30)

A Dinner at Moon Rabbit

Tues., July 11

An Introduction to Sake

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

(see p. 12)

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. 12)

Musical Event

The Duke Ellington Orchestra:

A Centennial Celebration

Sat., June 10

SOLD OUT

A dinner specially designed for Smithsonian Associates’ guests by chef Kevin Tien blends Vietnamese traditions with Cajun flavors, resulting in Viet-Cajun cuisine.

(see p. 17)

Thurs., Aug. 26 with tastings

Learn about sake’s history, how it’s made, and how it’s categorized with sake expert and sake sommelier Jessica Joly-Crane.

(see p. 19)

Studio Arts

Let your creative side shine in a wide variety of hands-on classes including photography, drawing, painting, calligraphy, fiber arts, and mixed-media, geared to all experience levels and led by professional artists.

(see pp. 43–44)

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

Under the direction of Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra salutes the legacy of the unparalleled Duke Ellington Orchestra in a concert spotlighting some of that ensemble’s most memorable music. (see p.19)

Tours

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

(see pp. 56–61)

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

JACLYN NASH

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

Spring in the South of France

A Virtual Tour of the Region’s History, Culture, and Sights

Everyone from ancient Romans to Post-Impressionist artists to movie stars has been lured to the enchanting South of France. Its abundance of lavender-laced valleys, glittering seashores, and medieval hill towns, all bathed in translucent light, are downright seductive. Journey with travel writer Barbara Noe Kennedy to virtually explore the most intriguing sights—including the gorges known as Europe’s Grand Canyon—historical aspects, food and wine, and art of Provence.

Thurs., June 1, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-D10; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Colonial India’s Complex History

While the historical relationship of India and Great Britain is well-known, events in other countries also affected how India developed into the country it is today. Author Fazle Chowdhury unravels the complicated history of India from its existence as a British colony to an independent Asian nation.

Chowdhury traces the impact of such seemingly unrelated factors as power struggles in 19th-century Afghanistan, Persian Qajar invasions, diplomatic conflicts between Britain and Czarist Russia, and revolutionary movements in both Russia and Persia.

Fri., June 2, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-266; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Aaron Burr

The Most Controversial Founding Father

Aaron Burr stands apart from the other Founding Fathers—then and now. Debates continue on whether he was a significant political figure or a scoundrel and a traitor. He was a hero of the Revolutionary War, a United States senator, and the third vice president, preceded only by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Yet Burr’s legacy is usually defined by his role in the presidential election of 1800, his potential attempt to create a breakaway nation for which he faced a trial for treason, and most notably his 1804 duel with Hamilton leading to Burr’s indictment in two states for murder. Historian Ralph Nurnberger discusses the many facets of this fascinating early American political leader and whether he’s best remembered as a patriot or a villain.

Mon., June 5, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-016; 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

Verdon Gorge

Portrait of Aaron Burr by John Vanderlyn, 1803

The Treaty of Versailles: How Three Men Shaped our World

In 1919, leaders from around the globe gathered in Paris to write the final chapter of World War I. The resulting Treaty of Versailles was the handiwork of three men: British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, and American President Woodrow Wilson. They hoped, one diplomat said, to establish “not Peace only, but Eternal Peace.” But even at the time, another eyewitness knew better. “They think they have got peace,” this French general said. “All they have got is a twenty-year truce.” He was right.

George Mason University history professor Kevin Matthews explores a legacy that is still being played out in Asia and the Middle East, in Europe and the United States, and how the men of Versailles created the world we live in.

Tues., June 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-018; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

A Journey through Ancient China

China has more than 3,000 years of recorded history, but misconceptions abound at every stage. Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, gives you a nuanced overview of ancient Chinese history based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides.

JUN 7 Law and Punishment in Chinese History

JUN 14 Eunuchs in Chinese History

Wed., June 7 (CODE 1J0-270C); Wed., June 14 (CODE 1J0-270D); 6:45 p.m.;

Members $25; Nonmembers $30

U.S.–China Relations: Managing Long-term Rivalry

Co-sponsored by the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars

Relations between the United States and China are at their lowest point since the 1970s. The superpowers are still highly integrated through trade and conflict remains unlikely, but what President Biden calls an “extreme competition” is well underway. Neither Beijing nor Washington has a clear idea of where their competition is headed, how long it will last, or what it will cost. Biden and General Secretary Xi both face domestic pressures that drive them toward a more contentious relationship and prevent them from giving competition their full attention.

Three of Washington’s leading analysts provide insights into whether and how U.S.–China relations can be managed peacefully: J. Stapleton Roy, former U.S. ambassador to China, Singapore, and Indonesia; Amy P. Celico, principal and China director at the Albright Stonebridge Group; and Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. Robert Daly, director of the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, serves as moderator.

Thurs., June 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-267; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Please

David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, and Woodrow Wilson in Versailles, 1919

The Hanging Monastery, the only Chinese temple that encompasses Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism

The Bronze Age: Civilization and Collapse New Insights into a Catastrophe

For more than 300 years during the Late Bronze Age, from about 1500 B.C. until just after 1200 B.C., the Mediterranean region was the stage on which Egyptians, Mycenaeans, Minoans, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Cypriots, Trojans, and Canaanites interacted, creating a cosmopolitan world system that has only rarely been seen before the current day.

When the end came in 1177 B.C. after centuries of cultural and technological evolution, the civilized and international world of the Mediterranean regions came to a dramatic halt.

Historian Eric Cline, author of 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed, surveys a dramatic period of achievement, upheaval, and catastrophe drawing on the most recent data on the Late Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean and their fates.

Thurs., June 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-770; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Quakers and the Birth of the Antislavery Movement

As members of the Religious Society of Friends, Quakers in colonial America manifested their radical sense of equality in what they wore and how they acted. It’s not surprising, then, that 18th-century Quakers were the first group of white Christians in America to confront slaveholding as a religious problem that demanded social action.

But for much of the colonial period, many Quakers were slaveholders themselves—including members of William Penn’s family. It took tremendous energy and effort on the part of a small number of activists to disrupt that status quo in the decades before the Revolution and steer their church towards an outspoken commitment to Black freedom.

Historian Richard Bell recounts this untold story, focusing on the dramatic antislavery crusades and wildly different tactics of three 18th-century Quakers: Benjamin Lay, a hermit; John Woolman, a shopkeeper; and Anthony Benezet, a schoolteacher.

Tues., June 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-264; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Lady Jane Grey

First Tudor Queen or Royal Traitor?

When young King Edward VI died in 1553, England believed the next monarch would be his half-sister Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII named in the Succession Act and Henry’s will as Edward’s heir. But Edward was determined not to leave the crown to a Catholic. With the help of John Dudley, president of the regency council, Edward created a “Devise for the Succession” to rewrite history and choose his successor.

Four days after Edward’s death, Lady Jane Grey Dudley—John Dudley’s teenage daughter-in-law—was proclaimed queen. For several days, both Jane and Mary considered themselves the ruler of England. But once she was installed on the throne, Queen Jane’s reign lasted less than two weeks.

Tudor scholar and historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger considers Jane’s life and character and the powerful men around her, tracing the path from noblewoman to young wife to queen. She also examines Mary Tudor’s complicated relationship with Jane—and why it was necessary for one of them to lose her life.

Wed., June 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-265; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Standard of Alaca Höyük called ”sun slice,“ Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara

Engraving of Anthony Benezet instructing children

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche, 1833

Live from Poland

World War II in Poland Significant Sites, Events, and Stories

Take a visual journey through the years of World War II in Poland and related significant locations—Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk—as author and tour guide Christopher Skutela sheds light on the war and its implications. Knowing what happened in Poland, a constitutional republic that lost its independence during the war, provides a deeper understanding of the history of the rest of Europe and a perspective that can help create a better future, Skutela says.

Mon., June 12, 3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-272; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Churchill’s Secret Army The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

In 1940, Winston Churchill famously ordered his Special Operations Executive (SOE) to “set Europe ablaze.” This top-secret army of mavericks, who ran the gamut from Oxford and Cambridge grads to thieves, soon began a program of sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Churchill remained closely involved throughout the war.

Historian Rory Cormac traces how Churchill’s enthusiasm for intelligence operations drove a global secret war. Ultimately, Cormac suggests that despite some failures, Churchill’s decisions proved astute, and that SOE’s legacy shaped the peace in surprising and sometimes dramatic ways.

Tues., June 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-775; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

How FDR Challenged the Nation From Isolation to Ally

In 1938, when Nazi Germany seized land from Czechoslovakia, the military force of an isolationist United States was smaller than Portugal’s. But that same year, President Franklin Roosevelt’s order to dramatically expand domestic U.S. airplane production was the first step in the monumental transformation of American enterprise that brought victory in World War II, as well as ended the Great Depression, gave rise to middleclass affluence and a consumer society, and triggered an economic, military, and scientific boom that turned America into the undisputed leader of world affairs.

Historian Craig Nelson shares how FDR’s skillful leadership turned a nation wary of war into an arsenal of democracy ready to take on the dangers of another world war.

Nelson’s book V Is for Victory (Simon and Schuster) is available for purchase.

Mon., July 10, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-777; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Planning Operation Overlord Behind the Normandy Invasion

From the vantage point of 79 years, the monumental Normandy invasion smoothly unfolded on June 6, 1944, according to a meticulously detailed plan, with 3 million men, 47 divisions, and 6,000 ships piercing Nazi defenses in an inevitable and unstoppable march to Berlin.

In reality, Operation Overlord was an almost-impossible political and logistical nightmare to conceive and execute, with the Allied high command weighing and discarding many options for landing sites, dates, and equipment, then pulling together the ultimate battle plan in secret. The daring cross-Channel operation opened a new Western front, striking a psychological blow to the German military.

David Eisenhower, director of the Institute for Public Service at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, provides a wider panorama of the daring D-Day invasion led by his grandfather General Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force.

