Edward O. Wilson’s Letters to a Young Scientist

Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist Edward O. Wilson advises emerging scientists “Keep your eyes lifted and your head turning. The search for knowledge is in our genes.” Hear him discuss his newest book, in which he envisions a new generation whose professional and personal development is sparked by imagination and exposure to a wider range of fields beyond science.

The Pueblo Culture Takes Root in the American Southwest

Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 10 a.m.

When maize first sprouted around 4,000 years ago in the Southwest, the grain provided the basis for an astonishing and thriving Native American culture. Spend a fascinating day learning from a variety of experts how domesticated food production gave rise to the achievements of Pueblo technology, society, and architecture.

The Golden Age of Finnish Art and Architecture

Monday, June 3, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Get a rare look inside the Finnish ambassador’s elegant residence at an evening focused on her nation’s creative legacy. View works by Finnish artists and hear art historian Karin Alexis speak about art and architectural masterpieces of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Paine v. Chalmers: Was Declaring Independence Common Sense?

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Colonists yearn for independence from a far-off empire. Loyalists see nothing but folly in the scheme. Can divisions be bridged and a new nation created? Get ready for some interactive time travelling to hear Thomas Paine and James Chalmers debate critical issues that faced 18th-century leaders—and then choose the winner.

Jeff Shaara on the Battle of Vicksburg: A Siege for the Ages

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 7 p.m.

The spring of 1863 found the strategic city of Vicksburg on the Mississippi under attack from Grant’s forces, leading to a six-week trial by siege, starvation, and devastation that led to its ultimate surrender. Author Jeff Shaara brings the stories of both soldiers and civilians to vivid life.

Nabokov’s Secrets

Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Witty and enigmatic, Vladimir Nabokov’s produced some of the last century’s most celebrated and notorious fiction. Using newly declassified intelligence files and recovered military reports, author Andrea Pitzer argues that far from being an advocate of art for art's sake, Vladimir Nabokov managed to hide disturbing real-life history in his works.

Retelling Homer

Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey recount one of the epic tales of history, a timeless chronicle of war and passion, heroism and human folly, men and gods. Explore these classic works from the perspective of the latest scholarship and recent archaeological findings.

The Greatest Songs You've Never Heard

Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Recently digitized files from the Library of Congress were hiding lost treasures: charming songs from quickly vanished 1930s Hollywood and Broadway productions that went unheard for decades. Now, Three for a Song (pianist and musical archivist Alex Hassan and singers Douglas Bowles and Kari Paludan) have collected the best, polished them to a stylish period sheen, and are ready give these tunes the second chance they never got.

The Key to Linear B: Unlocking a Lost World

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

A romantic archaeologist, a brilliant classical scholar, and a haunted architect were linked by an obsession: an unknown language whose secrets held the key to a vanished civilization that flourished a millennium before Greece’s Classical Age. Author Margalit Fox tells a true story that spans 3,500 years.

Scandalous Spring: Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring at 100

Friday, June 14, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.

It literally caused a riot at its Paris premiere with the Ballets Russes. Spend a day that explores why the impact of this seminal work of modern music and dance has echoed through the past century.

Glorious Prague: City of Mystery and Gold

Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.

Lose yourself in Prague as cultural and music historian Carol Reynolds leads you along medieval cobblestone lanes, past stunning churches and synagogues, and into the heart of a city dominated by the magnificent Hradcany, the 1,100-year-old castle complex. She’ll reveal Prague’s history, amazing architecture from the Romanesque and Gothic periods to the modern era, and wonderful offbeat places such as the Cafe Slavia, once a haunt of the poet Rilke and the Jewish Quarter where Kafka was born.

Creative Partnerships that Changed Modern Art

Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 10 a.m.

The interplay of creative and personal energy can often produce remarkable artistic results. Spend a fascinating day exploring the collaborations that sparked Fauvism and Futurism and influenced the work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

La Cuisine du Québec: Exploring the Passion and Depth of Québec's Emerging Microbreweries

Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Celebrated beer sommelier Sylvain Bouchard showcases the microbrewery movement and the wealth of variety that defines craft beers in Québec. This program will feature a tasting of Québec microbrews and other treats. Part of Francophonie Cultural Festival 2013.

Zoobiquity: Connecting Health in Animals and Humans

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Animals and humans get the same diseases. Drawing on the latest in medical and veterinary science as well as evolutionary and molecular biology, the authors of a new book explore how jaguar breast cancer, dolphin diabetes, flamingo heart attacks, and more cross-species ailments are transforming human medicine.

The Jews of Britain

Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Though Jews have been part of British society since the 11th century, that long relationship was often a troubled one. Historian Virginia W. Newmyer surveys a cultural and religious history in which achievement and acceptance prevailed over suspicion and ignorance.

The Unwritable Biography of the Apostle Paul

Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.

For all his importance in Christian theology, we have a surprisingly incomplete historical picture of the Apostle Paul. Yale’s Dale B. Martin looks at him in the social and cultural context of the Greco-Roman world, and imagines what Paul’s biography might look like if we could assemble it.

Archaeological Wonders of the Western Mediterranean

Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.

Monoliths, monuments, tombs, and temples mark the millennia on Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, and tiny Gozo. Archaeologist Robert R. Stieglitz explores the cultural legacies of the little-known prehistoric islanders whose civilizations once thrived here.

Are We Still Fighting the Civil War?

Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

After 150 years, the legacy, lessons, and cultural wounds of the Civil War still resonate in our national life, says author Gregg Clemmer. Join him for a provocative discussion that explores how the war “that never goes away” has marked our identity as an often-divided people.

The Real CSI: Tracking Hidden Criminals with the FBI’s Elite Units

Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Two veterans of the FBI’s Behavioral Science and Analysis Units reveal why the real-life hunt for notorious offenders is more complex—and often more dangerous—than what fans of crime shows may see.

Woven Art from the Navajo Loom: History, Design, and Techniques

Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

The blankets and rugs of the Navajo represent more than simply utility and beauty: These iconic woven pieces hold the history of a native Southwestern people in their threads. Textile historian Cecilia Anderson explores their aesthetic and their enduring appeal.

A Scientist in the Kitchen: Demystifying the Science of Cooking

Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Ever pondered the difference between browning and caramelizing? Or wondered why liquids and solids have separate measuring ups? Food writer and chemist Robert L. Wolke offers insights into how scientific savvy can guide home cooks—and passes plates of brownies—at a practical and entertaining session in the Atrium Cafe’s kitchen.

Life at Pemberley: Ever After with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth

Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice by spending a splendid day immersed in all things Jane Austen (and with sherry and biscuits, too). Sandy Lerner, author and founder of Chawton House Library in Hampshire, England, offers an entertaining look at Regency-era daily life as it might have been experienced by Austen’s most romantic couple.