Smithsonian Associates May 2023 program guide

Dear Friends and Members,

May feels like the essence of spring, a time to be outside and appreciate all that nature gifts us at this time of year. At Smithsonian Associates, we offer a bouquet of tours, studio arts classes, and programs that beautifully reflect the season.

Take a spring morning walk on Theodore Roosevelt Island amid wildflowers, trees, and birds while learning about the legacy of its naturalist and conservationist namesake—and enjoy a special riverside view of the Washington, D.C., skyline (p. 56). Join us for birding in Western Maryland to observe migrating northern species like ruffed grouse, golden-winged warblers, and rose breasted grosbeaks. You might also spot a few salamanders (p. 57).

Bring nature indoors by learning to grow elegant orchids and prepare them for display at shows (p. 49) or how to help them flourish while basking in the warm weather (p. 49).

Those of us who remain inside even when the outdoors beckons are invited to appreciate nature through the artistry of Frida Kahlo (p. 39) or join a virtual visit to Côte d’Azur and spend a few moments imagining yourself relaxing on a beach along the French Riviera (p. 4). Closer to home, learn to forage for food in nature’s vast grocery store: the forests, meadows, and wetlands of the mid-Atlantic. A naturalist and a park ranger share delicious recipes using all-natural found ingredients such as cattail shoots and garlic mustard (p. 15).

Spring is a time of hope that inspires action. The Smithsonian recently renewed our commitment to research and education through the Life on a Sustainable Planet initiative (science.si.edu). We’re optimistic about the future and look forward to having you join us to learn more about how people and nature thrive in a rapidly changing environment by exploring these Smithsonian Associates programs.

May 2023

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

Frederica R. Adelman, Director adelmanf@si.edu

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

On the cover: Frida Kahlo, Self portrait with Necklace of Thorns, 1940, MUDEC, Milano, 2018. Photo © Ambra75 (Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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.

Musical Events

A Dinner at Moon Rabbit

To Have and Have Another

Thurs., May 4

Writer Philip Greene, a co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail, examines the life of Hemingway through his favorite drinks.

(see p. 14)

Tues., July 11

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. 15)

The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society: 2023 Season

“Fair Maid of the Mill” Sun., May 14 (see p. 17)

The Duke Ellington Orchestra: A Centennial Celebration Sat., June 10 (see p. 17)

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. 15)

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. 29)

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. 41–42)

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

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. 54–60)

SmithsonianAssociates.org

HUGH TALMAN/SMITHSONIAN

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

JACLYN NASH

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

A Journey Through Ancient China

China has more than 3,000 years of recorded history, but misconceptions abound at every stage. This series takes you on a thematic tour of four important topics in ancient Chinese history: religion, ethnicity, law, and eunuchs. Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, gives you a nuanced overview based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides.

MAY 24 Religion in Chinese History

MAY 31 Ethnic Identity in Chinese History

JUN 7 Law and Punishment in Chinese History

JUN 14 Eunuchs in Chinese History

4 sessions: Wed., May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-270; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Individual sessions: Wed., May 24 (CODE 1J0-270A); Wed., May 31 (CODE 1J0-270B); 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

A Bitter Defeat

The 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville

Military historians consider the May 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s tactical masterpiece and a notable defeat for the Union. However, the consequent Confederate overconfidence played a significant role in the decision to invade the North at Gettysburg, with results that would turn the tide of war.

Historian Christopher Hamner examines the lead-up to Chancellorsville, Lee’s tactics, and the strategic implications of the Confederate victory. Wed., May 3, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-013; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Related tour: The Civil War at Chancellorsville (see p. 55)

Yang Guang depicted as Emperor Yang of Sui, 7th century

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

Battle of Chancellorsville by Kurz and Allison, 1889

Moviegoing in America From Nickelodeons to Movie Palaces to IMAX to Streaming

Ever since the movie industry was born in the 1890s, audiences have been thrilled to watch stories come to life on the big screen. Actually, nickelodeon screens weren’t very big. But by the 1920s, extravagant movie palaces were a common venue. Then came suburban drive-ins, followed by shopping-mall multiplexes. Today, the movies offer mind-boggling experiences at 7-story IMAX theaters.

Media expert Brian Rose looks at the fascinating history of movie theaters, examines how the experience of moviegoing has changed over the decades, and considers whether movie theaters will survive in the age of streaming services.

Wed., May 3, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-260; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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, medieval hill towns, and lively cities, all bathed in translucent light, are downright seductive. Journey with travel writer Barbara Noe Kennedy in a virtual exploration of Provence and the Côte d’Azur, including the region’s most intriguing sights, historical aspects, food and wine, and art. Among the locales are the sunny beaches of the French Riviera and the gorges known as Europe’s Grand Canyon.

MAY 4 Côte d’Azur

JUN 1 Off the Beaten Path

Individual sessions: Thurs., May 4 (CODE 1CV-C10), Thurs., June 1 (CODE 1CV-D10), 7 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Cuban Missile Crisis Re-examining a Moment of Extreme Danger

The Cuban Missile Crisis is an event most Americans think they could probably recount in broad contours: In 1962, the Soviet Union tried to sneak nuclear missiles into Cuba, but the United States discovered them and forced the Soviets to back down. But is that what really happened, or is that just the myth Americans have told themselves in the years since? Allen Pietrobon, a global affairs professor at Trinity Washington University, reflects on how such a moment of extreme danger came to happen and whether the United States truly won the face-off.

Mon., May 8, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-261; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

A U.S. Navy P-2H Neptune flying over a Soviet cargo ship with crated Il-28s on deck during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Côte d’Azur

Verdon Gorge

The Fox Theater in Atlanta All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

The Physiologus A Book of Nature and Fantasy

Unicorns, centaurs, and other animals—both mythological and real—make an appearance in the Physiologus (The Naturalist), a compilation written in Greek by an anonymous author, probably in Alexandria in the 3rd century A.D. Its text comprises chapters on assorted animals and magic stones, with information drawn from the works of ancient and Christian authors, the Bible, and fables. Ilya Dines, a medieval manuscripts specialist at the Library of Congress, delves into the text, illuminations, and legacy of the Physiologus.