Thurs., July 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-771; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

German troops during the fighting in the streets of Warsaw

Training class at Milton Hall, SOE headquarters, 1944

Members of the British 6th Airborne Division being briefed for the invasion

The Real Lives of Jews in the Traditional World Insights from the Jewish Theological Seminary Library

Jews through the ages were generally considered pious and thoroughly immersed in Jewish life, standing apart, often by force, from their non-Jewish neighbors. But many of the rare materials in the Jewish Theological Seminary Library in New York City, home to one of the greatest and most extensive collections of Judaica in the world, offer a different picture.

It’s a more nuanced one, based on how specific communities of Jews lived with their neighbors, experiencing life first as human beings and then as Jews. In general, they spoke the same languages as those neighbors, wore the same clothes, and related to the world in similar ways, imagining dragons where their neighbors saw dragons and admiring chivalry where it was admired by all. In a richly illustrated talk, David Kraemer, the library’s director, shares evidence from the magnificent collections that offers surprising correctives to commonly repeated historical “truths.”

Thurs., June 22, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-268; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Steel in America A Photographic Journey

Learn the history behind who made steel in the United States, what forces shaped the fate of steel mills and steel towns, and where steel is made today. Using dramatic imagery from the National Museum of Industrial History (a Smithsonian Affiliate) and the Historic American Engineering Record, historian Mike Piersa and photographer Jeremy Blakeslee discuss and vividly showcase the growth, evolution, and sometimes death of facilities that were capable of producing millions of tons of steel per year.

Wed., June 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-017; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Crisis Along the Colorado Why a Water Shortage Threatens the West

Long-term drought, vast population growth, and wasteful agricultural practices rooted in a century-old legal compact have triggered a crisis along the Colorado River. In a two-part series, Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture, reviews the backstories and contemporary repercussions of major water shortages in the American West and explores possible methods of providing water for some 44 million people—in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and portions of Northern Mexico—who depend on the Colorado River.

JUNE

22 A Flawed Compact

Keene examines why the Colorado River Compact of 1922—designed to ensure equitable division of water, augment agriculture and industry, prevent flooding, and develop electric power—instead resulted in overuse of an already-limited resource and ongoing controversy.

JUNE

29 A Looming Crisis

Long-term droughts heighten the prospect of water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell dropping too low to produce electric power or reaching “dead pool,” when no water at all can be supplied. Keene considers the potential for these scenarios, as well as suggestions to mitigate and avoid drought-based disaster.

2 sessions: Thurs., June 22 and 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-037; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

Bethlehem Steel power house by Jeremy Blakeslee

Full-page miniature from the Sister Haggadah, Barcelona, 1350

An abandoned boat on the dried shore of Lake Mead

Four Royal Marriages

Unions That Shaped the Monarchy

Royal weddings today are all about the beautiful dress, the surprising hats, the ride in the carriage, the flowers, and the kiss on the balcony. Even before television and cell phones, the public nature of a royal wedding captured the attention of people all over the world. But did it matter after the grand celebration was over? At certain points in history, the marriages of royal family members shifted the course of the monarchy and strengthened its place.

Historian and author Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger, former manager of visitor education at the Folger Shakespeare Library, examines four marriages that influenced the evolution and existence of the English and British monarchy, from the 14th century to today.

10 a.m. Edward III and Philippa of Hainault: A Great Marriage of the Middle Ages

11:30 a.m. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York: Establishing the Tudor Dynasty

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert: The International Power Couple

2:45 p.m. Bertie and Elizabeth: The Family and the Future of the Monarchy

Sat., July 8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-269; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

An Alphabet of Greek Philosophers

Thinkers from Anaximander to Zeno

Much of how we think and what we think about is constructed on foundations shaped by the ancient Greeks. We’ve all heard of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, who formed an incomparable trinity of askers of questions—often without answers—and theories about humans, the world around us and how we should function in it, and about what might be beyond our world.

But important philosophers thought and questioned and theorized before Socrates, such as Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes, and equally important ones followed Aristotle, including Epicurus and Zeno. Author and Georgetown University professor Ori Z. Soltes, considers how these brilliant minds addressed the varied layers of reality. He also examines why their philosophical legacies remain exciting, and sometimes painful, in their relevance to us more than two millennia after these men strolled through Athens and other cities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Wed., July 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-776; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1854

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

Why We Fight

American Propaganda in World War II

The full mobilization of American society during the Second World War prompted a massive advertising campaign from the federal government’s Office of War Information (OWI). That campaign had many facets, including a sizable print campaign that targeted public spaces. The posters that emerged from the OWI remain some of the most eye-catching and iconic mass-audience images in historical memory.

Historian Christopher Hamner explores those well-known posters, focusing on two important themes: the differing portrayals of America’s enemies and the evolution of what were deemed acceptable roles for men and women amid the turmoil of war.

JUL 17 This Is the Enemy

JUL 24 We Can Do It

2 sessions: Mon., July 17 and 24, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-020; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

From Millionaires Row to Embassy Row

Massachusetts Avenue in the Gilded Age

Washington’s movers and shakers once strolled the streets of Dupont Circle, where Massachusetts Avenue was the city’s most fashionable residential address. Heiresses, industrial magnates, newspaper tycoons, and members of the political elite built opulent mansions along the avenue, all to impress Washington society. After the Great Depression, many of these magnificent mansions were converted into embassies, social clubs, and offices.

Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, offers fascinating stories of the capital’s ruling class and their links to the history of Washington’s premier promenade. Highlighted locations include Dupont Circle; the Walsh-McLean House; the home of Alice Roosevelt Longworth; Anderson House; the Edward H. Everett House; the studios of Alice Pike Barney and Edward Lind Morse; and the Phillips Collection.

Tues., July 18, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-040; Member $25; Nonmembers $30

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

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

We Can Do It!, work-incentive poster for Westinghouse by artist J. Howard Miller, 1942

A History of Cartography From Stone Scratches to Crisis Mapping

Whether early stone carvings or produced by satellite imagery, maps are part science and part art—but are indispensable for understanding the world and our place in it. They tell us which way to point our car, when to pack an umbrella, and how a trouble spot across the globe might affect our national interest.

Join geographer John Rennie Short, author of Cartographic Encounters: Indigenous Peoples and the Exploration of The New World, as he chronicles the dramatic evolution of mapmaking over the course of human history and examines why maps are and will always be a reflection of the way we view our world and ourselves.

Tues., June 20, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-772; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Rediscovering James Garfield

From Radical to Unifier

Far from simply being a president who was assassinated weeks after taking office, James Garfield might be the most accomplished American statesman of the 19th century, says author C.W. Goodyear. Garfield was a pragmatic politician who quietly shaped the rise—and fall—of Reconstruction; a national peacemaker whose attempts to heal rifts in the postwar Republican Party resulted in his murder; and a leader whose death brought about the political calm he had spent his life striving to achieve.

Join Goodyear as he shines a spotlight on a forgotten president and progressive statesman who tried both to improve an America in political and cultural flux and keep it intact throughout a contentious time.

Copies of President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier (Simon & Schuster) are available for purchase.

Tues., July 25, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-522; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

George Washington’s Visit to Barbados

A Journey that Altered History

George Washington left the mainland only once, when he sailed to Barbados in 1751. He accompanied his half-brother Lawrence, who had contracted tuberculosis and hoped that the island’s warm climate would ameliorate the

disease. Despite its important consequences, the journey remains one of the lesser-known episodes of Washington’s early life.

The four-month voyage proved to be significant for the then-19-year-old Washington. He spent time with British soldiers and viewed their fortifications and arms, which fascinated him enough to shift his career goals from being a surveyor to a military career path. Visiting sugar plantations and sugar mills gave him a first-hand view of the production of rum, a beverage that had major economic, political, and social implications at the time. And after recovering from smallpox in Barbados, Washington gained an understanding of the benefits of inoculation for the military. Historian Ralph Nurnberger details this remarkable trip and highlights the impact it had on Washington, his career, and the outcome of the American Revolution.

Mon., July 31, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-019; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Island of Barbados by Isaac Sailmaker

George Washington at 19

MOUNT VERNON

James Garfield in 1881

Map of America, published in 1617 by Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu

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

Celebrities in Chief

American Presidents and the Culture of Stardom

Americans expect their president to be more than chief executive, commander in chief, chief consoler, and chief crisis manager. In an era in which media stardom is a key part of public life, they also expect our national leader to be our celebrity in chief, says historian Ken Walsh, who as a journalist covered the White House beat for more than 30 years for U.S. News & World Report.

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 innovations 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

Andrew Lam

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

Dan Flores

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

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 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

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.

Bell explores this forgotten chapter of the Revolutionary era through the life of Harry Washington, a loyalist stable hand at Mount Vernon who found his way to Sierra Leone in 1792, where he sought to start a new life as an independent farmer. He traces the forces that led to 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 Lummi Nation totem poles at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Join Us on the Road!

Smithsonian Associates Overnight Tours for 2023

Our study tours are designed for people who want more than just a getaway: They offer one-of-a-kind experiences combined with opportunities to gain new insights into the topics that fascinate you. Whether you’re a fan of history, art, music, nature, or architecture—or simply love exploring new places—these expert-led excursions offer a year’s worth of tempting travels. Several of our most popular tours return to the schedule, offering you another chance to join us on these adventures—before they sell out again!

Note: All tour dates and content are subject to change.

Outdoor Adventures in Shenandoah National Park

Sun., Oct. 15–Mon., Oct. 16

(on sale July 1)

Celebrate the beauty of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park as you hike its trails and take in the panoramas from Skyland, your historic lodge nestled along Skyline Drive.

Leader: Keith Tomlinson

The Corning Museum of Glass

Wed., Nov. 1–Sat., Nov. 4

(on sale July 1)

This glass-lover’s dream tour offers a true insider’s experience at the renowned museum, including many curator-conducted sessions.

Leader: Bill Keene

Discover Queens

Sun., Nov. 12–Mon., Nov. 13

(on sale July 1)

Our series of explorations of New York City’s outer boroughs continues with a visit to the largest of all.

