Smithsonian Associates September 2023 program guide

Dear Friends and Members,

Though its museums are in the mid-Atlantic region, the Smithsonian tells eloquent stories about the whole of America— as does Smithsonian Associates. This month’s guide, which includes programs with wide-ranging perspectives on the American West, offers several you’ll want to hear.

A golden spike driven by a silver hammer marked the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, a seminal moment in the development of the West. How that day came about—and what followed—is chronicled in period photographs shared by a curator from Iowa’s Union Pacific Museum (p. 11). Indigenous lands, the target of American westward expansion in the early 19th century, were the center of a struggle between Shawnee leader Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison, governor of the vast Indiana Territory. A historian examines the dynamics and outcomes of that conflict (p. 13).

The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s exhibition “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea” brings together works of 48 diverse contemporary artists who reveal a broader and more inclusive representation of the West than the often-romanticized images we see. Join one of its organizers for an overview of these compelling visual viewpoints (p. 53).

Our survey of the geology of western National Parks winds down with a look at parks in Wyoming, Montana, and Utah (p. 39). Next month, study tour participants explore North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park to examine how Roosevelt’s years in the Badlands transformed him into a passionate conservationist. That tour is a sellout, but you’ll have another chance to follow in the 26th president’s steps during 2024.

We’re looking forward to greeting you, online or in person, as together we explore the past and discover the future through the full range of Smithsonian Associates programs!

September 2023

On the cover: Wendy Red Star (Apsáalooke/Crow), Four Seasons series: Fall, 2006, courtesy of the Boise Art Museum. On view in “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park

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.

Anderson Cooper on the Astors

Sat., Sept. 23

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

(see p. 8)

Naples and the Amalfi Coast: A Delicious Guide

Tues., Sept. 26

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

(see p. 18)

Lidia Bastianich

Thurs., Oct. 5

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

DC Theater Preview

Mon., Oct. 2

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

Contemplating Nietzsche

Wed., Nov. 1

Join Georgetown professor Joseph Hartman for an in-person discussion of this controversial modern thinker.

Tours

(see p. 20)

A Middle Eastern Pantry

Tues., Oct. 24

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

(see p. 20)

Studio Arts

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

(see pp. 54–57)

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

(see pp. 69–76)

An Analysis of Hallmark Channel Holiday Movies

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

(see p. 24)

Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington

Sun., Dec. 3

Educator and lecturer Stef Woods explores why these movies have been hugely successful.

(see p. 37)

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

Sat., Oct. 7, Sun., Dec. 3, Sat., Feb. 10, Fri., Apr. 5, Sat., June 1

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

(see p. 25)

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society

The 46th season features masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments.

The Axelrod String Quartet

Sat., Dec. 9, April 6, April 27

Sun., Dec. 10, April 7, April 28

The works of quartet masters Haydn, Beethoven, and Shostakovich are joined by three 20th-century works.

(see p. 26)

(see p. 34) Please

Masterworks of Five Centuries

Sat., Oct. 14, Nov. 4, Nov. 18, Feb. 10, Feb. 24, March 16

Sun., Oct. 15, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Feb. 25, March 17

The season presents three chamber program dyads, plus a chamber orchestra concert.

(see p. 27)

SmithsonianAssociates.org

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

Washington’s Neighborhoods: The Soul of the City

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

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

Indigenous DC

Native Peoples and the Nation's Capital

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

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

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

Our programs... your time

Registered for a Smithsonian Associates online program but missed it because of a schedule conflict? Wish you could take a second look at a presentation you loved?

Associates Encores offers the answer to these questions—and more.

Visit SmithsonianAssociates.org for more information

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

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

TIM EVANSON

The Making of England

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

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

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

Scandalous Royals from George III to Charles III

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

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

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

and Online Program

The Legacy of the Treaty of Versailles

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.

In Person and Online: Mon., Sept. 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-018; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Note to in-person ticket holders: The program will be held at the Ripley Center

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

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

The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles 1919 by William Orpen

Rebuilding Jewish Life in Postwar Germany

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

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

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

The Supreme Court: A Preview of the New Term

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

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

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

The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall

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

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

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

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

1989

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

Crowd atop the Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate,

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

A 2024 Election Preview

With Journalist Ken Walsh

The 2024 national election campaign is already in high gear. Presidential nominating caucuses and primaries are rapidly approaching, the rhetoric is heating up, and voters are starting to pay attention. Ken Walsh, veteran White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, takes a close look at national politics and America’s mood as the political year is about to begin.

This particularly important and unusual election finds the nation fragmented, troubled, and perhaps more divided than at any time since the Civil War. Public trust is eroding in major institutions and Americans are deeply worried about what’s to come. Most believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, although there is no consensus on why and what to do about it. What future will we choose?

In a fact-based, non-partisan presentation, Walsh analyzes the major issues facing the country, what voters want done about them, how we became so divided, the historical parallels, the prospects for control of Congress and state governments, and the major candidates.

Mon., Nov. 13, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-032; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

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

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

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

The Pursuit of Happiness

The African American Diaspora in the Revolutionary War

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

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

He reveals this forgotten chapter of the Revolutionary era through the life of Harry Washington, a loyalist stableman at Mount Vernon who found his way to Sierra Leone in 1792, where he sought to start a new life as an independent farmer. Bell traces the forces that led Washington and his fellow settlers to undertake a dramatic 1797 uprising to depose the colony’s British administrators and declare their own independence once and for all.

Thurs., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-277; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

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

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

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

A New History of the American South

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

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

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

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

New York City in the Gilded Age

A Cultural History

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

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

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

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

Countering the Myth of the Lost Cause

Truths About the Past

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

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

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

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

W. Fitzhugh Brundage and Martha S. Jones

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

Intelligence: The New Cold War

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

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

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

In Person

Anderson Cooper on the Astors

The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

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

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

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

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

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The March of the Roman Legions

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

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

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

Caesar’s Conquest of Gaul

The famous formulation that all Gaul was divided into three parts came from the self-serving pen of Caesar himself, whose conquest of Gaul served as the springboard for a quest for power that ended fatally on the Ides of March in 44 B.C.E., five years after he had famously crossed the Rubicon River en route to Rome from Gaul in defiance of the Roman Senate.

Historian Jennifer Paxton traces how Rome gradually acquired commercial and military interests in southern Gaul that provided the pretext for Roman intervention in the complicated politics of the region. Caesar then exploited internal divisions within Gaul to bring about the largest single acquisition of territory for Rome north of the Alps, a project that he conducted largely on his own initiative with only the grudging approval of the Senate. She also tells the surprising story of how the legacy of the Gauls has featured in the French national consciousness, from Louis Napoleon’s obsession with Vercingetorix to the comics of Astérix the Gaul.

Mon., Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-294; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

From Soft News to Hard News

The Long Journey of Women’s Sections

Get the scoop on the evolution of the women’s pages of newspapers and a female journalist who defied the staid conventions of her times and attracted millions of readers.

For many years, most women’s sections focused on what were considered traditional female issues—clothes, homemaking, and child rearing, i.e., soft news. Eventually, they became more progressive in the issues they covered. Kimberly Voss, author and professor of journalism at the University of Central Florida, explores the significance of these sections and how they evolved.

Soft news didn’t interest journalist Elsie Robinson, who wrote a well-read column for the Hearst empire in the early to mid 20th century, sharing her unapologetic opinions in support of women’s rights and immigrants and deriding racism. Allison Gilbert, a journalist and coauthor of Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, delves into Robinson’s career and life.

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

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

Vercingetorix Throws Down His Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar, by Lionel Noel Royer, 1899

How Cable Television Upended American Politics

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

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

Copies of 24/7 Politics (Princeton University Press) are available for purchase. Tues., Oct. 3, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-533; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

American Icon: The Golden Gate Bridge

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

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

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

The First Battle of Manassas and the Experience of War

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

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

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

Special Offer: Receive a complimentary ticket to this program by registering for the Oct. 28 The First Battle of Manassas bus tour (see page 73).

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

The Battle for America: The French and Indian War

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

Historian Richard Bell focuses on the parts of this conflict that took place on American soil, tracking the shifting fortunes of the several European forces as well as their Indigenous and colonial American allies. He also considers the peculiar legacy of the American colonists’ involvement—a participation that reinforced a sense of themselves as essential partners in the British Empire but also sowed the seeds of the imperial crisis that would culminate in American independence just 20 years later.

Tues., Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-287; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Visiting the Normandy Battlefields

A Military History Travel Talk

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

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

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

Building America

Images of the Transcontinental Railroad

Since the 1860s, railroads like Union Pacific have played a pivotal role in the opening and then the settling and disruption of the American West. Today, Union Pacific continues to play a critical role in keeping the economy moving. While it is a slight exaggeration to say that the history of Union Pacific is the history of the West, it’s not one to say that the two histories are inextricably linked. Explore the beginnings of this great endeavor through original photographs taken during the construction of the transcontinental railroad from the Union Pacific Historical Collection, the largest collection of such images in the world.

Patricia LaBounty, the curator of the collection at the Union Pacific Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa, explores the context and construction of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad based on this collection and examines the railroad’s role in building America.

Mon., Oct. 23, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-054; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

A View of the Taking of Quebec, 1797 engraving

East and West Shaking Hands at the Laying of the Last Rail, Andrew J. Russell, 1869, Union Pacific Railroad Museum

A Brief History of Taiwan

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

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

Religion in the Andes

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

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

Mon., Oct. 30, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-298; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Constantine the Great The First Christian Roman Emperor?

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

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

Wed., Nov. 1, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-306; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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Qing dynastic rule

Urubamba River valley, near Machu Picchu

mosaic ca. 1000

Making the Case for Reform

Eastern State Penitentiary’s Impact on the Modern Penal System

Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the most famous and expensive structures in the country when it was constructed. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, it was a radical departure from other prisons, pioneering a “separate system” meant to reform rather than intimidate its inmates. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells held nearly 85,000 people over its long history. Using Eastern State Penitentiary as a case study, prison scholar Ashley T. Rubin highlights the challenges of 19th-century prison administration that helped create the current U.S. penal system.

Wed., Nov. 1; 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-024; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

From the Battle of Tippecanoe to the War of 1812

Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, and the Struggle Over Indigenous Lands

Two leaders of very different backgrounds and with opposing visions for the future of Indigenous lands in the American West struggled to defeat one another during the early 1800s: Tecumseh, the Shawnee warrior, and William Henry Harrison, the governor of the Indiana Territory.

Historian Peter Stark exposes the fundamental conflicts at play through the little-known but consequential struggle between the two men. Stark’s book Gallop Toward the Sun: Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison’s Struggle for the Destiny of a Nation (Random House) is available for purchase.

