Smithsonian Associates September 2024 program guide
Dear Friends and Members,
Forget that old warning about too many cooks: Smithsonian Associates has invited several to spice up our autumn menu of in-person programs. The “Today” show’s Al Roker and his daughter Courtney Roker Laga fondly dish about the food they enjoy as a family and what it was like to collaborate on a cookbook (p. 22). Chef, author, and TV personality Bobby Flay offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the culinary world that shaped him (p. 24). And baker Christina Tosi shares some of the recipes that have made her the reigning diva of desserts (p. 24).
This month’s guide also includes a bounty of online programs with a food focus. Join a Smithsonian curator as she offers a very personal look into Julia Child’s Cambridge, Massachusetts, kitchen—now one of the top attractions at the National Museum of American History (p. 23). Food writer Joe Yonan celebrates vegan cuisine, revealing stories and recipes of plant-based dishes from around the globe (p. 13).
A spice expert offers tips on getting the most out of cardamom, supposedly an ingredient in Cleopatra’s recipe for seduction (p. 14), and a candy historian unwraps the sweet secrets behind America’s most beloved treats (p. 22).
What did guests dine on when Alexander the Great or Caesar played host? A food historian uncovers the meaning behind the menus, rituals, and power plays that defined such royal gatherings (p. 15). Renaissance art abounds in sumptuous images of food and drink, and an Art-full Friday session explains how elaborate banquets of the period conveyed status, wealth, and cultural sophistication (p. 31).
Sommelier Erik Segelbaum’s tasting adventures offer perfect picks and parings to enhance your own feasts: He leads us through vineyards from Virginia to California, the Southern Hemisphere, and back to Burgundy (pp. 15, 16). Or join a fall tour that brings you into breathtaking caverns of the Shenandoah Valley and winds down with a guided tasting at a local winery (p. 56).
We’ve enjoyed assembling this delicious collection of programs…and your place at the table is ready. All you need to do is RSVP. Bon appétit!
Frederica R. Adelman, Director adelmanf@si.edu
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.
Why We Love Football
Wed., Sept. 18
Sports columnist Joe Posnanski uses his new book, Why We Love Football, to kick off reminiscences about pivotal moments in the sport. He’s joined by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, veteran Washington Post football reporter Len Shapiro, and Washington football legend Darrell Green for a lively conversation about the sport moderated by Phil Hochberg, longtime stadium announcer for the Washington Football Team. (see p. 15)
Spotlight on DC’s Stages
Mon., Sept. 23
Bobby Flay: Chapter One
Fri., Nov. 1
Chef, author, restaurateur, and TV
personality Bobby Flay shares insights into his remarkable life and career in his latest cookbook, Bobby Flay: Chapter One. Join him for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the culinary world that shaped him. (see p. 24)
Join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, dramaturg Lauren Halversen, and a panel of experts as they explore the exciting lineup of productions awaiting audiences and how to make the most of their theater-going experience. Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington (see p. 17)
Al Roker and Courtney Roker Laga
Fri., Oct. 18
Home cook Al Roker and his daughter Courtney Roker Laga, a chef by training, have gathered family favorites in Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By. Join dad and daughter as they discuss the foods that bring them together and what it was like to collaborate on the cookbook. (see p. 22)
A Conversation with Henry Winkler
Mon., Oct. 21
For amplifying public awareness of dyslexia— with which he was diagnosed at 31—Henry Winkler will be honored by the John P. McGovern Award from Smithsonian Associates. The presentation highlights an evening in which he discusses his career, stardom, and how his advocacy connects to his roles as an actor, author, comedian, producer, and director. (see p. 22)
Christina Tosi’s Bake Club
Sat., Nov. 16
Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi started Bake Club at the height of the pandemic, and ever since she and her followers have been gathering on social media and getting busy in the kitchen. Join Tosi as she discusses what Bake Club means to her and shares recipes from her newest cookbook and a few baking tips along the way. (see p. 24)
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
Under artistic director Kenneth Slowik, the 48th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late-16th to the early 21st century, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. The repertoire ranges from acclaimed masterpieces to obscure gems by lesser-known composers. (see p. 19)
The Axelrod String Quartet
Season-opening concerts: Sat., Oct. 5 and Sun., Oct. 6
Studio Arts
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs Read more about these in-person programs in this guide on our website.
Masterworks of Five Centuries
Season-opening concerts: Sat., Nov. 2 and Sun., Nov. 3
Let your creative side shine in a wide variety of hands-on classes led by professional artists. (see pp. 41–44)
Tours
Our expert-led tours offer one-of-a-kind travel experiences. (see pp. 55–61)
2024–2025 Concert Season
JOHNNY MILLER
Daily Life in Tudor London
The Tudor dynasty (1485–1603) spanned just three generations of monarchs, but each left an indelible mark on the character of London. The city on the Thames bustled with the daily life of common people living in a rapidly evolving world simultaneously shaped by—and conforming to—the revolutionary changes in government, culture, and religion that ushered in early-modern England and left a legacy for the entire Englishspeaking world.
Historian Cheryl White examines the role that London played in securing the Tudor dynasty and illuminates this extraordinary era by looking through the lens of the ordinary Londoners who worked its docks and shops, paid taxes to the Crown, and spent their everyday lives in one of the greatest cities of the world.
No presidential election in American history carried stakes as high as the contest in November 1864. Three years into the Civil War, voters would head to the polls to cast a ballot to determine not just the nation’s highest office but its very future. Lincoln’s failed Democratic challenger, former Union Gen. George B. McClellan, had promised to end the war with an honorable peace if elected—an idea that suggested recognition of the Confederacy’s independence in some form. There was no precedent for a democracy holding a general election during a national crisis, and some Republicans urged Lincoln to consider postponing the vote, to which he responded, “If the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us.”
Historian Christopher Hamner examines the months leading up to the election, drawing on primary source material from the people who witnessed the turmoil it engendered—and for whom its ultimate outcome was a frightening unknown.
In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement ended a 30-year period of violence in the north of Ireland known as “the Troubles,” but the difficult legacy of that era still overshadows politics in Ireland north and south to this day.
Historian Jennifer Paxton explores the origins of the Troubles in the partition of Ireland into the nationalist, majority-Catholic Republic of Ireland and the Unionist, majority-Protestant province of Northern Ireland resulting from the Irish War of Independence. She also discusses the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland and the prospects for Irish unity now that the United Kingdom’s territory has its first-ever nationalist first minister.
The United States of 1797 faced enormous challenges. George Washington left his vice president, John Adams— who had never held an executive position—with relatively little guidance and impossible expectations to meet. As president, Adams was confronted with intense partisan divides, debates over citizenship, fears of political violence, potential for foreign conflict with France and Britain, and a nation unsure that the presidency could even work without Washington at the helm.
Drawing on her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic, historian Lindsay M. Chervinsky explores the critical second U.S. presidency, illustrating the unique challenges faced by Adams and examining how he shaped the office for his successors.
Making the Presidency (Oxford University Press) is available for purchase.
A republican mural commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strikes
1864 presidential election poster for the Republican ticket of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson
Lafayette: The Hero of Two Worlds Revisited
Few figures in history can match the career of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette. It spanned over half a century during the tumultuous Revolutionary era that ushered in the modern world. Historian Alexander Mikaberidze traces Lafayette’s journey from a young nobleman to a seasoned revolutionary, from the salons of Versailles to the battlefields of the New World and back to the halls of the National Assembly in Paris.
He explores Lafayette’s famous 1824 farewell tour of the United States and what it can tell us about the man and the myth that shrouds him, as well as his contrasts: an idealist who was a glory-seeking opportunist and an ardent proponent of American republican tenets who eagerly supported monarchy.
Of all the empires and city-states in the ancient Mediterranean world, Sparta was the most feared because of its military prowess. At the same time, paradoxically, it was the most praised by philosophers because of the political consistency and social stability it provided to its citizens. Spartan society was founded on the philosophy that the whole is greater and more important than any of its parts and that an individual can only find true happiness and fulfillment when part of something larger. Money and private property were abolished, transforming citizens into cogs to keep the great wheel turning.
In this century, Sparta is considered the template for repressive regimes such as those in North Korea and Iran, and commentators are fearful that it could become the repressive future for our own country. Historian and classicist John Prevas analyzes ancient Sparta’s approaches to education, government, and social relations, drawing parallels to modern dictatorships and the prospects for America.
How could a lowly Florentine preacher almost singlehandedly overthrow the mighty Medici family at the height of the Italian Renaissance and unleash the Bonfire of Vanities that consigned priceless paintings, books, and jewelry to flames? The impassioned Girolamo Savonarola both upended the civic and cultural norms of Florence and installed himself as the head of a ruthless theocracy.
Historian Janna Bianchini of the University of Maryland, College Park, tells the story of Savonarola’s unexpected rise, years-long domination of the city in the face of fierce outside opposition, and meteoric fall. He was burned at the stake in 1498—a fiery end to a cautionary tale about the dangers of blending religious and political extremes.
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.
Portrait of Girolamo Savonarola by Fra Bartolomeo, 1498
Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette by Ary Scheffer, 1824
Ancient Israel and Its Neighbors
A Biblical Connection
Two centuries of archaeological excavation and exploration have revealed that ancient Israel’s neighbors— Egypt, Canaan, Aram, Assyria, and Babylonia—all contributed significantly to its history, from its origins through the Babylonian exile and beyond. Biblical narratives reflect connections to these ancient cultures. In an illustrated all-day program, biblical scholar Gary Rendsburg explores how the people who left us the Bible were informed by other civilizations and how these influences are reflected in its books.
Sat., Sept. 21, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2-342; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Amsterdam in the 17th Century
The Golden Age from Tulip Mania to the New World
As the wealthiest city in Europe in the 17th century, Amsterdam transformed itself into a thriving center for great artists, scientists, writers, and scholars, as well as a hub of banking and finance. Once the city rid itself of Spanish rule and set up a society based on capitalism and world trade, it also became a metropolis that was philosophically enlightened and religiously tolerant. Amsterdam encouraged the growth of art, philosophy, science, new universities, publishing, and the beginnings of international law.
Historian Ralph Nurnberger explores the many facets of this capital city, from its heady rise to the collapse of tulip futures—capitalism’s first “bubble.” He also highlights how the city’s religious tolerance enabled Dutch Jews to modernize and practice their religion openly, as well as engage in trade in Europe and the New World.
The Allies had not yet defeated the Germans in North Africa when British and American civilian and military leaders met at Casablanca in January 1943 to decide where to turn next. After sometimes-bitter negotiations, they decided to turn their attention to Sicily and, ultimately, mainland Italy.
Codenamed Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in July and August 1943 was the largest combined amphibious undertaking in history and provided lessons in warfare that enabled the successful planning and execution of Operation Overlord the following June. Kevin Weddle, professor emeritus of military theory and strategy at the U.S. Army War College, offers an illustrated discussion of this critically important but often-forgotten operation that contributed to the Allies’ success in the war in Europe.
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, also known as the Shakers, was one of the most fascinating religious groups in America from the late-18th through the early20th centuries. During an era of widespread secular and religious reform initiatives, Shakers sought to embody a purity of life, re-make human relations, and fulfill a utopian vision of a “New Heaven and a New Earth.”
Pacifists who lived celibate communal lives, Shakers accepted the divinity of a female God; embraced expectations of a millennium foretold in the New Testament; and practiced a form of primitive communism. Lecturer William Dinges examines the Shaker movement’s origins; theological worldview; community life; relations with the outside world; and the broader social, cultural, and historical factors that both contributed to the sect’s longevity and led to its demise.
Ishtar Gate, ca. 4 B.C.E., Pergamon Museum, Berlin
Still Life with Flowers by Hans Bollongier, 1639
British Army, 51st Division Sicily, July 1943
How the 1950s Changed American Life
Even though the United States escaped World War II with little physical damage, the war shaped the development of American life, society, and culture in numerous ways in the years that followed. Some people remember the 1950s nostalgically, but this decade also saw radical changes to the way Americans lived. Allen Pietrobon, a professor of global affairs at Trinity Washington University, explores the ripple effects of the war on how Americans lived, traveled, ate, and grappled with racial issues.
Early American Elections and the Origins of Party Politics
How We Got Here From There
Elections during the first few decades of America’s existence were often haphazard affairs. Everything from who could vote to the location of the polls to how long the polls would be open varied from state to state and often from election to election. Women could vote in New Jersey from 1776 to 1807. Riots at the polls were not uncommon. Surprisingly, too, the Framers never anticipated the development of a two-party political system.
George Mason University history professor Rosemarie Zagarri explores how the idea of democracy evolved less by design and more from a constant push-and-pull between those seeking to cast their ballots and those who made the rules about when, where, and how the ballots were to be cast. William Gormley, professor emeritus of government and public policy at Georgetown University, draws some connections between the first political parties and the present.
The Wars of the Roses, a series of 15th-century battles between the houses of York and Lancaster for the crown of England, was a domestic drama that saw the Plantagenet family locked in years of in-fighting over control of the country. Though the story usually focuses on the men who fought, died on the battlefield, or survived to take the crown, some of its main personalities were queens, princesses, and duchesses—remarkable women who publicly and privately exerted the influence and wielded the power that shaped the conflict.
Under the Dome
Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger introduces seven wives, mothers, and sisters who helped spin and shred the web of conspiracies that blanketed the English throne: Margaret of Burgundy, Marguerite of Anjou, Margaret Beaufort, Cecily and Anne Neville, Elizabeth Woodville, and Elizabeth of York.
Politics, Crisis, and Architecture at the United States Capitol
The domed U.S. Capitol is one of America’s most iconic symbols. The building has been renovated many times under the direction of the person serving as architect of the Capitol. This official heads the agency (also called the Architect of the Capitol) tasked with taking care of the Capitol plus the government buildings and grounds of Capitol Hill.
Alan Hantman, who held the position from 1997 to 2007, shares insights into how the Capitol works as a physical space, who runs it, and how decisions are made about security. Hantman’s book Under the Dome (Georgetown University Press) is available for purchase.
U.S. Capitol dome under construction during President Lincoln’s inauguration, March 1861
The Road to the Revolution
America: 1763–1776
In 1763, colonists across British North America could not have been prouder to be citizens of the British Empire. King George, his ministers, and his military were toasted in towns and cities. Grateful New York colonists erected a statue to their great king—a testament to the belief that their future lay with him.
On July 9, 1776, a crowd of American soldiers and sailors tore down that statue and melted its precious lead into 42,088 musket balls to fire at the king’s army. The two sides were now at war, one that would rage for the next seven years.
Historian Richard Bell examines the extraordinary events that turned loyal British colonies into a united confederation willing to go to war to achieve independence.
Sat., Sept. 28, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2-345; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Scandal and Crime in Victorian Britain
From rumors of the queen’s alleged romances to ghoulish reports of body snatching, lady poisoners, or Jack the Ripper’s murder spree, there was never a lack of scandal or crime for Victorians to read or talk about over tea. Aside from being newsworthy, terrifying, and titillating, these goings-on shed light on the wider culture’s rigid class system and restricted gender roles.
Historian Julie Taddeo spotlights some of the period’s most intriguing crimes and scandals, using them as a lens to explore the Victorian era and how its history is presented in today’s popular culture.
One of the most influential intellectuals of the 19th century, Alexander von Humboldt was a Prussian polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science who visited the United States in 1804 specifically to meet President Thomas Jefferson, whose writings Humboldt had taken to heart.
Preferring democracy to European monarchy, Humboldt used his influential voice to urge the United States to live up to its democratic ideals, especially the innate equality of all people. Smithsonian American Art Museum curator Eleanor Jones Harvey, author of Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature and Culture, illuminates Humboldt’s efforts to influence American cultural values through the visual arts, sciences, literature, and politics.
The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa
On Bloody Sunday (March 7, 1965), activist John Lewis led over 600 marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and faced attacks by oncoming state troopers. That violence shocked the nation, yet the previous year an even more brutal incident dubbed Bloody Tuesday took place in Tuscaloosa.
Historian John M. Giggie tells the dramatic story of one of the most violent episodes of the civil rights movement: a pivotal moment in a Southern city unwilling to shed its long history of racial control and Klan brutality until forced to do so by armed Black self-defense groups, a bus boycott, and the federal government.
Giggie’s new book, Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa (Oxford University Press), is available for purchase.
The tarring and feathering of a British loyalist by patriots in Boston, 1774
Portrait of Baron von Humboldt by Charles Willson Peale, 1804
A Journey Through Fantastic Realms
Over the past half century, dwarves, hobbits, magic, dragons, runes, and other staples of fantastic realms have become entrenched in popular culture, from The Lord of the Rings to the Harry Potter series. There are substantive historical inspirations behind these phenomena. Historian Justin M. Jacobs discusses the evolving conceptions of fantastic elements in Eurasian history and lays bare the truth behind what he sees as four distorted myths of fantasy in our culture surrounding magic; elves, dwarves and hobbits; Norse runes; and medieval bestiaries.