Leader: Richard Selden

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

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE Spring Wine Adventures

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

Deutschland Entkorkt: Uncorking Germany’s Best

Germany has some of the world’s most challenging vineyards to maintain. Steep slopes, eroding hills, and climate change all collaborate to make viticulture a harrowing challenge for even the most seasoned winemaker. However, the effort is well worth it. The country’s wines are mainstays of any sommelier’s toolkit for food-and-wine pairings. It’s here where Riesling finds its ancestral home and is readily consumed in all styles from bone-dry to semi-sweet. Germany’s fresh, bright, and food-friendly reds are also comfortably at home on dinner tables all over the world. Erik Segelbaum serves up a delicious exploration of the wines of Germany and their rich histories.

Fri., June 23, 6 p.m.; CODE 1L0-513; 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, 12–4 p.m. at a location to be announced. 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.

A Wine Dinner at Gravitas

Celebrate the start of summer with a delicious evening at Gravitas, a Michelin-starred modern American restaurant by chef Matt Baker dedicated to seasonal cooking and sourcing from local farms and waters. Baker’s four-course menu specially designed for the event showcases the summer bounty of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and Smithsonian Associates’ favorite sommelier Erik Segelbaum, who leads the popular Wine Adventures series, pairs wines with the courses with a focus on hidden gems. Chef Baker and Segelbaum are on hand to talk about the food and drink.

TWO OPTIONS: Mon., June 5 (CODE 1L0516); Tues., June 6 (CODE 1L0-517); 6:30 p.m.; Gravitas, 1401 Okie St. NE, Washington, DC; Members $250; Nonmembers $280

Vineyards in southern Germany

Matt Baker

Erik Segelbaum

A Dinner at Moon Rabbit

The Gulf Coast Meets the Mekong Delta

At the nationally celebrated Moon Rabbit restaurant at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., chef Kevin Tien oversees a menu that is a love letter to his heritage as a first-generation Asian American and showcases dishes that tell his life story. His specially designed dinner for Smithsonian Associates’ guests reflects his upbringing in southern Louisiana by pairing Vietnamese traditions with Cajun flavors, resulting in what he calls Viet-Cajun cuisine.

Heavily seafood inspired, the dinner pays homage to the Louisiana Gulf Coast and Mekong Delta, both significant sources of food, culture, and ways of life. Tien, named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs, is on hand to discuss the dishes and their personal connections.

Tues., July 11, 6:30 p.m.; Moon Rabbit, 801 Wharf St. SW, Washington, DC; CODE 1L0-520; Members $120; Nonmembers $150; The ticket price includes a four-course dinner; drinks are not included but can be ordered separately.

Food from the Forest Shopping at Nature’s Grocery

Our native forests, meadows, and wetlands are nature’s grocery store, chock-full of enticing raw ingredients just ready for the picking. Join naturalist and educator at Maryland’s Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary Liana Vitali and Anne Arundel County Park Ranger Victor Jones as they explore the makings of foraged feasts that can be found in the mid-Atlantic region. From fresh, cucumber-like cattail shoots to spicy garlic-mustard pesto (Yes! Eat those invasive plants!), Vitali and Jones lead an evening that serves up video vignettes that include cooking demonstrations of their favorite natural edible treats as well as go-to recipes for noshing on nature—ethically and sustainably of course.

I N SI DE S C I ENCE Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines

Wed., July 19, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-378; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Whole Hog

A Pitmaster’s Celebration of Tradition

African American barbeque has a rich and complex history that spans centuries and continents. Today, there are countless African American barbeque restaurants and festivals throughout the United States, each with their own unique spin on this traditional cooking technique.

In his first cookbook, North Carolina pitmaster Ed Mitchell explores the tradition that made him famous: whole-hog barbeque. It’s one passed down through generations over the course of 125 years and harkens back even further to Mitchell’s ancestors who were plantation sharecroppers and, before that, enslaved.

Barbeque historian and pitmaster Howard Conyers joins Mitchell and his cookbook collaborators, son Ryan Mitchell and food historian and writer Zella Palmer, in a fascinating conversation that surveys the delicious history of African American barbecue.

Ryan Mitchell and Ed Mitchell

Copies of Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque (Ecco) are available for purchase.

SOLD OUT

Italian Summer Wine Adventures

Spend three 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.

JUL 21 The ABCs of Italian Wine

From Amarone to Barbera, Brunello to Chianti, Chiavennasca, and everything in between, sommeliers know that if an Italian region or grape name starts with A, B, or C, it’s likely to be delicious. And there’s no question that the rest of the letters are well represented in Italian viticulture. Segelbaum explores its grapes and regions in a delightful adult version of Italian-wine ABCs, proving that the alphabet never tasted so good.

AUG 18 Drink Like an Italian Sommelier

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 semialpine wines belong at almost any dinner table.

Three-session series: CODE 3WINE2023; Members $175; Nonmembers $200

Individual sessions: Fri., Jul. 21 (CODE 1L0-523); 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, 12–4 p.m. at a location to be announced. 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.

Northern Italy’s Piedmont region

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 JolyCrane 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

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Concert Series

In Person

Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 32-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History.

The Duke Ellington Orchestra: A Centennial Celebration

They’ve been called everything from the Washingtonians to Duke Ellington and His Kentucky Club Orchestra to Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra (and more). But the Duke Ellington Orchestra under any name maintains an unparalleled place in the history of American music. This year marks the 100th anniversary of this legendary ensemble, and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra is ready to celebrate its vast musical legacy. Performance selections include “Rainy Nights,” “Harlem Airshaft,” “Charpoy, ”and “The Biggest and Busiest Intersection.”

Sat., June 10, 7 p.m; Baird Auditorium, Natural History Museum; CODE 1P0-781; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Jane Austen: Forever Fascinating

Why do so many readers throughout the world still clamor for the books of Jane Austen? How did she help reinvent the novel with her powerfully original writing and unique artistic vision? And why is her life the subject of ongoing fascination—and Hollywood movies? Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature, explores the remarkable career and astonishing life of a woman who overcame countless obstacles to become one of the most revered authors in the literary tradition.

10 a.m. Jane Austen: Life and Work of an Unlikely Legend

11:15 a.m. Sense and Sensibility

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. Pride and Prejudice

2 p.m. Persuasion and Concluding Thoughts

Sat., June 3, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-267; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Charlie Young

Portrait of Jane Austen by Cassandra Austen, 1873, colorized engraving

Jessica Joly-Crane

How Disney Conquered the Entertainment Universe

Over the last nine decades, the Walt Disney Company has played a huge role in transforming every facet of the entertainment business, including feature-length cartoons, television, theme parks, film, Broadway musicals, and streaming services. Media historian Brian Rose examines a remarkable story of creativity and media growth as he traces how the company evolved from a small cartoon studio in 1923 to one of the most powerful forces in worldwide entertainment today.

Mon., June 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-269; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Reading Moby-Dick The World in a Whale

“In its vast spaces and in Melville’s blazingly original style, Moby-Dick is about…the whole world; it willingly incorporates everything,” writes the critic Edward Said. This tale of yearning, obsession, wreckage, and deliverance has drawn generations of readers into its obsessive, unfinished quest.

Readers have seen reflected in its pages the urgent questions of their times, including issues of democracy, race, sexuality, labor, and environment. Diverse artists in astounding number have responded to Herman Melville’s words. Samuel Otter, a professor of English at the University of California at Berkeley, explores topics including the reception of Moby-Dick, ways of reading this surprising and heterogeneous book, and the strange qualities of a work that attempts to “incorporate everything.”

Tues., June 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-774; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Gender, Sexuality, and the Fairy Tale

Fairy tales have a reputation for being conventional, and many of the most famous ones—think Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk—appear to be just that. But they can be surprisingly inclusive and wonderfully disruptive to our expectations.

Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman share some very old and very unconventional fairy tales and discuss modern LGBTQ+ twists on old tales and traditions.

Tues., June 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-271; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

Henry David Thoreau on Work

Meet your new favorite coworker: Henry David Thoreau. The popular conception of the transcendentalist writer as a navel-gazing recluse who was scornful of work and other mundanities isn’t an accurate one. In fact, Thoreau worked hard—surveying land, running his family’s pencil-making business, writing, lecturing, and building his cabin at Walden Pond—and thought intensely about work in its many dimensions.

In their new book, Henry at Work, authors John Kaag and Jonathan van Bell invite readers to rethink how we work today by exploring an aspect of Henry David Thoreau that has often been overlooked: Thoreau the worker. They reveal that his ideas about work have much to teach us in an age of remote work and automation, when many people are reconsidering what kind of working lives they want to have.

Copies of Henry at Work: Thoreau on Making a Living (Princeton University Press) are available for purchase.

Tues., June 27, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-518; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Leonard Bernstein: The Man Who Could Do Anything

Anyone who encountered Leonard Bernstein never forgot the experience. Here was the great American maestro and composer of three symphonies, the Broadway tunesmith, the concert pianist and jazzy improviser, the teacher you wish you’d had in 7th grade, and the Jewish musician who wrote Mass for the Kennedy Center’s opening. He was the man who could do anything—and who was an enigma even to himself.

Popular Smithsonian music lecturer Saul Lilienstein, who studied conducting with Bernstein and frequently performed with him, explores the dimensions of his musical contributions. Savor the man’s charisma and learn about the complexities of his life in this engaging seminar highlighted with musical recordings and film clips. It’s the perfect prelude to the upcoming Maestro, a Bernstein biopic in which Bradley Cooper doubles as director and star.

10 a.m. Beginnings

11:15 a.m. In the Concert Hall

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. On Broadway

3 p.m. A Personal View

Sat., July 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-270; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Virginia Woolf’s Literary Genius

Why is Virginia Woolf considered one of the most important authors of all time? Join Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, as he explores Woolf’s remarkable literary contributions. Discover why her innovative writing style, extraordinary emotional insights, and profound level of learning continue to enchant readers worldwide and attract new audiences.

10 a.m. A Masterpiece: Mrs. Dalloway

11:15 a.m. Rethinking a Woman’s Place in the World: A Room of One’s Own

12:15 p.m. Break

12:45 p.m. Reinventing Stream of Consciousness: To the Lighthouse

2 p.m. Identity’s Many Masks: Orlando

Sat., July 15, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-276; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Virginia Woolf, 1927

1973: The Year in Film

The year 1973 was, to put it mildly, a very dramatic 12 months. But amid all the social change and political crises, from the perspective of 50 years it was a remarkable year of filmmaking throughout the world.