Thurs., Nov. 2, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-025; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

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

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

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

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

Al Capone's prison cell at Eastern State Penitentiary

Commemorative engraving of The Battle of the Thames and the Death of Tecumseh during the War of 1812

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

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

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

NOV 7 Chinese Architecture

NOV 28 Chinese Silent Films

DEC 19 Cultural Reform under Mao

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

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

Live from Turkey

Exploring Anatolia: A Turkish Odyssey

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

NOV 8 Neolithic and Bronze Ages

NOV 15 Iron-Age, Hellenistic, and Roman Periods

NOV 22 Christianity in Anatolia

NOV 29 The Turkish Period’s Capitals

4 sessions: Wed., Nov. 8–29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0239; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

Facade

Machu Picchu: A Virtual Adventure

Perhaps no place name conjures as much sense of mystery as Machu Picchu, and perhaps no archaeological site has borne so much intrigue, interpretation, and misinterpretation. Deep in the Peruvian hinterland, on the border of the great Andean mountain chain and the enormous Amazonian forest, the site lay unknown to the modern world until the first decade of 20th century. Once it was “discovered” by explorer and academic Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu became attached to seemingly endless speculation about its origins, purpose, and meaning.

Recent scholarship has cleared away most of the far-fetched theories, and modern travel and hospitality have opened the doors to this once nearly inaccessible site to determined travelers. Cultural historian George Scheper traces the travels of Hiram Bingham to see the archaeological ruins as he first beheld them, and then, guided by modern scholarship, he revisits the site as it is today. He asks the same questions as Bingham did over a hundred years ago but offers some very different conclusions as to who built the site and why.

Mon., Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-295; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Temples in Shimen Cave, Yichang, Hubei Province, by Ernst Boerschmann, 1910

Ulu Cami mosque in Bursa, completed ca. 1399

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

Machu Picchu

GEORGE SCHEPER

The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives

What keeps democracy alive? Are there patterns or clues found in democracies that have sustained themselves for hundreds of years? In a new book, historians Brook Manville and Josiah Ober argue that democracy can survive—if citizens keep vital the implicit civic bargain they make with one another, one that sets the norms and institutions so citizens can govern themselves, free of any kind of “boss.”

Using the history of the four longest-surviving cases of democratic rule—ancient Athens, Republican Rome, British parliamentarianism, and American constitutionalism—they examine how all developed through earlier, incremental political bargains. Causes for our current democratic ills are variously asserted, but at its core, say Manville and Ober, citizens have forgotten how to deal with one another: to negotiate and bargain, and find compromise, even if imperfect, to make the choices needed to self-govern.

The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase. Wed., Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-789; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Culture Wars

How Can We Lower the Temperature?

As we approach the 250th birthday of the United States, ongoing culture wars threaten to bring rancor and chaos to what should be a celebration. Public humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson asserts that we need to awaken to the rich and often troubling complexity of American history without adopting an unnecessarily critical view of the last 250 years.

In a wide-ranging presentation, he discusses such timely examples as the removals of a statue of Theodore Roosevelt at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and a sculpture of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea in Charlottesville and a recent controversy in Colorado over an exhibit focused on the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. He also addresses Thomas Jefferson’s plummeting reputation because of his complications with race and slavery. Jenkinson shares his thoughts (and asks for yours) about how to bring down the temperature of our national cultural debate to steer a middle course between complacency and conviction so that we may be able to take just satisfaction in this unprecedented experiment in enlightened democracy.

Tues., Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-425; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

“In a Constitutional Way” Patrick Henry’s Final Political Battle

In a democracy, how do you disagree with government policy? What is a loyal opposition?

In the hyper-partisan 1790s, the Founding Fathers grappled with these questions. By 1799, newspapers warned of “Civil War!” because the Kentucky Resolutions, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, declared that a state could pronounce federal laws unconstitutional and nullify them.

Although Patrick Henry had argued against ratification of the Constitution, he came out of retirement to oppose this dangerous policy and run for office, contending that since “we the people” adopted the Constitution, anyone contesting federal policy must seek reform “in a constitutional way.” Henry won his election, but he died before he could take office.

John Ragosta, historian at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, brings this relatively unknown story to life. Ragosta’s new book, For the People, For the Country: Patrick Henry’s Final Political Battle (University of Virginia Press), is available for sale.

Wed., Nov. 29, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-315; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The depiction of the Indigenous and Black figures on the 1939 equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt sparked its removal from New York's American Museum of Natural History

Engraving of Patrick Henry, 1867

JFK’s Presidency: Beyond Camelot

Nearly 60 years after his death, John F. Kennedy still holds an outsize place in the American imagination. He entered office inexperienced but alluring, with a reputation more given by an enamored public than earned through achievement. Drawing on his new assessment of JFK’s time in the Oval Office, author and historian Mark K. Updegrove examines how the first months were marred by setbacks: the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, a disastrous summit with the Soviet premier, and a mismanaged approach to the civil rights movement.

A humbled Kennedy conceded his mistakes and drew lessons from his failures that he used to right wrongs and move forward undaunted. He grew as president, radiating greater possibility as he coolly faced a steady stream of crises before his tragic end. Updegrove reexamines the dramatic, consequential White House years of a flawed but gifted leader too often defined by the Camelot myth that came after his untimely death.

His book Incomparable Grace: JFK in the Presidency (Dutton) is available for purchase.

Thurs., Nov. 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-424; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Forgotten Women of Arlington National Cemetery

Explore women’s history during a virtual tour of Arlington National Cemetery with A Tour of Her Own staff. Be introduced to aviation pioneers, medical experts, activists, and artists, in addition to the living women who help make Arlington National Cemetery the special place that it is. Learn about the first person buried at the cemetery, a woman named Mary Randolph; the first woman to vote; the founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution Hospital Corps; and the iconic female author who inspired the creation of Batman. Hear the heart-wrenching story of a local teacher who lost her life on 9/11 and the legacy she left for students everywhere.

Mon., Nov. 13, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-026; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Related program: Buried Secrets: Congressional Cemetery’s Stories of Love, Tragedy, and Revenge (see p. 74)

Magna Graecia: Early Greek Culture in Italy

Why did Julius Caesar speak his last words in Greek? Why are the world’s best-preserved Greek temples in Sicily and the South of Italy? Why did Plato visit Italy? Author Ross King explores how in Plato’s time the South of Italy was known as “Greater Greece”—the beautiful land settled in the centuries after 800 BCE by colonists from the Greek mainland.

King examines how these settlers brought trade and prosperity as well as their religion, their customs, their alphabet, and their language. They also nurtured on Italian soil the political, philosophical, and artistic foundations that would profoundly influence and support the world of the ancient Romans and, much later, that of the Italian Renaissance.

Mon., Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-790; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Several of the world’s best-preserved ancient Greek temples are among the ruins of Paestum in Magna Graecia

BRUNO RIJSMAN

John F. Kennedy

Arlington National Cemetery

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

London: Inventing Modernity

Between 1500 and 1800, London became the largest city in Europe, its financial, commercial, cultural, and social capital, and the headquarters of a vast global empire. To do all that from its origins as a medieval village, Londoners had to overcome innumerable plagues, fires, crime, and collapsing infrastructure. To survive the city’s many dangers, toils, and snares, its inhabitants evolved into a new type of urbanite, one that was flexible, resilient, entrepreneurial, optimistic, determined, and wryly humorous: the Londoner.

Early modern Londoners needed to find community in the big city. By creating connections with each other in wide-ranging areas of life—from local governance to theater-going, coffee houses and clubs to networks of female servants—they forged many of the hallmarks of modern life. Historian Robert Bucholz charts the city’s rapid growth and examines the panorama of London life, from the splendid galleries of Whitehall to the damp and sooty alleyways of the East End.

Tues., Nov. 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-791; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Privateers, Prisoners, and Britain’s Black Holes

POWs in the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the British military took almost as many men prisoner at sea as they did on the battlefield. Most of those captured by the Royal Navy were privateers—raiding crews licensed by the Continental Congress to torment British shipping and besiege Britain itself.

Historian Richard Bell examines the untold history of America’s privateers and their experiences as Britain’s captives. Held indefinitely under the terms of a 1777 law that designated them as pirates and traitors, these sailors spent months or years buried from the world in prisons in England and in floating hulks off the coast of Manhattan.

Bell traces their lives both at sea and then behind bars, using their surviving diaries and journals to illuminate their ordeal. He examines their campaigns to improve their treatment and build alliances and reconstructs their extraordinary efforts to escape. He argues that these British prisons and hulks soon became nurseries of American nationalism and that their inmates’ experiences—publicized by patriots as tales of British cruelty to stir up feelings of common cause—changed the course of the war.

Mon., Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-292; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Celebrating Christmas, Tudor Style

Tudor monarchs certainly knew how to make the most of a holiday. The Twelve Days of Christmas provided the royal court with opportunities for midwinter merrymaking on a grand scale fit for a king (or queen). Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger provides a colorful glimpse into how members of the Tudor dynasty and their courtiers marked the festive season—as well as how the rest of the country celebrated Christmas in their homes.

She describes the royal court over the holiday as a place where those wishing to catch the eye of the monarch dressed in their finest, feasted on Christmas pie and wassail, and participated in masques—all overseen by the Lord of Misrule.

Lloyd-Stanger examines the religious and social traditions of the seasonal celebrations, as well as its extravagant foods. Few non-royal kitchens could match the famed Christmas pie: turkey stuffed with goose stuffed with chicken stuffed with partridge stuffed with pigeon, all baked into a manger-shaped pastry case. She also reveals how court intrigue continued to simmer beneath the holiday fun: Henry VIII struggled to keep a wife and girlfriend happy for three Christmas seasons as his divorce proceedings lingered on, and then a few years later he met new wife Anne of Cleves for the first time on New Year’s Day.

Tues., Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-293; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

“Interior of the old Jersey prison ship, in the Revolutionary War,” engraving, 1855

The Old Palace of Whitehall by Hendrick Danckerts

Hampton Court Palace is one of only two surviving palaces owned by King Henry VIII

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

Spices 101: Garlic

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

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

Naples and the Amalfi Coast: A Delicious Guide With Tasting

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

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

Amalfi, Italy

Jacques Pépin: Cooking My Way

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

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

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

Jacques Pépin

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

In

Italian Summer Wine Adventures

Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of wine as you travel to Italy with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in one of his delectable wine-tasting adventures. The immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.

SEPT 22 Piedmont Wines Explored

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

Fri., Sept. 22, 6 p.m.; CODE 1L0-525; Members $65; Nonmembers $75

Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes curated personal tasting kits with enough wine for one person to sample the full lineup of wines. Additional participants must register individually to receive their own tasting kit, which is an essential component of the series. Each session has separate kits available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program, 1–5 p.m. at Restaurant Chloe, 1331 4th St. SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line. Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to each session. Due to state and federal laws, Smithsonian Associates cannot ship wine kits. However, SOMLYAY may be able to provide kits to participants outside the Washington, D.C., area (who must cover shipping costs). Please contact erik@thesomlyay.com for more information.