Drawing from The Black Pullet, an 18th-century book of magical spells
19th-century depiction of dwarves illustrating the poem “Völuspá” by Lorenz Frølich, 1895
It is estimated that in prehistoric societies children made up between 40 to 65 percent of the population, yet by default, our ancestral landscapes are peopled by adults who hunt, gather, fish, shape tools, and make art. But these busy grown-ups had to make space physically, emotionally, intellectually, and cognitively for the infants, children, and adolescents around them. Utilizing evidence from the tiniest deciduous teeth in South Africa to richly adorned burials in Russia, April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology, draws on recent data from the cognitive sciences and ethnographic, fossil, archaeological, and primate records to render these “invisible” children visible and opens a new understanding of the contributions children have made to the biological and cultural entities we are today.
In Spain during the 11th and 12th centuries, women of the royal family, whether married or not, ruled alongside men. They governed shares of the crown lands and wielded remarkable power, partnering with their brothers and fathers.
Some of them, like Sancha Raimúndez, the sister of Alfonso VII of León-Castile, never married. Others, such as Elvira Alfonso, sister of the reigning queen, Urraca of León-Castile, wed outside the kingdom and returned home as widows to resume their royal duties. Historian Janna Bianchini explores the bonds among these princesses and how this unusual system ultimately came apart in the 13th century.
The six wives of Henry VIII have been presented to us in movies, television shows, and all kinds of popular culture—from an old English rhyme (“Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived”) to the blockbuster musical SIX. They’re the most well-known group of royal consorts in history, and all were given one main job: to provide a male heir to ensure the succession and the survival of the Tudor dynasty.
But who were they? Where did each come from, what was she like as a person, and how did she become part of the famous sextet? And is there anything new to learn about them? Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines these women individually to unpack the legends and rumors that have clouded our understanding of them, providing a new perspective on each and what they contributed to court life and to history.
Catherine of Aragon, ca. 1860, by Richard Burchett
How Bookworms Beat the Nazis
The Unlikely Spies of the OSS
At the start of WWII, the United States found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today’s CIA, was quickly formed—and turned to academia for recruits to fill its ranks. Suddenly, literature professors, librarians, and historians were training to perform undercover operations and investigative work, and these surprising spies would go on to profoundly shape both the course of the war and our cultural institutions with their efforts.
Drawing on her new book, Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II, historian Elyse Graham tells the story of a small but connected group of these humanities scholars. Along with other unlikely spies, they helped to beat the Nazis and lay the foundations of modern intelligence, as well as transform American higher education when they returned after the war.
Copies of Book and Dagger (Ecco) are available for purchase.
Between 1792 and 1815, Europe was in turmoil. The French Revolution unleashed a torrent of political, social, cultural, and military changes, which Napoleon extended beyond the country’s frontiers. The ensuing struggle was immense in its scale and intensity. Never had European states resorted to a mobilization of civilian and military resources as total as during this period. Its scale and impact dwarfed all other European conflicts and came to be known as the “Great War.”
In a full-day seminar, historian Alexander Mikaberidze of Louisiana State University, Shreveport, tells the story of the Napoleonic Wars and explains how European affairs did not unfold in isolation from the rest of the globe. The names of Austerlitz, Trafalgar, Leipzig, and Waterloo all hold prominent places in the standard histories. But also significant in the story are Buenos Aires, New Orleans, Ruse, Aslanduz, Assaye, Macao, Oravais, and Alexandria.
Sat., Oct. 19, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2-349; Members $100; Nonmembers $120
Hadrian: The Mercurial Emperor
Hadrian, who ruled from 117 to 138, was one of the most consequential but controversial Roman emperors. He was a Roman who loved Greece but is best remembered in Italy, where he built the Pantheon in Rome, and Britain, where he constructed his eponymous wall. He is remembered in Judea as well, where he incited a rebellion that devastated the country and bled the Roman armies dry before they suppressed it.
Hadrian was a man’s man who owed his success to the women who loved him, but he gave his heart to an adolescent boy. To one ancient writer he was austere and genial, deceitful and straightforward, cruel and merciful, and always changeable. Who was Hadrian and why does he still matter? Classicist and historian Barry Strauss shares the story of this forceful ruler.
Mary Todd Lincoln and Varina Banks Howell Davis experienced 19th-century political life at its highest levels. They shared similarities, as each was Southern-born, well-educated, and a gifted conversationalist. Both had their fair share of critics during their husbands’ time in office, and neither woman was one to sit back quietly.
In addition to carrying out their public duties, they raised young children during a time when disease took a deadly toll on families and were forced to deal with stress and grief. Each survived her husband and sought to preserve his memory—and dealt with the numerous challenges in the war’s aftermath in her own way. Kelly Hancock of the American Civil War Museum in Richmond examines the reasons.
The Battle of Alexandria by Philip James de Loutherbourg, 1802
Bust of Hadrian, ca. 130
Mary Todd Lincoln and Varina Banks Howell Davis
A Tale of Two Armies
The Second Manassas Campaign
Before Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North in 1862, it battled Union forces in the Second Manassas campaign. Civil War tour guide Marc Thompson analyzes the army’s movement from Richmond toward Manassas following the Seven Days Battles and explains how the evolving nature of the Civil War can be seen through the fielding of two kinds of Federal armies in response to the threat posed by Lee’s Confederates.
Related tour: The Battle of Second Manassas, p. 59
Putting Ancient Technology to New Use
Water Engineering in the Andes
Thousands of years ago, Indigenous peoples in the Andes assessed their climate, geography, and ecology and realized that, to provide better support for agriculture and herding, they needed to harness water. The solution they chose was to build hydraulic infrastructure, such as canals, terraces, reservoirs, and dams. Archaeologist Kevin Lane of CONICET Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, reveals the story of this technology on the coast and in the highlands of the central Andes and explains how it is being repurposed today to deal with the effects of climate change.
Studying political history can’t help predict the future, but it can offer a sense of perspective in stressful times. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, political history curators from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History are gathering materials and memorabilia to document this election cycle for the national collections.
Curator Jon Grinspan has been attending Democratic and Republican contests and rallies throughout the year, looking for materials that reflect debates, protests, and on-site and digital campaign activities. Join him as he offers an analysis of how this presidential campaign fits into the long history of American democracy and how ongoing collecting at primaries and party conventions provides insight into the evolving spirit and complexity of the country’s political landscape.
Wed., Oct. 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-598; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Campaign button from the late 20th century
Smithsonian Associates’ Digital Digest is a lively monthly e-newsletter filled with information about programs and experiences that are entertaining, informative, eclectic, and insightful. Be sure to see the current issue at: smithsonianassociates.org/digital-digest
Part of the puquio hydraulic system
The 2024 Election in Review
The 2024 presidential campaign and national election are poised to shape America’s trajectory for the next four years and beyond. In a fact-based, nonpartisan presentation, veteran White House correspondent Ken Walsh discusses the outcome of this historic election with a focus on explaining what’s ahead for our republic in an age of distrust and division.
Among other areas, Walsh assesses what went right and wrong for major candidates at the presidential, congressional, and state levels and the overall direction of the country that voters were calling for. He also examines whether the United States is ready to take a breather from “toxic politics” and minimize the culture of contempt that has plagued us for so many years.
Fifty miles northwest from London, Bletchley Park was the nexus of top-secret work during World War II. Here, under a cloak of secrecy, agents worked furiously to decode the enemy’s secret messages, notably those encrypted with the German Enigma machine. Mathematicians, scientists, intellectuals, and linguists were among those who were hired as agents, with women making up about three-fourths of the workers. Alan Turing, Joan Clarke, and Dilly Knox were among those recruits.
Sir Dermot Turing, Alan Turing’s nephew and author of The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park, shares the story of this unusual group of people whose mission was to save the world from destruction.
From September to December 1944, American forces clashed with German troops in Hürtgen Forest, a densely wooded region just across the Belgian border. Initially aimed at blocking German reinforcements from moving north against the Allied advance, the battle turned into a grueling 88-day struggle. More than 33,000 American GIs—nearly one in four—became casualties as they battled poor weather, arduous terrain, and a punishing German defense.
Historian Christopher Hamner draws on veterans’ experiences to explore the nature of the combat in America’s longest battle, with special attention to its strategic place in the broader offensive against the German Siegfried Line.
Railroads have played an important role in every American conflict since 1860. During the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Gulf War, railroads transported soldiers and everything they needed, ranging from tanks to uniforms.
Curator Patricia LaBounty of the Union Pacific Museum draws from the archives to survey the unique ways that railroaders supported American war efforts, from the transportation of soldiers across the country to the operation of railway operating battalions abroad.
An American troop train leaving a Midwestern military camp
A special set of computers was developed by British codebreakers in the years 1943–1945
American infantrymen move through
Hürtgen Forest
Churchill at Chartwell
Gatherings Before the Storm
In the 1930s, amid an impending crisis in Europe, Winston Churchill found himself out of government and with little power. Chartwell, his country home in Kent, became the headquarters of his campaign against Nazi Germany. He invited trusted advisers and informants, including Albert Einstein and T. E. Lawrence, who could strengthen his hand as he worked to sound the alarm at the prospect of war.
Katherine Carter, Chartwell’s curator, discusses these littleknown meetings; the figures who made their mark on Churchill’s thinking and political strategy; and how he gathered intelligence about Germany’s preparations for war. Her new book, Churchill’s Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm (Yale University Press), is available for purchase.
We think we know the Vikings well. These larger-than-life pagan conquerors from Scandinavia are everywhere in our popular culture: movies, TV shows, video games, and even Super Bowl commercials. But which parts of the Vikings that we know and love (or love to hate) are real, and which are based in fantasy?
Medievalist Paul B. Sturtevant unpacks the differences between the fantasies and the medieval realities of the Viking world, investigating where the myths come from and why they persist.
Less famous than their Tudor cousins, the Stuart monarchs should not be overlooked in English history. They survived a plot to blow up the government and the only governmental execution of an anointed king then restructured the monarchy and united England and Scotland. From James I to Queen Anne, four generations of Stuarts led the country from the personal monarchy of the Tudors into the constitutional monarchy and the establishment of Great Britain.
Historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores the personalities of the Stuart monarchs and their ongoing troubles with the English Parliament and method of government, shining a light on how each contributed to the result: a lasting constitutional monarchy and the establishment of Great Britain.
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King James I of Scotland
Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
Musical Miniatures
The Perfect Magic of Shorter Works
Throughout the centuries composers have been constantly drawn to the perfect simplicity of shorter musical forms. Preludes, bagatelles, overtures, romances, impromptus, nocturnes, dances, arias, etudes, songs without words, lieder, fantasias, intermezzos: The range of small-form musical works is varied, but creating exquisite miniatures is a demanding art.
With some of the most deeply loved music in the repertoire, pianist and scholar Rachel Franklin shows how it’s done using miniature marvels by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Bartok, Brahms, Faure, Webern, Debussy, and many others.
4-session series: Thurs., Sept. 5–26, 12 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1K0-501; Members $95; Nonmembers $105
Plant-based Cooking: A Harvest of Recipes
Plant-based eating has been evolving for centuries, creating a base of beloved recipes enjoyed around the globe. Food editor and writer Joe Yonan has spent years reporting on and making plant-based foods, and his new book, Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking, spotlights vegan food as a unique cuisine worthy of mastery.
His collection of recipes and essays from prominent food writers in this sphere illustrates the abundance and wide-ranging variety of vegan food. In conversation with Hetty Lui McKinnon, a chef and author of plant-based cookbooks, Yonan discusses the richness of vegan cuisine and shares tips for flavorful staples, weeknight meals, and celebratory feasts in your own kitchen.
Copies of Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking (Penguin Random House) are available for purchase.
In 2006, documentary filmmaker Céline Cousteau went to the Amazon with her father, Jean-Michel, as he filmed a project for PBS. On the expedition, she met some of the Indigenous peoples of the 33,000-square-mile Javari Valley reservation, located along Brazil’s Amazon border with Peru. A relationship unfolded, and a request was later made: Would Cousteau, as an environmental filmmaker who focuses on the connection between nature and humans, return to the valley to tell the story of the threats its people and their land faced?
Cousteau’s 2018 documentary Tribes on the Edge examines those forces, from ongoing illegal activities including hunting, gold mining, and deforestation to health crises and the dismantling of all protections of land and human rights by the Brazilian government. Cousteau discusses why she felt compelled to return to the jungle, the making of the documentary, and how the struggle for survival that played out in the Amazon has implications that reach across the globe.
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.
Chopin Concert by Henryk Siemiradzki, 1829
Céline Cousteau and film crew in the Javari Valley reservation
MICHAEL CLARK
From David Copperfield to Demon Copperhead
A Modern Rewriting of Charles Dickens
Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Demon Copperhead is an adaptation of the beloved 19th-century novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, shows how Kingsolver negotiated Dickens’ literary legacy and updated the concerns of David Copperfield to deal with major issues of contemporary American life such as the opioid crisis, rural poverty, and the schisms in an increasingly divided country. Luzzi discusses how the two authors’ lives and literary careers relate to their novels and compares style, character creation, and plot development in the two books.
Sat., Sept. 7, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1J0-388; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Spices 101: Cardamom
Cardamom is one of the most perfumed and complex of spices, prized as much for its romantic and storied history as it is for its culinary usage. According to legend, the most famous lovers of all time were cast together by the sultry aroma of burning cardamom luring Mark Antony to Cleopatra’s palace. Food writer and spice expert Eleanor Ford draws on her new cookbook, A Whisper of Cardamom, to explore the facts, botany, myths, stories, and properties of the spice. Discover how to use it to best effect in the kitchen, elevating dishes from broths to curries, spiced teas to scented cakes.
For more than 115 years, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, has been recognized as one of the world’s most important and beautiful collections of gardens and glasshouses. As he explores its indoor spaces, Karl Gercens, Longwood’s conservatory manager, draws on his quarter century of making and maintaining displays that have dazzled millions of visitors.
Learn how the historic Orangery went from utilitarian citrus production to a space displaying more than 50,000 pots of blooms and trace the East Conservatory’s history of facelifts since its 1927 debut. Gercens also previews the centerpiece of “Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience,” a transformation of 17 acres of its conservatory and grounds—the West Conservatory, scheduled for a fall opening, which combines the 19th-century tradition of glasshouses with contemporary sustainable technologies. Mon., Sept. 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-103; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Related tour: Holidays at Longwood Gardens (see p. 60)
The Private Gardens of Philadelphia A Return Visit
The Philadelphia region boasts a great wealth of exceptional gardens, both public and private. Nicole Juday, author of Private Gardens of Philadelphia, again digs into the history and circumstances—from politics to economics to religion—that have contributed to the intense concentration and high quality of horticulture in the area.
She follows up her previous look at the region’s notable gardens with five new locations, ranging from small urban jewel boxes to vast estates. Juday offers stunning photos and reveals the stories of the fascinating people who created these gardens, often under challenging conditions.
From the elaborate banquets of ancient civilizations to the lavish soirées of the Renaissance, feasts have left an indelible mark on human culture and society. They reveal the culinary delights of their time and the social hierarchies, power dynamics, and cultural exchanges that have shaped our past.
Food historian Francine Segan uncovers the hidden layers of meaning behind the food, drink, and rituals that have defined such gatherings throughout the ages and spotlights the distinctive foods of royal tables in ancient Greece and Rome. In each session, participants receive a list of recipes for delicious dishes from across antiquity to make at home. (Roast peacock and flamingo tongue not included.)
SEPT 16 Dinner with Alexander the Great OCT 21 Dinner with Caesar
How Steven Spielberg and George Lucas Changed the Movies
In Person
From 1915’s The Birth of a Nation to epics like The Sound of Music (1965), Hollywood has depended on blockbusters. But beginning in 1974, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas changed the way the industry made movies.
Spielberg’s Jaws and Lucas’ Star Wars helped launch the careers of two of the most influential directors of our time. They introduced the age of the modern blockbuster, which features elaborate special effects and thrilling spectacle, in contrast to previous Hollywood blockbusters whose focus was on prestigious adaptations and megastar power. Media historian Brian Rose looks at their four decades of filmmaking and discusses how they changed the movies.
Drawing from his newest book, sports columnist Joe Posnanski reminisces about some of the most memorable moments in football, including epic comeback games and stellar feats of athleticism. He’s joined by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, veteran Washington Post football reporter Len Shapiro, and Washington football legend Darrell Green for a lively conversation about the number-one spectator sport in America. Phil Hochberg, longtime stadium announcer for the Washington Football Team, moderates. Why We Love Football: A History in 100 Moments (Dutton) is available for purchase and signing.