Hollywood was luring huge numbers of moviegoers back to the cinemas with such massive grossers as The Sting, The Exorcist, The Way We Were, and Paper Moon. The studios also released extremely risky, highly personal, director-driven projects such as Mean Streets, Badlands, Last Tango in Paris, and Scarecrow. Meanwhile in Europe, Federico Fellini immortalized his childhood in Amarcord, while François Truffaut paid loving homage to the cinema in Day for Night.

Grab your popcorn and join film historian Max Alvarez as he hosts a multimedia online celebration honoring a fantastic year at the movies.

Thurs., July 20, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-381; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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 extraordinary 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

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 the philosophy she espoused. 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

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

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.

Robert Redford in The Sting 1973

Carl Reiner Mel Brooks

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

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

The Genius of Sergei Rachmaninoff

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

Utterly extraordinary 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 prodigious 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

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

William Faulkner

Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya at home, 1942

Sergei Rachmaninoff

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

High School Classics Revisited

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. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, 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. Joseph 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

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

Fyodor Dostoevsky (detail) by Vasily Perov, 1872

ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS CULTURE HI STORY SCIENCE

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

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.

JUN 5 Death Valley, California

JUL 10 Yosemite, California

AUG 7 Crater Lake, Oregon, and Lassen, California

SEPT 11 Yellowstone, Wyoming

3-part series: Mon., July 10, Aug. 7, and Sept. 11, 7 p.m;.

CODE 1NV-GE3; Members $60; Nonmembers $75

Individual programs: Mon., June 5 (CODE 1NV-031); Mon., July 10 (CODE 1NV-041); Mon., Aug. 7 (CODE 1NV-042); Mon., Sept. 11 (CODE 1NV-043); 7 p.m; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Landscape of Change

Historic Acadia National Park

For centuries, the coastal location and diverse landscape of Maine’s Acadia National Park—featuring mountain summits, rocky shores, and wooded valleys— have drawn Indigenous residents, explorers, settlers, and visitors in search of beauty and inspiration. The juxtaposition of landscape has created a unique region and a haven for scientists. Their centuries of written records, specimen collections, and oral histories have provided baselines for understanding environmental change on Mount Desert Island and beyond.

Author and scientist Catherine Schmitt shares the story of science in Acadia. Her book Historic Acadia National Park (Lyons Press) is available for purchase. Thurs., June 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-016; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Acadia National Park

Remnants of Life

The New Science of Ancient Biomolecules

We used to think of fossils as being composed of nothing but rock and minerals, but we were wrong. Today, scientists and the new science of ancient biomolecules—pigments, proteins, and DNA that once functioned in living, but now extinct, organisms—are opening a new window onto the evolution of life on Earth. Dale E. Greenwalt, a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History, is your guide to these astonishing breakthroughs.

Greenwalt is the author of Remnants of Ancient Life: The New Science of Old Fossils (Princeton University Press), available for purchase.

Tues., June 13, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-273; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Crater Lake, Oregon

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

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.

Earth, Our Habitable Home

Being just the right distance from the sun helps make Earth habitable, but the composition of our atmosphere is a key ingredient. That’s because the combination and proportions of gases maintain a climate in which water can exist in its liquid form. Natalie Burls, the director of the Climate Dynamics Program at George Mason University, discusses the crucial role Earth’s atmosphere plays in determining its climate, how Earth’s climate has varied in the past, and how we are the changing the composition of Earth’s atmosphere and thus its climate.

Tues., June 27, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-285; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Our Moon, Lighting the Way

The moon, our closest solar system neighbor, is a familiar object in our night sky. Its seemingly serene appearance, however, is the product of a long history of violent bombardment. Planetary scientist Rebecca Ghent, co-investigator on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, discusses impact cratering on the moon and examines its significance in understanding the evolution of the moon and other bodies in our solar system.

Tues., July 25, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-286; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Mars, Voted Most Likely

A supermoon, 2014

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

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

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

NASA/JPL

NASA/JPL

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

NASA/JPL

The Three Ages of Water

Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future

From the creation of the planet billions of years ago to the present day, water has always been central to existence on Earth. It has shaped civilizations and empires and driven centuries of advances in science and technology as well as progress in health and medicine. But the achievements that propelled humanity forward also brought consequences: unsustainable water use, ecological destruction, and global climate change.

Leading scientist and water expert Peter Gleick traces the long, fraught history of our relationship to this precious resource, outlining how the lessons of the past can be the foundation of action designed to support a sustainable future for water and the planet.

His book The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future (PublicAffairs) is available for purchase.

Thurs., June 15, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-370; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Live from the UK

Pterosaurs: Soaring Above the Dinosaurs

The pterosaurs are the flying reptiles so often mistakenly called pterodactyls. These animals flew above the heads of dinosaurs, their close relatives, from at least 230 million years ago until they all became extinct 65 million years ago.

Although pterosaurs’ fossils are rarer than those of their dinosaur cousins, we still have a remarkable range of them, from sparrow-sized babies to giants with wingspans of nearly 33 feet. Paleontologist David Hone dives into what we know about these fascinating flying reptiles and what we still have to discover.

Sun., June 25, 2 p.m.; CODE 1J0-274; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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Demonstrate your support today. The returns will exceed your expectations. SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Peter Gleick

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

What an Owl Knows New Insights into the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds

For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, they are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary avians. Some 260 species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active in the dark of night. Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds, pulls back the curtain on the rich biology and natural history of owls and examines remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.

Her book What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds (Penguin Press) is available for purchase.

Mon., June 26, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-017; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Exoplanets The Cutting-Edge Science Behind Recent Discoveries

For centuries, people have speculated about the possibility of planets orbiting distant stars, but only since the 1990s has technology allowed astronomers to detect them. More than 6,000 such exoplanets have already been identified, with the pace of discovery accelerating after the launch of NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the Webb Space Telescope.

Princeton astrophysicist Joshua Winn provides an inside view of the detective work astronomers perform as they find and study exoplanets and describes the surprising— sometimes downright bizarre—planets and systems they have found. He explains how these discoveries are revolutionizing astronomy, explores the current status and possible future of the search for another Earth, and considers how the discovery of exoplanets and their faraway solar systems changes our perspectives on the universe and our place in it.

Winn’s book, The Little Book of Exoplanets (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Tues., July 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-377; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

California’s Channel Islands

The Galápagos of North America

Off the coast of southern California, the Channel Islands seem to float on the horizon like ribbons of dark rock. The 8 islands and their encircling waters are home to over 2,000 species of animals and plants—145 of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Today, five islands are protected as Channel Islands National Park.

Often referred to as the Galápagos of North America, isolation over thousands of years and the mingling of warm and cold ocean currents give rise to the rich biodiversity of the Channel Islands, which have attracted many explorers, scientists, and historians during the past few centuries. Jasmine Reinhardt, a National Park Service interpretation and education program manager, covers the diverse history, geography, and unique flora and fauna of these islands and the people who protect them today.

Thurs., July 13, 8 p.m.; CODE 1NV-039; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Joshua Winn

Arch Rock at East Anacapa Island, home to pelicans and other birds at Channel Islands National Park

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

Why Do Predators Matter?

Sometimes scary but always intriguing, the world’s top predators are also quite necessary. Robert Johnson, a wildlife specialist and conservationist; Sharon Gilman, a biology professor specializing in vertebrates and science education; and Dan Abel, a marine science professor and shark specialist, share facts and tell stories about these fearsome and often misunderstood animals. Their book, Tooth and Claw: Top Predators of the World (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Mon., July 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-277; 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

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

Ben Stanger

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

Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk

With WebMD’s John Whyte

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Although some causes are genetic, most heart disease is rooted in lifestyle. Physician John Whyte, chief medical officer of WebMD, separates heart-health fact from fiction and provides practical advice that can help reduce your risk of a heart attack.

Whyte offers tools and information to take control of your health. They include guidelines to assess your personal risk level; what you should and shouldn’t eat; an exercise guide to get your body moving without purchasing fancy equipment; and his thoughts on the value of various digital tools and apps. He also addresses the role our emotions—especially depression and anxiety—play in heart disease and stresses that it’s time we stop ignoring the mind–body connection when it comes to our heart.

Attendees receive a complimentary copy of Whyte’s book Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk (Harper Horizon).

Wed., July 26, 6:45 p.m; CODE 1K0-383; Ripley Center; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 (includes book)

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

We are proud to work with C-SPAN. This digital library offers a selection of our past programs on a wide variety of intriguing topics. Learn more at SmithsonianAssociates.org/replay

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

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 extraordinary 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

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

Your Monthly Digital Program Guide Is Always On Time!

It’s becoming harder and harder to be patient as widespread mail delays across the country are affecting the timely delivery of our monthly program guide. But, in the meanwhile, we want to remind you of some of the convenient online options available to help you keep up with Smithsonian Associates’ programs and special offers.

It Pays To Become a Member (Especially Today) The digital program guide is sent automatically to members via email (1–2 weeks before the print guide arrives).

Members receive early email announcements of new programs, free events, and other special offerings—ahead of the general public Visit Our Website Purchase tickets and make payments; become a member or renew your membership; sign up for program eAlerts; and access our popular Digital Digest.

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

STEPHEN VOSS

Certif icate Prog ram i n World Art H i story

Art is all around us. It excites us, enriches our lives, and enlivens our imaginations. But to truly appreciate any work of art, we need to understand the context and culture in which it was produced. That’s why Smithsonian Associates offers an exciting 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.

The core courses and electives in our program are selected from among Smithsonian Associates’ ongoing courses, seminars, study tours, and Studio Arts classes. Look for “World Art History Certificate” throughout the program guide to see current listings.

Complete the program requirements at your own pace. Credits are counted from the day of program registration and are not given retroactively.

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

To learn more about the Smithsonian Associates certificate program in World Art History, visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/ArtCertificate

You love art. Now become the expert you’ve always wanted to be.