Mon., May 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-265; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Illuminated mauscript page from the Physiologus

Global Geopolitical Organization The View from Ground Level

According to the standard model of global politics, the world is cleanly divided into a set number of fundamental units called nation-states. In the conventional narrative, the nation-state model originated in Europe in the late 18th and early-19th centuries and subsequently spread across the world, becoming fully globalized during the post-World War II decolonization era.

But global political organization is far more complicated and chaotic, reminds historian Martin Lewis, and expecting all countries to act like nation-states can result in severe miscalculations. Imposing regime-change, for example, on a country with an inadequate national foundation can result in rapid state collapse rather than democratic reconstruction. Lewis explores how the world is geopolitically constituted at the ground level, rather than as it is ideally imagined by diplomats, scholars, and foreign-policy experts.

Tues., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-767; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Perils of Polarization A History of a Nation Divided

It’s increasingly clear that the United States is fragmented: Civility is in short supply, and common values are eroding. However, that’s nothing that hasn’t happened before. Journalist, historian, and author Ken Walsh illustrates how the United States has had recurring problems with creating unity and maintaining respectful discourse. Walsh examines how the United States reached this point, places the current situation in historical context, and discusses whether there is much chance for comity, consensus, and cooperation in the future.

Thurs., May 25, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-014; 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

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 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

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

Portrait of Aaron Burr by John Vanderlyn, 1803

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

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

Our programs...your time

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

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 middle-class 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

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

Training class at Milton Hall, SOE headquarters, 1944

German troops during the fighting in the streets of Warsaw

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

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

Engraving of Anthony Benezet instructing children

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche, 1833

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

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

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

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*

Bethlehem Steel power house by Jeremy Blakeslee

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

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

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

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

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Colorado River passing through downtown Austin

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1854

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

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

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

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 scholaractivist, 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

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For more than half a century, education has been at the very heart of what we do at Smithsonian Associates. We open the doors of the Smithsonian’s vast knowledge resources to people of all ages.

Please help us continue to carry out our educational mission by making a charitable contribution today. Your help is essential because, unlike the museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded and relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and ticket revenue.

Demonstrate your support today. The returns will exceed your expectations.

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

TIM EVANSON

Andrew Lam

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

Spring Wine Adventures

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE

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.

Wein-derlust: Exploring Austrian Wine

Austria has a long and storied history of producing extraordinary, high-acid, and fresh wines. Whether it’s bone-dry Rieslings or Austria’s heritage grape, Grüner Veltliner, its whites are guaranteed palate pleasers and are exceptionally food-friendly. But Austria has so much more to offer. Native reds like Blaufrânkisch (Lemberger), Zweigelt, and St. Laurent shine brightly, as do international varieties like Pinot Noir (Spâtburgunder). This delightful session will have you drinking like a sommelier in no time.

Fri., May 19, 6 p.m.; CODE 1L0-512; Members $65; Nonmembers $75

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.

To Have and Have Another The Life and Times (and Cocktails) of Ernest Hemingway

Although he probably never drank Dos Equis, Ernest Hemingway could have been the prototype for the brand’s “Most Interesting Man in the World.” One of the 20th century’s greatest writers, he lived a big, bold, adventurous life, filled with exploits in locations across the world.

Writer Philip Greene, a co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail, examines the life, prose, travels, and adventures of Hemingway through the lens of his favorite drinks, watering holes, and drinking buddies. Enjoy light snacks and four cocktail samples and raise a toast to Papa.

Greene’s book To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion (TarcherPerigee) is available for purchase and signing.

Thurs., May 4, 6:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1L0-509; Members $55; Nonmembers $70

Austrian red-wine vineyards

Vineyards in southern Germany

Philip Greene

In Person

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

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 1L0-516); Tues., June 6 (CODE 1L0-517); 6:30 p.m.; Gravitas, 1401 Okie St. NE, Washington, DC; Members $250; Nonmembers $280

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 the 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.

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.

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

Thurs., July 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-521; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Matt Baker

Ryan Mitchell and Ed Mitchell

KEVIN TIEN

Kevin Tien

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE

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

The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society: 2023 Season

All performances are in the Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, American History Museum

More Musical Delights in the 2023 Concert Season

Schubert’s “Fair Maid of the Mill”

The Smithsonian Chamber Players

Between them, tenor Frank Kelley and fortepianist Kenneth Slowik have lived with Franz Schubert’s great cycle of love, longing, jealousy, and death—the basic subjects of much of the German Lieder repertoire—for well over half a century. Their compelling collaboration in Die schöne Müllerin (Fair Maid of the Mill), D795 is a product of this long mutual familiarity.

Sun., May 14, 7 p.m.; CODE 1P0-805; Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, National Museum of American History; Members $25; Nonmembers $35

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society concerts are held in the intimate Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, American History Museum

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

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Concert Series

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

Charlie Young

HUGH TALMAN/SMITHSONIAN

More Stories from the American Songbook

Here are more of those wonderful songs we love and the stories behind their long and unexpected lives. Each program takes up the work of one songwriter and a few of his familiar, forever songs, where daydreams, blue skies, and love lost and found still live.

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

MAY 3 My Huckleberry Friend: Songs by Johnny Mercer

MAY 17 The Look of Love: Songs by Burt Bacharach

Individual sessions: Wed., May 3 (CODE 1K0-359); Wed., May 17 (CODE 1K0-360); 12–1:15 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Virgil’s Aeneid

Perusing Ancient Rome’s Greatest Epic Poem

Two millennia after it was composed, Virgil’s Aeneid remains one of the most influential and remarkable works in Western literature. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of comparative literature at Bard College, delves into what makes Virgil’s great work tick.

This ancient poem that recounts the myth of how the Roman empire was founded remains relevant today, Luzzi says. He explains why the Aeneid has unusual force and how it continues—as well as departs from—the storyline of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

Thurs., May 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-262; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Robinson Crusoe: The Classic Castaway

Robinson Crusoe (1719) is one of the first English novels and still one of the best. Everyone knows the basic story: Marooned alone on an island, Crusoe must create a new life of security and self-sufficiency from local resources and the items he’s able to rescue from the ship.

