Naturalist and wildlife photographer Matt Felperin leads a visual tour across the coasts of Florida, one of North America’s premier birding destinations. Explore the state’s remarkable range of habitats—from Gulf estuaries and mangrove swamps to Atlantic beaches, wetlands, and inland prairies—and discover why more than 500 bird species have been recorded there. Felperin also showcases some of Florida’s top birding hotspots and parks that draw avian-loving travelers.
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for a course of three online workshops that 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. This writing session is inspired by The Mother and Sister of the Artist by Berthe Morisot.
The Massachusetts 54th Regiment, one of the first African American units in the Civil War, fought under Col. Robert Gould Shaw, a white officer who shared their commitment to freedom. They famously led the July 1863 assault on Fort Wagner, where nearly half, including Shaw, were killed. Paul Glenshaw examines how Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Shaw Memorial, unveiled in 1897 on Boston Common, honored their sacrifice with individualized portraits of the soldiers. At its dedication, the memorial reflected a growing recognition of Black soldiers’ valor and the war’s legacy of emancipation. (World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit)
With the advent of the Jazz Age, the art world searched for modern forms to reflect an exciting new era. They were found in bold geometric shapes and in contemporary technology and material as Art Deco quickly reflected sleek modern living, the machine age, and the skyscraper. Art historian Bonita Billman unfolds this innovative international movement in architecture, furniture, interiors, fashions, advertising, and films. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)
For centuries, the central Italian region of Abruzzo has preserved some of Italy’s most exquisite and symbolic goldsmithing traditions. From the presentosa, a star-shaped pendant given as a love token, to the intricate filigree work worn by women as markers of social status and regional identity, Abruzzese jewelry is a living chronicle of history, devotion, and craftsmanship. In a presentation illustrated by images of heirloom pieces, cultural historian Viviana Altieri explores the origins, meanings, and social significance of traditional gold jewelry from Abruzzo. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
From the classical villas of ancient Rome to the landscaped estates of the Renaissance, artists and patrons have long sought to bring sculpture into dialogue with nature. Art historian Jennie Hirsh traces the history and vision behind three of the world’s most inspiring contemporary sculpture gardens: Storm King Art Center in upstate New York, Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland, and Château La Coste near Aix-en-Provence. These sites reveal how artists and architects continue to redefine the possibilities of sculpture, scale, and place, offering a compelling perspective on the interplay between art and landscape. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
After its disappointing air combat performance over Vietnam, the U.S. set out to improve its training of fighter pilots. Among the initiatives was a top-secret project launched in the late 1970s that pitted clandestinely obtained Soviet MiGs flown by a cadre of highly experienced pilots—known as Red Eagles—against fighter pilots of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rob Zettel, a Red Eagles veteran, shares an insider’s view of the project.
Smithsonian Associates speaker Paul Glenshaw returns to the Art + History series to look at great works of art in their historical context. In this program, Glenshaw explores one of the most iconic patriotic images in American art—and one of the most reproduced—to reveal a surprising history that includes its creation in, of all places, Germany. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