Left column, from the top: Fresco of the Libyan Sibyl, ca. 1511, Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo; Taj Mahal, completed 1643, Agra, India; The Young Ladies of Avignon, 1907, by Pablo Picasso; Equestrian ceramic figure, ca. 13th–15th centuries, Mali*; Second column: Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, 2010, by Frank Gehry, Las Vegas; The Calf-Bearer, ca. 570 B.C.; Athens, Greece; Frida Kahlo by Magda Pach, 1933*; Before the Ballet, ca. 1892, Edgar Degas

*from Smithsonian museum collections

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

Reflective Writing Workshops

The View from Here

Discover the joy and power of reflective writing inspired by visual art. Guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface, participants slow down, look closely, question, wonder, and write, inspired by Hughie Lee-Smith’s intriguing painting, The Beach. These reflections can become fertile creative ground for memoir, poetry, and more. Designed for the curious and writers of all levels, the workshop invites participants to see with new eyes and strengthen their resilience and hope as they look outwardly at art and inwardly through writing. The workshop has a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.

Tues., June 27, 10–11:30 a.m.; CODE 1K0-382; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

The Beach by Hughie Lee-Smith, 1962

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, 10-11:30 a.m.; CODE 1K0-389; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Lesser-Known Museums of Rome

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

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 electivs: Earn ½ credit

Boy with a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio

Mary Hall Surface

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Hokusai’s Career in Prints

Internationally renowned for iconic works such as Under the Wave off Kanagawa, Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) designed popular woodblock prints for more than five decades. His boundless creativity led to a prolific output on a range of subjects in a variety of genres. National Museum of Asian Art curator Kit Brooks examines the print works of this artist, who has come to be seen as an embodiment of Japanese artistic style.

Mon., June 5, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-268; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Renoir: The Gift of Joy

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, celebrated as a founding member of the Impressionists, is also hailed by modern realists for his painterly technique and happy subjects. His work reflected one central tenet: “To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful and pretty. …There are too many ugly things in life as it is without creating still more of them.” No stonebreakers or railway stations for him.

Renoir reveled in lush color that can be seen in sensual nudes, family portraits, landscapes, and genre depictions such as Luncheon of the Boating Party. Art historian Bonita Billman showcases selections from his prolific oeuvre of more than 4,000 works as she illustrates why Renoir is one of the most highly regarded artists of his time.

Thurs., June 8, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-266; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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 artists 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

Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1881

Under the Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai

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

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

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit Understanding Modern Art

The radical innovations made by European and American painters and sculptors between 1900 and 1960 forever altered the way we think about visual art. Before World War I, Fauvist and Expressionist painters challenged the traditional Western concept of beauty, while Picasso and Malevich took on thousands of years of art history by exploring the controversial realm of abstraction.

Between the wars, artists as different as Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo made images based on their own dreams and hallucinations. Later, American art finally achieved international recognition through the enormous, dramatic canvases of Jackson Pollock, paving the way for several decades of cultural prominence that began in the 1960s.

In this richly illustrated two-part course, art historian Nancy G. Heller, professor emerita of art history at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, discusses major works by the period’s seminal painters and sculptors, emphasizing their broader socio-political and aesthetic contexts.

FRI., JUNE 9

6:30 p.m. New Art for a New Century

SAT., JUNE 10

10 a.m. Empathy and Shock

11:30 a.m. Beyond Realism and Narrative

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Exploring the Subconscious

2:45 p.m. The Triumph of American Painting

2 sessions: Fri., June 9, 6:30 p.m. and Sat., June 10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-263; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

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

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

Nous Autres Musiciens by Pablo Picasso, 1921

Number 1 (Lavender Mist) by Jackson Pollock, 1950

Flowers by Andy Warhol, 1964 YANN CARADEC

THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM,

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

New York Restaurant by Edward Hopper

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Elgin Marbles Controversy

Did Britain’s Lord Elgin rescue ancient Greek marble sculptures and architectural fragments–including a 24-foot marble frieze–from the Parthenon in 1801 or did he steal them? Greece’s position is clear: The country wants them back from the British Museum. But do the citizens of modern Greece have any claim over items produced in their region by people who lived thousands of years ago?

While the battle over ownership roils, the famed works have already been renamed in wide circles from the Elgin Marbles to the Parthenon Marbles. Art historian Joseph Cassar explores these ancient sculptures made under the supervision of architect and sculptor Phidias and the controversies that have swirled around them since they left Greece.

Mon., June 12, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-369; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Part

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Philip Johnson and the Glass House

A Life in Art

Delve into one of the nation’s most innovative architectural environments, the Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, former home of architect Philip Johnson. First built in 1949 but expanded over decades, it’s now a center for art, architecture, and culture and features examples of some of the most important movements in 20th-century architecture as well as a significant collection of postwar American art. As a National Trust for Historic Preservation site, the Glass House continues to conserve a nearly 50-acre landscape that is as much a part of the visual design as the architecture itself.

Johnson was best known in the world of architecture but played an equally powerful role as a patron of art and was one of the largest donors to New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Hilary Lewis, chief curator and creative director of the Glass House, examines it as a signature work of modern architecture, its roles as a laboratory for architecture and a salon for the arts, and the extraordinary and complex figure behind it.

Thurs., June 22, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-038; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Discovering the William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation Art Collection

William Louis-Dreyfus (1932–2016) was a poet, businessman, and committed art collector whose collection of close to 4,000 works represents over 50 years of discovery and dedication. Shaped by curiosity, an open mind, and a lifelong fascination with the power of visual media, Louis-Dreyfus’s collection remains remarkable today for its depth and diversity.

Get an introduction to this one-of-a-kind collection in a program that begins with a recorded message by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who talks about her father’s passion for art and his commitment to education. Then, Paul Glenshaw (of the popular Smithsonian Associates Art+History series) hosts a live-streamed illustrated lecture about this extraordinary and fascinating collection by Mary Anne Costello and Christina Kee, the curators at the William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation in Mount Kisco, New York.

Fri., June 23, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1K0-371; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

William Louis-Dreyfus leads students on a visit to the foundation

of the West frieze of the Parthenon Marbles

BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON

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

The Intersection of Art and Literature

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. Explore the alchemy that occurs at the intersection of art and literature in this fascinating Sundayafternoon series with David Gariff, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art.

JUN 25 Walker Evans and James Agee

JUL 23 William Blake: Poet and Painter

AUG 27 Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein

3 sessions: Sun., June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, 3 p.m.; CODE 1H0-773; Members $75; Nonmembers $80

Individual programs: Sun., June 25 (CODE 1H0-773A), July 23 (CODE 1H0-773B), Aug. 27 (CODE 1H0-773C), 3 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

The Art of India: From the Indus Valley to Independence

Ever since its origins in an ancient civilization along the Indus River, the complex culture of South Asia has led to the creation of some of the world’s most remarkable art and architecture. Robert DeCaroli, a professor in the department of history and art history at George Mason University, highlights the artistic traditions and historical changes in the Indian subcontinent from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism.

JUL 12 Origins of South Asian Culture

JUL 19 Kingdoms, Caves, and Temples

JUL 26 Southern Dynasties and Northern Newcomers

AUG 2 The Mughal Court, the British Raj, and the Nationalists

4 sessions: Wed., July 12–Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-275; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

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We are proud to work with C-SPAN. This digital library offers a selection of our past programs on a wide variety of intriguing topics. Learn more at SmithsonianAssociates.org/replay

The Ancient of Days by William Blake, 1794

Taj Mahal, completed in 1643, Agra, India

Cave painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani, in Ajanta, ca. 2nd century, B.C.E.

World

Art History Certificate

elective: Earn ½ credit A Dark, A Light, A Bright The Designs of Dorothy Liebes

Dorothy Liebes was one of the most influential textile designers of the mid-20th century. Her luxurious handwoven fabrics combined vivid color, lush textures, unexpected materials, and a glint of metallic—a style that grew so prevalent it became known as the Liebes Look. She shaped American tastes in areas from interiors and transportation to industrial design, fashion, and film.

The exhibition “A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes” opens at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum on July 7. Join organizers Susan Brown, associate curator and acting head of textiles, and Alexa Griffith Winton, manager of content and curriculum, to explore the life and works of this innovative American designer.

Tues., July 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-018; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Schiaparelli and the Surrealists

The Art of Fashion

Elsa Schiaparelli did not approach fashion like other designers of her era. She never considered herself a dressmaker but instead saw herself as an artist working in the medium of fabric. She once said that “working with artists like Bébé Bérard, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, Vertès, van Dongen and with photographers like Hoyningen-Huene, Horst, Cecil Beaton, and Man Ray gave one a sense of exhilaration.”

This was particularly true of her 1937 and 1938 collections, which dazzled with inspirations like her famous “Lobster Dress,” a white silk organza dinner dress that serves as the canvas for a Dali-painted crustacean and a black jersey coat with silk tucked roses featuring Jean Cocteau’s double-image chalice. Spend an evening with historian and curator Elizabeth Lay as she examines Schiaparelli’s designs in the context of the subversive art and photography of the period. Both Schiaparelli and the Surrealists were experimenting in new materials and a new artistic expression as Europe moved closer and closer to war.

Tues., July 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-376; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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.

Florence Knoll, 1956

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

Dorothy Liebes Studio, New York City, ca. 1957

Ankle-length coat, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jean Cocteau, and François Lesage, London, 1937

AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

Lunchtime with a Curator

Entertaining and Design at the White House

Beginning with its first resident, President John Adams, the White House has witnessed countless holidays, celebrations, and official functions. Presidential entertaining in the modern era has only continued to grow in scale and artistic creativity.

Curator Elizabeth Lay welcomes John Botello, creative manager of the White House–Executive Residence, for an image-rich program on 21st-century style at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of his work on events and interior design, and shares what goes into planning—down to the smallest detail—projects from a state dinner to the annual holiday decorations. Before his current role, Botello served at Blair House, the U.S. State Department, the White House Historical Association, the Smithsonian, and Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens.