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Northern Italy’s Piedmont region

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In Person

Lidia Bastianich

From Our Family Table to Yours

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

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

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

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

In Person

A Middle Eastern Pantry

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

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

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

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

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

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Fall Wine Adventures

A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE

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

OCT 20 Winning at Wine for the Holidays: Selections and Pairing Suggestions

The holidays are around the corner, and the pressure is on. With so much to think about, perfect food and wine pairings shouldn’t have to be one of them. In this delicious exploration, Segelbaum teaches how to pair food and wine like a pro with a focus on traditional holiday and winter dishes. (Note: This is a wine tasting only; no food is provided.)

NOV 17 Amazing Wines of Argentina

Despite being part of the New World, Argentina brings an Old World spirit to winemaking heritage and traditions from Spanish and Italian immigrants hundreds of years ago. Today, Argentine wine is undergoing a renaissance in every way imaginable, with pioneering winemakers pushing limits in everything from altitude to latitude to techniques in the vineyard and winery. Taste through this delicious deep dive into the new world of Argentine wine.

DEC 15 California Dreaming

When winter looms with cold weather, it’s only natural that thoughts turn to warmer climes and warmer wines. With generally warm weather and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, California wine regions are primed for peak performance. Discover some of the most exciting expressions of California wine through this delicious tasting designed to warm your soul with whites and reds that will wipe away the winter blues.

3-session series (Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15): 6 p.m.; CODE 4WINE2023; Members $175; Nonmembers $200

Individual sessions: Fri., Oct. 20 (CODE 1L0-536); Fri., Nov. 17 (CODE 1L0-537); Fri., Dec. 15 (CODE 1L0-538); 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 kits, which is an essential component of the series. Each session will have separate kits available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program and the day of the program, 1–5 p.m. at Restaurant Chloe in the Navy Yard neighborhood (1331 4th Street SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line). Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to each session.

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

The Genius of Sergei Rachmaninoff

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

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

SEPT 6 Russian Roots

SEPT 13 Conquering a New World

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

Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Song

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

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

Reading Faulkner

Chronicler of the Deep South in Literature

He was an uncompromising modernist, a great chronicler of the American South, and an inspiration—as well as an immovable obstacle—for the generations of writers who followed. William Faulkner stands as one of the greatest, and one of the most problematic, figures in American literature. A reading series led by Michael Gorra, author of The Saddest Words: William Faulkner’s Civil War, focuses on Faulkner's greatest novels including Light in August and Absalom, Absalom!

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

William Faulkner

Sergei Rachmaninoff

NORWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

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 p.m.; CODE 1J0-282; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Taiwan’s Vibrant Cuisine

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

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

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

“One for My Baby”

The Hollywood Songbook of Frank Sinatra

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

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

Mon., Oct. 16, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-294; 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

Clarissa Wei

Chaucer’s European Life

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

From the wharves of London to the frescoed chapels of Florence, Turner recounts Chaucer’s experiences as a prisoner of war in France, as a father visiting his daughter’s nunnery, as a member of a chaotic Parliament, and as a diplomat in Milan, interweaving the story of his life with the story of his writings. Fri., Sept. 22, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-394; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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

Two Great Russian Novels

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

10 a.m. A Tale of Two Novelists

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

12:15 p.m. Break

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

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

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

DC Theater Preview 2023–24

Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington

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

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

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

Related tour: Behind the Curtain: A Day with DC-area Theater Makers (see p. 74)

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

Fyodor Dostoevsky (detail) by Vasily Perov, 1872

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra 2023–2024 Concert Series

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

Fri., Apr. 5 | Aspects of Ellington

Duke Ellington composed dynamic music that inspired vivid visual imagery and emotion. Combining his unconventional orchestration technique with the unique talent of his individual orchestra members, Ellington was able to transpose everyday life into musical works of art. To mark what would have been his 125th year, the SJMO launches Jazz Appreciation Month by highlighting elements of the Duke’s music and his orchestra with signature works such as “East St. Louis Toodle-oo,” “The Degas Suite,” and “Jack the Bear.” (Full Orchestra)

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

Sat., Oct. 7 | Thad Jones: A Centennial Celebration

Developing his orchestration aesthetic during his Basie years, for over three decades Thad Jones contributed greatly to the tonal and textural evolution of modern big band composing and arranging. The SJMO kicks off its season by honoring the great Thaddeus Joseph Jones with a centennial tribute including “H.R.H. (Her Royal Highness),” “A Child Is Born,” and “Tip Toe.” (Full Orchestra)

Sun., Dec. 3 | Jazz and the U.S. Armed Services

Official military bands date back to 1798 with the establishment of the U.S. Marine Band. In the 1910s, First Lieutenant James Reese Europe infused elements of jazz into military music, and today all branches have an official jazz ensemble. The SJMO salutes the U.S. military jazz bands and the role they play inspiring soldiers, fostering patriotic support, and promoting national interests at home and abroad. Selections include “Memphis Blues,” “American Patrol,” and “Armed Forces Medley.” (Full Orchestra)

Sat., Feb. 10 | The Legacy of Max Roach

Inspired by Chick Web, Sonny Greer, Jo Jones, and the innovations of Kenny Clarke, during the 1940s Max Roach revolutionized the world of modern drum-set playing. He developed a swing and cymbal technique with dynamic expression that became the template for the creative imagination and technical mastery required to move modern jazz forward. With songs such as “Four-X,” “Cou-Manchi-Cou,” and “Liberté,” the SJMO honors the legacy of Max Roach, who would have turned 100 in January 20. (Smaller Ensemble)

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

5-concert series: CODE BPS1; Members $85; Nonmembers $105 Individual concerts: Sat., Oct. 7 (CODE 1P0-833); Sun., Dec. 3 (CODE 1P0-834); Sat., Feb. 10 (CODE 1P0-835); Fri., Apr. 5 (CODE 1P0-836); Sat., June 1 (CODE 1P0-837); Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Please note: Concerts take place at 7 p.m. at Baird Auditorium in the National Museum of Natural History, except for the February 10 program, held at the Warner Bros. Theater at the National Museum of American History. Each concert’s musical program is subject to change

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in concert

JACLYN NASH

Charlie Young

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society

2023–2024 Season

The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. Except for the January 28 Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra performance, concerts take place in the National Museum of American History’s intimate Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, with repertoire ranging from acclaimed masterpieces to undeservedly obscure gems by all-but-forgotten composers. Veteran musicians of the Society are joined on several of the programs by emerging artists. Kenneth Slowik, SCMS artistic director and recipient of the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award, again curates a series of pre-concert talks one hour prior to the Saturday concerts, shedding light on the glorious music and the lives and times of the featured composers.

The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicolò Amati—in this popular three-concert series. The Axelrod Quartet, which now includes violinist Mark Fewer, presents three programs, each of which is anchored by one of Schubert’s last quartets.

Works of quartet masters Haydn, Beethoven, and Shostakovich are joined by three 20th-century works related, in their diversity, to varied interests of the National Museum of American History. Much of the music of African American composer Florence Price was rediscovered only in 2009. Her Quartet in G Major, a work from 1929, recalls the harmonic language of Antonín Dvořák, who observed, “In the Negro melodies of America I discover all that is needed for a great and noble school of music.”

The music of the Argentinian Osvaldo Golijov, resident in the United States since 1986, has been characterized as “forcing us to look and listen in a way that we’re not asked to do inside other music, speaking to the divisiveness and coming together of cultures.” The Austrian American Erich Wolfgang Korngold is probably most widely known for the nearly two dozen Hollywood film scores he wrote in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s (among them The Adventures of Robin Hood, for which he won the Academy Award in 1934), but many of his operas, orchestral and chamber works, songs, and piano pieces employ the same appealingly kaleidoscopic harmonic palette.

The Axelrod String Quartet

Mark Fewer, violin; Marc Destrubé, violin; James Dunham, viola; Kenneth Slowik, violoncello

Sat., Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 10, 6:30 p.m.

Florence Price: String Quartet in G Major

Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 74, the Harp

Franz Schubert: Quartet in A Minor, D804, Rosamunde

Sat., Apr. 6, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Apr. 7, 6:30 p.m.

Joseph Haydn: Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5

Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 26

Franz Schubert: Quartet in D Minor, D810, Death and the Maiden

Sat., Apr. 27, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Apr. 28, 6:30 p.m.

Osvoldo Golijov: Tenebrae for String Quartet

Dmitri Shostakovich: Quartet No. 7

Franz Schubert: Quartet in G Major, D887

Note: Saturday concerts at 7:30 p.m. include a pre-concert lecture at 6:30 pm. Sunday concerts at 6:30 p.m. do not include a lecture.

3-concert series: CODE BPS6 (Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.); CODE BPS7 (Sundays at 6:30 p.m.); Members $80; Nonmembers $100

Individual concerts: Sat., Dec. 9 (CODE 1P0-814); Sun., Dec. 10 (CODE 1P0-817); Sat., Apr. 6 (CODE 1P0-815); Sun., Apr. 7 (CODE 1P0-818); Sat., Apr. 27 (CODE 1P0816); Sun., Apr. 28 (CODE 1P0-819); Members $30; Nonmembers $35

All Axelrod concerts take place at the Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW (Metro: Federal Triangle)

Marc Destrubé, James Dunham, and Kenneth Slowik

Mark Fewer

In Person

Masterworks of Five Centuries

The season presents three chamber program dyads, plus a chamber orchestra concert. The Smithsonian Consort of Viols makes two appearances. In the first, fugues of Bach from The Art of Fugue are combined with Bach fugue arrangements by Mozart. The spring program features English consort music by Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell, whose 1680 fantazias provide a fitting capstone to a venerable tradition. Catherine Manson and Rebecca Landell Reed join the SCMS artistic director in two programs surveying Beethoven piano trios, and in another pairing, Slowik is partnered by violinist Edwin Huizinga, viol player Arnie Tanimoto, and harpsichordist Corey Jamason for sonatas, suites, and trios of J. S. Bach and Jean-Philippe Rameau. The January chamber orchestra concert honors the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schönberg’s birth.

Sat., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 15, 6:30 p.m.

Fugues of Bach and Mozart

The Smithsonian Consort of Viols

Kenneth Slowik, Arnie Tanimoto, Catherine Slowik, and Chelsea Bernstein, viols

Sat., Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m.

Sonatas and Trios of Bach and Rameau

Edwin Huizinga, violin; Arnie Tanimoto, viola da gamba; Kenneth Slowik, harpsichord

Sat., Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Piano Trios of Beethoven

Op. 1, No. 2 in G Major; Fourteen Variations, Op. 44; Op. 11 in B-flat Major

The Smithsonian Chamber Players

Catherine Manson, violin; Rebecca Landell

Reed, cello; Kenneth Slowik, fortepiano

2024

Sun., Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Béla Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56

Florence Price: Andante moderato

Ludwig van Beethoven, arr. Gustav Mahler: Quartetto serioso, Op. 95

Arnold Schönberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4

The Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra

Kenneth Slowik, conductor

Sat., Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m.