Daniel Defoe’s fascinating account of the survival—and the eventual triumph—of Robinson Crusoe represents a key field test of Enlightenment economics. Which is the climax of the novel: when Crusoe discovers the footprint of another man on the island or when he reinvents agriculture there with a few discarded seeds he finds in a small bag? Defoe’s prose style is entirely accessible to 21st-century readers.

Join public humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson for an evening with this splendid and influential work of English fiction.

Tues., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-365; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Aeneas from Virgil's Aeneid

Robinson Crusoe finds the remains of a cannibal feast, lithograph, 1877

Jazz and Blues on Film

While 20th-century jazz and blues artists have been well documented in books and documentaries, the cinematic achievements of these remarkable performers have either been downplayed or deeply undervalued. This is especially puzzling, says film historian Max Alvarez, because of the tremendous impact blues musicians and singers had on commercial films from the late 1920s to the early 1960s, where they easily stole any musical comedy, show business biopic, or edgy melodrama in which they had fleeting cameos.

Alvarez leads an electrifying two-part musical journey that begins in 1929 with Bessie Smith’s only screen appearance (Dudley Murphy’s St. Louis Blues) and culminates in Dave Brubeck’s work in the 1962 British drama All Night Long. As a bonus, Alvarez pays tribute to a 1986 French film many consider to be the greatest ever made about jazz and blues: Bertrand Tavernier’s ’Round Midnight starring brilliant tenor sax player Dexter Gordon.

2 sessions: Wed., May 17 and 24, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-367; Members $50; Nonmembers $60

George Gershwin: Our Love Is Here to Stay

George Gershwin is one of the giants of American music, unique in that he was a brilliant composer of both popular songs (Swanee, I Got Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me) and more serious music, including Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess.

Pianist and Gershwin authority Robert Wyatt explores the composer’s life and legacy, sharing film clips, music recordings, and rare film footage, along with unpublished photographs. Archival recordings of his 1934 radio program, “Music by Gershwin,” are also featured. S’wonderful!

Tues., May 23, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-261; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Music Inspired by the Natural World

A painter can create entire worlds on a flat piece of paper. But where is a composer to start when seeking to represent the natural universe through sound? Centuries of exquisite nature-inspired concert works show just how well it can be done through direct imitation, allegory, and symbolism. Over time, composers have fashioned powerful musical vocabularies that guide us to “see” harmonies as visual images.

In this 4-session course, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and fascinating film clips to explore how such masters as Beethoven, Mahler, Wagner, Vivaldi, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Saint-Saëns, and countless others composed beloved works that conjure our natural world.

MAY 24 Earth: Its Creation, Seasons, and Landscapes

MAY 31 Heavenly Marvels

JUNE 7 Creatures of the Earth, Sea, and Sky

JUNE 14 Water, Water Everywhere

4 sessions: Wed., May 24–June 14, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-366; Members $95; Nonmembers $105

Theatrical release poster for the 1943 film Cabin in the Sky

George Gershwin by Carl Van Vechten, 1937

Bob Dylan and American Memory

“’Twas a dark day in Dallas, November ’63,” begins Bob Dylan’s most recent magnum opus, the song Murder Most Foul. From his earliest days as a songwriter, he presented himself as a witness to American history in songs about dispossessed workers and racial injustice. As his musical output unfolded, Dylan increasingly focused on how our art forms construct a common American culture and memory—topics that have become more significant in his work since the beginning of the current century.

Timothy Hampton, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, examines some of Dylan’s most famous songs to reveal his deep interest in historical themes and social change as well as how his music asks us to think about the way the past is remembered and shaped by art.

Thurs., May 25, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-768; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Jane Austen: Forever Fascinating

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

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

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

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

JOSH HALLETT

Documentary film poster for Dont Look Back, 1967

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

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

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

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

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

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

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

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

Carl Reiner Mel Brooks

Robert Redford in The Sting 1973

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.

Fall in the Shenandoah Valley

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

Travel insurance is advised for overnight and multi-day tours. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations. If you wish to purchase travel insurance, you can do so on your own. Smithsonian Associates does not do this for you. Overnight tours are non-refundable.

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.

Mercury, Small but Mighty Interesting

Mercury, the innermost planet in the solar system, remained relatively unexplored until NASA’s MESSENGER probe orbited and studied it from 2011 to 2015. MESSENGER’s results have transformed the understanding of Mercury, forcing scientists to reexamine what was thought to be known about the first rock from the sun. Physicist Ronald J. Vervack Jr., who worked on the MESSENGER mission, highlights how Mercury provides insight into the formation, evolution, and current state of the solar system.

Tues., May 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-255; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Venus, Shrouded in Clouds

In this solar system, Venus is the planet most like Earth in size and density, yet at some point in planetary history they evolved very differently, creating a kind of Jekyll and Hyde scenario: Venus now has a toxic atmosphere and is the hottest planet, contrasting with habitable Earth. University of California, Riverside, astrophysicist Stephen Kane reveals clues that point to a possible habitable past of Venus and discusses how its environment might have become hostile to life.

Tues., May 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-256; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

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, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-285; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Mars, Voted Most Likely

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

Tues., Aug. 29, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-284; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

NASA/JPL

NASA/JPL

A colorful view of Mercury created from the color base map imaging campaign during MESSENGER's mission

An image of Venus and its cloud patterns captured by the Galileo spacecraft, 1990

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

NASA/JPL

NASA/JPL

The Geology of Western National Parks

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

MAY 1 Valles Caldera, New Mexico

JUN 5 Death Valley, California

I N SI DE S C I ENCE Individual programs: Mon., May 1 (CODE 1NV-030); Mon., June 5 (CODE 1NV031), 7 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

In-person and Online Program

Taking a New Look at Historical Objects

Interdisciplinary Technology Studies Unveil Insights

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

Tues., May 2, 6:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1J0-259; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Keeping the Pace

The Science of Pacemakers and Defibrillators

Today’s smallest pacemaker is the size of a multivitamin, weighing as little as a penny. It’s a long way from the first pacemaker, which was worn around the neck and weighed over half a pound. Today more than 3 million people have pacemakers, with over 600,000 implanted yearly.