Dating as far back as Thomas Jefferson’s (not so successful) attempts to recreate some of his favorite European wines, Virginia has a storied history of viticulture. Today, new generations of winemakers are pushing Virginian wine to even greater heights. Sommelier Erik Segelbaum introduces some of the state’s newest wines.
Fri., Sept. 20, 6 p.m.; CODE 1L0-592; Members $70; Nonmembers $80 (see p. 16 for wine-tasting kit information)
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Still Life with Lobster, Drinking Horn and Glasses by Willem Kalf, 1653
Fall Wine Adventures
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 18 Wines of the Southern Hemisphere Part 3: Perfect Pairings for the Holidays
As the holiday season approaches, food and wine come to mind. With so many flavors and endless possibilities, the wines of the Southern Hemisphere are particularly well equipped to pair with classic (and modern) holiday dishes. This delicious seminar explores how to select and pair wines like a professional sommelier to make every holiday meal memorable.
NOV 15 California’s Central Coast
The Central Coast starts north of Los Angeles and stretches to just south of San Francisco. This is an area with many wine regions and a plethora of diverse terroirs unified by a shared spirit. Virtually every variety imaginable grows well somewhere in the Central Coast, so there is something for everyone. This delicious session explores some of the best wines of various styles and varieties the Central Coast has to offer.
DEC 13 Burgundy Like You’ve Never Experienced
Burgundy is one of the most complex and expansive wine regions on the planet. It is here that thousands of years of careful study of terroir have yielded an amazingly detailed and hyper-complicated classification system of wines, vines, and vineyards. This deep dive explores the how, why, and what of Burgundy. Taste some exciting wines from appellations that producers see as the future of their region.
3-session series: Fri., Oct. 18, Nov. 15, and Dec. 13, 6 p.m.; CODE 4WINE2024; Members $180; Nonmembers $210
Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes a curated personal tasting kit with enough wine for one person to sample the full lineup of wines. Additional participants must register individually to receive their own tasting kit, which is an essential component of the workshop. Kits are available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program and the day of the program, 12–5 p.m., at Shilling Canning Company (360 Water Street SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line). Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to the program
Due to state and federal laws, Smithsonian Associates cannot ship wine kits. However, SOMLYAY may be able to provide kits to participants outside the Washington, D.C., area (who must cover shipping costs). Please contact erik@thesomlyay.com for more information.
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE
Frank Lloyd Wright and the UNESCO World Heritage List
In 2019, eight buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. They span six decades of his long career and include significant residential, religious, and institutional buildings constructed between 1905 and 1959: Unity Temple; the Robie House; Taliesin Wisconsin; Hollyhock House; Fallingwater; the Jacobs House I; Taliesin West; and the Guggenheim Museum.
Bill Keene, a lecturer in urban studies, architecture, and history, reviews the nature of the UNESCO list, its criteria, and the steps in the more than 15-year nominating process needed to consider the architect’s buildings for designation. Drawing on his visits to each site, Keene examines Wright’s work and philosophy of architecture as reflected in the range of his buildings selected as World Heritage Sites.
Hosted in partnership with Theatre Washington Washington’s reputation as a hub for vibrant arts and culture is well-deserved, with more than 80 professional companies poised to launch their 2024–2025 seasons. How can audiences pick the must-see productions, determine which ones offer the best value, and identify those that might not meet their expectations?
As part of the annual Theatre Week celebration, join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, dramaturg Lauren Halversen, and a panel of experts as they explore the exciting lineup of productions awaiting audiences on stages both large and small and how to make the most of their theater-going experience. Take home a curated list of the most-anticipated productions, complete with critics’ picks of shows not to be missed.
Related program: A Day with DC-area Theater Makers (see p. 56)
The Evolution of Washington’s Southwest Waterfront
The Southwest Waterfront boasts three of the earliest row homes in the District, the oldest continuously operating fish market in the country, and one of the largest recent private development projects in the city, the District Wharf.
The mixed-use Wharf development on the Southwest Waterfront, 2021
Laid out in the 1770s, by the 1830s the community teemed with commercial activity. But after a massive military operation during the Civil War, the waterfront slipped into decline over the decades. During the urban renewal movement, huge swaths of the neighborhood were demolished, with over 23,000 mostly Black and Jewish residents displaced. Today, a new wave of development is again changing the fabric of Southwest Washington.
Carolyn Muraskin of DC Design Tours explores the planning history of the Southwest Waterfront as well as some of its architectural highlights.
Avoiding climate catastrophe means changing economies so that they don’t bake the world. Pulling economies through the pandemic required governments to put global financial systems into the deep freeze without destroying them. Economist Robbie Mochrie explains how economic thinking is indispensable to tackling huge problems such as these.
Mochrie discusses how great economic thinkers from Aristotle to Esther Duflo have enabled us to see the world differently and figure out how we can make it better. His new book, How to Think Like an Economist (Bloomsbury), is available for purchase.
Attend individual lectures on great thinkers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, then join Georgetown professor Joseph Hartman for a smaller-capacity, interactive discussion about these men, their works, how their philosophies interact with each other, and their relevance to today’s world.
SEPT 25 Contemplating Hobbes
NOV 6 Contemplating Locke
DEC 4 Contemplating Rousseau
DEC 11 Discussing Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau
3-session series (lectures only): Wed., Sept. 25, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4, 6:45 p.m.; CODE: 1J0-394; Members $60; Nonmembers $75
4-session series (lectures and discussion): Wed., Sept. 25, Nov. 6, Dec. 4, and Dec. 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE: 1J0-403; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
Witches in the Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman discuss the versatile figure of the witch in fairy tales. Focusing on the collection of the Brothers Grimm, Cleto and Warman explore the many distinctive witches they gave us before homing in on ones that appear in five fairy tales: “Rapunzel,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “The Three Spinners,” “Frau Trude,” and “All Kinds of Fur.” By illuminating different aspects of the figure of the witch as she appears in the Grimms’ tales, they demonstrate the power and complexity that characterize her.
An Inside Look at George Eliot’s Masterpiece Virginia Woolf famously said that George Eliot’s monumental Middlemarch from 1872 was “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people.” Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, examines how Eliot used innovative literary techniques and delves into her treatment of political issues, key transitions in English social and cultural life, and the characters’ emotional lives. He also explains why Middlemarch is still widely read.
Television news has undergone remarkable transformations in the last seven decades. From the “Camel News Caravan” with John Cameron Swayze in 1948 to the “CBS Evening News” with Walter Cronkite in 1963 to 24/7 coverage on CNN and then cable, coverage has changed in both availability and character. Media historian Brian Rose looks at these sweeping changes and examines the impact of television journalism.
Sat., Oct. 5, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1J0-397; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
Thomas Hobbes John Locke Jean-Jacques Rousseau
George Eliot by François D’Albert Durade
Walter Cronkite interviews President John F. Kennedy on the first half-hour nightly news broadcast in 1963
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
2024–2025 Season
The 48th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late-16th to the early 21st centuries, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. The repertoire ranges from acclaimed masterpieces to obscure gems by all-but-forgotten composers.
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 many of the programs, shedding light on the glorious music and the lives and times of the featured composers. Concerts take place in the National Museum of American History’s intimate Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill.
For a full season overview visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/scms
The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences have the unparalleled experience of hearing two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicolò Amati—in this popular four-concert series. In the first three programs, which explore the viola quintet repertoire, the quartet is joined by a guest violist. The quartet’s violist, James Dunham, who will retire at the end of this season after 17 years, has chosen the final quartet-only program to include some of the works he’s most enjoyed playing over his long and distinguished career.
This chronologically wide-ranging series begins in early November with the first of two appearances by the Smithsonian Consort of Viols, playing works by Elizabethan composers Orlando Gibbons and William Byrd. In mid-November, the Smithsonian Chamber Players offer a feast of sumptuous late-17th-century Austrian music by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Johann Schmelzer, followed by a December program of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sonatas for violin and obbligato harpsichord. The Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra concert in March, featuring baritone Mischa Bouvier, explores 20th- and 21stcentury works ranging from the elegiac (Busoni, Mahler, and Richard Strauss) to the transcendently hopeful (Golijov). The four-hands fortepiano team of Naoko Takao and SCMS director Kenneth Slowik presents a Schubertiade later the same month. To cap the series, the Smithsonian Consort of Viols returns with a selection of Jacobean chamber music by John Jenkins and William Lawes.
New this season: Select concerts take place at 3:30 p.m. For concert schedules, repertoire, series and individual concert registrations, and bonus offerings for subscribers visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/scms
All programs and artists subject to change. Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Kenneth Slowik, James Dunham, Marc Destrubé, and Mark Fewer
The Smithsonian Consort of Viols Mischa Bouvier, guest soloist
Protecting Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage
The Smithsonian on the Front Lines
Ever since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Smithsonian Institution has been a key player in the fight to protect Ukraine’s heritage. Corine Wegener, director of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative; Hayden Bassett, a Smithsonian research associate and director of the Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab; and Amber Kerr, the head of conservation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum/Lunder Conservation Center, detail how the Smithsonian is working with Ukrainian cultural institutions to monitor cultural heritage sites, provide expert advice, detect and assess damage, and provide emergency supplies and equipment.
Step behind the scenes and into the heart of “The West Wing” with cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack as they explore what made the show a cultural phenomenon. From heartwarming origin stories to the bittersweet farewell on the show’s final night of filming, this inside look promises on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even the most devoted “West Wing” aficionados have never heard. Fitzgerald and McCormack also examine how the series envisaged a politics based on decency, honor, and service, with the Jed Bartlet administration creating the model for an aspirational White House beyond the bounds of fictional television. Their book, What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service (Dutton), is available for purchase.
In the 1840s, Italian composers Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini commanded full attention on the opera stages of Europe. Young Giuseppe Verdi inherited their established traditions— and then began to transform them.
Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein demonstrates how the myriad structural elements of Italian opera (the aria, duet, ensemble music, drama, and comedy) evolved under Verdi’s restless musical imagination and his desire to achieve a striking dramatic urgency. Each session is highlighted by audio and video recordings comparing the heritage of the first generation of bel canto masters with the achievements of Giuseppe Verdi, now recognized as the greatest of Italian composers.
5-session series: Tues., Oct. 15–Nov. 12, 12 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2347; Members $110; Nonmembers $130
Introduction to Music Theory
With Conductor Ernest Johnson
Learn the language and elements of musical notation and composition in this interactive online course led by music educator and conductor Ernest Johnson. He guides exercises and assignments geared to developing the foundation every musician needs: the aural and visual understanding of pitch, rhythm, harmony, and form. Topic areas include an overview of the elements of music and music terminology; notation of pitch and rhythm; ear training; and developing the ability to hear, identify, and notate pitches, intervals, melodies, and chords.
The course includes a variety of online and print resources to support and enhance musical learning, including a subscription to the Noteflight Learn website. Optional assignments are given weekly. Students use online music software programs to notate and hear musical elements presented in each session. Basic computer skills are required.
8-session series: Wed., Oct. 16–Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m. (no class Nov. 27); limited to 25 students; CODE 1P0-866; Members $235; Nonmembers $260; price includes textbook and shipping and a 6-month online subscription to Noteflight.
"Motherland" sculpture in Kiev
Portrait of Giuseppe Verdi (1886) by Giovanni Boldini
Conductor Ernest Johnson
New York’s Yiddish Theater
An Audience Becomes Americans
The vibrant world of Yiddish theater that flourished in the late-19th to the mid-20th century on Manhattan’s Lower East Side reflected the lives, desires, and dreams of newly arrived Jewish immigrants, primarily of Eastern and Central European origins. Yiddish-language theater existed in Russia and Europe, but the movement that took hold in New York City was exceptional in its scope, its influence on the American theater and entertainment industry, and, most importantly, the essential role it played for an immigrant population making its way in the United States.
Nancy Friedland, a librarian for film studies and performing arts at Columbia University, chronicles a unique moment in history as she discusses the importance of Yiddish theater in the lives of Jewish immigrants and several seminal playwrights, actors, and other figures that helped create it. She parallels the growth of New York’s Jewish immigrant population with that of the Yiddish theater as its stages evolved from small performance spaces to the grand venues that would populate Second Avenue during an era that became known as the golden age of Yiddish theater in America.
Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, revisits and provides new perspectives on novels that typically appear on high school reading lists.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass from 1845 remains one of the most profoundly influential works in American literature. A combination of memoir and treatise on abolition, the book charts
Douglass’ escape from the horrors of slavery to his life as a key member of the anti-slavery movement. Luzzi explores the book’s literary elements and themes, including Douglass’ brilliant ideas on religion, morality, education, and freedom.
Published in 1911 by Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome tells a story of intense love and the yearning for a better life amid the harsh landscape and restrictive social mores of rural Starkfield, Massachusetts. Luzzi explores the gorgeous prose and probing social analysis of Wharton’s novel, which offers insights on issues of gender, notions of class, and representations of desire and sexuality. He also discusses how Wharton’s sophisticated narrative techniques create an aesthetic complexity that contributes to the work’s standing as a classic of American literature.
Jack Kerouac’s On the Road from 1957 is almost synonymous with the postwar Beat and counterculture movements that rejected the staid domesticity of the 1950s in search of freedom and alternate ways of life. Luzzi discusses how characters based on the writer William S. Burroughs, the poet Allen Ginsberg, and Kerouac himself embraced new cultural forms like jazz and experimental literature as routes to meaning and artistic freedom.
Ever since its publication in 1961, Joseph Heller’s satirical novel Catch-22 has been a beloved classic for generations of readers, especially during the turbulent 1960s, when its depictions of the atrocities of war captured the attention of Vietnam War protesters. Luzzi guides participants through the literary techniques and key themes that give Heller’s work its enduring appeal, especially its astonishing use of humor and piercing psychological insights.
The millions who watch Al Roker on “The Today Show” know that he’s a home chef who regularly posts his latest meals on social media and that his daughter Courtney Roker Laga is a chef by training.
The new cookbook they’ve written together, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By, captures a snapshot of a home where a good conversation or a needed dose of laughter always starts with something great to eat. Join dad and daughter as they discuss the food they enjoy as a family and what it was like to write a cookbook together.
Copies of Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion (Legacy Lit) are available for purchase.
Fri., Oct. 18, 6:45 p.m.; Rasmuson Theater, National Museum of the American Indian; CODE 1L0-603; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
A Conversation with Henry Winkler
John P. McGovern Award Presentation
In his 2023 memoir, Being Henry, actor Henry Winkler revealed his professional and personal struggles, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at age 31. He’s been publicly open about his life with the condition and created a series of 17 children’s books that offer a funny and realistic look at the life of 12-year-old Hank Zipzer, who struggles with dyslexia. More than 3 million copies have been sold in the United States, providing help in managing dyslexia to many children, parents, and teachers.
For using his voice to amplify discussions about dyslexia and other issues that touch American lives, Winkler is the recipient of the John P. McGovern Award given by Smithsonian Associates. The presentation highlights an evening in which he discusses his career and his path to stardom and how the issues and causes for which he advocates connect to his roles as an actor, author, comedian, producer, and director.
A paperback copy of Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond (Celadon Books) is included in the registration price.
Mon., Oct. 21, 6:45 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History; CODE 1L0-604; Members $40; Nonmembers $50
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
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A Sweet Journey Exploring the World of Candy
Just in time for Halloween, indulge your senses in an exploration of the rich history of candy. Beth Kimmerle, candy historian, reveals the sweet secrets behind some of our favorite confections, tracing their origins and explaining the techniques that have shaped the candy-making process over centuries. Learn how to discern flavors, textures, and aromas like an expert as Kimmerle offers the opportunity for you to do a taste test.
What do Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Weber’s Der Freischütz 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 goblins and grim reapers, witches, 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 Berlioz, Dukas, Liszt, Schubert, Saint-Saens, Caplet, Stravinsky, and many others. 2-session series: Thurs., Oct. 24 and 31, 12 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1K0519; Members $50; Nonmembers $60
Literary Journeys
From Homer’s Odyssey to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie’s Americanah, some of the most powerful works of fiction center on a journey. Editor John McMurtrie takes you on a voyage of discovery through journeys in literature that extend to the ends of the earth and span from ancient Greece to today.
Drawing on essays by literary critics, scholars, and other writers, he discusses journeys from three of the more than 75 works of fiction represented in his new illustrated guide, Literary Journeys: Mapping Fictional Travels across the World of Literature
Film historian Max Alvarez returns this Halloween with another nerve-shattering multi-media romp through the history of “creature features” spotlighting the screen’s most memorable monsters, mummies, werewolves, oversized insects, outer-space invaders, and aquatic predators.