Piano Trios of Beethoven

Op. 1, No. 1 in E-flat Major; Op. 1, No. 3 in C Minor; Op. 70, No. 1 in D Major, the Ghost

The Smithsonian Chamber Players

Catherine Manson, violin; Rebecca Landell Reed, cello; Kenneth Slowik, fortepiano

Sat., Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Feb. 25, 2024, 6:30 p.m.

Suites and Sonatas of J. S. Bach

The Smithsonian Chamber Players Corey Jamason, harpsichord; Kenneth Slowik, cello and viola da gamba

Sat., Mar. 16, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Mar. 17, 6:30 p.m.

Consorts of Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell

The Smithsonian Consort of Viols

Kenneth Slowik, Arnie Tanimoto, Wade Davis, Catherine Slowik, Chelsea Bernstein, and Lily Schrantz, viols

Note: Both series options include the Sunday, January 28 Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra concert

7-concert series: CODE BPS8 (Saturday concerts at 7:30 p.m., with pre-concert talks at 6:30 p.m. The Sunday, January 28 concert at 7:30 p.m. does not include a pre-concert talk.); CODE BPS9 (Sunday concerts at 6:30 p.m., except January 28 concert at 7:30 p.m. Pre-concert talks are not included in the Sunday series.); Members $200; Nonmembers $240

Individual concerts: Sat., Oct. 14 (CODE 1P0-820); Sun., Oct. 15 (CODE 1P0-827); Sat., Nov. 4 (CODE 1P0-821); Sun., Nov. 5 (CODE 1P0-828); Sat., Nov. 18 (CODE 1P0-822); Sun., Nov. 19 (CODE 1P0-829); Sun., Jan. 28 (CODE 1P0-823); Sat., Feb. 10 (CODE 1P0-824); Sun., Feb. 11 (CODE 1P0-830); Sat., Feb. 24 (CODE 1P0-825); Sun., Feb. 25 (CODE 1P0-831); Sat., Mar. 16 (CODE 1P0-826); Sun., Mar. 17 (CODE 1P0-832); Members $30; Nonmembers $35

All Masterworks concerts take place in the Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, National Museum of American History, Constitution Ave. at 14th St. NW (Metro: Federal Triangle) except for the January 28 performance at St. Mark’s Capitol Hill, 301 A St. SE (Metro: Capitol South)

Gothic Fairy Tales

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

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

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

Supernatural Classics

Musical Magic, Ghouls, and Ghosts

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

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

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

Movie Monsters

Exploring the Art Behind Classic Creature Features

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

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

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

Nonmembers $35

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

Broadway’s Backstory

The Evolution of an Entertainment Powerhouse

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

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

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

Special Offer: Receive a complimentary ticket to this program by registering for the Dec. 13 Radio City Music Hall bus tour by Oct. 1 (see page 76).

The Beethoven Symphonies

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

OCT 17 Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2

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

OCT 31 Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6

NOV 7 Symphonies No. 7 and No. 8

NOV 14 Symphony No. 9

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

Jews and Arabic

Judeo-Arabic, Its Literature, and Why It Matters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

In Search of the Soul

Comparative Visions in World Religions

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

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

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

Smithsonian Nights at the Opera Operas of Giuseppe Verdi Showcasing the Beauty of the Human Voice

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

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

OCT 19 Verdi’s Operatic Style

OCT 26 Rigoletto (1851)

NOV 2 La traviata (1853)

NOV 9 Aida (1871)

NOV 16 Otello (1887)

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

Much Ado About Shakespeare

Why Three Great Comedies Still Matter Today

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

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

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

12:15 p.m. Break

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

Spaces

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

of Comedy

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

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

WALKER ART GALLERY

Stephen Sondheim: Wizard of Broadway

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

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

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

More Concertos: Front and Center!

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

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

OCT 26 Early Masters

NOV 2 Classical Perfection

NOV 9 The Glory of Virtuosity

NOV 16 Concertos of Our Time

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

More Stories from the American Songbook

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

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

NOV 1 George and Ira Gershwin

NOV 15 Rodgers and Hart

NOV 29 Kander and Ebb

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

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

Franz Liszt Fantasizing at the Piano by Josef Danhauser, 1840

High School Classics Revisited

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

The Scarlet Letter

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

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

The Catcher in the Rye

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

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

The Great Gatsby

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

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

Of Mice and Men

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

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

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is renowned for its brilliant narrative, memorable characters, and illuminating depictions of the complexities of English class and society during the Victorian era. Luzzi explores the literary techniques and devices that give the beloved classic, published in 1861, its enduring fame. He highlights Dickens’ remarkable psychological insight as he explores the motives and actions of characters such as the protagonist Pip, Estella, Magwitch, Miss Havisham, and Joe Gargery—a fascinating cast that makes the novel one of Dickens’ finest.

Thurs., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-310; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

1984

To read George Orwell’s 1984, published in 1949, is to be astonished by his foreseeing some of the most pressing concerns of today’s world, including the role of misinformation, the proliferation of media, and the dramatic struggle between freedom of speech and authoritarian control. Luzzi explores how and why Orwell created a work of such transcendent brilliance, especially in its ability to diagnose deep-rooted political problems and their effect on human individuality. Luzzi also examines why Orwell is considered one of literature’s greatest prose stylists.

Thurs., Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-311; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Romeo and Juliet

Few works of Shakespeare are as instantly recognizable as Romeo and Juliet, a play that has enthralled readers and theatergoers ever since it was written in 1597. Luzzi takes a fresh look at this moving work, which ranks as one of the greatest love stories of all time. Luzzi pays particular attention to Shakespeare’s original use of language, especially his ability to capture the inner lives of his characters with observations on human nature that have contributed to his status as arguably the greatest writer in the history of English literature.

Thurs., Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-312; Members: $30; Nonmembers: $35

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CULTURE HI STORY CU LTURE

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

Contemplating Nietzsche

“God is dead…and we have killed him.” These words are perhaps the most famous—and misunderstood—of many provocative aphorisms penned by the 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Within those terse words lies a massive claim concerning the entirety of the philosophical and theological tradition of the West, a 2,500-year tradition dating back to the works of Plato that Nietzsche sought to displace. After all, he claimed, “since Plato, philosophy has been in exile.” Join Georgetown professor Joseph Hartman in considering this electric, controversial, and provocative modern thinker. Recommended reading: the first essay in Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals.

Wed., Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-307; Ripley Center; Members $25; Nonmembers $35

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

Mini Skirts, Pantsuits, and Go-Go Boots

Fashion in the 1960s

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

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

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

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

Dot Wilkinson and the Real Story of Women’s Softball

A League of Their Own, the beloved 1992 blockbuster starring Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, and Tom Hanks, captures the history of the heyday of women’s ball in the 1940s. Or does it? Lynn Ames, author of Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story, draws on her longtime friendship with the greatest catcher ever to play the game of women’s softball to recount what that era of the sport was really like.

Wilkinson was one of the most decorated female athletes of all time and one of the original players from the three-time-world-champion PBSW Phoenix Ramblers softball team, active from 1933 to 1965. She was at the heart of it all in those years: sold-out stadiums; brawls on the field; brawls in the stands; epic rivalries; grueling travel; clandestine relationships; and larger-than-life personalities. Ames unfolds the story of Wilkinson’s life and career, one marked by childhood poverty, an indomitable spirit, the determination to be the very best at whatever sport she undertook, the independence to live her personal life on her own terms, and her success at all of it.

Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story (Chicago Review Press) is available for purchase.

Wed., Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-540; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Friedrich Nietzsche, 1870

Leadership Lessons from Shakespeare From the Battlefield to the Boardroom

Writing in a time of civil unrest, religious chaos, and threat of foreign invasion, William Shakespeare lived in the heart of England’s power center and saw the best and worst of leaders and leadership. He captured it all in some of the most famous stories in history, from the dangers of out-of-control ambition in Macbeth to the power of an inspirational speech in Henry V, and from the pitfalls of procrastination in Hamlet to the value of building consensus in Julius Caesar Shakespeare and Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores the lasting lessons that can be found in Shakespeare’s plays by comparing effective actions of Antony and Henry V to the mistakes of Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear. She analyzes how Shakespeare considered some of the greatest challenges leaders faced and what contributed to their success or failure. She also links the characters and stories of 16th–century England to the 21st century through Shakespeare’s timeless understanding of human behavior and interaction.

Tues., Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-290; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Jon Bonné on France’s Changing Wine Culture

In his new book, The New French Wine: Redefining the World’s Greatest Wine Culture, Jon Bonné, one of the leading American voices on wine and food, captures the world’s greatest wine culture at a moment of profound change. He posits that over the past 20 years, French wine has been simultaneously destroying and recreating itself, driven by a talented generation of pioneering winemakers.

This new generation sees all the value of French terroir—its traditions, famed vineyards, and renown. But it is also struggling to succeed amid a bureaucracy that undermines progress and makes life more difficult for the small independent vignerons who make up the backbone of French wine.

Join Bonné, a two-time James Beard Award winner and managing editor of Resy, as he discusses the wine regions of France, the stories behind some of the most well-revered producers, and what’s next for the country he calls “the soul of the global wine industry.”

Copies of The New French Wine (Ten Speed Press) are available for purchase.

Tues., Nov. 14, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-540; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Please note: This program is not part of the Wine Adventures: A Top Sommelier’s Guide series and wine-tasing kits are not available.

Smithsonian Art Collectors presents

The Art of Philip Guston

Inscapes:

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

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

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.

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

Elvis in Hollywood

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

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

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

Edgar Allan Poe: Love, Loss, and Invention

Nearly 175 years after his death, Edgar Allan Poe remains a figure of enduring fascination and speculation for readers, scholars, and devotees of the weird and macabre. Join novelist and poet Robert Morgan for a look at the life of this gifted, complicated author.

Morgan chronicles how several women influenced his life and art. Eliza Poe, his mother, died before he turned 3, but she haunted him ever after. The loss of Elmira Royster Shelton, his first and last love, devastated him and inspired much of his poetry. Morgan illustrates how Poe, known for his gothic and supernatural writing, was also a poet of the natural world who helped invent the detective story, science fiction, analytical criticism, and symbolist aesthetics. Though he died at age 40, Poe left behind works of great originality and vision.

Morgan’s book Fallen Angel: The Life of Edgar Allan Poe (LSU Press) is available for purchase.

Mon., Nov. 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-428; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Becoming Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald possessed one of the 20th century’s most astonishing voices. Music historian Judith Tick examines how Fitzgerald fused a Black vocal aesthetic with mainstream popular repertoire to revolutionize American music. From Fitzgerald’s first audition at the Apollo Theater to swing-era success at the Savoy, Tick illustrates how this “girl singer” broke new ground: as a female bandleader, as an innovative bebop improviser, and as the arbiter of the American canon with her “Song Book” recordings of works by iconic composers

Yet even as she electrified concert halls and sold millions of records, jazz critics belittled her as “naïve.” Tick reveals instead an ambitious risk-taker with a stunningly diverse repertoire, whose exceptional musical spontaneity (often radically different on stage than in the studio) made her a transformational artist.