Tom Choi, a pediatric cardiologist and electrophysiologist in Delaware, and Carolyn Ramwell, an electrophysiology nurse clinician in Washington, D.C., discuss the fascinating past, present, and future of this small but essential lifesaving device. In a lively talk, they cover the experimental history of the modern pacemaker and defibrillator; the current applications of both; the risk-taking scientists involved in discovering the electrical properties of the heart and the ability to restart the heartbeat; and the future implications posed by artificial intelligence and technological advances.

I N SI DE S C I ENCE Thurs., May 4, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV033; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Bill Nye Dives into Disaster Behind the Scenes at “The End is Nye”

In Peacock’s “The End is Nye,” Bill Nye, aka “the science guy,” uses camera magic to venture into largescale global disasters, both natural and unnatural, as he demystifies them. Of course, he also teaches audiences how they can survive, mitigate, and even prevent such potential cataclysms. The show spotlights viruses, climate change, and wide-scale catastrophes like electrical blackouts, apocalyptic dust storms, supervolcano eruptions, and comets slamming into Earth.

Nye and showrunner and executive producer Brannon Braga (“Star Trek” and “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”) discuss making the series and scientifically informed ways forward from potentially devastating disasters. Clips from “The End is Nye” illuminate the conversation.

Wed., May 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-526; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Valles Caldera

Digitally recovered library stamp from a stolen book

X-ray of permanent pacemaker implant

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

Notes on Complexity Connection, Consciousness, and Being

Nothing in the universe is more complex than life. In its myriad forms—from cells to human beings, social structures, and ecosystems—life is open-ended, evolving, and unpredictable, yet adaptive and self-sustaining. Complexity theory addresses the mysteries that animate science, philosophy, and metaphysics: how this teeming array of existence, from the infinitesimal to the infinite, is a seamless living whole and what our place, as conscious beings, is within it.

Physician, scientist, and philosopher Neil Theise discusses this “theory of being,” one of the pillars of modern science, and its holistic view of human existence. He notes the surprising underlying connections within a universe that is itself one vast complex. His work considers links between ant colonies and the growth of forests; cancer and economic bubbles; and the buzz of starlings and crowds walking down the street.

His book Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being (Spiegel & Grau) is available for purchase.

Mon., May 15, 6:30 p.m.;

Cultivating the Good Life Why Relationships Are Essential

What makes for a long, happy, meaningful, and good life? The simple but surprising answer is relationships. It’s based on 85 years of work by the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which is still active. Marc Schulz, the study’s associate director and co-author of the new book The Good Life, Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, highlights findings from the Harvard Study as well as others that point to the critical role of relationships in shaping happiness and health.

He discusses why relationships are the foundation of the good life, how to improve them, and how to prioritize the important things in life. His insights are timely, given the isolation so many have experienced over the course of the pandemic.

Thurs., May 18, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-036; 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

I N SI DE S C I ENCE

CODE 1CV-015; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

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

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 Scott, 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

by Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu

Peter Gleick

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

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

Joshua Winn

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

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

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)

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

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.

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Kandinsky: Abstraction’s Architect

Art historian Joseph Cassar explores Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), a leading figure in the development of abstract painting. His illustrated lecture begins with Kandinsky’s initial years as a lecturer in law at the University of Moscow and proceeds with his friendship with artist Gabriele Munter and their travels to Tunisia. Cassar offers a special focus on works Kandinsky produced in the pre-World War I Murnau period and as part of the avant-garde Blaue Reiter group. He connects Kandinsky’s publications with his teaching years at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau and provides a critical analysis of Kandinsky’s abstract paintings and his final years in Paris during the 1930s and ’40s.

Tues., May 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-363; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Write Into Art

Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art

Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for an online workshop that explores essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts.

The session spotlights visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice and focuses on exploring place. Step into Canaletto’s Entrance to the Grand Canal from the Molo, Venice to explore the dynamic relationship among setting, character, and story. Enrollment is limited to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.

Tues., May 2, 10-11:30 a.m.; CODE 1K0-355; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

The View from Here A Reflective Writing Workshop

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

Support what we do at Smithsonian Associates

Please help us continue to carry out our educational mission by making a charitable contribution today. Your help is essential because, unlike the museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded and relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and ticket revenue.

SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels

Landscape with Factory Chimney by Wassily Kandinsky, 1910

Entrance to the Grand Canal from the Molo, Venice by Canaletto, 1742-1744

The Beach by Hughie Lee-Smith, 1962

Byrdcliffe Theater

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Byrdcliffe: An American Arts and Crafts Colony

Founded in 1903, the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony was born out of the late 19th century’s Arts and Crafts movement and a passion for building a utopian community with like-minded writers, poets, painters, and craftspeople.

Overlooking the scenic Catskills in Woodstock, New York, the colony was an idealistic venture founded by Ralph and Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead and two friends, Bolton Brown and Hervey White. Offering a place where artists could train and acquire practical skills, the colony was intended to be self-sufficient through the sale of furniture, ceramics, and weavings.

Curator and author Nancy Green explores how Byrdcliffe began as a community of talented artists and artisans, students and teachers, and their commitment to the goals of joy and fulfillment in their labors and an appreciation of a simple aesthetic harnessed to a simple lifestyle.

Wed., May 10, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-014; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Lesser-Known Museums of Rome

World Art History Certificate electives: Earn ½ credit each

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 1

A number of Rome’s greatest art treasures are displayed in the private collections of historically influential Roman families. Not surprisingly, some of these families produced popes such as Innocent X (Pamphilj), Urban VIII (Barberini), and Martin V (Colonna). Fortunately, a number of these art collections are now museums open to the public.

Renaissance art expert Ruggiero explores four of these private collections—the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, the Barberini Palace Museum, the Villa Farnesina, and the Colonna Palace—and explains how the artworks they held helped shape the Italian Renaissance.

