Smithsonian Associates - Educating and Entertaining Audiences for More Than 50 Years

Biographer Bob Spitz tells the story of how Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and John Bonham came together to form the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin—one of the most successful (and certainly one of the most notorious) bands of all time.

For centuries, the English monarchy was male, but several notable women shattered that royal glass ceiling. Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger leads an assumption-challenging survey of female reigns, from the first crowned queen of England to the record-breaking longevity of Elizabeth II, examining how each redefined the role of the ruler and nature of the monarchy.

Great art is timeless, and speaks to us across time, culture, and space. Yet great works come from real people living real lives. Paul Glenshaw examines Albert Bierstadt’s 1868 work Among the Sierra Nevada, California—a majestic depiction of the natural beauty of the American West that also served as part of a brazen self-marketing scheme, a lure to immigrants and settlers, and a reflection of the complex legacy of Manifest Destiny. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Join one of the most famous art detectives in the world to hear tales from a long FBI career solving art crimes. Drawing on the headline-making cases he worked on, Robert Wittman explores notorious art heists and daring recovery operations.

Veggies are usually the supporting culinary players in a meal, but the new Milk Street: Vegetables moves them center of the plate. Christopher Kimball shares tips on how to roast, braise, steam, and stir-fry everyday vegetables into simple but appealing dishes, and demonstrates a recipe or two from the book’s globally influenced collection.

Richard III is one of the most famous—and possibly the most infamous—of all British monarchs. In an absorbing program, Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores the various attempts to portray Richard III over the centuries, from the villain of Shakespeare to the heroic English king killed on the battlefield.

Humans are obviously part of the animal kingdom in many important ways, and yet they exhibit features and activities that set them apart from other species. Philosophy professor Michael Gorman leads a fascinating exploration into the nature of what makes us uniquely human, touching on topics including consciousness, free will, morality, and the duality of body and soul.