Tick’s book Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song (W. W. Norton & Company) is available for purchase.

Tues., Nov. 28, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-423; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Judith Tick

Robert Morgan

In Person

Navigating The Waste Land

T.S. Eliot’s best-known poem is The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, but his greatest is The Waste Land, which was first published just over 100 years ago. It’s a seminal work that intimidates all of us at first reading, even with excellent footnotes.

It’s worth the effort to come to terms with The Waste Land’s stature, and public humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson is ready to serve as a guide. The work has an intriguing origin story that involves superb editorial supervision by another great poet of the era, Ezra Pound. Jenkinson covers its creation and its enormous debt to previous literature from Dante to John Donne and walks you through the poem in a way that helps reveal its creative strategies—and meaning. Jenkinson recommends reading the work in the Norton Anthology of English Literature or the Norton Critical Edition. Have the text at hand and come with questions, comments, and puzzlements.

Tues., Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-426; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

‘Tis the Season

An Analysis of Hallmark Channel Holiday Movies

Hallmark Channel holiday movies are a big business, garnering an estimated $350 million in ad revenue annually. The channel’s formula for the movies has been criticized for its predictable content and lack of racial, religious, and LGBTQ representation. So why do millions of people keep watching? Educator and lecturer Stef Woods explores the fairy-tale formula, contract actors, and marketing strategies that have made these movies hugely successful. She also analyzes the controversies and competition that the channel faces. Following the lecture, attendees can make holiday cards with instructor Karen Cadogan while enjoying seasonal holiday treats.

Sun., Dec. 3, 1 p.m.; CODE 1J0-317; Ripley Center; Members $30; Nonmembers $40

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

Something To Laugh About TV Comedy, From Milton Berle to David Letterman

From commercial television’s earliest days, making people laugh was a central goal of TV programmers. Successful radio formats like the situation comedy and the comedy-variety show were re-created for TV in the late 1940s, joined a few years later by the medium’s own innovation, the late-night comedy talk show.

Media historian Brian Rose surveys the landscape of American TV comedy, examining how comedy evolved from the vaudeville shtick of Milton Berle and the slapstick artistry of Lucille Ball to relevant sitcoms like “M*A*S*H,” the social satire of “Saturday Night Live,” a twist on the sitcom with “The Jeffersons,” and the selfreflexive absurdities of “The Simpsons.”

Mon., Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-319; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

David Letterman with guest Teri Garr, 1982

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

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.

Asteroids: Celestial Interlopers

For centuries, asteroids have fascinated and puzzled astronomers. These rocky remnants from the early formation of our solar system hold a wealth of cosmic stories waiting to be unraveled. How did they form? What processes sculpted their diverse composition? How have they influenced the development of our solar system? These questions continue to captivate scientists and drive ongoing research endeavors. Terik Daly, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory’s Planetary Impact Laboratory and member of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission, dives into the complexities of these celestial bodies.

Thurs., Sept. 21, 7 p.m.; CODE 1J0-309; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Jupiter: A Giant Surprise

People have observed Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, with telescopes almost since the invention of the telescope in 1608. However, after studying Jupiter for hundreds of years, astronomers still had some basic questions: Is there a dense core under its atmosphere of helium and hydrogen? How, when, and where did it form? What do the north and south poles of Jupiter look like? To answer these and other questions, the Juno spacecraft was launched on a 5-year journey to Jupiter in 2011. From the first images sent back in 2016 to the data continuing to be received today, the result has been a series of surprises and fascinating puzzles. Steve Levin, the project scientist for Mission Juno, talks about what’s been learned so far and what it might mean.

Tues., Oct. 24, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-313; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

NASA/JOHNS HOPKINS APL/STEVE GRIBBEN

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft prior to impact at the Didymos binary system

NASA, ESA, A. SIMON (GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER), AND M.H. WONG (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY)

A Hubble Space Telescope view of Jupiter, June 27, 2019

The Geology of Western National Parks

Geologist Kirt Kempter leads his final series in the geology of Western National Parks for 2023, with an in-depth look at one or more locations every month. Each program’s content is enhanced by geologic maps, photos, and Google Earth flyovers to reinforce geologic concepts and interpretations.

SEPT 11 Yellowstone, Wyoming

OCT 2 Glacier, Montana

NOV 6 Arches and Canyonlands, Utah

DEC 4 Capitol Reef, Utah

3-part series (Oct. 2, Nov. 6, Dec. 4): 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-GE4; Members $60; Nonmembers $75

Individual programs: Mon., Sept. 11 (CODE 1NV-043); Mon., Oct. 2 (CODE 1NV-051); Mon., Nov. 6 (CODE 1NV-052); Mon., Dec. 4 (CODE 1NV-053); 7 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Alien Worlds

Inside the Hidden Realm of Insects

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

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

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

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

Interstellar

Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars

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

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

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

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

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Steve Nicholls

Losing Eden

An Environmental History of the American West

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

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

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

A Practical Guide to Rewilding

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

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

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

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

The Science of Free Will

It is popular these days to claim that free will is an illusion—that our brains, our genes, or even just the laws of physics actually determine our actions. Neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell delves into these claims and explains how and why he finds they are hollow. Mitchell traces the story of how living beings capable of choice and control emerged from lifeless matter and evolved into humans with the remarkable capacity for conscious cognitive control, i.e., free will. Mitchell’s new book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

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

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

The Wave, Coyote Buttes, Arizona

Elemental

How Five Elements Will Shape Our Future

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

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

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

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

The Colors of Crawly Creatures

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

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

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

Her Space, Her Time Trailblazing Women Scientists Who Decoded the Hidden Universe

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

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

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

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

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

The cainarachi poison frog (Ameerega cainarachi)

Darkness in Distress

Halting the Rise of Light Pollution

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

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

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

How We Age

Nature’s Toxins: From Spices to Vices

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

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

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

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

All of us would like to live longer or to slow the debilitating effects of age. Geneticist Coleen Murphy, author of the new book How We Age, illustrates how recent research on longevity and aging may be bringing us closer to this goal. Murphy, a leading scholar of aging, explains that the study of model systems, particularly simple invertebrate animals, combined with breakthroughs in genomic methods, have allowed scientists to probe the molecular mechanisms of longevity and aging. Understanding the fundamental biological rules that govern aging in these systems provides clues about how we might slow human aging, which could lead in turn to new therapeutics and treatments for age-related disease.

Drawing on work in her own lab and other recent research, Murphy chronicles the history and current state of the field, explaining longevity’s links to reproduction and mating, sensory and cognitive function, inheritances from our ancestors, and the gut microbiome.

Copies of How We Age (Princeton University Press) are available for purchase. Wed., Nov. 15, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-541; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Forest Bathing 101

Immerse yourself in the Japanese practice of forest bathing as Melanie Choukas-Bradley introduces its history and how-tos. Learn creative ways to reduce holiday stress and banish winter blues by connecting with nature close to home. Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, originated in in the 1980s as a restorative and meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the distractions of daily life and has since become popular around the world.

Learn about the development of and global enthusiasm for forest bathing as Choukas-Bradley, a certified forest therapy guide, leads you through techniques to incorporate this soulful practice into your life. She also shares tips on how to conduct your own forest-bathing walks using the environments around you, including your own backyard.

Choukas-Bradley’s nature books, including The Joy of Forest Bathing: Reconnect with Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life (Rock Point) are available at a discount for workshop participants.

Wed., Nov. 29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-055; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Earliest Animals: What Fossils Tell Us

When Charles Darwin wrote The Origin of Species, the oldest known fossils were trilobites preserved in rocks deposited during the Cambrian Period. That the oldest animals should have such complex morphology troubled Darwin, prompting him to argue that metazoans must have existed earlier, even though their records had evidently been destroyed or remained undiscovered.

Many decades and countless discoveries later, Darwin’s intuition has proven to be correct. Fossils from six continents now extend the animal record backward into the Ediacaran Period, some 50 million years before the first trilobites. In an illustrated lecture, Andrew H. Knoll, a professor of natural history at Harvard University traces the fossil record of Earth’s earliest known animals, asking how these remains illuminate the early evolution of our own kingdom. He also looks at geological evidence that animals diversified in a rapidly changing world, where increasing availability of food and oxygen may have facilitated biological change. Set within the framework of Earth’s entire history, the initial diversification of animals can be seen as both the culmination of more than three billion years of evolution and a radical departure from all that came before.

Wed., Dec. 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-418; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

This ongoing series of expert-led programming will challenge and expand your knowledge and understanding of science in all its forms. Whether you're a science fan or curious about the world around you, Inside Science offers a valuable and rewarding way to better understand science in the context of our lives.

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

Trilobite fossil, Cordania falcata Whittington

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

Edward Hopper: American Modernist

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

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

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Art of Chagall

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

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

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

You love art. Now go deeper.

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

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

Look for World Art History Certificate throughout the program guide to see current listings. Get started today and complete the certificate requirements at your own pace. Registration is ongoing and year round. Credits are counted from day of registration and are not given retroactively.

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

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

New York Restaurant by Edward Hopper

The Fiddler by Marc Chagall, 1912–1913

World Art History Certificate

elective: Earn ½ credit

Extreme Architecture Around the World

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

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

World Art History Certificate

elective: Earn 1 credit

Byzantine Art and its Legacy

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

Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores some of the most important aspects of the visual arts of this empire at the cultural crossroads of West and East.

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

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

OCT 12 Beyond the Borders of Byzantium

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Ganges: River and Goddess

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

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

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

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

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa

Marble head of Constantine

Sunset on the Ganges River in Varanasi

All Smithsonian Associates online programs are closed captioned

SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Faces of the Italian Renaissance

In the 15th and 16th centuries, portraits played a vital role in every aspect of human life: childhood, politics, friendship, courtship, marriage, old age, and death. It was also widely believed that a person’s appearance mirrored their soul, with physical beauty indicating qualities such as morality, virtue, and religious devotion. As such, artists developed highly individual approaches to the representation of ideal beauty.

Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo provides fresh insights into fundamental issues of likeness, memory, and identity as she reveals a remarkable community of Renaissance personalities—from princes, envoys, and merchants to clergymen, tradesmen, and artists.

Fri., Sept. 29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-027; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Women of the Medici From Patrons to Queens

The story of the Medici’s consolidation of power between Cosimo the Elder’s assumption of power in 1434 and the accession of Duke Cosimo I in 1537 is well-known and documented. Less familiar is that of the wives, daughters, and sisters who bolstered the family’s rise and furthered its interests.