Mon., May 1, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-258; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

Palazzo Colonna

Boy with a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Becoming Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most celebrated architects of the 20th century. Despite a prolific career spanning seven decades studded with glittering accomplishments and triumphs, his personal and professional life was plagued with tragedy, scandal, divorce, murder, and financial setbacks. Bill Keene, a lecturer in urban studies and architecture, looks beyond the buildings to the man with the pencil, triangle, and T-square to shed light on the story of the master himself.

Keene traces Wright’s formative years, the marriages and the mistresses, and the cumulative negative impact on his career that branded him a has-been by 1930. But by the end of the decade, he reemerged triumphant, and the period until his death in 1959 was the busiest in his long career. Keene analyzes the reasons for his comeback and its impact on his legacy, which continues to grow as Frank Lloyd Wright became a brand associated with everything from toys and games to furniture, pop music (remember Paul Simon’s So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright?), and even an opera.

Wed., May 10, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-035; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Frank

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo: Contrasts in Greatness

Leonardo and Michelangelo: These towering geniuses grew up in the same city, shared patrons, and also shared an intense dislike for each other. But their fraught relationship was fueled by a secret mutual fascination and a fierce competition that spurred them to new levels of artistic achievement.

Art historian Nigel McGilchrist depicts the two artists as perfectionists and brilliant craftsmen of radically different kinds who revolutionized the received methods of painting and sculpting.

10 a.m. The Consequences of Competition

11:30 a.m. Techniques and Conservation

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Obsessions and Recurring Themes

2:45 p.m. Writings, Dreams, and Nightmares

Sat., May 13, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-260; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

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

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo

Lloyd Wright

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Art and Beauty in Siena

Siena’s beautiful townscape encapsulates everything we love about Tuscany—charming towns among rolling hills, rich history, and artistic and architectural treasures from its medieval heyday—rivaled only by its Tuscan neighbors, Florence and Pisa.

Art historian and author Laura Morelli leads an immersive virtual tour of Siena’s most iconic landmarks: the Gothic cathedral, Siena’s city hall or Palazzo Pubblico, and the unusually shaped town square, the Piazza del Campo. She also examines masterpieces by Siena’s most enduring artists: Duccio, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers.

Tues., May 16, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1H0-766; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit How Catholic Art Saved the Faith

Not long after Martin Luther’s 95 Theses were posted in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover unity, the Catholic church turned to its longtime allies, the arts.

Convinced that to win over the unlettered, the best place to fight heresy was not in the streets but in stone and on canvas, prelates enlisted the century’s best artists, including Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Annibale Carracci, Federico Barocci, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Art historian and author Elizabeth Lev tells the story of the creation and successes of a magnificent, generations-long project: the affirmation through beauty of the Catholic belief in saints, sacraments, and salvation.

Wed., May 17, 12–1:15 p.m.; CODE 1H0-769; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit Great Castles of Great Britain

World Art

From William the Conqueror to Elizabeth I

From foreboding fortresses to captivating castles, Great Britain is home to extraordinary buildings that were the locations of some of the extremes of British history, ranging from the viciously vindictive—such as the grotesque murder of Edward II at Berkeley Castle—to the glamorously amorous, such as the adventures of Bess of Hardwick Hall, ever richer with each of her four marriages. Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton takes you on a vicarious visit to castle life in medieval and Renaissance England, examining architectural styles, historic structures, and splendid settings.

FRI., MAY 19

10 a.m. Moat, Keep, Motte, and Bailey

11:15 a.m. Manor Manners

FRI., MAY 26

10 a.m. Castle Life Fit for a King—and Queen

11:15 a.m. Architecture and Ego

2 sessions: Fri., May 19 and 26, 10 a.m.–12:15 p.m.; CODE 1D0-015; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

The Nativity by Federico Barocci, 1597

Haddon Hall is one of the oldest houses in England

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit German Expressionism

German Expressionism emphasizes the artist’s emotions or ideas over replicating reality and is characterized by simplified shapes, bright colors, and gestural marks or brushstrokes. In a program that covers paintings, drawings, etchings, woodblock prints, and sculpture, art historian Joseph Cassar introduces and explores 20th-century German Expressionism as a movement. He discusses forerunners of Expressionism such as Gruenwald’s Crucifixion and Goya’s The Third of May, and the work of Die Brücke (The Bridge), an organization of German painters and printmakers that from 1905 to 1913 played a pivotal role in the movement’s development. He also examines the Degenerate Art exhibition of 1937, with an emphasis on artists such as Kirchner, Nolde, Otto Mueller, Schmidt-Rottluff, Grosz, Otto Dix, Beckmann, and others.

Fri., May 19, 12–2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-364; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Mosque

Linking Religious and Architectural Traditions

The mosque is the defining element of an Islamic community. While there are a few essential components of a mosque, over time and across geographies an astonishing variety of form, building materials, and decoration in mosque architecture developed. With the spread of Islam around the world, mosques that were built for Muslim communities maintained the core components needed for the building’s function but developed regional styles depending on local building materials, architectural traditions, and climate.

Nancy Micklewright, a specialist in the history of Islamic art and architecture, looks closely at some of the most iconic and spectacular examples of mosques from different parts of the Islamicate world—including the Washington area—to survey this regional and temporal variety. From one of the smallest and oldest to one of the newest and most grand, she explores how these buildings maintain a connection with a building tradition that stretches back to the 7th century CE. Tues., May 23, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-514; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Outdoors, Outsized, and Out of the Ordinary

From their New York City apartment, Christo Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon initiated some of the most enigmatic, ephemeral, and beautiful works of public art ever created around the world. Each used acres of colorful fabric to cover an entire building, line a path, or surround islands—on display for no more than two weeks.

Art historian Nancy G. Heller analyzes the couple’s most important projects and explains their significance in the history of contemporary art.

Wed., May 24, 12–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-262; 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

L'Arc de Triomphe, wrapped by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 2021

A Group of Artists by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1926–1927

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain, interior

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 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

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

Nous Autres Musiciens by Pablo Picasso, 1921

Number 1 (Lavender Mist) by Jackson Pollock, 1950

Part of the West frieze of the Parthenon Marbles

BRITISH

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

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 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

The Ancient of Days by William Blake, 1794

Dorothy Liebes Studio, New York City, ca. 1957

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

© VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

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

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 selfportraits to include landscapes, still lifes, and other Kahlo subjects.