Although movie monsters fell out of favor as the Universal horror cycle wound down by the end of World War II, these anti-social abnormalities were soon in hot demand as the Cold War gathered steam during the 1950s. Then, as changes in technology breathed new life into cinematic creatures during the 1980s and ’90s, special-effects masterminds were able to stage in-camera werewolf transformations or bring monsters to life through complex computer technology. Since then, there simply is no keeping movie monsters out of multiplex cinemas and home entertainment platforms where the Monsterverse thrives as never before.
Julia Child’s kitchen from her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home has been on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History since 2002, and museumgoers have made it a top destination. Drawing on her new book, Julia Child’s Kitchen, Paula Johnson, one of the original collectors and keepers of the exhibit, provides an intimate portrait of Child at home and firsthand accounts of cooking beside her.
Johnson, curator of food history and director of the museum’s American Food History Project, recalls the beloved cookbook author and television star’s favorite place in the world—her home kitchen. In conversation with Jessica Carbone, a food writer and historian, she also discusses how the legacy Child created here continues to influence the ways we cook today. Copies of Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space (Abrams Books) are available for purchase.
Chef, author, and TV personality Bobby Flay has received the James Beard Award, made appearances on dozens of Food Network programs, and written 18 best-selling cookbooks. His latest, Bobby Flay: Chapter One (Clarkson Potter), compiles 100 of his recipes for home cooks as well as tales of his restaurant ventures, memorable TV spots, and stories behind the dishes.
Join Flay as he shares insights into his remarkable life and career, offering a behindthe-scenes glimpse into the culinary world that shaped him. Copies of his new book are available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Bold Fork Books.
Fri., Nov. 1, 6:45 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History; CODE 1D0-070; Members $25; Nonmembers $30; Members + book $80; Nonmembers + book $85
Christina Tosi’s Bake Club
Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi started Bake Club at the height of the pandemic, and ever since she and her followers have been gathering on social media and getting busy in the kitchen. The recipes from these sessions are featured in a new book, Bake Club: 101 Must-Have Moves for Your Kitchen.
Designed for baking newbies and seasoned pros, the cookbook covers all the categories of the baking universe and empowers home bakers to just have fun and dispel all the misconceptions about baking. Join Tosi as she discusses what Bake Club means to her and shares recipes from the book and a few baking tips along the way.
Copies of Bake Club (Knopf) are available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Bold Fork Books.
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
War and Peace: Unfolding Tolstoy’s Epic Novel
Many consider Leo Tolstoy’s epic 19th-century War and Peace, the story of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia, to be the greatest novel ever written. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, leads participants through an in-depth consideration of the themes, historical issues, literary elements, and cultural conditions that give Tolstoy’s work its legendary aura. He pays close attention to how questions about religion, the representation of warfare, Tolstoy’s theories on history, and his brilliant understanding of human emotion—especially love—make this novel as relevant today as when it appeared.
Sat., Nov. 2, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1J0-405; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
Gobsmacked: The British Invasion of American English
Have you ever wondered why scores of British words and phrases—such as one-off, kerfuffle, and easy peasy—have been enthusiastically taken up in the United States? Drawing from his new book, Gobsmacked!: The British Invasion of American English (Princeton University Press), writer Ben Yagoda takes a deep dive into the most popular British terms in the United States today. As he explores why Americans have embraced British insults and curses, sports terms, and words about food and drinks, he tackles grammar, pronunciation, and British expressions that are often misconstrued. Yagoda’s book is available for purchase.
The Battle of Austerlitz by FrançoisPascal-Simon Gérard, 1805
In Person
Christina Tosi
Bobby Flay
Elvis Presley in a promotion shot for Jailhouse Rock in 1957
All Shook Up
Hollywood Learns to Rock Rock music exploded on the big screen in 1955 when Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” played behind the opening credits of Blackboard Jungle. Teenagers responded to the inclusion of the song with wild enthusiasm, and Hollywood began to recognize the power of the teen audience. Soon the studios unleashed a series of films featuring rock and R&B musicians performing their hits as the soundtrack to movies about rebellious high schoolers, daredevil hotrodders, and antics-prone college students. Media historian Brian Rose looks at rock movies’ first decade and how Hollywood benefited from the power of this music.
Philosophical Counseling: Philosophy as Psychotherapy
The word “psychotherapy” is derived from the Greek psyche, meaning soul, and therapiea, meaning healing. Thus, psychotherapy is “soul healing,” the term used by ancient philosophers to describe important functions of philosophical reflection: to help people live a good life, seek answers to vexing personal questions, and bring their souls into consonance with the nature of existence. Philosophical counselor Samir Chopra explores the history of philosophy understood as therapy in ancient and modern traditions and explains the methods of modern philosophical counseling.
Many film scholars argue that the 1970s were the greatest decade of film, focusing on the mavericks of “New Hollywood” such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg. But Washington City Paper film critic Noah Gittell looks beyond them to find a decade of dazzling variety.
Hear about the mainstream successes of Hal Ashby, Alan J. Pakula, and Michael Ritchie; blazing female talents like Barbara Loden and Elaine May; experimental masters John Cassavetes and David Lynch; pioneers of the German New Wave Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Werner Herzog; and blaxploitation directors Gordon Parks and Melvin van Peebles.
In the early 1970s, film director Peter Bogdanovich stood out among his youthful Easy Rider–era “New Hollywood” contemporaries. While other filmmakers shook up the studio system with pessimistic counterculture films, the nostalgic Bogdanovich emulated studio productions (and legendary Hollywood directors) of a bygone era in smash hits that include The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc?, and the bittersweet masterwork Paper Moon. Once Bogdanovich followed these hits with a trio of commercial failures, journalists and industry rivals went into destructive overdrive to cut the boy wonder down to size. Film historian Max Alvarez argues against Bogdanovich’s so-called decline after Paper Moon and presents bountiful evidence of the stylistic and narrative skill reflected throughout the career of this outstanding filmmaker.
George Frideric Handel’s Messiah— arguably the greatest piece of participatory art ever created—is a work of triumphant joy that was born in an age of anxiety. Britain in the early 18th century was a time of war, political conspiracy, enslavement, and conflicts over everything from the legitimacy of government to the meaning of truth.
Historian Charles King unearths the astonishing backstory to a beloved classic and the tortured lives and times that made a musical monument to hope. His book, Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times that Made Handel’s Messiah (Doubleday), is available for purchase.
Enigmatic, supremely sophisticated, and dazzling funny, Sir Noël Coward bestrode the canyon between patriotism and satire with more brilliance than almost anyone else. Hailed as “The Master,” he achieved wild success in every creative area he touched: composing, writing, directing, acting, cabaret performance, and even painting. Throughout his six-decade career Coward cultivated an international image of himself as the embodiment of English manners and refinement, and he had a profound effect on how the British saw themselves as a nation.
Pianist and popular speaker Rachel Franklin leads a joyful excursion through some fabulous Cowardly classics, including his play Blithe Spirit, songs such as “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” and movies that include In Which We Serve and The Italian Job Thurs, Nov. 14, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-524; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Uncovering the Mysteries of Flamenco
Discover the most significant, intriguing, and mysterious aspects of what UNESCO has declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage: the passionate musical and dance form of flamenco. Flamenco can be wrenchingly emotional or laugh-out-loud funny. It can also seem intimidating to new fans.
Using film and audio clips, photos, and insights from flamenco aficionados past and present including Federico García Lorca and Penélope Cruz, flamenco scholar Nancy G. Heller introduces the basic elements and vocabulary of flamenco music and dance, demystifying and enhancing the experience for audiences. Focusing on traditional flamenco, she also traces the innovations of the contemporary avant-garde performers who challenge long-established ideas about appropriate instrumentation, costuming, narratives, and gender identity.
When the doors of Radio City Music Hall opened in 1932, New Yorkers entered a new world: a dazzling Art Deco fantasy of an entertainment palace far removed from the drab realities of the Great Depression. With its Hollywood films and lavish stage shows, what came to be known as “The Showplace of the Nation” has given generations of audiences a place to escape from the everyday and dream.
Actor Tim Dolan, owner of Broadway Up Close tours in New York City, explores the Music Hall’s stories, secrets, traditions, and trivia, illustrated by rare photos that bring its excitement and glamour to life. He surveys the history of this iconic theater; the origins of the beloved Christmas Spectacular, in which the Rockettes have been kicking up their heels since 1933; and the equally spectacular Rockefeller Center holiday tree lighting.
Participants in the December 12 Radio City tour (see page 61) receive complimentary registration for this program.
Interior of Radio City Music Hall
George Frideric Handel
Noël Coward performing for sailors aboard the HMS Victorious, 1944
SCIENCE
Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
Underwater Volcanoes
From Indonesia to Iceland, hundreds of islands across the globe were formed by once so-called submarine volcanoes. Submarine volcanoes are exactly what they sound like: volcanoes located beneath the ocean’s surface.
Although they know underwater volcanoes behave differently than terrestrial ones, scientists are somewhat in the dark when it comes to understanding them because the eruptions are cloaked from view by thousands of feet of water. Dive deep with volcanologist Samuel Mitchell as he explains what is known about the volcanoes that lie beneath the surface of our oceans and why we should be both curious and cautious about them.
Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park is situated atop the Blue Ridge, a prominent mountain range formed during the ancient smash-up between ancestral North America and Africa. Known for its spectacular views, the park contains rocks that tell compelling geologic stories. What do stripes in a rock mean? Are those almonds from someone’s trail mix, or are they fossilized volcanic gas bubbles on a boulder? How were the stairway-like sections of the hiking trail up Old Rag Mountain created? Geologist Callan Bentley can read these rocks and translate their tales from deep time.
Music is one of humanity’s oldest medicines. From Eastern countries to the Ottoman Empire, Europe to Africa and the pre-colonial Americas, many cultures have developed their own rich traditions for using sound and rhythm to ease suffering, promote healing, and calm the mind.
Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain on Music, explores the curative powers of music, illustrating why it is one of the most potent therapies today and how it can contribute to the treatment of a host of ailments from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to cognitive injury, depression, and pain. His new book, I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine (W.W. Norton), is available for purchase.
How We Healed the Earth …and How We Can Do It Again
Glaciers are melting. Oceans are rising. Surface temperatures worldwide are rising. What’s to be done? We have solved planet-threatening problems before, atmospheric scientist Susan Solomon argues, and we can do it again. The path to success begins when an environmental problem becomes both personal and perceptible to the public, she says.
Solomon connects her 1986 expedition to Antarctica that made discoveries key to healing the damaged ozone layer with the stories of environmental victories to extract the essential elements of what makes change possible. Solomon’s new book, Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do It Again (University of Chicago Press), is available for purchase.
West Mata, near Samoa, is the deepest submarine volcano ever filmed
Old Rag Mountain
Daniel J. Levitin
Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies
It’s all about who you know when you’re an animal. For vampire bats sharing blood meals to survive, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, and great tit birds learning the best way to steal milk, it pays to be well-connected.
In this tour of the animal kingdom, evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin describes social networks that existed long before the dawn of human social media. His new book, The Well-Connected Animal: Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies (University of Chicago Press), is available for purchase.
On December 25, 2021, a mighty Ariane 5 rocket raced into the sky from French Guiana, signaling the long-awaited launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Now, it has begun a 20-year mission of observation that promises to revolutionize our understanding of the universe.
Kelly Beatty, senior editor at Sky & Telescope magazine, explores how astronomers are using its state-of-the-art instruments and enormous optical system to detect extremely faint infrared objects from both the very near and very distant universe. He discusses the progress to date toward meeting the telescope’s scientific goals, such as identifying the earliest stars and galaxies to form after the Big Bang and exploring the planetary systems of other stars.
Black holes are some of the most mind-bending objects in the cosmos: gravitational bottomless pits that are predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The very thing that characterizes a black hole also makes it hard to study: its intense gravity. Nevertheless, the last decade has seen a resurgence of research into black holes and observations of their immediate surroundings.
Astronomers have tracked the motion of stars around the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, made images of the glowing material falling toward the gargantuan black hole M87*, and detected the chirps of gravitational waves emanating from merging black holes billions of light-years away. Astrophysicist Joshua Winn of Princeton University reviews the theory of black holes and these recent observational developments.
Are we alone in the universe? Do other Earth-like planets orbit other stars in the Milky Way? In 2009, NASA launched the Kepler space telescope to answer these questions. What was found contradicted centuries of theoretical and observational work and transformed our understanding of planets, planetary systems, and the stars they orbit.
Jason Steffen, a former member of the science team for NASA’s Kepler mission, offers a unique inside account of the team’s work, mapping its progress from the launch of the rocket that carried Kepler into space to the revelations of the data that began to flow to the supercomputer back at NASA—evidence of strange new worlds unlike anything found in our own solar system.
Steffen’s book, Hidden in the Heavens: How the Kepler Mission’s Quest for New Planets Changed How We View Our Own (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.
The Crab Nebula captured by the Webb Space Telescope
The Quest for Cosmic Life
The questions “How did life on Earth begin?” and “Are we alone in the universe?” are arguably two of the most intriguing in science. Attempts to answer them have now led to extraordinarily vibrant and dynamic frontiers of investigation.
Astrophysicist Mario Livio describes how the quest for cosmic life follows two parallel, independent lines of research: cutting-edge laboratory studies aimed at determining whether life can emerge from pure chemistry and advanced astronomical observations searching for signs of life on other planets and moons in the solar system and around stars other than the sun.
Livio’s new book, co-authored with Nobel Prize laureate Jack Szostak, Is Earth Exceptional? The Quest for Cosmic Life (Basic Books), is available for sale.
For many years, dinosaurs were portrayed as ponderous, coldblooded, overgrown monsters. But in the late 1960s, a fundamental change in thinking about these prehistoric beasts occurred after two Yale paleontologists noted that many aspects of their anatomy and biology were much like those of warm-blooded birds and mammals. It was the hugely successful Jurassic Park movie franchise, which began in 1993, that introduced the public to the dinosaur renaissance.
A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton takes a bite out of a Triceratops horridus skeleton in the National Museum of Natural History
Hans Sues, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History, discusses the main researchers and the arguments behind the new thinking, along with their impact on both evolutionary biology and paleobiology.
Our understanding of dinosaur behavior has long been hampered by the inevitable lack of evidence about animals who went extinct more than 65 million years ago. But with the discovery of new specimens and the development of cutting-edge techniques, paleontologists are making huge advances in reconstructing how dinosaurs lived and acted.
Paleontologist David Hone provides a look at dinosaur biology, diversity, and evolution and describes behavior from feeding and communication to reproduction and combat. His new book, Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.
How does nature produce the right numbers of zebras and lions on the African savanna or fish in the ocean? How do our bodies produce the right numbers of cells in our organs and bloodstream? Biologist and author Sean B. Carroll discusses the pioneering scientists who sought the answers to these questions, which came to be known as the “Serengeti Rules,” since many of its studies centered on that African ecosystem.
Carroll examines the interconnectedness of the regulation of life’s elements; illustrates how the knowledge of the rules and logic of the human body has spurred the advent of revolutionary life-saving medicines; and argues that the Serengeti Rules can be used as a guide to heal the planet.
Carroll’s book, The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.
What do sunflowers, black holes, Salvador Dali’s painting The Sacrament of the Last Supper, the music of Debussy, and the architecture of Le Corbusier have in common? They reflect characteristics described by a curious number known since antiquity called the golden ratio, or phi. This irrational number—which approximates to 1.618—has come to represent the proportions of some ideally pleasing geometrical structures.
Astrophysicist Mario Livio brings the golden ratio to life as he traces its story from ancient Egypt and Greece to the present day. Along the way, he introduces historical figures including the followers of Pythagoras and the astronomer Johannes Kepler and modern-day thinkers and Nobel laureates such as mathematical physicist Roger Penrose and chemist Dan Shechtman.
The open ocean, far from the shore and miles above the sea floor, is a vast and formidable habitat that is home to the most abundant life on our planet, from giant squid and jellyfish to angler fish with bioluminescent lures that draw prey into their toothy mouths. Sea-going scientist Sönke Johnsen explores one of the most mysterious environments on Earth and describes how life in the open sea contends with a host of environmental challenges. He also interweaves stories about the joys and hardships of the scientists who explore this beautiful and mysterious realm, which is rapidly changing under the threat of human activity.
Johnsen is a professor of biology at Duke University. His new book, Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.
Be careful when you next go into your garden: It’s full of killers. You may be familiar with carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap, sundew, or pitcher plant, but a surprising number of plants could be classified as carnivorous—including your geraniums and potentillas. Many true carnivorous plants have surprisingly good relationships with insects. Some pitcher plants feed ants and give them a secure home, others are complete miniature ecosystems, homes for creatures ranging from mosquitoes to frogs.
Steve Nicholls, a wildlife filmmaker with a lifelong interest in botany and horticulture who has produced and directed several films on carnivorous plants, examines this amazing natural world in intimate detail.