Significant and fascinating Medici women include Contessina de' Bardi wife of Cosimo the Elder; Lucrezia Tornabuoni, mother of Lorenzo the Magnificent; Lucrezia’s daughter-in-law Clarice Orsini; Eleonora di Toledo, wife of Duke Cosimo I; and two Medici queens of France, Catherine and Marie. As authority gravitated toward the Medici and away from the Florentine government during the late years of Cosimo the Elder’s rule, it brought increased opportunities for female influence. Medici women exercised power, acting as patrons within extended networks and as intercessors. With each successive generation, they assumed influence at an earlier age, trained by the preceding one. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo highlights these women and examines their contributions as patrons of the architectural, religious, and literary arts.

Fri., Nov. 3, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-031; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

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

The Tempi Madonna (detail) by Raphael, 1508

Portrait of Contessina de' Bardi by Cristofano dell'Altissimo

Portrait of Eleonora di Toledo and her son Giovanni de' Medici by Bronzino

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit

The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy

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

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

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

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

12:45 p.m. Break

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

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

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit each session

Lunchtime with a Curator

Decorative Arts Design Series

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Piccolomini Library in the Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta in Siena

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

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

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

OCT 4 The Origin and Meaning of Expressionism

OCT 11 Die Brücke and the Art of Woodblock Printing

OCT 18 Der Blaue Reiter Group

OCT 25 Expressionists and “Degenerate Art”

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

New Series: A Mid-century Modern Focus

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

The Saarinens

A Family Tradition in Architecture and Design

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

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

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

From Rococo to Realism

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

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

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

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

OCT 26 Sober, Moralizing Art: Neoclassical Dignity and Stoicism

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

NOV 9 Paintings of Modern Life: Realism

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

Tiger and Snake by Eugène Delacroix, 1862

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

Gateway Arch in St Louis

The Bath of Venus, by François Boucher, 1766

MATT KOZLOWSKI

World

Art History Certificate elective:

Earn ½ credit Collecting Fine Art: From Conception to Conservation

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

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

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

World

Art History Certificate

elective: Earn ½ credit Exploring the Cluny Museum in Paris

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

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

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit New York’s Art Museums

A Virtual Exploration

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related virtual visit: Close-up on the Cloisters (see p. 53); Related tour: The Met’s Magnificent Cloisters Museum and Gardens (see p. 71)

The Lady with the Unicorn, Cluny Museum, Paris

Art collector Judy Pomerantz at home

The Guggenheim Museum

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

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

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

10 a.m. Art Deco’s Origins

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

12:45 p.m. Break

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

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

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

Write Into Art Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art

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

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

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

OCT 24 Collage and Poetry

OCT 31 Symbol and Story

NOV 7 Place and Perspective

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

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

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

Mary Hall Surface

Reflective Writing Workshops

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

Autumn’s Harvest

Inspired by works of art by Hudson River landscape painter Jasper Francis Cropsey and poetry by Mary Oliver, explore the lessons that the season of autumn offers us when we slow down, look closely, and reflect. Designed for writers of all levels, the workshop invites you to look outwardly at paintings and poetry and to look inwardly through writing.

TWO OPTIONS: Sun., Nov. 12, 4 p.m. (CODE 1K0-420); Tues., Nov. 14, 10 a.m. (CODE 1K0-421); Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Winter’s Colors

Experience new ways to contemplate the gifts of winter inspired by the vibrant Winter Landscape by Wassily Kandinsky, an artist who embraced the transcendent power of color. Designed for writers of all levels, and for the curious, the workshop invites close observation of artwork and inner reflection through writing.

Tues., Dec. 5, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-422; Members $40; Nonmembers $45

Lesser-Known Museums of Rome

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Papal Collections of Rome: Vatican Museums

Each year more than 7 million people visit the Vatican Museums to admire the superb collection of art that has been assembled by numerous popes over the centuries. The Sistine Chapel with its frescoes is the most famous of the museums, but the collection also includes an extensive array of antiquities; paintings and sculptures by celebrated Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio; and breathtaking architecture and decorative halls. Ruggiero explores the museums’ treasures.

Mon., Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-308; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

Coat of arms of Urbanus VII, ceiling of the Map Room (detail), Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome

Autumn—On the Hudson River by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1860

Winter Landscape by Wassily Kandinsky, 1909

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Milan in the Footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci

In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci left his native Florence to seek his fortune at the ducal court of Milan. It was a bold move that profoundly transformed his career and personal life. It was here that Leonardo completed his iconic fresco of the Last Supper for the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie; a colossal bronze horse; countless drawings and engineering designs; and a handful of portraits that would redefine Renaissance standards of beauty.

Art historian Laura Morelli explores Milan through the eyes of da Vinci, highlighting the ducal court, the spires of the stunning cathedral, the refectory where monks gazed on his The Last Supper while having breakfast, and the Brera Gallery, which holds some of Leonardo’s most precious works on panel and paper. Her virtual walk through the city offers a unique perspective on the enduring legacy of a Renaissance giant.

Tues., Nov. 14, 12 p.m.; CODE 1H0-788; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Picasso: Beyond Innovation

His name is synonymous with 20th-century art, and art historian Nancy G. Heller will remind you why. A bona fide child prodigy, Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) grew up to become a co-creator of Cubism, one of art's most explosively influential avant-garde movements. But that was just the beginning. For the next six and a half decades Picasso was a wildly successful, prolific, and controversial painter, sculptor, draftsman, printmaker, and theatrical designer. His grand passions—for women and art—led to a torturous personal life and an enormous body of work celebrated (and criticized) through countless exhibitions and awards, plus an ever-growing bibliography. Picasso still looms large in our world. This year’s 50th anniversary of his death is being marked by major exhibitions in both Europe and the U.S. Focusing on lavish images of the artist’s works, Heller discusses his continuing relevance for art lovers and emerging artists in the 21st century and the current debate about how his personal actions influence our perceptions of him as an artist and how we view his works.

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Surrealism: The Canvas of Dreams

“Surrealism: The chance meeting on a dissecting table of a sewing machine and an umbrella!” Les Chants de Maldoror, Comte de Lautréamont, 1869

One of the major art movements of the 20th century, Surrealism opened the door to the exploration of the unconscious and the creation of art based on inner reality. It was an art of disquiet, sabotaging the existing order of things. Freud’s dream research liberated artists to see the truth of who we really are, and in their work, dreams became equivalent to imagination itself.

Artist and art historian Joseph Cassar explores the origins of Surrealism, its widespread influence, and many of its most prominent artists, including Max Ernst, Jean Arp, Joan Miró, André Masson, René Magritte, Alberto Giacometti, and Salvador Dali.

Wed., Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-427; Members $30; Nonmembers $35

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

Ubu Imperator by Max Ernst, 1923

Santa Maria delle Grazie MUSEE NATIONAL D'ART MODERNE

World

Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit

Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea

Ideas about the American West, both in popular culture and in commonly accepted historical narratives, are often based on a past that never was and fail to consider important events that occurred. A new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea”, examines the perspectives of 48 modern and contemporary artists who offer a broader and more inclusive view of this region, which too often has been dominated by romanticized myths and EuroAmerican historical accounts.

Working in various media, from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media, the artists featured bring a nuanced and multifaceted history to light. “Many Wests” highlights many voices— including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latinx, and LGBTQ+—who stake a claim on the American West. They reveal that “the West” has always been a place of multiple stories, experiences, and cultures. Anne Hyland, the Art Bridges Initiative curatorial coordinator at the American Art Museum, provides an overview of the exhibition.

Wed., Nov. 29, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-542; McEvoy Auditorium, Smithsonian American Art Museum; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Close-up on the Cloisters

The Met Cloisters, the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art of medieval Europe, presents extraordinary works from the 8th to the 16th centuries in a fully immersive setting at the crest of Fort Tryon Park at the northern tip of Manhattan. With commanding views over the Hudson River, the building seamlessly binds imposing stone arches, soaring Gothic doorways, contemplative chapels, and monastic cloisters into a unique confection. The collection encompasses shimmering stained glass, world-famous tapestries, priceless panel paintings, sumptuous silver vessels, and intricately carved ivories. The museum’s integral, lush gardens contribute to the abiding sense of peace and tranquility.

Barbara Drake Boehm, curator emerita of the Cloisters, brings the collection to life in a virtual visit. Works from Paris to Prague and Canterbury to Cordoba all attest to the skill and imagination of medieval artists and the beauty they imparted to the world.

Thurs., Nov. 30, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-056; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Related virtual visit: New York’s Art Museums (see p. 49); Related tour: The Met’s Magnificent Cloisters Museum and Gardens (see p. 71)

World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit

The Art of Gandhara: Where India Met Greece

Situated between India, Persia, and the Greco-Roman world, the region of greater Gandhara (stretching through parts of modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan) produced artwork that blended influences and ideas from many cultures. Treasure hoards with bounty that includes glasswork from Rome, Central Asian jewelry, and South Asian ivory are a testament to the region’s central role in the longdistance exchange of goods.

Robert DeCaroli, a professor of art history at George Mason University, examines the origins of the region’s material culture, explores the ways imperial and religious power were displayed, and traces the role of trade in the exchange of ideas.

10 a.m. Early Empires

11:30 a.m. The Rise of the Kushan Empire

12:45 p.m. Break

1:15 p.m. Buddhism in Gandhara

2:45 p.m. Beyond the Boundaries of Gandhara

Sat., Dec. 2, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1J0-316; Members $80; Nonmembers $90

The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (detail) Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters

Monumental Bodhisattva head, 5th century

Four Seasons series: Winter by Wendy Red Star (Apsáalooke/Crow), 2006

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.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden: Drawing Treasures

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

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

By Renee Sandell

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

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Fall Plein Air Landscape Painting in Oil

By George Tkabladze

Intermediate Drawing

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

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m., no class Nov. 21; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0YA; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

Beginning Drawing

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

IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 2 p.m., no class Nov. 21; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00YB; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

By Michelle René Cobb

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

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

Beginning Oil Painting

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

SOLD OUT

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

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

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

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

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

NEW CLASSES

An Introduction to Watercolor: Loose and Beautiful

Discover the versatility and fluidity of painting in watercolor, an exciting and unpredictable medium. Learn techniques such as graded washes, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, dry brush, splattering, lifting, and glazing.

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NEW CLASS

Mixed-Media Remix

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

IN PERSON: Sat., Oct. 14–Nov. 4, 1:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0ZX; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

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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.

By Lubna Zahid

IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 25–Nov. 15, 11 a.m.; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00AG; Member $155; Nonmembers $175

Figure Painting from Life

Learn the foundational skills needed to create a naturalistic figure painting from a live model. The class covers basic proportion, anatomical structure, and color mixing from a limited palette.