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

Taj Mahal, completed in 1643, Agra, India

Frida Kahlo by Guillermo Kahlo

The State Dining Room John Botello

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

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 long-lasting 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

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

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.

"Wisteria" table lamp, Tiffany Studios

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

José Clemente Orozco, Mural Omnisciencia, 1925

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.

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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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Color Stories Journal

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.

Tempered Glass Mosaics

By Sushmita Mazumdar

IN PERSON: Tues., May 9–June 6, 6:30 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0TP; Members $165; Nonmembers $195

Beginning Oil Painting

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

Tempered glass, also known as crash glass, creates a jewel-like surface and adds some pizzaz to a finished mosaic piece. Combine collage and mosaic techniques using an overlaying technique that incorporates printed imagery, tissue paper, foils, stamps, metallic papers, glitter, and Mylar.

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

IN PERSON: Sat., June 17, 10:30 a.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00UU; Members $85; Nonmembers $95

The Ancient Art of Henna Tattoos

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

ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS CULTURE HI STORY STUDIO ARTS

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Abstract Embroidery

Learn to apply the principles of abstract art to making embroidery. Develop a freeflowing approach to embroidery that emphasizes form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition, and process.

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TOURS

Figure Sculpture

By Heather Kerley

IN PERSON: Tues., May 2–23, 10 a.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0TW; Members $115; Nonmembers $135

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.

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

By George Tkabladze

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.

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.

By Andargé Asfaw

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

Introduction to Studio Portraiture

By Joe Yablonsky

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.

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

By Marty Kaplan

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.

ART THEORY AND PRACTICE

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Composition

Composition is one of the most important elements of any artwork. Examine fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in studio-art practice. Develop tools to enrich your own work as well to analyze and appreciate visual art in general. Create several collages based on artworks and themes discussed in class.

ONLINE: Mon., May 1–22, 10:30 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0RX; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Visual Journaling: Creativity Intensive

Strengthen your creative journaling muscles in three intensive sessions focused on artistic experimentation. Engage in markmaking and mapping exercises; use a variety of artistic media and techniques; explore modes of visual thinking and working from memory; observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches.

ONLINE: Sat., May 6, May 20, and June 3, 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0RW; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Exploring the Visual Foundations and Traditions of Art Or, Who Was Fibonacci and What Did He Do for Art?

By Renee Sandell

SOLD OUT

Through lectures and drawing exercises, learn how Renaissance artists used the golden ratio, the rule of thirds, three-point perspective, and the Fibonacci spiral—as well as how these elements can provide dynamic visual interest to your compositions, no matter the medium.

ONLINE: Thurs., June 8 and 15, 2 p.m.; Chester Kasnowski; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UM; Members $55; Nonmembers $75

By Renee Sandell

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

Gather your art materials for a morning of artistic experimentation designed to strengthen creative muscles and deepen skills in visual expression. Explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches.

ONLINE: Sat., May 13, 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0TK; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913

Drawing with Silverpoint

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

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Silverpoint drawing uses a silver stylus on specially prepared paper to produce delicate lines. Initially silver-gray, the drawing tarnishes when exposed to air, resulting in a characteristic warm brown tone. Learn the history of silverpoint, the materials required, and the vocabulary. Prior drawing experience is strongly recommended.

ONLINE: Fri., May 5 and 12, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00TJ; Member $95; Nonmembers $115

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.

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

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

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.

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

Sketchbook Habit: The Art of Everyday Life

Focus on the essentials of starting a sketchbook habit. Practice “close looking” exercises as you fill your sketchbook with meditative contour drawings, watercolor sketches of the natural world, and quick but evocative images from travels. Some watercolor or drawing experience is recommended.

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

Eric Westbrook By Lori VanKirk Schue

By Sue Fierston

By Lori VanKirk Schue

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Introduction to Scientific Illustration: Watercolor and Ink

Learn to see like a scientist as you use watercolor and ink to illustrate specimens from nature. Experienced students develop their skills in applying key techniques such as composition, working with color, and recording fine detail in nature journaling, watercolor painting, drawing, and creating stand-alone biological illustrations.

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.

By Lubna Zahid

By Natalia Wilkins-Tyler

ONLINE: Tues., May 30–June 20, 6:30 p.m.; Natalia Wilkins-Tyler; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UL; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Introduction to Watercolor

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

The Magic of Light and Shadow in Watercolor

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

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

By Lubna Zahid

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

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

By Shahin Talishkhan

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.

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

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-withthe-flow technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.

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

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.

ONLINE

Color Stories Journal

By Joaquín Sorolla

ONLINE: Thurs., July 20–Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; Adrienne Wyman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00WZ; Members $205; Nonmembers $235

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.

By Sushmita Mazumdar

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.

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

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MIXED-MEDIA

By Heather Kerley

Mixed-Media Art Warmups

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

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

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Adult Art Camp: Working in Two Dimensions

Creating with Pressed Botanicals

By Susan Vitali

This course is a no-judgment zone to let you recapture your yearning to explore different media and let loose. Work with watercolor, pencil, pastel, collage, and printmaking, and learn the elements of art and principles of design. Easy projects with handouts and samples are provided.

ONLINE: Thurs., May 4–June 8, 6:30 p.m.; Susan Vitali; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UH; Members $185; Nonmembers $215

By Karen Cadogan

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

SOLD OUT

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Use pressed botanicals, such as flower petals, grasses, and leaves, along with watercolors and colored pencils to make uniquely seasonal artworks. Learn how to select and press plant materials and create successful compositions with organic and rigid shapes in a no-stress environment. Designed around playfulness and working with “mistakes”, the lessons learned can be useful when creating future artworks in any chosen medium.

ONLINE: Mon., June 5, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0TV; Members $55; Nonmembers $65

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

Introduction to White-Line Woodblock Printing

Altered Books

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.