These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates I N SI DE S C I ENCE
Give the Gif t of Color
Limited-edition prints from the Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program capture brilliant and memorable worlds of color—and make great gifts for all occasions. For details, visit ArtCollectorsProgram.org
*Member pricing applies to Promoter level and above For membership levels visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels
The golden ratio appears in a simulation of two neutron stars forming a black hole
Blue Moonlight by April Gornik (detail) Retail: $1200 Members: $950*
Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
Art-full Fridays | Live from Italy, with Elaine Ruffolo
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each
Elaine Ruffolo, a Florence-based Renaissance art historian, examines the rich heritage of Italian art and architecture
Renaissance Rivalries
The Artistic Feuds of Rome
Rivalries can be contentious and destructive, but they also have fueled the creation of great paintings, sculpture, and architecture. The fierce competition between artistic titans of the 16th century, Michelangelo and Raphael, was legendary—as were those between Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci and Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini.
Each pair reflected very different and almost irreconcilable personalities, which in many cases were in direct contrast. Ruffolo surveys the unmistakable hallmarks of these leading artists who challenged each other’s genius and contributed to the extraordinary transformation of Rome in the 17th century.
The Medici: Patronage, Power, and Art in Renaissance Florence
The Visual Banquet
At its height, Renaissance Florence was a center of enormous wealth, power, and influence dominated by rich mercantile families, the most famous being the Medici. From modest beginnings, the Medici rose to become bankers to the pope and many rich and powerful European families. But perhaps their most enduring legacy is their patronage of the arts. Artists such as Brunelleschi, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, and Michelangelo all thrived with Medici support.
Ruffolo traces the family’s influence on the political, economic, and cultural history of Florence from the early 1430s with the rise of the dynasty headed by Cosimo de Medici through the golden era under Lorenzo il Magnifico to the achievement of the family’s goal: the papal tiara.
From an apple held by the infant Jesus to a fowl indelicately handled by a lusty kitchen maid, food and drink appear in myriad contexts over four centuries of European painting. In both devotional and secular images, these items allowed the artist to display virtuosic skills of observation and description of color, shape, and texture. Moreover, they frequently carried symbolic meanings or referenced the painting’s themes.
In the Renaissance, feasting transcended mere sustenance, serving as a significant form of communication and expression. Ruffolo delves into images of lavish banquets from the period to explore their menus, table settings, and dining practices as well as the intricate depiction of food in art.
Procession of the Youngest King by Benozzo Gozzoli (detail)
Kitchen Scene by Peter Wtewael, 1620s
You love art. Now go deeper.
That’s why Smithsonian Associates offers a World Art History Certificate Program Look for World Art History Certificate throughout the program guide to see current listings. Get started today and complete the certificate requirements at your own pace. Registration is ongoing; for a limited time, new participants receive a World Art History Certificate tote bag. Credits are counted from day of registration and are not given retroactively.
SmithsonianAssociates.org/artcertificate
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Surrealism: From France to Latin America
While surrealism originated in Paris in the 1920s, it had enormous international impact. Michele Greet, the director of the art history program at George Mason University, follows the spread of surrealism to Latin America with a special focus on exhibitions such as the surrealist exhibition in Lima, Peru, in 1935 and the International Surrealist Exhibition held in Mexico City in 1940. The work of female artists in the movement, including Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo, is also covered.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo: A Creative Partnership
Art historian Joseph P. Cassar takes a close look at the works of Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo as he examines their relationship as husband and wife and how their marriage affected each other’s work. Even though Rivera assured her of her talent, Kahlo remained in the shadow of the internationally famous painter, with limited recognition during her lifetime for her own career as an artist. Their similarities and contrasts in art and character are discussed by Cassar in an illustrated presentation that references key examples of their work and culminates in one of Kahlo’s most notable accomplishments: the purchase of one of her works by the Louvre in 1939.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
In this quarterly series, Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero spotlights the significant collections of Florence’s sometimes-overlooked museums.
Museum of Orsanmichele
Begun in 1337, the ground floor of Orsanmichele church in Florence, Italy, was originally a loggia-style market. When it was transformed, the inside was decorated with paintings of saints and the outside with statues by artists such as Donatello, Ghiberti, and Verrocchio. Today, the upper floor of Orsanmichele is a museum where all but one of the original sculptures are on display, while copies of the statues stand in the original niches on the outside of the church. Ruggiero highlights this museum and its treasures. Mon., Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-406; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
La huida (detail) by Remedios Varo, 1961, Museo de Arte Moderno
Collection, 1860–1960”; images courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, photos by Rick Coulby
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Hirshhorn at 50
In celebration of its 50th-anniversary season, the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has installed a major survey of artwork made during a transformative period characterized by new currents in science and philosophy, ever-increasing mechanization, and dramatic social change. “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960” captures shifting cultural landscapes through a largely chronological presentation. Along the way, select contemporary artworks demonstrate how the themes and subjects of early 20th-century artists remain vital today.
Marina Isgro, associate curator, offers insights into the exhibition, which comprises rotating artworks in the museum’s permanent collection by 117 artists—including Francis Bacon, Jean Dubuffet, Lee Krasner, Wifredo Lam, Jacob Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Jackson Pollock—made during 100 turbulent and energetic years.
Related Studio Arts program: Composition Studies in the Museum (see p. 41)
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Palladio
and the Villa Culture of the Veneto
Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio is best known for his majestic villas scattered throughout the Veneto countryside. Ranging from working farms to country residences, these structures reflect the contemporary view that spending time away from the chaos of the city was a path to moral betterment and provided the opportunity to engage in intellectual pursuits surrounded by the beauty of a pastoral setting.
Art historian Sophia D’Addio explores the architecture and context of several of Palladio’s villas in connection with his influential writings on villa design in The Four Books of Architecture. She highlights the Villa Barbaro, Villa Emo, and the iconic Villa Almerico-Capra, known as the Villa Rotonda, and examines a selection of painted decorations that adorn them.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Greek Vase-Painting: Gods and Humans
What can a painted vase tell us about the lives and beliefs of the ancient Greeks? A lot, actually. The human activities and mythological subjects depicted on vessels from the 7th through the 5th century B.C.E. provide invaluable insights. The images range from simple paintings of young women fetching water to complex scenes involving heroic deeds and Homeric tales.
Art historian Renee Gondek explores the stories illustrated and highlights the artistry of the best-known painters, in addition to explaining the functions of the vessel shapes as well as the painting techniques.
Installation views of “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn
Villa
one of the first works by Palladio
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Many Faces of the Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has sparked countless theories— from the well-established to the farfetched. But a set of 16th- and 17th-century copies scattered in collections from Russia to Spain complicate the mystery of the world’s most famous painting and have led collectors, museum professionals, and art historians to question what they think they know about the world’s most famous portrait.
Art historian Laura Morelli unravels the complexities and controversies of these “other Mona Lisas,” exploring the various theories, known history, and artistic nuances of the so-called Prado Mona Lisa, St. Petersburg Mona Lisa, Islesworth Mona Lisa, Chantilly Mona Lisa, and lesser-known renditions of Leonardo’s original masterpiece.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Audubon Redrawn
A New Look at the Artist and The Birds of America
John James Audubon—naturalist, artist, and creator of The Birds of America—is widely regarded as America’s first great watercolorist, but his artistic journey has never been examined. Art historian Roberta J. M. Olson, author of Audubon as Artist: A New Look at The Birds of America, explores how Audubon studied both past and concurrent artists to forge innovative works of fine art. Olson delves into contemporary controversies surrounding this legendary figure, who, for the first time in history, accurately represented all avian species lifesize.
The Danish-French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro was an odd man out among the Impressionist fold. He was Jewish, a native of St. Thomas, and older than his fellow artists Monet, Renoir, and Sisley, though he remained faithful to their avant-garde style. Despite their differences and politics—the Dreyfus Affair split the colleagues—Pissarro was the only artist to exhibit in all eight French Impressionist group exhibitions held between 1874 and 1886. Art historian Bonita Billman examines Pissarro’s landscapes and genre subjects and his range of materials and forms including charcoal drawings, watercolors, etchings, and oil paintings.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Etruscans: A Style All Their Own
Explore the heart of Italy during the first millennium B.C.E. through a journey into the enigmatic world of the Etruscans. With Etruscan writings completely untranslated, modern scholarship draws most of its knowledge of the civilization from archaeological deposits in central Italy. Contemporaries of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Etruscans maintained a distinctive language and visual culture with an emphasis on the afterlife.
Using masterworks of Etruscan painting, sculpture, and metalwork excavated from tombs in central Italy, art historian Laura Morelli offers a glimpse into how members of this lesser-known culture adorned the places where they planned to spend eternity and the incredible luxury objects they took with them.
Two dancers from the Tomb of the Triclinium in the necropolis of Monterozzi (detail)
Writing Workshops
Write Into Art
Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art
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.
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. In a series of five online workshops, explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, 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.
Inspired by contemporary works by American artist Margaret Boozer, poet Jane Hirshfield. and other sources, explore the bowl as a metaphor for our lives and the world. Designed for writers of all levels and for the curious, the workshop invites you to look outwardly at art and poetry and to look inwardly through writing. Tues., Sept. 17, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-509; Members $40; Nonmembers $45
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
Vermeer: In Praise of the Ordinary
Johannes Vermeer was a master of light and color. His artistry rests in his ability to transform a simple daily activity—such as pouring a jug of milk or reading a letter—into a sensitive exploration of human psychology. Gloriously lit, serene, and exquisitely rendered, masterpieces like The Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Milkmaid, Girl with the Red Hat, and The Music Lesson continue to speak to us through their ability to touch on some of the most universal ideas in human experience.
Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine discusses Vermeer’s place within the artistic cultures of Holland and his native city; examines some of his favorite themes; and explores his legacy as reflected in the work of artists and writers following Vermeer’s rediscovery in the late 19th century.
Fri., Sept. 13, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1K0-508; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Mary Hall Surface
Eight Red Bowls by Margaret Boozer, 2000
Subway by Lily Furedi, 1934
The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, 1660
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Ghosts and Spirits in Buddhism
The supernatural is alive in the Buddhist world. Ghosts and spirits, which the religion often describes as living out the consequences of past actions, wander the world imbued with the capacity for either great kindness or terrible wickedness.
Art historian Robert DeCaroli tells the stories of the hungry ghosts, demons, and nature spirits who have haunted Buddhism since its earliest days. He reveals their contributions to Buddhism’s development and shares examples from art and literature drawn from across Asia.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Lost and Found
A
Rediscovered Masterpiece Blooms at the National Gallery of Art
In 1783, a gorgeous still-life of flowers and fruit was displayed at the prestigious Salon in Paris by one of its few female members, Anne VallayerCoster. She kept Still Life with Flowers in an Alabaster Vase and Fruit, despite receiving many offers for it, and her husband held onto it after her death. But the painting disappeared after he died in 1824.
Still Life with Flowers in an Alabaster Vase and Fruit by Anne Vallayer-Coster, 1783
Happily, Still Life with Flowers in an Alabaster Vase and Fruit was rediscovered in 2022 and now is at the National Gallery of Art (NGA). Aaron Wile, NGA associate curator of French painting, explores this work’s fascinating story and Vallayer-Coster’s life.
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Enduring Themes in Western Art
Over the centuries, major themes in art continue to appear and reappear. Portraiture, landscapes, religious images, and the human figure are a few notable examples of areas that artists have interpreted in styles ranging from the naturalistic to the surreal. Art historian Joseph Cassar examines important masterworks within these genres, offering new ways to understand and appreciate their similarities as well as the uniqueness of the artists and the cultural norms that influenced them.
4-session series: Wed., Oct. 9–30, 10:30 a.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1K0-504; Members $100; Nonmembers $110
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
French Fortresses and Fantasies
Châteaux of the Loire Valley
From forbidding fortresses to charming châteaux and castles, the splendid structures of the Loire Valley reflect lives of opulence and intrigue. Medieval fortresses built for defense with moats and towers gradually gave way to Renaissance pleasure palaces. Sumptuous elegance, not comfort, was the primary design principle of the châteaux. Ornamented with paintings and sculptures and surrounded by reflecting pools and perfectly manicured gardens, they make the mansions of today’s rich and famous seem austere by comparison.
Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton showcases these historic places and sets them in the context of French history.
2-session series: Sat., Oct. 19 and 26, 1:30–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1D0066; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
The Bhavachakra (Wheel of Life) symbolically represents realms of existence, including that of the “hungry ghost”
La Grande Odalisque by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1814
Gardens of the Château de Villandry
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Medieval History Through Artists’ Eyes
Explore the art and architecture of the Middle Ages through four transformational moments in history. Dazzling early Christian mosaics, sumptuous Carolingian illuminated manuscripts, sculpted Romanesque church facades, and soaring Gothic cathedrals give artistic expression to an astonishing variety of beliefs and practices, as well as reflect a unified purpose to lead the human spirit toward a vision of eternal life.
Independent art historian Judy Scott Feldman examines the art of the thousand-year period between classical antiquity and the Renaissance and its relationship to a diverse society infused with faith and spirituality.
Sat., Nov. 2, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1L0-605; Members $100; Nonmembers $120
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Eve as Artist
A History of Women Artists in the Western World
There have been successful professional women artists in the Western world since the time of the ancient Greeks. Yet many of their names were lost and their works misattributed for centuries until the modern women’s movement sparked scholarly and popular interest in these remarkable individuals, with painters such as Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Frida Kahlo reaching the status of international icons.
But these modern superstars didn’t evolve within a vacuum: They descended from the centuries of celebrated artists who form the basis of a wide-ranging examination by art historian Nancy G. Heller In a richly illustrated series, she traces the history of European and American women artists from the late 16th century to 1950. She addresses the socioeconomic, political, and aesthetic significance of their work, placing the women’s lives and art within the context of their male contemporaries.
5-session series: Thurs., Nov. 7–Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m. (no class Nov. 28); detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2350; Members $110; Nonmembers $130
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The 10 Greatest Photographs of All Time
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce exposed the first photograph in 1826. Now, thanks to smartphone technology, more photographs are made each day than were taken in the history of the world before the start of the 21st century. Historian Clay Jenkinson has chosen 10 magnificent images to explore how great photographs epitomize a moment or an era, capture an extraordinary event, provide a window into the human condition, or fill us with appreciation and wonder.
Jenkinson tells the backstory of each photograph, covering who took it, when, under what circumstances, what has happened in the aftermath, and what influence the image has had on the world. He also reveals some of his runners-up and honorable mentions in assembling his top 10. Audience members are encouraged to nominate their own favorites to add to the discussion.
The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien by ÉlisabethLouise Vigée Le Brun, 1787
Lunch Atop a Skyscraper by Charles Clyde Ebbets, 1932
Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, medieval illuminated manuscript (detail)
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Artist’s Palette Insights into Painterly Genius
Just as writers use a pen to articulate their thoughts on paper and a musician employs an instrument to convey melodies and harmonies, artists use their palette as a vehicle for expressing their creative vision. Art historian Alexandra Loske explores this symbiotic relationship, pairing artists’ palettes with their masterpieces to unveil fresh perspectives on their creative journey, individual tastes, and the historical context shaping their artistry.
Loske explores the studios of creators such as Rembrandt, John Singer Sargent, Vincent van Gogh, Helen Frankenthaler, and others, revealing the reflections of their lives imbued within their materials—and how behind every great painting there’s a palette that tells its story.
Loske’s book The Artist’s Palette (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
The Arts and Crafts Movement
Humanity, Simplicity, Beauty
The Arts and Crafts Movement was a dominant influence in visual and decorative arts and architecture in the decades leading up to and after the turn of the 20th century. Growing out of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Aesthetic movements in England, it offered an artistic and philosophical reaction to the florid, overdecorated, and industrialized designs of the high-Victorian era.
William Morris’s pronouncements on beauty, utility, nature, and the joy of handcraftsmanship guided the movement’s artists. Rejecting machine work as deadening to workers and mass-produced commercial goods as aesthetically inferior, Morris revived many craft arts such as tapestry and bookmaking. Across the Atlantic, the Arts and Crafts philosophy challenged the opulence and crassness of America’s Gilded Age and influenced a new generation of creators. Art historian Bonita Billman explores the rich flowering and legacy of a movement whose influence is still felt.
Sat., Nov. 16, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1M2-352; Members $100; Nonmembers $120 Cabinet, 1904, designed by
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Creative World of David Hockney
Over his long and continuing career, British artist David Hockney’s style and subject matter have mostly remained consistent and recognizable: charming portraits, landscapes, and interior scenes rendered in pure, vibrant colors. But he has demonstrated an amazing range and willingness to experiment with media. Hockney is a painter, draftsman, printmaker, photographer, and designer of stage sets and costumes and in recent years has worked in digital media.