IN PERSON: Sat., Oct. 28–Dec. 9, 10:30 a.m., no class Nov. 25; Mark Giamo; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00AH; Members $235; Nonmembers $265

By Mark Giamo

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

Mosaic Jewelry

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

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

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

Still Life with Apples and Peaches by Paul Cézanne, 1905

By Sharon Robinson

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Embroidered Patch Workshop

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

Freestyle Embroidery Basics

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

By Heather Kerley

IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 9, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0XU; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

NEW CLASSES

Wool Embroidery from the Andes

Discover the joy of this craft characterized by colorful floral designs embroidered with wool in a style that originated in the Andean Mountains of Peru. Create a design using a variety of stitches that can be applied to future projects.

IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 25–Nov. 15, 11 a.m.; Susana Romero; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0AS; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

By Susana Romero

Embroidered Pendant Workshop

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

IN PERSON: Sat., Nov. 4, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1K0-0AU; Members $60; Nonmembers $70

By Heather Kerley

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

Sock Animal Workshop

Join this fun, hands-on workshop to upcycle humble socks into whimsical and endearing soft animal sculptures. Students use simple hand sewing and stuffing techniques. Some experience with embroidery may be helpful.

IN PERSON: Sat., Nov. 11, 11 a.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V00AW; Members $55; Nonmembers $65

Felted Shibori Duo

By Lauren Kingsland

Shibori is the Japanese term for an array of resist dyeing techniques that create designs on cloth. Similar techniques have been widely practiced in many other cultures. Create lightweight, felted wrist warmers and a cowl neck scarf as you explore two complementary shibori processes.

IN PERSON: Sun., Nov. 12 and 19, 10 a.m.; Renate Maile-Moscowitz; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1V0-0BJ; Members $185; Nonmembers $205

By Renate Maile–Moscowitz

By Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer

Clay Portrait

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

Introduction to Studio Portraiture

By George Tkabladze

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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.

SOLD OUT SOLD OUT

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

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

By Marty Kaplan

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

On-Location Photography

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

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

By Joe Yablonsky

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

By Andargé Asfaw

Introduction to Photography II

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

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

Advantages to providing your email to customer service:

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

• Receive important notices regarding your ticket purchases along with other useful information

By Andargé Asfaw

ART SCI ENCE STUDIO ARTS

CULTURE HI STORY STUDIO ARTS

TOURS

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 n n n n

Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout

Curating a Life: Art as Memoir

By Renee Sandell

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

TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., Sept. 9, 1 p.m. (CODE 1V0-0XN); Sat., Nov. 18, 1 p.m. (CODE 1V0-0AF); Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

Color Theory and Practice

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

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

By Theresa Ottenson

Keep a visual-thinking journal as you learn to see like an artist and create personally meaningful works of art. Use text, images, and newly developed visual thinking skills to create a “memoir museum”—a handmade map that traces where you’ve been in your life and where you have yet to explore.

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 23–Nov. 27, 4 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00AE; Members $225; Nonmembers $255

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Composition

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

ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YG; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

Creative Mind Mapping

By Mïa Vollkommer

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

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

Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913

By Renee Sandell

Neuroscience and Art

A Creative Connection

Recent findings in neuroscience reveal how our visual system informs and interprets the visible world for us. As you mesh these new findings with familiar elements of art such as value, shape, and color, your paintings take on fresh creative edges.

By Chester Kasnowski

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 23 and 30, 2 p.m.; Chester Kasnowski; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BH; Members $65; Nonmembers $85

DRAWING n n n n

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

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

By Nick Cruz Velleman

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

Beginning Drawing

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

ONLINE: Sun, Oct. 15–Dec. 10, 10:15 a.m., no class Nov. 26; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0YD; Members $255; Nonmembers $285

By Sughra Hussainy

Introduction to Afghan Geometric Design

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

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

NEW CLASSES

Introduction to Trois Crayons

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

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

Oil Pastels for Beginners

By Lori VanKirk Schue

Oil pastels behave like chalk pastels but possess characteristics similar to those of wax crayons. While producing a painterly effect, oil pastels can be applied with a limited degree of layering. Students learn proper application and blending techniques.

By Lori VanKirk Schue

ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 9 and Nov. 16, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AD; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

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.

PAINTING n n n n

Portrait Painting in Oil and Acrylic

ONLINE

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

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

By Eric Westbrook

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

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

By Shahin Talishkhan

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

Introduction to Watercolor

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

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

By Nick Cruz Velleman

World

Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½

credit Drawing Light How the Masters Did It In Color

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

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

Exploring Color in Watercolor

By Josh Highter SOLD

By Lubna Zahid

OUT

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

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

Botanical Illustration: Watercolor Flowers

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

MIXED-MEDIA n n n n

NEW CLASSES

Collage and Mixed-Media: People and Places

By Natalia Wilkins-Tyler

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 30–Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.; Natalia Wilkins-Tyler; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AJ; Members $125 Nonmembers $145

Quick-Sketch Watercolors

Discover how to quickly capture a variety of subjects with loose lines and painterly colors using a quick sketch watercolors method. This go-with-theflow technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.

By Cindy Briggs

ONLINE: Sat., Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, 10 a.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AK; Members $155; Nonmembers $175

NEW CLASSES

Amaryllis in Watercolor

Fine-tune a drawing of an amaryllis from a provided tracing, then focus on creating captivating, colorful shapes. As you add details, the rhythmic lines and soft folds of the petals become even more vibrant and lifelike.

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Collage Jumpstart

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

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

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

By Sharon Robinson

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

Collage and Mixed-Media

By Cindy Briggs

ONLINE: Tues., Dec. 5 and Wed., Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00AL; Members $105; Nonmembers $125

By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

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

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

Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind

Newsprint Collage

By Sushmita Mazumdar

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

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

Search and Rescue: Back from the (Creative) Edge

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

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

By Sharon Robinson

Gyotaku II: Hawaiian Style

By Kate Lewis

Making art can be a wonderful way to escape from everyday life. It can also be a useful tool in understanding current events. Work with newspapers, magazines, and mixed-media techniques to create a visual representation of the news through collage—and a uniquely personal artwork.

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 31-Nov. 14, 10:30 a.m.; Kate Lewis; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BL; Members $175; Nonmembers $195

Holiday Card Workshop: Fancy Folds

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

By Karen Cadogan

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

Holiday Card Workshop: Season’s Greetings

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

By Sue Fierston

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

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

By Karen Cadogan

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

Introduction to Papercutting

White-Line Woodblock Printing II

Learn a variety of advanced techniques, such as the Japanese bokashi style and printing with mica, as you create several prints from your favorite white-line woodcut block.

By Annie Howe

Learn the main concepts of papercutting and how to translate your personal vision into a small custom project. Leave with your original papercut and the know-how to continue working at home.

ONLINE: Tues., Nov. 14 and Thurs., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.; Annie Howe; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AN; Members $75; Nonmembers $95

Crepe Paper Flower: Paperwhites

Create delicate and cheerful paperwhites from crepe paper. The flowers are made from one color of the crepe paper in a variety of weights, and some blooms are joined together using wire.

ONLINE: Sat., Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AR; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

By Karen Cadogan

Introduction to White-Line Woodblock Printing

By Sue Fierston

ONLINE: Sat., Dec. 2, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AQ; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

FIBER ARTS n n n n

Tapestry Weaving

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

By Tea Okropiridze

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

Sustainable Closet: Mending and Darning

By Sue Fierston

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 wood block, creating the “white lines” when printed.

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 18, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AP; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

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

By Heather Kerley

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

Basics of Quiltmaking by Hand

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

Weaving Plaid on the Rigid Heddle Loom

By Tea Okropiridze

Learn to warp the ridged heddle loom for a plaid design and create a woven structure with a repeating sequence. Students experiment with a variety of techniques while working on a scarf or table runner.

By Lauren Kingsland

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

Abstract Embroidery

ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 2–16, 12 p.m.; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AT; Members $105; Nonmembers $125

Introduction to Bobbin Lace

SOLD OUT

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

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

By Heather Kerley

Log Cabin Quilt Building Blocks

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

ONLINE: Wed., Nov. 1-15, 12 p.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0ZB; Members $95; Nonmembers $115

By Lauren Kingsland

Learn the basics of weaving handmade bobbin lace, from winding the bobbins to making four small lace projects.

ONLINE: Mon., Nov. 6–27, 12 p.m.; Karen Thompson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00AV; Members $205; Nonmembers $225

By Karen Thompson

Natural Milkweed Floss Ornament

Learn to transform a milkweed pod and its floss into a whimsical nesting swan that will add a touch of nature to your holiday décor. Both wet- and needle-felting techniques are used.

ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 16, 5 p.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BK; Members $55; Nonmembers $65

By Renate Maile-Moskowitz

ONLINE

OTHER MEDIA n n n n

NEW

Introduction to Blackletter Calligraphy: Textura

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

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

Alternative Pens for Mark Making and Calligraphy

Harness your imagination to create writing instruments with common household items and found objects in nature. In-class exercises are geared toward experimental calligraphy, mark making, and spontaneity.

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 11–Dec. 9, 10 a.m., no class Nov. 25; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00AX; Members $115; Nonmembers $135

Introduction to Afghan Manuscript Illumination

By Sughra Hussainy

Fibula Pin Workshop

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

ONLINE: Sun., Oct. 15–Dec. 10, 9 a.m., no class Nov. 26; Sughra Hussainy; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00ZD; Members $245; Nonmembers $275

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

By Mïa Vollkommer

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

Orchids for Beginners

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

SOLD OUT

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

The Art of Floral Design

By Arrin Sutliff

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

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

Mosaics for Beginners

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

NEW

Beaded Bauble

By Bonnie Fitzgerald

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

NEW CLASS

Wirework Intensive: Wrapped Stones

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

By Mïa Vollkommer

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

Orchids for the Holidays

Take a break from the stress of the season to enjoy an entertaining, informative afternoon with an orchid expert and create an elegant orchid centerpiece.

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 4, 2 p.m.; Barbara Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0AY; Members $30; Nonmembers $40

Create a holiday ornament that is destined to become an heirloom or just brighten up a window space during the gray days of winter with this easier-than-it-looks beaded glass ball. Learn a simple netting technique to cover the ornament.

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 18, 11 a.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0AZ; Members $75; Nonmembers $85

By

PHOTOGRAPHY: Beginner n n n n

Introduction to Photography

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

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

By Andargé Asfaw

Photo 101 Aspect Ratios

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

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

Neostylis Lou Sneary “Bluebird” orchid

Mïa Vollkommer

Introduction to Lightroom Classic

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

By Eliot Cohen

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 14 and Sun., Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details on website; CODE 1V0-0ZY; Members $275; Nonmembers $295

Understanding Your Digital Mirrorless or SLR Camera

Get the most out of your digital mirrorless or SLR camera by taking part in this workshop, which gives a solid introduction to these cameras’ features. Learn to use their full range of ISO, shutter, and aperture controls, which provide results that are clearer, sharper, and enriched with more delicate tones.

By Eliot Cohen

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 4 and Nov. 11, 9:30 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details on website; CODE 1V0-0BE; Members $265; Nonmembers $285

World Art History Certificate

elective: Earn ½ credit

Surrealism: Hands-On History of Photography

Rayograph (untitled), 1922, by Man Ray

Students are introduced to the world of the photo surrealists and explore how they pushed the boundaries of photographic imagery in the 1920s to 1940s. Create a surrealist collage as part of the experience.

ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, 12 p.m.; Patricia Howard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BC; Members $75; Nonmembers $95

Experienced n n n n

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Photographic Creativity, Design, and Composition

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

By Joe Yablonsky

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

The Photo Essay

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

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

iPhone Photography II

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

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

By Peggy Feerick

The Art of Black-and-White Photography

Discover how to previsualize black-andwhite images; compose scenes emphasizing texture, line, and contrast; and use software such as Lightroom Classic and Silver Efex Pro to convert image files to black and white.

ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 24–Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.; Lewis Katz; details on website; CODE 1V0-0BA; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

iPhone Photo Editing

The iPhone camera is a simple picture-taking device, but editing is a must for photos to look their best. Discover a select group of specialty apps designed for the iPhone and iPad.

ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 11 and Sun., Nov. 12, 10 a.m.; Peggy Feerick; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V00BF; Members $85; Nonmembers $105

Build Your Photographic Portfolio

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 portfolio-quality work.

ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 25–Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1V0-0BB; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

Photography Next Steps: The Personal Project

Look at the work of historical and contemporary photographers and fellow students with the goal of creating an effective photographic series. Through discussion and writing, the concepts of editing and sequencing are explored in terms of a personal project.

ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 30–Nov. 20, 6 p.m.; Patricia Howard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BD; Members $125; Nonmembers $145

Photographing Pets and People

Learn to create photo portraits of family, friends—and passers-by—and their pets. Draw on tips from photojournalism and street photography for shooting in various situations.

ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 16 and Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details and supply list on website; CODE 1V0-0BG; Members $90; Nonmembers $110

By Joe Yablonsky

By Lewis Katz

By Patricia Howard

Designed for people who want more than just a getaway, Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer one-of-akind in-person experiences—no matter how far from home you travel. They’re the perfect way to learn more about the places and topics that fascinate you, and you’re sure to discover plenty of new favorites along the way.

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

Bus Tour

Philadelphia: A Revolutionary City

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

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

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

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

Bus Tour

Historic Chestertown

With a Cruise on the Schooner Sultana

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

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

Independence Hall in Philadelphia

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

Walking Tour

Sunrise Hikes at Great Falls, Virginia

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

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

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

Bus Tour

Booth’s Escape Route

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

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

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

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

Walking Tour

Dupont Circle and Embassy Row

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

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

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

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

Great Falls at sunrise

Interior of Ford’s Theatre

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

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit The Met’s Magnificent Cloisters Museum and Gardens

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

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

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

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

Art historian Ursula Wolfman leads the tour.

Fri., Sept. 29, 7 a.m.–9:45 p.m.; CODE 1CD-022; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $230; Nonmembers $280 Related virtual visits: New York’s Art Museums (see p. 49) and Close-up on the Cloisters (see p. 53)

16th Street and Adams Morgan

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

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

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

Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters

Walking Tour

Autumn Wonder and Wine

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

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

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

A catered lunch is included.

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

Outdoor Adventures in Shenandoah National Park

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

SOLD OUT

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

Chesapeake History and Heritage

Exploring Historic St. Mary’s County

Established in 1637, St. Mary’s County, Maryland, became the first permanent settlement in the state and home to the first state capital. It is also where Lord Baltimore provided religious freedom for any Christian sect—a first of its kind in the New World. Join Chesapeake historian Hayden Mathews for a day in St. Mary’s County exploring its storied history. Begin with a visit to Sotterley Plantation on the Patuxent River for insight into the land, lives, and labor that shaped this corner of the region from the 18th through 20th centuries. After lunch, visit Historic St. Mary’s City with Peter Friesen, education director for the city’s historic commission. The city was the original state capital and now is part living history museum and part archeological treasure trove. Stops include the Brick Chapel, constructed in 1667 and a symbol of religious freedom, and the St. John’s Site Museum, where you get to look into the fully open excavated site of the St. John’s house, built in 1638. Afterward, take time to explore on your own. A box lunch is included.

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

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

2-Day Tour

Sotterley Plantation

Bus Tour

Brick Chapel

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

Nature Hike in the Potomac Gorge at Carderock, Maryland

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

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

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

The First Battle of Manassas

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

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

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

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

Special Offer: All participants who register for this tour receive a complimentary ticket to the streaming program The First Battle of Manassas and the Experience of War on Oct. 5 (see page 10 for program details).

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

The Stone Bridge

Bus Tour

The Stone House

Along the Billy Goat Trail

Walking Tour

Walking Tour

Buried Secrets

Congressional Cemetery’s Stories of Love, Tragedy, and Revenge

Congressional Cemetery is home to the remains of more than 65,000 people, including famous Americans such as John Phillip Sousa and J. Edgar Hoover. But many lesser-known figures who are buried there—from former slaves to one of the first gay veterans to challenge military policy—left behind powerful stories. Author and journalist Chuck Raasch explores some of those intriguing legacies and lessons during a walk through the cemetery.

For instance, Raasch tells the stories of the funeral procession for 21 women interred at Congressional Cemetery in which Abraham Lincoln was a mere participant and the toppled headstone of a Washington socialite who disowned her daughter for marrying a Native American man on the Dakota frontier.

THREE OPTIONS: Fri., Nov. 3, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A14); Sun., Nov. 5, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B14); Sun., Nov. 5, 1:30–3:30 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C14); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55

Related program: Forgotten Women of Arlington National Cemetery (see p. 16)

Behind the Curtain

A Day with DC-area Theater Makers

Ever wondered who’s behind the productions you’ve enjoyed in Washington-area theaters? Join local guide Lynn O’Connell for a unique exploration of the vibrant local theater scene as you spend a day with leaders at five notable companies.

Meet Studio Theatre’s Danilo Gambini; Ryan Rilette of Round House Theatre; Alex Levy of 1st Stage Tysons; Washington Stage Guild’s Bill Largess; and Allison Arkell Stockman and Anderson Wells of Constellation Theatre Company.

Along the way, learn about each company’s creative profile and upcoming season, step onto a set, sit in on a rehearsal, and discover how directors shape the productions mounted on local stages.

Sat., Nov. 4, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; CODE 1CD-027; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $155; Nonmembers $205 Related in-person program: DC Theater Preview 2023–24 (see p. 24)

Walking Tour

A Stroll Through Georgetown

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

THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Nov. 4, 1–3:30 p.m. (CODE 1CS-A15); Sat., Nov. 11, 1–3:30 p.m. (CODE 1CS-B15); Fri., Nov. 17, 2–4:30 p.m. (CODE 1CS-C15); Members $50; Nonmembers $60

Bus Tour

Studio Theatre in Washington

Graves of Elizabeth Hall and daughter Mary Ann Hall, Congressional Cemetery

Fall Birding at Bombay Hook

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge on Delaware Bay is noted for attracting an incredible array of migratory birds, especially shorebirds. Because of its location, several shorebird species rely on horseshoe crab eggs to fuel their migration to their breeding grounds in the North.

In the fall, some of these species are still present, in addition to others such as the Dunlin, Marbled Godwit, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, and even rare birds such as the Hudsonian Godwit and European vagrants. There are also large numbers of ducks, including the Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, and American Black Duck. Raptors such as the Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, and even the Peregrine Falcon can be observed this time of year.

Grab your binoculars and spotting scope if you have one, and spend a day with naturalist Matt Felperin at Bombay Hook, perfectly timed for great viewing, to seek out this fascinating array of avian wildlife. Enjoy a 3-course lunch at a local restaurant and some unscheduled time in the afternoon to explore any recent bird sightings at the time of the tour.

Sat., Nov. 4, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.; CODE 1ND-007; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $195; Nonmembers $245

A Struggle for Equality Free African Americans in Post-Revolutionary Philadelphia

In the late 18th century, Philadelphia was home to nearly 2,000 free African Americans. After Pennsylvania passed America’s first gradual abolition act in 1780, the City of Brotherly Love became a city of hope for free Black people, attracting many Black migrants. Join historian Richard Bell to trace the struggles for equality African Americans faced in post-revolutionary Philadelphia.

Starting at the President’s House on Independence Mall, the former site of the 3-story brick mansion where Presidents Washington and Adams lived and worked, learn the story of Washington’s enslaved Africans and their struggle for equal rights. Travel across the Mall to Christ Church Burial Ground for a guided tour and hear of the frontline aid work performed by African Americans during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic.

After lunch at a local restaurant, step into the archives of the Library Company of Philadelphia. The librarians showcase materials on how Black leaders used newspapers and pamphlets to fight racism and demand the full rights of citizenship. Conclude the day with a visit to the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas to explore the archives there and learn about the role houses of worship played in the fight for Black equality in Philadelphia.

Sat., Nov. 11, 7:15 a.m.–8 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-026; Members $210; Nonmembers $260

Advantages to providing your email to customer service:

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

• Receive important notices regarding your ticket purchases along with other useful information

Christ Church Burial Ground

Bus Tour

Marbled Godwit

2-Day Tour

Magical Cape May

For over 200 years, Cape May, New Jersey, has welcomed travelers to its beachfront, including the elite of New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. But Cape May isn’t just a summer destination: During the winter season, this shore town transforms into a storybook holiday town. A two-day tour offers the opportunity to experience historic Cape May during a magical time of year. Upon arriving in Cape May, board the trolley for a guided tour of the historic district, featuring a variety of Victorian architectural styles. Local guides discuss the importance of preservation and Cape May’s status as a National Historic Landmark site. Stop off at the Emlen Physick Estate, festooned in authentic Victorian holiday decorations. Built in 1879, the 18-room mansion is one of the best examples of Victorian Stick style in the country. After lunch at the Washington Inn, constructed in 1846, spend time on the Washington Street Mall before checking into Congress Hall, where four 19th-century presidents stayed. Dinner is followed by a talk on Christmas traditions of the Victorian era and an evening trolley ride through the town to enjoy the holiday lights and decorations.

The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel, visit Cape May Point at the tip of the peninsula to see the World War II lookout tower and 1859 Cape May lighthouse, which boasts breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. Your guide discusses the history and restoration of both sites. Stop off for a traditional shore meal at the Lobster House before your last site, Historic Cold Spring Village, a living 19th-century historic district, then return to Washington, D.C.

Wed., Dec. 13, 7 a.m.–Thurs., Dec. 14, 8 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-CMH; Members $665; Nonmembers $815

Radio City Music Hall

Front and Center for the Christmas Spectacular

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

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

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

Special Offer: All participants who register for this program by Oct. 1 receive a complimentary ticket for the streaming Broadway’s Backstory program on Oct. 16 (see page 29).

Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May, New Jersey

The Radio City Rockettes

Bus Tour

Cape May Lighthouse

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

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•)

Tours—Single and Multi-Session

Studio Arts

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