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Wed., July 12–Aug. 16, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie WolfHubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00VT; Members $195; Nonmembers $225

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Build a Tiny House

In this three-day workshop, students construct tiny houses, which they personalize working in paper-mache, 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.

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NEW CLASSES

Wet Felting Workshop

Small Vessels with Fitted Stoppers

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

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

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

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.

Learn the basic techniques of wet felting over small-scale resists to create small vessels, topped with lids or stoppers. Also taught is color blending. This workshop is an ideal challenge for both beginning and experienced felters.

ONLINE: Sat., May 6 and 13, 1 p.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UK; Members $115; Nonmembers $135

By Renate Maile-Moskowitz

Botanical Illustration in Redwork

By Sushmita Mazumdar

ONLINE: Mon., July 17–Aug. 21, 12 p.m.; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0VW; Members $95; Nonmembers $125

Build a Tiny Interior

Imagine your dream home, either from your past or in the future, then bring its tiny interior to life using paper-mache, 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.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

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 Heather Kerley

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

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.

By Tea Okropiridze

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

ONLINE

Basic Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom

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

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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

Introduction to Afghan Manuscript Illumination

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Washington’s Marvelous Mosaics

The Washington, D.C., area contains a surprising number of works that together provide a picture of the styles and techniques of an art form that’s been practiced since ancient times. Take a virtual tour that highlights local mosaic treasures at notable public sites, contemporary spaces, and federal and private buildings.

ONLINE: Tues., May 2, 6:30 p.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details on website; CODE 1V00TY; Members $20; Nonmembers $30

Summer Orchid Care

Just in time for summer, discover the pros and cons of moving your orchids outside in the hotter months. Learn about the extra care orchids need while they are outside and when they are ready to be brought back indoors.

ONLINE: Tues., May 23, 6:30 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UG; Members $35; Nonmembers $45

Growing Show Orchids

By Sughra Hussainy

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

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

Statue of Liberty (detail) depicted in a mosaic at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Student work

Wirework Intensive: Rings

Mosaics for Beginners

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

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

The Art of Floral Design

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 Bonnie Fitzgerald

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.

By Mïa Vollkommer

ONLINE: Sat., Aug. 12–26, 12 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; CODE 1K00WF; details and supply list on website; Members $195; Nonmembers $215

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Beginner

Introduction to Lightroom Classic

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

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

By Eliot Cohen

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., 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

Understanding Your Digital Mirrorless or SLR Camera

Black-and-White Film Developing at Home

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.

By Eliot Cohen

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 $255; Nonmembers $275

The Flash Class

Lighting can make or break your work as a digital photographer. Learn the tech tips that will make your flash one of your most effective creative tools and help create a three-dimensional look in your photographs of people and objects.

By Marty Kaplan

ONLINE: Mon., May 1–22, 6:30 p.m.; Marty Kaplan; details on website; CODE 1V0-0UF; Members $165; Nonmembers $185

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 cyan-blue 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

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

101

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

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.

By Patricia Howard

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

Photo

ONLINE

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.

By Andargé Asfaw

Photo 101 Apertures, Shutter Speeds, and Exposure Modes

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

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

Photo 101 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

101

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

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.

By Joe Yablonsky

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

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Experienced

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.

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Wed., May 10 and 17 (CODE 1V0-0TZ); Wed., July 12 and 19 (CODE 1V0-0WQ); 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

Photo

The Photo Essay

Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tell a story or evoke a series of emotions.

Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their own personal interests.

ONLINE: Wed., May 24 and June 21, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0UB; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

Build Your Photographic Portfolio

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

ONLINE: Wed., May 31–June 14, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0UC; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

NEW CLASS

By Joe Yablonsky

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

ONLINE

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

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 and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0UX; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

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.

By Andargé Asfaw

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

Rayograph (untitled), 1922, by Man Ray

Study Tours are designed for people who want more than just a getaway, Smithsonian Associates expert-led tours offer one-of-a-kind travel experiences.

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Walking Tour

Hillwood: A Collector’s Vision of Beauty, Inside and Outside

Discover one of the finest and most personal museums in Washington in a private, small-group experience that invites you to spend a spring day exploring Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, the former residence of businesswoman and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Enjoy a guided tour of Hillwood’s gardens, which feature a diverse and fascinating array of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. It’s the perfect season to stroll through the French parterre, the Japanese-style garden, and the working greenhouse filled with orchids and other tropical plants.

Then tour the Georgian-style mansion that reflects the distinctive artistic focus of Post, who maintained strong ties to the 18th-century French decorating style when transforming Hillwood into her own after purchasing the estate in 1955. Within its walls are a large decorative arts collection focusing heavily on Russian art and religious objects—including Faberge eggs—as well as 18th- and 19th-century French art and furniture.

Fri., May 19, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1CD-B10; detailed tour information on website; Members $150; Nonmembers $200

For details, visit ArtCollectorsProgram.org

Lotus by Janet Fish (detail)

Retail: $1200 Members: $950*

August Breakfast/Maine by Carolyn Brady (detail)

Retail: $1200 Members: $800*

Red Geranium by Robert Kushner (detail)

Retail: $1500 Members: $1200*

Japanese-style garden

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

Glimpses of Old Arlington

The essence of Arlington County goes beyond highways and highrises—and reaches deep into the past. From the early 17th century to the Revolution and the Civil War to the Great Depression and the postwar boom, Arlington County has been a canvas for American history. Get a close look at sites that reflect that fascinating heritage with historian Dakota Springston

Clarendon post office

Ball-Sellers House

After an introductory presentation at the Ripley Center, a bus tour travels through diverse neighborhoods in East Falls Church, Fostoria, Clarendon, Cherrydale, Fort Myer Heights, Glencarlyn, and Ballston. Participants visit five historic structures such as the Ball-Sellers House, a circa-1780 log cabin that’s the oldest residence in the county; the Mary Carlin House from around 1800; and the Clarendon post office, opened in 1937. A catered box lunch is served in a firehouse.