Mon., July 24, 12–1 p.m.; CODE 1K0-372; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Frida Kahlo: Her Art and Life

Labeled a Surrealist because of the fantastical, often nightmarish quality of her paintings, Frida Kahlo always countered that she didn’t paint dreams: She painted her own reality. Kahlo had hoped to become a doctor, but a bus accident at age 18 left her near death. She recovered, but despite numerous operations she spent the rest of her life in pain.

The paintings Kahlo made during her lengthy convalescence opened a new path. She was especially encouraged by the much older, internationally famous fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera, with whom she fell in love. Their stormy life together and apart formed the basis for many of her pictures, as well as books, plays, and films about Kahlo.

Art historian Nancy G. Heller examines Kahlo’s short life—including the reasons she loved wearing traditional Mexican clothing, accessories, and hairstyles—and her work. She looks beyond the famous self-portraits to include landscapes, still lifes, and other Kahlo subjects.

Thurs., July 27, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-271; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

World

Art

History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit Art Nouveau: New Style for a New Century

Noted for its organic, sinuous, and seductive styles, the Art Nouveau movement in modern art and design—called the New Style— developed out of the arts and crafts and aesthetic movements. Centered in France at the turn of the last century, it was celebrated at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris and quickly spread to England and America. This richly illustrated seminar led by art historian Bonita Billman explores the style’s origins, identifying characteristics, and chief creators. Though it flowered for only a decade or so, Art Nouveau has had a longlasting influence and popularity.

10 a.m. Origins and Characteristics of Art Nouveau

11:30 a.m. Art Nouveau in France

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. The New Style in Britain

2:45 p.m. The New Style in America

Sat., July 29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-272; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Frida Kahlo by Guillermo Kahlo

"Wisteria" table lamp, Tiffany Studios

The State Dining Room John Botello

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 we infer about its meanings, and what can we 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

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 oeuvre— 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

Olmec monumental head, Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico

José Clemente Orozco, Mural Omnisciencia, 1925

Ocher painting of a horse, Altamira cave, Spain

The Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565

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

Self-Portrait with Physalis by Egon Schiele, 1915

Niagara by Frederic Edwin Church, 1857

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

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

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

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

Sunset on the Ganges River in Varanasi

The Lady with the Unicorn, Cluny Museum, Paris

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines

IN PERSON

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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.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

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., July 12–Aug. 30, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0VD; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

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Beginning Oil Painting

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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.

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

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The Ancient Art of Henna Tattoos

SOLD OUT

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

IN PERSON: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0VM; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

Impressionism in the Franciscan Monastery Gardens

Cézanne-Inspired En Plein Air Landscape Intensive

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: Sat., June 24, 12:30 p.m.; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0UV; Members $65; Nonmembers $75

By Sandra Gobar

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.

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

By Sharon Robinson

Introduction to Photography

Figure Sculpture

Students examine the materials and processes for sculpting a portrait, torso, or full figure using a live model. They learn clay sculpture techniques focused on tool use, armatures, anatomy, and proportions and have the opportunity to explore their own individual styles.

By George Tkabladze

IN PERSON: Wed., July 12–Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WB; Members $215; Nonmembers $245

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On-Location Photography

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

IN PERSON: Sun., July 9–Aug. 13, 1:45 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WJ; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

By Joe Yablonsky

By Andargé Asfaw

Introduction to Studio Portraiture

IN PERSON

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. Critiques of assignments enhance the technical skills you learn.

IN PERSON: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Andargé Asfaw; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WM; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

Produce a portfolio of student and model portraits in this class that focuses on basics such as posing a subject; using highlight and shadow; high key and low key lighting; using a flash meter; and understanding strobe lighting.

By Marty Kaplan

IN PERSON: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Marty Kaplan; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0WN; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

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

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.

Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913

ONLINE: Mon., Aug. 7–28, 10:30 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XC; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

Sketchbook Habit: The Art of Everyday Life

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

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Portrait Drawing

Students are introduced to the basic steps of how to create a convincing portrait using charcoal or graphite. Concepts such as the universal proportions of the face are explored, as are techniques to help observe and record features that make a particular subject unique.

SOLD OUT

ONLINE: Wed., July 5–Aug. 16, 7 p.m. (no class Aug. 2); Eric Westbrook; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VA; Members $205; Nonmembers $235

By Eric Westbrook

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. Some watercolor or drawing experience is recommended.

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Sun., July 9, Aug. 6, and Sept. 10, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VB; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

Beginning Drawing

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

ONLINE: Mon., July 10–Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VC; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

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

Drawing Heads, Hands, and Feet

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.

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

Complete Colored Pencils

Colored pencil, an often-overlooked dry medium, is coming into its own. Whether used in fine art or illustration, they can enliven work with rich, vibrant color and a dizzying range of effects. Learn basic to intermediate methods and strategies with colored pencils.

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 3–17, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VE; Members $135; Nonmembers $155

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Animal Portraits in Colored Pencil

Try your hand at animal portraiture, whether done in a realistic or slightly abstract style, while learning the proper use of the colored pencil medium. Instruction includes choosing a subject, reference photos, choice of paper and pencils, and, finally, framing a portrait to be proud of.

Introduction to Watercolor

By Lori VanKirk Schue

ONLINE: Thurs., Aug. 24 and 31, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VF; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

By Josh Highter

Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore new materials and techniques in watercolor painting. Working on still-lifes and landscapes from direct observation or photographs, they learn about basic watercolor techniques and new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.

ONLINE: Sun., July 9–Aug. 27, 10:15 a.m.; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VJ; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

Watercolor Techniques and Textures

Learn several approaches to creating washes and contrasting textured areas using drybrush, splattering, and lifting. These techniques are particularly useful when painting scenery such as landscapes, tree trunks, rocks, grasses, and old barns. This class is designed for advanced beginner and intermediate watercolor students.

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. (no class July 25); Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VK; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

By Lubna Zahid

By Lubna Zahid

The Magic of Light and Shadow in Watercolor

The portrayal of light and shadow can be a challenge to painters of all levels. Through demonstrations and hands-on exercises, you gain confidence in creating these contrasting elements. You also learn how to create a strong focal point, unity, and balance in a painting.

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Sept. 5, 5 p.m. (no class July 25); Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VL; Members $265; Nonmembers $295

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Techniques in Modernist Painting

By Shahin Talishkhan

Students are invited to 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.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 13–Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VN; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

NEW CLASSES

Bienvenu à la Maison: French Architectural Details in Watercolor

A sunlit balcony, a window box filled with flowers, and a welcoming doorway—there is no mistaking when these architectural details are part of a home in France. Working from personal reference photos or ones provided by the instructor, students learn to capture these unique details in flowing watercolor.

By Cindy Briggs

ONLINE: Thurs., July 13 and 20, 6:30 p.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VP; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

Watercolor Workshop: QuickSketch for a Day

Sur la Plage: Painting the Beach

The light, movement, and colors of the beach have long been an inspiration for artists. In this workshop, explore the techniques of masters of seaside painting as preparation for creating your own beach memory.

By Joaquín Sorolla

ONLINE: Thurs., July 20–Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; Adrienne Wyman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WZ; Members $205; Nonmembers $235

Botanical Illustration: Watercolor Flowers

Learn watercolor techniques specific to botanical illustration, including dry brushing and creating small details, while working from sketches or photos of real flowers. Previous drawing experience is required.

ONLINE: Tues., July 25–Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.; Natalia Wilkins-Tyler; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XD; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

By Natalia Wilkins-Tyler

Color Stories Journal

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

By Cindy Briggs

ONLINE: Sat., July 22, 9 a.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VQ; Members $105; Nonmembers $115

By Sushmita Mazumdar

Explore your relationship to individual colors and how they connect to facets of your life. Practice simple, playful acrylic painting techniques incorporating all the colors of the spectrum, plus black and white. Then, begin to record personal stories in a journal to use every day.

ONLINE: Tues., July 25–Aug. 22, 6 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VR; Members $165; Nonmembers $195

Abstract Watercolor for Beginners

Learn to embrace and celebrate the unpredictability, versatility, and beauty of watercolor. Class discussions cover supplies; color theory, palettes and pigment control; and exercises and experiments to achieve different effects. The use of other media such as water-based pencil and pastels is also addressed.

SOLD OUT

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2–23, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VS; Members $135; Nonmembers $155

By Heather Kerley

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Mixed-Media Art Warmups

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

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

Altered Books

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Learn to upcycle book pages as surfaces for drawing, painting, and collage. Students experiment with materials and techniques to create their own stories using gelatin plate prints, textures, photo transfers, drawing, painting, and text redaction.

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–Aug. 16, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VT; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

By Sushmita Mazumdar

Centering practices used by artists to prepare for making art can be helpful in everyday life. Through guided instruction designed to enhance your artmaking, explore mark-making with lines, swirls, and puddles, and use paper to experiment with folding and tearing.

ONLINE: Mon., July 17–Aug. 21, 12 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00VW; Members $95; Nonmembers $125

Introduction to White-Line Woodblock Printing

White-line woodcuts are multicolor images printed from a single block of wood. Learn to create your own by cutting a nature print or simple line drawing into a single wood block with a knife or gouge, creating the “white lines” when printed.

ONLINE: Sat., June 24, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UQ; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

By Sue Fierston

Fancy-Fold Cards for All Occasions

Create four different fancy-fold cards sure to impress any recipient. Fancy folds look challenging, but this workshop walks you through all the steps. Detailed instructions provide you with everything you need to create future fancy folds on your own.

ONLINE: Sat., July 22, 10 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VY; Members $70; Nonmembers $80

By Karen Cadogan

Make Your Mark

Students explore mark and pattern making as the first step toward developing fully realized works of art. Intuitive exercises use a variety of simple tools to generate many types of marks.

ONLINE: Mon., July 24–Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XL; Members $145; Nonmembers $165

Build a Tiny House

By Sharon Robinson

The Painterly Gel Print

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

In this three-day workshop, students construct tiny houses, which they personalize working in papier-mâché, acrylics, and mixed media. Finish the house’s interior and exterior in acrylic, photo transfers, and a variety of techniques to make it your own.