Art critic and adviser Judy Pomeranz offers a lavish exploration of Hockney’s remarkable career and examines how his personal life has informed the wonderfully intimate portrayals of people and places he has loved.
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.
Camille Pissarro, The Artist's Palette with a Landscape, ca. 1878–1880
Stickley Brothers
David Hockney at the Royal Academy, 2012
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Written Word in Islamic Arts
The traditional Islamic arts have incorporated calligraphy, the art of beautifying the word, for 14 centuries. Considered a noble practice, Muslim calligraphers developed an art of the highest level that continues to be part of the work of contemporary artists. Museum consultant Sabiha Al Khemir discusses how calligraphy occupies a central place in Islamic arts through examples from across media, time, and place. She covers the various facets of calligraphy in form and content from the sacred to the secular, highlighting its aesthetic, symbolic, and metaphysical dimensions and demonstrating the ways in which it carries a profound cultural significance.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Influence of Japanese Art on Western Aesthetics
Following isolationist Japan’s resumption of wider trade and diplomatic relations with the West in the 1850s, international expositions alerted Western artists and collectors to the exquisite craftsmanship of Japanese porcelains, bronzes, silks, embroideries, and lacquerware. These artworks were deeply admired by Europeans and Americans, inspiring a cult of emulation in the West. The resulting era of the “Japan craze” lasted from the late 1870s to the early 1910s.
Former curator Nancy Green discusses the influence of Japanese aesthetics on avant-garde painting and printmaking, in fashionable ceramics and metalwork, and on graphic design, advertising, bookbinding, and illustration.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Understanding Olana Frederic Church and the Idea of Place
Frederic Church was America’s preeminent landscape artist of the 19th century, whose “great paintings” of the 1850s and 1860s—Niagara, Heart of the Andes, and Icebergs—achieved international acclaim. Beginning in 1860, he spent 40 years creating Olana in Hudson, New York, a 250-acre designed landscape in which his family residence and farm were sited and whose panoramic views of the Hudson River Valley and Catskills are integral elements.
Carolyn Keogh, director of education and public programs at the Olana Partnership, leads a detailed exploration of the life, career, and inspirations that motivated Church to create this masterwork. She offers new ways of understanding Olana and Church’s relationship with the Hudson Valley and considers how he and other artists were deeply inspired by the idea of place.
Tues., Nov. 19, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1NV-110; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Art in Motion
Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock revolutionized modern art with his pioneering style of Action Painting, renowned for its explosive physicality and spontaneous, sweeping gestures that earned him the nickname “Jack the Dripper.” His work created expansive, nonfigurative webs of color that left an indelible mark on the art world. Despite his triumphs, Pollock faced personal demons including emotional turmoil and alcoholism, with his life tragically ending in a car crash at age 44.
Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton delves into Pollock’s life and enduring influence, exploring how he and his contemporaries challenged artistic conventions to open new avenues for abstraction and creative expression that continue to resonate in contemporary art.
Frederic Church’s painting supplies on view at Olana
Floor of Jackson Pollock’s studio, Pollock-Krasner House, East Hampton, New York
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Religious Paintings of Jacopo Tintoretto Dynamism and Devotion
Unlike other great painters of 16th-century Venice such as Titian and Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Tintoretto was born and bred in the lagoon city. A considerable number of his works remain there to this day in the churches, confraternity buildings, and palaces for which they were commissioned.
Known for his bold, dynamic style and swift working methods, Tintoretto created striking paintings of religious narratives that are characterized by dramatic chiaroscuro, expressive brushwork, and astute compositional choices. Art historian Sophia D’Addio explores a selection of these sacred works, located in such beautiful settings as the Church of the Madonna dell’Orto, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and San Giorgio Maggiore.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Sistine Chapel
A Ceiling That Changed the Course of Art
The Sistine Chapel’s walls were originally covered with frescoes by leading artists. This changed when Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint its ceiling. Using the human body in all its configurations, his frescoes reflected the extraordinary moment after the voyage of Columbus when the world was moving from a parochial viewpoint to a more global perspective.
From the spark of life given to Adam and Eve to the Last Judgment, Michelangelo blazed a path toward a secularism despite the chapel’s religious themes. Art historian Liz Lev examines the evolution of the ceiling art of the Sistine Chapel, a work so astounding it changed the course of Western art.
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Music and the Visual Arts in the Early Modern Era
One of the longstanding traditions in the visual culture of the West is that of the competition among different kinds of arts—whether painting and sculpture, or painting and poetry. Within this context, painting was often perceived as a sister art of music, though typically occupying a somewhat lower place in the hierarchy.
Nonetheless, throughout the Early Modern era, painters used musical motifs in their works to give their paintings a “voice” and convey a sense of beauty and harmony comparable to those qualities in musical compositions. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine explores this relationship as it evolved between the 15th and the 17th centuries in Italy and Northern Europe, as seen in the works of artists including Piero della Francesca, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel, Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Johannes Vermeer.
4-session series: Mon., Nov. 25–Dec. 16, 12 p.m.; detailed program information on website; CODE 1K0-530; Members $100; Nonmembers $120
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A section of the Sistine Chapel ceiling
The Musicians by Caravaggio, 1597
The Last Supper (detail) by Jacopo Tintoretto at Scuola Grande di San Rocco Venice
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.
ART THEORY AND PRACTICE
Art Journaling for Self-Expression
After being guided through mindfulness activities, delve into emphasizing process over product and play over perfection. This class is grounded in both creative theory and therapeutic principles that deepen your relationship with yourself as an artist and as a person.
By Carter Umhau
IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 8–29, 10:30 a.m.; Carter Umhau; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PV; Members $145; Nonmembers $160
CLASS
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit
Composition Studies in the Museum
Take what you know and apply it in a museum as you study and dissect works of art in the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s anniversary show, “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860-1960.” Further examine the fundamental concepts of composition as you analyze and appreciate visual art. This is a companion class to Composition Studies.
Installation view of “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960”
IN PERSON: Mon., Oct. 28, 10 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; CODE 1E0-0LP; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
Related program: The Hirshhorn at 50 (see p. 33)
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.
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NEW CLASS
Museum Discoveries
Drawing Sculptures at the Hirshhorn
Discover the sculptures of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in this artful treasure hunt. Practice your observation and sketching skills alongside other participants while you are surrounded by modern and contemporary artworks.
IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 14, 10:15 a.m.; Renee Sandell; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; CODE 1E0-0HF; Members $110; Nonmembers $125
Student artwork
Beginning Drawing
This course teaches the basic skills needed for a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; George Tkabladze; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0NP; Members $275; Nonmembers $310
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; warmup exercises, critiques, and demonstrations are included.
IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 2 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; George Tkabladze, Ripley Center; CODE 1E00NQ; Members $280; Nonmembers $315
By George Tkabladze
NEW
IN PERSON
Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain
Take this drawing fundamentals class as your first step in learning to draw. You learn to translate that stunning image in your mind or what you see in front of you onto paper, building a strong foundation for your drawing or painting practice.
IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 9–Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 27; Shahin Talishkhan; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PE; Members $275; Nonmembers $310
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit Introduction
to Pastels and Graphite
Cézanne-Inspired
Still-Life Compositions
The vibrant medium of pastel was a favorite of Impressionist artists because of its luminosity and color layering effects. Explore combining the use of graphite with pastels in this course that includes demonstrations and lectures on color theory, color mixing, optical mixing, and composition. For inspiration, works by Cézanne are viewed and discussed.
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Intermediate Oil Painting
Expand on your technical background and grow your practice as an oil painter. This class provides students with the opportunity to work on personal projects, set up a still-life arrangement, and explore figure painting from a live model. Unfurl your style with support and feedback from the instructor.
IN PERSON: Sun., Oct. 20 and Nov. 3, 11 a.m.; Sandra Gobar; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0ML; Members $115; Nonmembers $140
IN PERSON: Sat., Oct. 19–Nov. 23, 10:15 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0LW; Members $280; Nonmembers $315
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.
IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 9–Dec. 4, 2:30 p.m., no class Nov. 27; Shahin Talishkhan; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PF; Members $275; Nonmembers $310
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.
IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 9–30, 11:30 a.m.; Lubna Zahid; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PR; Members $165; Nonmembers $190
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
En Plein Air Landscape Drawing and Painting in the United States Botanic Garden
Using watercolors and graphite, capture the nuances of the light and flora at the beautiful United States Botanic Garden. This intensive landscape painting experience focuses on helping you see the gardens through Cézanne’s eyes and develop your own Post-Impressionist interpretation.
IN PERSON: Sun., Nov. 10 and 17, 11 a.m.; Sandra Gobar; U.S. Botanic Garden; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0MQ; Members $115; Nonmembers $140
Still Life with Apples and Peaches by Paul Cézanne, 1905
NEW CLASS
By Shahin Talishkhan
By Lubna Zahid
By Sandra Gobar
IN PERSON
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Fundamentals of Abstract Collage
Collage is an amazingly versatile art form. In this beginner-level course, learn about tools, adhesives, materials, and appropriate bases for supporting a collage. Make different papers using common materials and discover how image transfers and 3D embellishments can be applied.
By Sharon Robinson
IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 9–Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 13; Sharon Robinson; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PH; Members $165; Nonmembers $190
By Sharon Robinson
Holiday Keepsake Ornaments
Mixed Media Remix
Rev up your collage and mixedmedia experience and incorporate dimension into your artwork with an expanded repertoire of materials and techniques.
IN PERSON: Sat., Oct. 19–Nov. 9, 1 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0LS; Members $165; Nonmembers $190
Create small hanging artworks that can be individualized in many ways to fit any giftgiving occasion. These ornaments begin with miniature canvases as the base and are decorated with papers, paint, ribbon, cord, found objects, beads, and other materials.
IN PERSON: Sun., Nov. 24, 12 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0MS; Members $75; Nonmembers $90
By Sharon Robinson
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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. 9–Nov. 6, 1:30 p.m.; Susana Romero; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PJ; Members $195; Nonmembers $230
NEW CLASSES
By Renate Maile-Moskowitz
By Susana Romero
Painting with Wool
Use your knowledge of the principles of art and design as you create compositions, blend colors, and form shadows to evoke realistic or abstract painted images with felt. Play with the possibilities of felt to create 3D and relief effects.
IN PERSON: Sat., Sept. 7 and Sun., Sept. 8, 10:30 a.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EU; Members $185; Nonmembers $210
Felted Scarf Duo
Burnout Velvet
Keep yourself or a loved one warm with a soft velvet and felted scarf. Create stunning texture and translucence with burnout, or devoré (from the French word meaning to devour).
IN PERSON: Sat., Nov. 23 and Sun., Nov. 24, 10:15 a.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PW; Members $185; Nonmembers $210
By Renate Maile–Moscowitz
Knitting Mittens and Gloves
Learn the skills you need to craft a pair of mittens or gloves to keep the winter’s cold at bay. The instructor covers knitting in the round; increases; using markers, such as holders and counters; and how to knit thumbs and fingers. In class, make a small sample mitten for a child or as a decoration.
IN PERSON: Sun., Nov. 3–17, 10:15 a.m.; Ann Richards; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0MP; Members $115; Nonmembers $140
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By George Tkabladze
Figure Sculpture
Learn clay techniques and gain an understanding of the human body, gestures, and expressions as you sculpt a portrait, torso, or full-figure piece by working from life. Focus on tool use, armatures, anatomy, and proportion and explore individual style.
IN PERSON: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 6 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; George Tkabladze; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0NR; Members $315; Nonmembers $350
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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.
TWO IN-PERSON OPTIONS: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26 (CODE 1E0-0NL); Wed., Oct. 9–Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 27 (CODE 1E00NZ); Andargé Asfaw; Ripley Center; Members $245; Nonmembers $280
By Andargé Asfaw
The Photo Essay
Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tells a story or evokes a series of emotions. Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their personal interests.
IN PERSON
IN PERSON: Wed., Oct. 16 and Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0PL; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
By Eliot Cohen
Photographing with Your DSLR or Mirrorless Camera
Take more control of your camera by getting out of auto settings and learning about the role of ISO and how to best use your shutter and aperture priority modes. Learn how to influence depth of field for aesthetic purposes. The instructor helps students with camera set-up.
IN PERSON: Sun., Oct. 20, 10:15 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0MH; Members $225; Nonmembers $250
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. 20–Dec. 8, 1:45 p.m., no class Oct. 27 and Dec. 1; Joe Yablonsky; Ripley Center; CODE 1E00MJ; Members $195; Nonmembers $230
Support lifelong learning at Smithsonian Associates
By Joe Yablonsky
Please help us in presenting vibrant educational programs by making a charitable contribution today. Your gift is essential because Smithsonian Associates relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and registration revenue. SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels
NEW CLASS
ONLINE
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Online classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors.
ART THEORY AND PRACTICE
Curating a Life: Art as Memoir
Keep a visual-thinking journal as you learn to see like an artist and create works of art that are personally meaningful. Then 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: Wed., Oct. 9–Nov. 20, 3:30 p.m., no class Oct. 30; Renee Sandell; CODE 1E0-0PD; Members $225; Nonmembers $260
Color Theory and Practice
By Theresa Otteson
By Renee Sandell
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.
In an afternoon of artistic experimentation designed to strengthen creative muscles and deepen skills in visual expression, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Composition Studies
This 2-session course focuses on the essential concepts of composition and how to apply them to studio art practice. In addition, the instructor prompts participants to visit a museum during the week between sessions (see related class Composition Studies in the Museum, p. 41).
ONLINE: Mon., Oct. 21 and Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; CODE 1E0-0LK; Members $85; Nonmembers $105
Hues in Harmony
Color Mixing and Maximizing Your Palette
Refamiliarize yourself with the fundamentals of color theory while learning a new approach to mixing color. Gain a deeper understanding of complementary color relationships so that you can more intuitively mix colors and harness color harmonies to better express depth as well as the contrast between light and shadow.
By Nick Cruz Velleman
ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 29–Dec. 10, 1:30 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0NX; Members $190; Nonmembers $225
Creative Mind Mapping
Take your ideas from banal to beautiful by learning how to create mind maps worthy of framing. Choose from three styles to illustrate your thoughts and goals.
ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 7 and 14, 6 p.m.; Mïa Vollkommer; CODE 1E0-0NG; Members $80; Nonmembers $105 By Mïa Vollkommer
Installation view of “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960”
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Complete Colored Pencils
Colored pencil, an often-overlooked dry medium, is coming into its own. Whether used in fine art or illustration, colored pencils can enliven work with rich, vibrant color and a dizzying range of effects. Learn basic to intermediate methods and strategies.
By Lori VanKirk Schue
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 17 and 24, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; CODE 1E0-0MY; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
Keeping up the Sketchbook Habit
By Sue Fierston
Jump-start your creative ideas by enriching your sketchbooking with new techniques. Learn how to map your day, get creative with colored pencil on mid-tone kraft paper, and draw one object over several weeks.
ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 19, Nov. 9, and Dec. 7, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; CODE 1E0-0LX; Members $165; Nonmembers $190
Digital Drawing Fundamentals
Learn to use the iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate for illustration and animation. With this minimal toolset, artists can create a wide range of visuals. Students get an introductory lecture on the basics of digital art production, demonstrations, and experience drawing in Procreate on an iPad.
By Mike O’Brien
ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 19, 1 p.m.; Mike O’Brien; CODE 1E0-0LY; Members $55; Nonmembers $70
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.
Beginning Drawing
This course teaches the basic skills needed for a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
ONLINE: Sun., Oct. 20–Dec. 15, 10:15 a.m., no class Dec. 1; Josh Highter; CODE 1E0-0MK; Members $260; Nonmembers $295
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Drawing Light and How
the Masters Did It
Learn the strategies Rembrandt, Daumier, Cézanne, and Vermeer used to harness light in their images. Participants investigate how these masters manipulated light to unify, intensify, and give dimension to their images. In-class exercises focus on using graphite to draw studies of masterworks.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 31–Dec. 12, 1:30 p.m., no class Nov. 28; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0NE; Members $225; Nonmembers $260
Digital Drawing: Advanced Techniques
Procreate for iPad contains powerful features that can be intimidating. This 3-hour workshop guides students on how to use advanced techniques in the software to create an animated photo illustration.
ONLINE: Wed., Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m.; Mike O’Brien; CODE 1E00PS; Members $60; Nonmembers $75
By Mike O’Brien
NEW CLASS
By Nick Cruz Velleman
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Mark of van Gogh
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By Nick Cruz Velleman
This introduction to Vincent van Gogh’s accomplishments in drawing pays particular attention to his unique and instantly recognizable touch. Participants investigate how his imaginative mark making forms his images. In-class exercises revolve around drawing studies of his masterworks to develop students’ own mark making and vocabulary of stroke.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 31–Dec. 5, 10 a.m., no class Nov. 28; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0ND; Members $190; Nonmembers $225
Artwork on Toned Paper
Bring your drawings to life by controlling subtle nuances of tone with a careful selection of the surface on which you are working. Learn how to observe negative and positive space and then describe a form on toned paper using contour line and highlights.
ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 14 and 21, 1 p.m.; Lori Vankirk Schue; CODE 1E0-0NH; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
Drawing with Chalk Pastels
Learn how to work with chalk pastels to create dynamic artworks in any genre. Demonstrations of techniques are the main focus, along with the history and versatility of the medium. Students work in their favorite genre: portrait, still life, abstract, or landscape.
ONLINE: Thurs., Dec. 5 and 12, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; CODE 1E0-0NK; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
Landscape Elements in Watercolor
Capture the atmosphere and beauty of a scene in your watercolor landscape by gaining confidence in your ability to paint important natural elements. Demonstrations and exercises introduce techniques to create flowing landscapes.
SOLD OUT
By Lubna Zahid
ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 5 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; Lubna Zahid; CODE 1E0-0NV; Members $275; Nonmembers $310
Introduction to Watercolor
Beginning students explore watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.
ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 10, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; Josh Highter; CODE 1E0-0NS; Members $260; Nonmembers $295
Simply Start Painting Watercolors
The limitless creative possibilities of watercolor can be a bit intimidating for beginning students. In this series, focus on the basics with methods that narrow parameters. Learn what supplies make all the difference and how to manipulate your brush to create flowing lines.
Begin your watercolor journey by coming to understand color and trying the simple techniques that help you use this magical art material. Prepare yourself for success with the correct supplies in combination with fun guided practice that explains the methods used to paint portraits, landscapes, and still-life arrangements.
Through various exercises, students gain mastery over their technique, tools, and use of color while experimenting with mixed-media additions of their choice. Students work to develop their own visual language while formulating a focused idea for a cohesive series, which is worked on during the course of the class.
After painting in enchanting Giverny during the summer, the instructor shares her passion for the idyllic scenery painted by many of the Impressionists. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or an experienced beginner, come on this colorful journey to create your own watercolor painting inspired by Monet’s legacy.
ONLINE: Tues., Nov. 12 and Wed., Nov. 13, 6 p.m.; Cindy Briggs; CODE 1E0-0NY; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
Watercolor Celebrations
Paint a Holiday Centerpiece
Craft your own stunning holiday centerpiece in watercolor. Using traditional elements such as pine cones, ornaments, berries, and poinsettias, bring your vision to life on paper in expressive, flowing colors.
By Cindy Briggs
ONLINE: Wed., Dec. 4 and Thurs., Dec. 5, 6 p.m.; Cindy Briggs; CODE 1E0-0PU; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
Painting Vintage Flora
Before photography was available, botanical illustration was the only way of visually recording plant life. This class walks you through the process of capturing the essence of beautiful florals through the wet-in-wet method.
Spend the day learning to capture your travels with flowing lines and painterly colors. Discover how to simplify a scene and to compose and draw more organically and confidently. This technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.
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. 16–Nov. 20, 7 p.m.; Eric Westbrook; CODE 1E0-0PM; Members $225; Nonmembers $260
World
Art
History
Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit Drawing Light How the Masters Did It in Color
Using watercolor, learn the strategies Delacroix, Turner, Monet, and Cézanne employed to manipulate the viewer’s experience of light in their images. In-class exercises focus on making studies of masterworks to create similar luminous effects.
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MIXED MEDIA
Exploring Abstraction
By Delna Dastur
SOLD OUT
Explore the basis of abstraction by studying color, line, and shape as they relate to composition. Learn to create exciting, innovative works of art using drawing, painting, and collage exercises designed to examine nontraditional ways of handling traditional materials and subject matter.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 10–Dec. 5, 12 p.m., no class Nov. 28; Delna Dastur; CODE 1E00MU; Members $260; Nonmembers $295
Altered Books
Create your own story as you learn to upcycle book pages as surfaces for drawing, painting, and collage using gelatin plate prints, textures, photo transfers, drawing, painting, and text redaction.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 17–Dec. 12, 1:30 p.m., no class Nov. 28; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; CODE 1E0-0NA; Members $250; Nonmembers $285
By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard
ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 30–Dec. 11, 1:30 p.m., no class Nov. 27; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0PP; Members $225; Nonmembers $260
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Sketching Turner Expressing Atmosphere and Skies in Watercolor
This course is an introduction to J.M.W. Turner’s vast achievements in watercolor, with particular attention to his manner of expressing light and atmosphere. In-class exercises revolve around making studies of his masterworks with an emphasis on creating cohesive sketches, not replicas.
SOLD OUT
ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 30–Dec. 4, 10 a.m., no class Nov. 27; Nick Cruz Velleman; CODE 1E0-0PN; Members $190; Nonmembers $225
Collage and Mixed Media
By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard
Students are introduced to the materials, tools, and technologies used in collage and assemblage. They explore the use of text, images, texture, and natural and found objects as they create collage, mixed-media, or assemblage projects.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 17–Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 28; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; CODE 1E0-0NB; Members $250; Nonmembers $285
By Eric Westbrook
By Nick Cruz Velleman
By Nick Cruz Velleman
By Sughra Hussainy
Drawing and Stitching Afghan Geometric Design
Take a stunning geometric design and first paint it in watercolor, then recreate it in cross-stitch in dark blue, turquoise, and white.
Art warmups enable students to jump right into their projects knowing there are no wrong answers. Students work with positive and negative space, do quick sketches, go beyond the color wheel, and use mixed-media techniques to build layers and texture.
Breathe new life into your unfinished or “failed” collages or paintings. Find ways to infuse interest and create a variety of compositions to change the look and feel of your pieces.
Create an indoor garden to keep your home colorful during the winter season. Craft a crimson amaryllis’s stamen, petals, leaves, and bulb using crepe paper. Leave class ready to complete several more realistic amaryllis plants out of delicate paper.
This year, send friends and family bespoke holiday cards. Learn tips and see demonstrations of techniques for creating elegant greetings that will be keepsakes long after the season ends. You receive almost all the supplies you need to craft at least 20 cards.
Create four different fancy-fold cards sure to impress any recipient. Fancy folds look challenging, but this workshop walks you through all the steps. Detailed instructions provide you with everything you need to create fancy folds on your own after the class.
In this introduction to freestyle hand embroidery, a style in which the stitches are applied freely, students learn how to select and prepare fabric using a simple design, ready their hoop, and begin stitching.
View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/art instructors
In-person Classes are taught by professional artists and teachers.
By Karen Cadogan
By Heather Kerley
Beginning Tapestry Weaving
By Tea
Dip your toe into the world of weaving as you learn 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 creating horizontal stripes, vertical lines, irregular shapes, shading, and contour.
ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 8–Dec. 3, 6 p.m., no class Nov. 5 and 26; Tea Okropiridze; CODE 1E0-0PK; Members $195; Nonmembers $230
NEW CLASS
Weave a Houndstooth Scarf
Jump on your loom and learn how to weave a houndstooth scarf just in time for the fall season. Experiment with techniques and explore color options to construct your custom woven piece.
ONLINE: Wed., Sept. 11 and Thurs., Sept. 12, 10 a.m.; Tea Okropiridze; CODE 1E0-0HK; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
By Tea Okropiridze
By Heather Kerley
Abstract Embroidery
Learn to apply the principles of abstract art to making embroidery. Develop a freeflowing approach to embroidery that emphasizes form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition, and process.
Break down the basics of handmade bobbin lace, an art form that originated in the 16th century. You learn to wind bobbins and follow patterns, constructing four small bobbin lace projects using colored threads to make it easier to see what is happening.
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. Stitching may be done by hand or machine.
Whether you know how to knit a scarf but not much more, used to knit but now feel rusty, or are confident in your beginning knitting skills but want to make sure you’re ready for an intermediate class or project, this workshop is for you. Learn several ways to accomplish basic techniques, including casting on, knitting and purling, binding off, increasing and decreasing, and basic finishing skills.
ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 26–Nov. 2, 12 p.m.; Ann Richards; CODE 1E00LZ; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
Okropiridze
Make a Labyrinth Quilt
Embark on a maker’s journey as you create a labyrinth quilt modeled after an ancient convoluted circular path. Explore a selection of materials, create a reusable pattern, practice handwork techniques for couching and quilting, and learn finishing and installation techniques.
The beautiful decorations of religious and secular manuscripts are centuries-old Islamic traditions. Learn the elements of gold-leaf manuscript illumination in the Afghan tradition.
Explore the meeting of traditional and nontraditional mosaic materials while learning design and composition theories. Working with a theme of the face, combine mosaic and assemblage using some of that stuff you simply have not been able to part with.
Explore the spectrum of floral design. Among the practical areas covered are sourcing (with a focus on sustainability), making the most of seasonal flowers, creating centerpieces, wiring techniques, and photographing your work. The class is designed for students of all levels.
By Arrin Sutliff
ONLINE: Wed., Oct. 9–Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.; Arrin Sutliff; CODE 1E0-0PA; Members $160; Nonmembers $195
Introduction to Beading
Learn to create handcrafted jewelry. This class covers the basics of techniques, along with the names and uses for common hand tools, wire, stringing materials, and findings. The experience is perfect for students new to jewelry making and for those with experience who want to refresh their skills.
Explore the Japanese art of takuga, the intersection between printmaking and watercolor. Use sumi or block printing ink to handprint leaves, flowers, or vegetables. You leave this workshop with many colorful prints in the takuga style, ready for framing or sending as a greeting card.
ONLINE: Sat., Nov. 2, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; CODE 1E0-0MB; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
Wirework Intensive: Creative Chains
Learn to create three different chain designs using wireworking, forming, and texturing. Wire fusing is also demonstrated. You leave with a necklace-length piece incorporating all three designs or a bracelet-length chain in a single design.
Learn important design principles for jewelry makers such as use of color, creating visual texture and balance, and managing proportion. A “design challenge” is offered for students to complete between the first and second class meetings.
ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 28; Mïa Vollkommer; CODE 1E0-0NJ; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
Modern Evergreen Wreath
Just in time for the holidays, create a modern wreath design with fresh evergreens on a metal hoop. Using a method similar to floral arrangement, combine local textures, shapes, and colors in your design. Many styles of wreaths, and even garlands, are possible with the wiring techniques covered in class.
ONLINE: Wed., Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.; Arrin Sutliff; CODE 1E0-0PT; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
By Arrin Sutliff
Introduction to White-Line Woodblock Printing
By
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: Sun., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; CODE 1E0-0MG; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
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Photographing Industrial Items
Learn the camera controls, composition, and lighting considerations to achieve artful images of items such as brickwork, apartment or office buzzers, call boxes, and vintage signage. Working knowledge of your camera is required, along with willingness to see the mundane as magnificent.
ONLINE: Thurs., Sept. 5 and 12, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0HM; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Cyanotype: Hands-On History of Photography
Delve into the history of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue and white print, and create your own cyanotype in this unique studio arts class.
ONLINE: Sat., Sept. 7 and 14, 12 p.m.; Patricia Howard; CODE 1E0-0HJ; Members $80; Nonmembers $105 By Patricia Howard
By Joe Yablonsky
By Mïa Vollkommer
NEW CLASS
Sue Fierston
By Mïa Vollkommer
Geometric Shapes, Pattern, Repetition, and Lines
By Joe Yablonsky
If you are drawn to photos that include spirals, grids, and other shapes, this is the class for you. The first session discusses appropriate camera controls and time-of-day recommendations for several locations. Take what you learned to the streets and photograph these items in the field. The second session is a photo review.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 10 and 17, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0MV; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
Legendary Creatures, Mythological Beasts, and More
By Joe Yablonsky
Gargoyles, sea serpents, winged horses, griffins, and sphinxes abound as architectural details and public sculpture in Washington, D.C. The first session recommends the best time of day to photograph some of them and teaches you how to do “ghost” photography using slow shutter speeds and camera controls. Between sessions, go on a search for your favorite bizarre statues, sculptures, and architectural features. The second session is a photo review of your spooky shots.
ONLINE: Thurs., Oct. 24 and 31, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0NC; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
The Joy of Photography
Designed for beginners who want to learn how to use their digital or mirrorless camera as a creative tool, this class gives students the opportunity to learn about technical aspects of photography so they can concentrate on composing beautiful images.
ONLINE: Tues., Oct. 8–Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., no class Nov. 5; Marty Kaplan; CODE 1E0-0NW; Members $185; Nonmembers $220
By Joe Yablonsky
Night Photography in Washington, D.C.
Online, learn the techniques required to capture great nighttime photos, including how to use exposure modes, exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO. For the second session, meet in the field to photograph the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial.
ONLINE: Thurs., Nov. 7 and 14, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0NF; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit The
Camera Obscura: Hands-On History of Photography
Learn exactly what a camera obscura is and how this simple technique once used by da Vinci and Vermeer works. Find out about the beginnings of the camera obscura and its creation of images and then make your own “dark chamber.”
Learn how to create powerful blackand-white images. Discover how to previsualize black-and-white images; compose scenes emphasizing texture, line, and contrast; and use software such as Lightroom Classic and Silver Efex Pro.
ONLINE: Sat., Oct. 26–Nov. 16, 1:30 p.m.; Lewis Katz; CODE 1E0-0NT; Members $125; Nonmembers $150
By Lewis Katz
Camera obscura illustration from Reiner Gemma Frisius’ De Radio Astronomica et Geometrica, 1545
Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer one-of-a-kind in-person experiences. They’re the perfect way to learn more about the places and topics that fascinate you, and you’re sure to discover plenty of new favorites along the way.
Walking Tour
New Deal Projects
Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the New Deal ignited an unprecedented use of government resources to address crucial public services as a way to kick-start the American economy. But President Franklin Roosevelt said that in a hundred years, his New Deal would be remembered more for its arts than its job relief.
SOLD OUT
Discover landmarks, art, and other still-visible projects from the New Deal period with author David Taylor during a walking tour in Washington, D.C. Begin at Judiciary Square to see the public sculptures and dramatic courthouse bas reliefs there. Highlights along the route include the Henry F. Daly Building, constructed in the Classical Moderne style with the aid of Works Progress Administration (WPA) funds; the Federal Trade Commission Building, which features monumental Art Deco sculptures by WPA artists; and the National Mall and Washington Monument, both of which were renovated during the New Deal period. Conclude at the Department of the Interior for an optional staff-led tour of more than 40 New Deal–era murals, plus several 1941–1942 photomurals by Ansel Adams.
Fri., Sept. 13, 9:30–11:45 a.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CW-B21; Members $45; Nonmembers $55
Tour
Historic Chestertown
With a Cruise on the Schooner Sultana
The Sultana was a Boston-built merchant vessel that served for four years as the smallest schooner in the British Royal Navy. Manned by a 25-person crew, it patrolled the coastline of colonial North America—including the Chesapeake Bay—from 1768 to 1772, enforcing the hated Townsend Acts or “tea taxes.” A 2 1⁄2-hour cruise on a reproduction of the vessel is part of regional historian Hayden Mathews’ full-day exploration of the rich heritage of Chestertown, located in Kent County, the oldest county on the Eastern Shore.
Step aboard the Sultana, one of the most accurate 18th-century replicas in the world, for a vivid picture of working life on the water, including a glimpse at navigational tools and original log books. The cruise also offers an opportunity to learn about the ecology of the area and the importance of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. On land, Chestertown’s former mayor leads a walking tour of the town’s Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes many restored Georgian-style homes.
Sun., Sept. 8, 7:45 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-011; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
Walking Tour
America’s Main Street
The White House and Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue has hosted inaugurations, protests, and parades throughout the history of the United States. But the development of this grand boulevard connecting the Capitol to the White House was fraught with conflict and intrigue. Visit Lafayette Square, walk Pennsylvania Avenue, and learn how this part of downtown Washington went from being Murder Bay to America’s Main Street. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads the tour and discusses the history of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and its neighborhood. Learn how this famous address has changed over the last 220 years. View other buildings along Lafayette Square, including the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and Blair House, and hear about the presidents, politicians, and power players who have lived along this storied block. Then stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue past the imposing facades of the Willard Hotel, Old Post Office Tower, Department of Justice, FBI headquarters, and National Archives.