Sat., May 6, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; CODE 1CD-011; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $135; Nonmembers $185

Lincoln in Virginia: A Wartime Journey

Abraham Lincoln spent 18 of the last 21 days of his life in eastern Virginia, headquarters for Ulysses S. Grant’s campaign against Robert E. Lee, whose army was in the process of defending Richmond and Petersburg. Join Noah Andre Trudeau, author of Lincoln’s Greatest Journey: Sixteen Days That Changed a Presidency, March 24–April 8, 1865, as he leads a visit to sites in the region connected to that trip.

Highlights include City Point, Lincoln’s base during his visit; Fort Wadsworth, where Lincoln and his son Tad observed troops in combat; the Thomas Wallace House, the site at which Lincoln and General Grant met to discuss the terms for Lee’s surrender; and Richmond’s Jefferson Davis mansion, the house Lincoln visited the day after Union troops entered the city. Representatives of the National Park Service and the American Civil War Museum add perspective on Lincoln’s visit and the closing weeks of the war.

Sat., May 13, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD012; Members $175; Nonmembers $225

The Civil War at Chancellorsville

In the eyes of many Civil War scholars, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory and Union General Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker’s greatest lost opportunity can be found during the battle of Chancellorsville that raged in the Virginia Wilderness from May 1-4, 1863. Marc Thompson, a former Air Force military intelligence officer, leads a visit to most of the significant locations associated with this epic Civil War battle.

Thompson’s extensive experience in analyzing and assessing adversary operations, along with his intimate knowledge of the Chancellorsville battlefield, provide him with some unique perspectives on combat leadership and the fog of war that impacted the battle’s participants.

Sat., May 20, 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-013; Members $150; Nonmembers $200

Related program: A Bitter Defeat (see p. 3)

The Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center

Travel insurance is advised for overnight and multi-day tours. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations. If you wish to purchase travel insurance, you can do so on your own. Smithsonian Associates does not do this for you. Overnight tours are non-refundable.

Bus Tour

Thomas Wallace House, Petersburg

Bus Tour

Bus Tour

Walking Tour

A Spring Walk on Theodore Roosevelt Island

Enjoy a spring morning walk on a natural oasis in the Potomac with Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island. The nearly 2-mile path follows the island’s shore and moves deep into the swamp and tidal inlet along the boardwalk where willows, bald cypresses, and cattails frame views of Washington, D.C.

Choukas-Bradley shares an overview of the landscape’s fascinating mix of trees, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife and highlights the island’s history and the legacy of the naturalist and conservationist president it memorializes.

Thurs., May 25, 8:30–11:30 a.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CS-C06; Members $55; Nonmembers $75

A Mountain Rail Extravaganza

The Cass Scenic Railroad and Other West Virginia Excursions

All aboard for an exciting rail journey through West Virginia’s breathtaking mountain scenery. Led by railroad historian Joe Nevin, this multi-day tour features three rail excursions, including a climb behind the geared steam locomotive of the Cass Scenic Railroad to the top of the second-highest point in the state.

Friday’s route descends into the scenic Shenandoah Valley before turning west into the region known as “Virginia’s Switzerland.” Continue west to the town of Durbin, West Virginia, and have lunch before a chartered trip on the last remaining 10 miles of the track along the upper Greenbrier River that once connected Durbin with Cass.

Saturday begins with a tour of the historic lumber town buildings and remnants of the great mills that once filled the valley. In Cass, board your train for an afternoon excursion (including an onboard lunch) to Bald Knob overlook, where a large platform offers panoramic views into two states and the Allegheny Mountains. On Sunday, visit the West Virginia Railroad Museum, where a specialized collection of memorabilia and railroad equipment tells the story of the state’s rail heritage. Then take your seat on the New Tygart Flyer for lunch and a fourhour round trip before returning to the station for your journey home.

Fri., June 2, 7:30 a.m.–Sun., June 4, 8:45 p.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-MRE; Members $850; Nonmembers $1,050

3-Day Tour

The Durbin Rocket, built in 1910

A train navigates the switchbacks on the way to Cass, West Virginia

Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Stone bridge at Theodore Roosevelt Island

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, blue-winged, 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

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 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

Aerial view of the National Mall

Ruffed grouse

Bus Tour

The Charles F. Mercer at Great Falls

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

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 A Tour of Her Own tour leaders 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.

THREE OPTIONS: Sat., June 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A07); Sun., June 18, 4–6 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B07); and Fri., June 23, 6–8 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C07); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

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

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

Bus Tour

Deck of the USS Wisconsin

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

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; detailed tour information on website; Members $150; Nonmembers $200

Tours operate rain or shine. In the case of severe weather, tours may be rescheduled, please call our 24-hour automated hotline at 202-633-8687 for updated tour information prior to your tour.

Bus Tour

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

U Street, NW

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; detailed tour information on website; Members $2,050; Nonmembers $2,735

Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota Badlands, Bison, and the Making of a Conservationist

5-Day Tour

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.

Edith Wharton’s The Mount

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

Theodore Roosevelt National Park NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM

Downtown Medora, North Dakota

Expand Your World: Join Smithsonian Associates

Your Membership Support Will Shape Our Future

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

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

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

Membership Levels

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

Champion ($80) All the above and additional benefits: Up to four discounted tickets, priority consideration for waitlisted programs, and more.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HELPFUL I NFORMATION

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

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

Courses, Performances, and Lectures—Multi-Session

HELPFUL I NFORMATION

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

HELPFUL I NFORMATION

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

Please visit

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

NOTICE TO OUR PATRONS:

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

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

SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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

TICKETS

Online .......................SmithsonianAssociates.org

CONTACT US

Email CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org

Mail Smithsonian Associates, P.O. Box 23293, Washington, D.C. 20026-3293

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

CREDIT TO YOUR SM ITHSON IAN ASSOCIATES ACCOUNT

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

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

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

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

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

notified by email. Check our website SmithsonianAssociates.org for latest updates.

MOVING? If you are receiving our print publications, please email or write us with your new information and allow 6 weeks for the change of address to take effect.

MEMBER NUMBER

Viewing Smithsonian Associates Online programs on Zoom

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

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

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

Click the Zoom link sent to you via email (“Click Here to Join”). It will automatically open a web page asking you to launch the Zoom application. Click “Open Zoom Meetings.”

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