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–26, 6 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VU; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

Build a Tiny Interior

By Sharon Robinson

Printmaking using a gel plate offers many options for combining materials and techniques to achieve distinctive results. Learn simple techniques for transferring images to the plate for printing, layering, masking, and brushwork.

ONLINE: Sat., July 22–Aug. 12, 1 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0XK; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

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.

ONLINE: Wed., Aug. 2–16, 6 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VX; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Explorations in Art and Poetry

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

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

By Richard Allen May

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

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Circular Weaving

Circular weaving is a fun and versatile technique for new weavers as well as experienced fiber artists. Learn how to warp and weave on several sizes of circle looms as you create projects from coasters to cushions to home décor.

Basic Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom

By Karen Cadogan

By Tea Okropiridze

ONLINE: Tues., June 6–20, 6 p.m.; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0TX; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

The versatile and portable rigid heddle loom is a great entryway into weaving scarves, placemats, dishtowels, and more. Learn how to prepare (dress) the loom for weaving, along with basic handcontrol techniques including flat tapestry, raised tapestry, open-lace work, pickup, plane weave, and several finishing techniques.

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VZ; Members $155; Nonmembers $185

Botanical Illustration in Redwork

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

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Thurs., June 1–15, 10 a.m. (CODE 1V0-0UR); Wed., July 12-26, 12 p.m. (CODE 1V0-0WA); Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Members $105; Nonmembers $125

By Heather Kerley

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Introduction to Calligraphy: The Foundational Hand

This class offers an introduction to the basic calligraphic strokes that make up the Foundational hand, the starting point for learning other hands such as Italic and Black Letter. Students begin by using dual pencils and then the broad-edged pen. They acquire the necessary skills and understanding in drawing guidelines, determining heights, and letter spacing.

ONLINE: Sat., July 8–Aug. 26, 1:30 p.m.; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WX; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

By Sughra Hussainy

Introduction to Afghan Manuscript Illumination

Learn the elements of goldleaf manuscript illumination in the Afghan tradition. Create geometric, vegetable, and floral motifs using graph and tracing paper and transfer designs onto fine-art paper. Then, color the designs with opaque watercolors, outline them in black ink, and use as ornamentation for calligraphy and manuscripts.

ONLINE: Sun., July 9–Aug. 27, 1 p.m.; Sughra Hussainy; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WY; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

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Introduction to Beading

Learn to create your own handcrafted jewelry. Cover the basics of bead stringing, wireworking, and pearl knotting, along with the names and uses for common hand tools, wire, stringing materials, and findings. Make up to two necklaces, two to three pairs of earrings, and one single-strand necklace or bracelet using the pearl-knotting technique.

By Mïa Vollkommer

ONLINE: Thurs., July 13-27, 6 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0WD; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

NEW CLASSES

Wirework Intensive: Rings

Learn to create three different ring designs using wire-working, forming, and riveting. Designs can be embellished with beads and easy texturing techniques. Students leave the class with several finished pieces that are ready to wear.

By Mïa Vollkommer

ONLINE: Thurs., June 1–15, 6:30 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0US; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

Growing Show Orchids

If your orchids are thriving and blooming and you’re wondering what’s next in your orchid adventure, this class is for you. Learn about the conditions necessary to raise vigorous, healthy orchids for shows and tips on transporting competitionready orchids.

ONLINE: Sat., June 10, 2 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UT; Members $30; Nonmembers $40

The Art of Floral Design

ONLINE SOLD OUT

Explore the spectrum of floral design in this class that covers such practical areas as sourcing (with a focus on sustainability), making the most of seasonal flowers, creating centerpieces, wiring techniques, and photographing your work.

By Arrin Sutliff

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Arrin Sutliff; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WC; Members $155; Nonmembers $185

Student work

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

Mosaics for Beginners

Weekly lectures, demonstrations, and work-along periods provide a solid creative and technical foundation for working with mosaics. Select from eight unique patterns designed by the instructor, with the option to work in either glass tiles or unglazed porcelain.

ONLINE: Tues., July 18–Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0WE; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Bead Weaving: On and Off the Loom

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

PHOTOGRAPHY: Beginner n n n n

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.

Understanding Your Digital Mirrorless or SLR Camera

By Eliot Cohen

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., June 24 and Sun., June 25 (CODE 1V0-0UZ); Sat., Aug. 12 and Sun., Aug. 13 (CODE 1V00WW); 9:30 a.m. Eliot Cohen; details on website; Members $275; Nonmembers $295

By Patricia Howard

By Eliot Cohen

Learn how digital SLRs or mirrorless cameras can help you achieve better picture quality and control. Sessions cover ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and depth of field; RAW vs. JPEG files; and white balance and auto focus modes. Several photos can be uploaded before the second session, which features suggestions for possible improvement.

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., June 10 and 17 (CODE 1V0-0UW); Sat., July 29 and Aug. 5 (CODE 1V0-0WV); 9:30 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details on website; Members $265; Nonmembers $285

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Hands-On History of Photography: The Cyanotype

Explore the world of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyanblue and white print. Create your own cyanotype artwork in this unique studio arts program.

ONLINE: Sat., June 17 and 24, 12 p.m.; Patricia Howard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UY; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

Natural-Light Photography

Understand the essential basics of shooting in a natural-light setting as you learn to gauge the direction of light; recognize degree of diffusion; minimize (or emphasize) lens flare; control conditions with lens hoods; and identify the “golden hour.”

ONLINE: Thurs., July 6, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WH; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

NEW CLASS

Black-and-White Film Developing at Home

Processing your own 35mm or 120mm black-and-white film is cost-effective and typically yields better results than sending it to a commercial lab. Acquire the skills you need to process film at home in this information-packed session, with topics such as stages of the chemical developing process, negative storage, film scanners, and printing options.

ONLINE: Wed., July 5, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WG; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

The Joy of Photography

This class is designed for beginners who want to learn how to use their digital or mirrorless camera as a creative tool. Students gain skill in technical aspects of photography so that they can concentrate on composing beautiful images. Topics include aperture, shutter speed, ISO, the exposure triangle, focal length, metering, white balance, and composition.

ONLINE: Mon., July 10–Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m.; Marty Kaplan; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WK; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

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. Critiques of assignments enhance the technical skills you learn.

ONLINE: Tues., July 11–Aug. 15, 10:30 a.m.; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WL; Members $185; Nonmembers $215 By Andargé Asfaw

Apertures, Shutter

Speeds, and Exposure Modes

Take command of your photographic vision as you learn the basics of your camera’s exposure functions. Learn to control the properties of your images through the understanding of apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field, shutter motion effects, equivalent exposures, and exposure modes.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 13, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WR; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Understanding ISO

ISO is the numerical value used by digital and film cameras to define the light sensitivity of the recording medium. In this workshop, learn how to match your ISO to your creative needs by minimizing noise; eliminating camera shake and freezing motion; pairing with fast or slow lenses; and assisting with tripod use.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 20, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WS; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Photo 101

Photo 101

Photo 101

By Joe Yablonsky

Achieving Balanced Compositions in Photography

Balance is frequently mentioned as an attribute in painting, drawing, and design, but rarely in photography. Learn how to incorporate the concept of arranging positive and negative elements in space to achieve an aesthetically pleasing outcome into your previsualization process to obtain consistently stronger compositions.

ONLINE: Wed., July 26, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WT; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Exposures and Histograms

Histograms are a graphic display of the brightness levels of pixels in an image. For new photographers, they can be an essential guide to achieving the correct exposure. This workshop is a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of exposure and how to manipulate each element to positively affect your histogram.

ONLINE: Thurs., July 27, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WU; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Taking Better Photos

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 Joe Yablonsky

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

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Hands-On History of Photography: Surrealism

Learn about the world of the photo surrealists—Man Ray, László Moholy-Nagy, Hannah Höch, and others—and explore how they pushed the boundaries of photographic imagery. Then, create your own surrealist collage as part of the experience.

ONLINE: Sat., June 3 and 10, 12 p.m.; Pat Howard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UE; Members $75; Nonmembers $95

Photo 101

Rayograph (untitled), 1922, by Man Ray

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Photographing Industrial Items

Learn the camera controls, composition, and lighting considerations to achieve artful images of items such as brickwork, apartment or office buzzers, call boxes, and vintage signage. Working knowledge of your camera is required, along with willingness to see the mundane as magnificent.

ONLINE: Thurs., June 1 and 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1V0-0UD; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

Slow Shutter-Speed Photography

Slow things down as you learn to capture movement and low light scenes with longer shutter speeds. Topics covered include panning, zoom effect, intentional camera movement, tripods, drive modes, neutral density filters, and the camera settings required to take slow shutter-speed photos in bright light, low light, twilight, and night.

ONLINE: Wed., July 12 and 19, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WQ; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

Macro Photography

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

ONLINE: Thurs., June 15 and 22, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0UX; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

By Andargé Asfaw

Introduction to Photography II

Whether you work digitally or in film, this course is ideal for students who are familiar with their cameras but are interested in expanding their understanding of photography fundamentals. Sessions focus on lighting, composition, shooting techniques, and gear; photo-editing software is also discussed. Students must have a camera with manual controls and a tripod.

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–Aug. 16, 6:30 p.m.; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; CODE 1V0-0WP; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

Designed for people who want more than just a getaway, Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer oneof-a-kind 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.

Bus

Exploring the Historic C&O Canal

The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was the brainchild of George Washington, who dreamed of creating an inland waterway to ferry goods between the Ohio River and Chesapeake Bay. Washington didn’t live long enough to see it come to fruition in 1828, but the C&O Canal touched many lives during the almost 100 years it was in use.

The canal’s colorful history is the focus of this excursion, guided by Aidan Barnes, director of programs and partnerships for the C&O Canal Trust, along with other Trust and Park staff. Participants also get a close-up view of the canal’s stunning natural features, tour a rehabilitated lockhouse, and learn about the lives of the lockkeepers, boat captains, and laborers who lived and worked along the canal.