TWO OPTIONS: Thurs., Sept. 12, 4–6 p.m. (CODE 1CW-A22); Fri., Sept. 13, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-B22); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55
Schooner Sultana
Lafayette Square and the White House
Man Controlling Trade by Michael Lantz, at the Federal Trade Commission Building
Bus
Caverns and Cabernets
A Fall Day in the Shenandoah Valley
Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley has a rich geological heritage, shaped over millions of years of natural history. Gregg Clemmer, an experienced caver, takes you deep into that ancient past at two of the state’s most notable caverns and offers a chance to sample products of the valley’s fertile soil at a visit to a regional vineyard and winery. Begin at Endless Caverns in New Market, where in 1879, a deep hole covered by boulders was found to be the entrance to a 6-mile-long limestone cave at the foot of the Massanutten mountain ridge. A guided tour takes you through its subterranean wonders.
After a picnic boxed lunch, spend the afternoon exploring Shenandoah Caverns, where you descend inside Virginia’s only cave elevator to see the formations that first captivated explorers in 1884: bushlike structures of aragonite crystal bursting from walls and stunning cascades of flowstone mineral deposits suspended from ceilings.
Back above ground, conclude the day with a guided wine tasting at Cave Ridge Winery amid the breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley.
Sat., Sept. 21, 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-043; Members $207; Nonmembers $257; This tour requires a significant amount of walking, standing, and dealing with steps.
Go Behind the Curtain
A Day with DC-Area Theater Makers
Home to a vibrant theater scene, the Washington area offers opportunities for theater lovers to experience world-class productions, from grand-scale to intimate stages. Join local guide Lynn O’Connell for her second tour of the region’s theaters to explore five additional theaters, meeting key players who make the magic happen.
Get the show on the road at the Tony Award–winning Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Artistic director Maria Manuela Goyanes discusses the company’s groundbreaking and boundary-pushing show selections and its community programming.
Head south to another Tony Award winner, Arlington’s Signature Theatre, where artistic director Matthew Gardiner previews what to expect onstage in the coming months. After a boxed lunch at the theater, step onto the set of an upcoming production for a backstage tour and a sneak peek at the performance.
The afternoon kicks off with a tour of Joe’s Movement Emporium, a space for artists to facilitate community-led change in Mount Rainier, Maryland, with executive director Brooke Kidd. At this multidisciplinary arts center, participants get a facility tour, peek into the studios, and see a short performance from one of the resident artist partners. Next, visit GALA Hispanic Theatre and meet with Rebecca Medrano, who founded the theater with her late husband in 1976. Learn about how they built up one of the most well-known Hispanic theaters in the country and their innovative approach to the challenges of setting up a space in Washington, D.C.
The day is a wrap at Spooky Action Theater, where artistic director Elizabeth Dinkova and Gillian Drake, New Works in Action program director, discuss their newest show, Cracking Zeus, at a light reception. Sat., Sept. 28, 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-044; Members $155; Nonmembers $205 Participants who register for this tour by Friday, Sept. 20, receive a complimentary registration for the Monday, Sept. 23, in-person Spotlight on DC’s Stages theater preview (see page 17).
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Rail Excursion and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Strasburg Rail Road locomotive Canadian #89 pulls passenger cars through Lancaster County
A mecca for aficionados of railroad technology and history, Strasburg, Pennsylvania, offers the ideal destination for a tour led by rail historian James Reaves. Featured in the leisurely day are a round-trip steam train excursion through beautiful Lancaster County on the country’s oldest continuously operating railroad and an afternoon at one of America’s finest rail museums.
On arrival in Strasburg, take your seat on the Strasburg Rail Road in a meticulously restored Victorian-style railroad car that provides the perfect vantage point for picturesque views of Amish farms during a 45-minute ride. Step off the train and into the mechanical shop where steam trains are built and refurbished for a tour to learn how the mechanical department has been producing everything from fabricated parts to complete historic restoration for over 50 years.
Spend the afternoon at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which displays more than 100 locomotives and cars from the mid-19th and 20th centuries.
Sat., Oct. 5, 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-045; Members $190; Nonmembers $240
Stories of the First Ladies
From Martha Washington to Jill Biden, each woman who has served in the role of first lady of the United States has a story. During a walking tour of the area around the White House, A Tour of Her Own staff members share a few of these sagas.
The tour begins in Freedom Plaza with a view of the Capitol. Get a glimpse of the Willard Hotel, where first ladies Grace Coolidge and Florence Harding lived. See the exterior of the residence of Dolley Madison, nicknamed the second White House, and learn how Jacqueline Kennedy preserved Lafayette Square from destruction. View the White House from both the north and south gates for a full look at where the first family resides and where the legacy of all the first ladies lives on.
THREE OPTIONS: Sat., Oct. 5, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-A01); Sat., Oct. 12, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-B01); Sun., Oct. 13, 2 p.m.–4 p.m. (CODE 1CW-C01); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55
An Immersion in Nature
Japanese Forest Bathing, Urban Style
Shinrin-yoku (translated as “forest bathing”) began in Japan in the 1980s. Rooted in Shinto and Buddhist traditions of reverence for nature, the practice involves a full sensory immersion in the outdoors. Studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of quiet time spent in nature—including urban landscapes—such as lowered blood pressure and stress hormone levels, as well as improved mood and cognition.
Experience forest bathing as Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a certified nature and forest-therapy guide, leads a 2-hour morning walk in the Enid A. Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Castle, covering its Moongate Garden, Fountain Garden, and Victorian Parterre. This unique and restorative celebration of the beauty of autumn is the perfect way to learn why forest bathing is popular all over the world.
Registrants receive a signed copy of Choukas-Bradley’s book Wild Walking—A Guide to Forest Bathing Through the Seasons (Rock Point).
TWO OPTIONS: Tues., Oct. 8 (CODE 1NS-A01); Wed., Oct. 9 (CODE 1NS-B01); 8:30–10:30 a.m.; detailed tour information on website; Members $60; Nonmembers $85
Walking Tour
Walking Tour
White House, Lafayette Square
Gardens of Norfolk
While Norfolk is known as a city on the water, gardens and greenery are the focus of the day. Horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey leads a tour to a botanical oasis and a historic estate.
The Norfolk Botanical Garden has 60 themed gardens covering 175 acres. Each corner offers a distinctive sensory experience, from the tranquil Japanese Garden to the Margaret Moore Hall Bicentennial Rose Garden bursting with the fragrance and color of more than 300 rose varieties. A guided tram tour provides an overview of the property before you stroll along winding paths adorned with colorful flowers, towering trees, and serene water features. Don’t miss the chance to marvel at the beauty of the Bristow Butterfly Garden, 2 acres of butterfly habitat that attracts and supports butterflies and moths throughout their life cycle.
After lunch, visit the Smithsonian Affiliate Hermitage Museum & Gardens, a historic estate nestled along the Lafayette River. Lush gardens are landscaped in the tradition of an early 20th-century country estate, featuring footpaths, tranquil waterways, and gazebos. A guided walking tour of the grounds and estate introduces the history of the gardens and touches on the many varieties of plants and the Hermitage’s extensive conservation work. Highlights include the Sunken Garden, a secluded retreat surrounded by towering hedges, and the Hermitage Wetlands, which provides a clean, safe habitat for fish and wildlife and supports a variety of native and flowering plants.
Thurs., Oct. 10, 7 a.m.–9:30 p.m., by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-046; Members $218; Nonmembers $268
Autumn Splendor in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve
Spend an autumn day exploring the scenic 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve in Maryland’s Montgomery County, designed to preserve farmland and rural space in the northwestern part of the county. Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a longtime resident of the reserve, serves as guide and introduces some of her favorite places there.
Along the way, hear two remarkable stories of preservation: Gordon Strong’s lifelong mission to save Sugarloaf Mountain from development and keep it open for public enjoyment and education and Montgomery County’s innovative farmland preservation program, which serves as a model for agricultural areas throughout the world.
Visit historic farms and meet farmers who discuss the progressive methods they use to bring produce to local markets. The morning includes visits to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, where you meet both caregivers and animals, and to Kingsbury Orchard. After lunch, visit Morningstar Studio, home to artist Tina Brown, before taking an autumnal walk on one of Montgomery County’s picturesque trails. Wrap up the day at Shepherd’s Hey Farm, known for its longwool sheep, and enjoy local cider, wine, and cheese.
Fri., Oct. 25, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-047; Members $177; Nonmembers $227
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Give the Gif t of Color
Limited-edition prints from the Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program capture brilliant and memorable worlds of color—and make great gifts for all occasions. For details, visit ArtCollectorsProgram.org
*Member pricing applies to Promoter level and above For membership levels visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels
Gazebo and sundial at the Colonial Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden
Preserved agricultural land in the reserve near Sugarloaf Mountain
Bus Tour
Blue Moonlight by April Gornik (detail) Retail: $1200 Members: $950*
The Battle of Second Manassas
In mid-July 1862, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee found that he and his Army of Northern Virginia had to deal with not one but two Federal armies: Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac, which the Confederates had just driven away from Richmond, Virginia, and Maj. Gen. John Pope’s Army of Virginia. Over the next two months, Lee used a calculated strategy to defeat each of the Federal armies, beginning with Pope’s. His strategy ultimately resulted in a return to Bull Run and the Battle of Second Manassas.
The tour begins with a visit to Brawner Farm and Battery Heights, where Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas Stonewall Jackson first fought Federal units on Aug. 28. Next is Sudley Church, near Bull Run, where Pope launched his initial attacks against Jackson during the morning of Aug. 29. Participants spend the rest of the morning visiting several locations along the Unfinished Railroad, where Pope continued to strike Jackson in diversionary attacks throughout Aug. 29.
Following a boxed lunch at the site of Lee’s headquarters on Stuart Hill, stops associated with fighting on Aug. 30, the final day of the battle, include Groveton, the New York Zouave monuments, Chinn Ridge, and Pope’s headquarters on Buck Hill. Civil War tour guide Marc Thompson leads the tour.
Sat., Oct. 26, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-048; Members $133; Nonmembers $183
Sign up for this tour by Oct. 21 to receive a complimentary registration for the Second Manassas online program (p. 10) on Oct. 24.
Alexandria at War
Alexandria, Virginia, was a heavily divided city during the Civil War. Citizens, enslaved people, and Union Army occupiers struggled through four years, nursing the dying and wounded from the front and sheltering emancipated people. The memories of the war still resonate today.
Journalist Chuck Raasch guides you on a tour through the heart of Old Town. Significant points along the way include the scorched walls of the offices of one of the nation’s oldest newspapers; Alexandria National Cemetery, whose interred people represent many aspects of the war; and the site of the war’s first combat death. Other stops include St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where a minister was arrested in the middle of a service, and Freedom House Museum, where enslaved people were jailed and sold before the war.
THREE OPTIONS: Fri., Nov. 1, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (CODE 1CW-A02); Sun., Nov. 3, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (CODE 1CW-B02); Sun., Nov. 3, 1:30–4 p.m. (CODE 1CW-C02); detailed tour information on website; Members $50; Nonmembers $60
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Ancient Wonders at the Penn Museum
Home to over a million objects from around the globe, the Penn Museum bridges the study of archaeology and anthropology. Spend the day immersed in ancient art and culture with art historian Renee Gondek, who offers a lecture on Greek art and ceramics en route to Philadelphia.
A guided tour of the museum gives you a taste of its vast collection and the chance to see Sumerian cuneiform tablets—with some of the world’s oldest writing—Buddhist sculptures, Native American regalia, and monumental Egyptian statues. Don’t miss the Sphinx of Ramses II, which weighs 26,000 pounds and is more than 3,000 years old.
After a catered lunch at the museum, the second tour of the day focuses on the Greek gallery, which represents the history and culture of Greece from 3000 to 31 B.C.E. This collection brings to life objects that Gondek discussed on the way to the museum.
Sat., Nov. 16, 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD049; Members $223; Nonmembers $273
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Brawner Farm House
Tour
Bus Tour
Bus Tour
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Alexandria, Virginia, 1862
Columns from the Palace of Merenptah, 19th Dynasty, in the Lower Egyptian Gallery of the Penn Museum
War and Memory on the National Mall
The words “history” and “memory” mean very different things to scholars: “History” refers to the record of events from the past and “memory” to the process by which groups, institutions, and nations try to make sense of those events.
Monuments are a good example of where these two concepts intersect. They reflect a process of deciding what to commemorate, what the monument should look like, and where it should go. Historians talk about “reading” a monument as a way to learn more about the relationship between the people who erect it and the historical event it pays tribute to. War memorials can be especially fascinating places to practice these thinking skills, and there is no better place in the United States to think about the memory of conflict than on the National Mall. Historian Christopher Hamner leads a day dedicated to four memorials on the Mall. Begin with a Ripley Center lecture on the distinctions between history and memory and an overview of the skills used to read a monument.
After a boxed lunch, head out to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Ulysses S. Grant Memorial for hands-on exploration and discussion of the insights these memorials hold.
Fri., Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-050; Members $106; Nonmembers $156
Holidays at Longwood Gardens
Celebrate the yuletide season at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, during a day that explores a newly reopened conservatory, holiday-themed gardens, and a stunning light display.
“Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience” opens to the public in November. The project is a transformation of 17 acres of conservatories and grounds, including the West Conservatory that blends traditional 19th-century glasshouse styles with new sustainable technologies. The building integrates water inside and out and showcases Mediterranean-inspired gardens amid pools, canals, and fountains in a tapestry-like design. You’ll also discover a refreshed suite of formal outdoor gardens that incorporate vistas of the Brandywine Valley.
Karl Gercens, Longwood’s conservatory manager, leads tours of the tropical Cascade Garden, the Orchid House, and the historic Main Conservatory, highlighting magnificent arrangements that harmonize 19th-century architectural elements with traditional and contemporary garden displays.
After lunch at Longwood’s café, there’s time to relax and explore the grounds on your own. Take in the seasonal splendor of thousands of poinsettias, paperwhites, amaryllis, and other winter blooms and enjoy the holiday garden light display, where strolling carolers and cozy fire pits add to the atmosphere.
Wed., Dec. 4, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; by bus; detailed program information on website; CODE 1ND-013; Members $216; Nonmembers $265
Related program: Longwood Gardens: Still Growing (see p 14)
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
World War ll Memorial and Washington Monument
Holiday decorations at Longwood Gardens, 2023
Bus Tour
Bus Tour
2-Day Tour
Magical Cape May
For over 200 years, Cape May, New Jersey, has welcomed travelers to its boardwalk and 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 and its Victorian elegance during a magical time of year.
Upon arriving in Cape May, enjoy lunch at the Washington Inn, a local landmark constructed in 1846. Afterwards, meet your step-on guide for a tour of Cape May Point at the tip of the peninsula to see the World War II lookout tower and the 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.
Spend time exploring the shops 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 a trolley ride through the town to enjoy the holiday lights and decorations.
SOLD OUT
The next morning, 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, an 18-room mansion designed by American architect Frank Furness and festooned in authentic Victorian holiday decorations, for a guided look inside at period architecture and lifestyle. Built in 1879, the home is one of the best examples of Victorian Stick style in the country.
After lunch at Cold Spring Grange Restaurant, explore Historic Cold Spring Village—the largest open-air living history museum in New Jersey—before returning to Washington, D.C.
Thurs., Dec. 12, 7 a.m.–Fri., Dec. 13, 8 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-CMH; Members $690; Nonmembers $920
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-thescenes 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. A gourmet box lunch is served en route; dinner is on your own during 2 hours of free time after the performance.
Thurs., Dec. 12, 6:45 a.m.–11 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-012; Members $395; Nonmembers $445
Special offer: Register for this tour by Oct. 1 and receive a complimentary registration for the online Radio City Music Hall history program (see p. 26) on Dec. 9.
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Victorian architecture along the promenade in the historic district of Cape May
Bus Tour
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Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•)
Courses, Performances, and Lectures—Multi-Session
Thurs., Sept. 5–26
Musical Miniatures: The Perfect Magic of Shorter Works ...................13
Mon., Sept. 16 and Oct. 21
Feasting with Royalty: Alexander the Great and Caesar 15
Wed., Sept. 25, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4
Thinking About Philosophers 18
Sat., Oct. 5 and Sun., Oct. 6
Axelrod String Quartet • 19
Tues., Oct. 8–Nov. 5
Write Into Art: Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art 35
Wed., Oct. 9–30
A Journey through Fantastic Realms 8
Enduring Themes in Western Art ...........................................................36
Tues., Oct. 15–Nov. 12
Verdi and the Transformation of Bel Canto Opera 20
Lectures and Seminars—Single Session
Wed., Oct. 16–Dec. 11
Sat., Oct. 19 and 26
Fortresses and Fantasies
Thurs., Oct. 24 and 31
Supernatural Classics: Musical Magic, Ghouls, and Ghosts ...............23
Sat., Nov. 2 and Sun., Nov. 3
Masterworks of Five Centuries • ................................................................19
Thurs., Nov. 7–Dec. 12
Eve as Artist: A History of Women Artists
Mon., Nov. 25–Dec. 16
Music and the Visual Arts in the Early Modern Era ..........................40
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