Fri., June 2, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-014; Members $145; Nonmembers $195

The Distinctive Birds of Western Maryland

Habitats in the Wild

High elevation and precipitation levels in the mountains of Garrett County, Maryland, create avian habitats that closely resemble those found hundreds of miles farther north—providing birdwatchers an opportunity to observe a myriad of nesting species typically found in New England and Canada. Join naturalists and birding leaders Matt Felperin and Joley Sullivan for a full day of exploration in the Maryland panhandle region bordering Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

As you travel west on I-68, enjoy strategic stops along the way at distinctive habitats that host Henslow’s sparrows, bobolinks, grasshopper sparrows, black-billed cuckoos, and golden-winged, bluewinged, and cerulean warblers.

Then head to Garrett County’s New Germany State Park, a mountain gem filled with diverse forests and miles of trails, where you’ll be on the lookout for many species of warblers, red crossbills, and rose-breasted grosbeaks—and salamanders. The day ends at the Finzel Swamp Preserve near Frostburg, where you can watch for ruffed grouse, Nashville warblers, broad-winged hawks, and Alder flycatchers in this unique ecosystem.

Sat., June 3, 5 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-003; Members $185; Nonmembers $235

Giants of the Sea

Norfolk’s Naval Heritage

For over a century, the Hampton Roads area has hosted Norfolk Naval Station, the largest navy base in the world and home to the U.S. Navy’s gigantic Atlantic Fleet. Spend a day exploring some of the world’s greatest ships with transportation expert Scott Hercik.

Begin at Nauticus maritime museum, where you find the USS Wisconsin, the Navy’s last battleship. Learn of the dynamic growth in global commerce moving through the Port of Virginia and the critical importance that the Navy plays in protecting America’s interests around the world. Climb on board the Wisconsin, launched in 1943.

After lunch, set sail aboard the Victory Rover to enjoy a close-up view of huge marine terminals, served by some of the largest container ships in the world, and marvel at the ships of the Atlantic Fleet, including huge Nimitz-class and the newest Ford-class nuclear aircraft carriers.

Thurs., June 15, 7 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-019; Members $205; Nonmembers $255

The Charles F. Mercer at Great Falls

Bus Tour

Deck of the USS Wisconsin

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines

The Urban Geology of the National Mall

Washington, D.C.’s National Mall provides a world-class showcase for a diverse collection of American architectural styles, landscape design and use and building stones. Join geologist Kenneth Rasmussen on a 3-mile walking tour that views structures on the Mall built from igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock formed during roughly 3.5 billion years of Earth’s history and erected during 220 years of American history.

Rasmussen discusses the rocks’ origin, age, and significance, as well as the engineering, aesthetic, and political reasons for their selection and placement. He sets the Mall’s evolution in geological and architectural context and traces roughly 230 years of design in buildings and monuments created from 1791 to the present, including recent flood-mitigation efforts in view of projected sea-level rise.

Thurs., June 8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-004; Members $105; Nonmembers $125

Architecture on the Nation’s Front Lawn

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

Travel insurance is advised for overnight and multi-day tours. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.

Aerial view of the National Mall

Walking Tour

National Museum of African American History and Culture

ALAN KARCHMER

Arts and Industries Building

Walking Tour

In the Footsteps of Activists

Looking at D.C. History From an LGBTQ+ Perspective

Long before the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling affirming the right to same-sex marriage, Washington, D.C., was a place where LGBTQ+ history was made. Join leaders from A Tour of Her Own to explore feminist history through a queer lens in the nation’s capital.

As you walk through downtown neighborhoods filled w ith theaters, street art, and historic locations, stop to hear stories of defiance, resistance, and triumph at sites that include Black Lives Matter Plaza, the White House, and Ford’s Theatre.

TWO OPTIONS: Sat., June 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A07); Sun., June 18, 4–6 p.m. (CODE 1CSB07); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Bus Tour

Andrew Wyeth and the Brandywine Valley

Andrew Wyeth had a lifelong link to the rural beauty of Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley, with connections to both family and art. A day-long visit to the Brandywine Museum of Art led by art historian Bonita Billman brings that personal landscape to life and offers an opportunity to view an exhibition of Wyeth’s works featuring many pieces that have not been exhibited before.

“Andrew Wyeth: Home Places” presents nearly 50 paintings and drawings of local buildings that inspired Wyeth time and again over 7 decades of his career. Among the previously unexhibited works are the early oil The Miller’s Son, painted when Wyeth was just 17 years old, and the watercolor Noah’s Ark Study, made at age 87—both depicting the same property, Brinton’s Mill.

Travel offsite to see Andrew Wyeth’s nearby studio, where he produced thousands of works of art from 1940 to 2008, and enjoy a boxed lunch at the museum’s Millstone Cafe.

Sat., July 1, 7:15 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-016; Members $175; Nonmembers $225

Walking Tour

U Street

Shaped by History, Musical Legends, and Relative Newcomers

The U Street, NW, neighborhood has long been a vibrant corridor for the rich social, civic, and cultural life of Washington’s African American community. Join local guide Lynn O’Connell on a walking tour that focuses on the neighborhood’s history.

Begin at the African American Civil War Memorial, which honors the more than 200,000 African American soldiers and sailors who served during the Civil War. Then see sites for which U Street was dubbed the Black Broadway—including the legendary Howard Theatre and the Lincoln Theatre, which featured headliners such as Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, and D.C.-born Duke Ellington.

Along the way, learn about the riots that started on April 4, 1968, following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Traverse the area known as Little Ethiopia, and discover murals featuring such history makers as Ellington and go-go legend Chuck Brown.

THREE OPTIONS: Sun., July 9 (CODE 1CS-A08); Tues., July 11 (CODE 1CS-B08); Thurs., July 20 (CODE 1CS-C08), 6–8 p.m.; detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Noah's Ark Study, by Andrew Wyeth (Collection of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art © Andrew Wyeth/Artists Rights Society)

U Street, NW

The Latest Buzz on Bees

Bees are nearly ubiquitous worldwide, busily pollinating on every continent except Antarctica. There are nearly 20,000 known bee species, and 4,000 of them are native to the United States. The Mid-Atlantic alone has nearly 500 species of native bees. Spend the day at three labs that research and support native bees and honeybees.

Begin the day at the United States Geological Survey’s Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab with wildlife biologist Sam Droege, who develops identification methods and conducts surveys of native bee species. Then visit the University of Maryland’s Bee Lab to get up close and personal with honeybees. Suit up before visiting the onsite colonies with the Bee Squad, Karen Rennich and Mark Dykes. Learn about bee husbandry and the lab’s research on honeybee health and reducing colony losses. After lunch at a local restaurant, spend the afternoon at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Bee Research Laboratory with entomologist Jay Evans for an inside look at the lab’s research on honeybee diseases. What exactly do busy bees do in their hive? Find out when you visit a glass observation hive.

Fri., July 14, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; CODE 1CD-017; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $150; Nonmembers $200

5-Day Tour

A Berkshires Summer Sampler

A popular summer retreat for Bostonians and New Yorkers for well over 150 years, the scenic and historic Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts are alive with music, art, and theater. Arts journalist Richard Selden leads a five-day tour that offers a splendid sampling of cultural attractions in the region, from writers’ historic homes to outstanding museums to music and theater performances.

Destinations with literary connections include Herman Melville’s evocative Pittsfield farmhouse, Arrowhead, and Edith Wharton’s elegant Lenox estate, The Mount.

Visit the Clark Art Institute in picture-perfect Williamstown; MASS MoCA, a collection of contemporary galleries in a 16-acre former industrial complex; and the first-rate art museums at Williams College and Yale University. Be part of the audience at two intimate chamber music venues, Music Mountain in western Connecticut and Yellow Barn in Putney, Vermont, as well as for a performance of Blues for an Alabama Sky at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Sun., July 30, 6:30 a.m.–Thurs., Aug. 3, 9:30 p.m.; CODE 1CN-BER; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $2,050; Nonmembers $2,735

Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines

Andrena cornelli, female (USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program)

The Yellow Barn, Putney, Vermont

The Night Café, 1888, by Vincent van Gogh, in the Yale University Art Gallery

MASS MoCA in North Adams

The Clark Institute of Art in Williamstown

Edith Wharton’s The Mount

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.

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.

THREE OPTIONS: Wed., Aug. 2, 9:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-A09); Wed., Aug. 2, 3:30–5 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B09); Fri., Aug. 4, 9:30–11 a.m. (CODE 1CS-C09); detailed tour information on website; Members $40; Nonmembers $50

Bus Tour

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

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

2-Day Tour

Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright

Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, and Polymath Park

One of America’s most innovative architects, Frank Lloyd Wright experimented with new ways to design homes and integrate them into nature. Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, and the houses at Polymath Park offer prime examples of his organic architecture. Visit all three locations on an overnight tour to the scenic Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, which is especially lovely colored in its autumnal palette. Tour leader Bill Keene, a writer and lecturer on architecture, urban history, and city planning, has a special interest in Wright.

Fallingwater, perhaps the architect’s best-known structure, was designed in 1936 as a mountain retreat for the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh. Cantilevered over a waterfall, the home is one of the most dramatic and frequently photographed works of architecture. It is also the only major Wright house with its setting, original furnishings, and artworks intact. And it is one of 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States.

Constructed of Tidewater red cypress and native fieldstone, the house on Kentuck Knob almost appears to be part of the mountain on which it is built. It was designed by Wright in 1953 for the I.N. Hagan family and now houses furnishings and art of the current owners, Lord Peter and Lady Hayat Palumbo.

At historic Polymath Park near Fallingwater, view two houses designed for everyday living in the 1950s: the Usonian-style Duncan House and the Mäntylä House, both of which were relocated here.

Sun., Oct. 1, 7:15 a.m.–Mon., Oct. 2, 6 p.m.; CODE 1CN-FLW; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $535; Nonmembers $685

5-Day Tour

Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota

Badlands, Bison, and the Making of a Conservationist

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

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

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

Sat., Oct. 7, 6 p.m.–Wed., Oct. 11, midday; CODE 1CN-NDK; detailed tour information on website; Members $1,865; Nonmembers $2,215; NOTE: Tour participants meet on site and are responsible for their own airfare.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Downtown Medora, North Dakota

Fallingwater

Kentuck Knob

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