All upcoming Lectures

Found in every region of the globe, embroidery is one of the world’s most widely shared forms of creative expression—and one of the most varied. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, director of the Textile Research Centre in Leiden, the Netherlands, and author of The Atlas of World Embroidery: A Global Exploration of Heritage and Styles, guides audiences through this rich tapestry, exploring the materials, tools, designs, and symbolic meanings of embroidery, as well as the communities and individual makers who sustain these traditions. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

In October 1964, a campaign train dubbed the Lady Bird Special left Washington, D.C., bound for New Orleans. Lady Bird Johnson’s mission: to aid her husband, Lyndon B. Johnson, in territory roiling with animosity after his recent signing of the Civil Rights Act. Her train made 47 stops in eight states over four days. Historian Shannon McKenna Schmidt chronicles that journey into the Southern politics of the day.

Liguria is best known for its idyllic seaside towns along the Italian Riviera, from such famed locales as Portofino and Rapallo to humbler fishing towns like Camogli. Art historian Sophia D’Addio surveys the history of the capital city of the region, Genoa, as one of the major maritime powers of the Italian peninsula during the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. She also celebrates its chief culinary achievement: pesto. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The splendor of springtime in Washington is world-renowned, owing largely to Japanese flowering cherry trees encircling the Tidal Basin for over a century. Yet blossoms are only one aspect of the city’s vibrant seasons. Smithsonian Associates tour guide, naturalist, and nature author Melanie Choukas-Bradley leads a virtual journey through seasonal transformations with beautiful photos of notable Washington-area landscapes highlighting birds, amphibians, and reflections on nature from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Frederick Douglass, and Rachel Carson.

Author Megan Kate Nelson traces Yellowstone’s transformation from unexplored wilderness to national icon. In 1871, geologist-explorer Ferdinand Hayden led a Smithsonian-backed expedition to confirm reports of Yellowstone’s natural wonders. His team’s findings helped persuade Congress to protect the land, leading to the 1872 Yellowstone Act. Nelson draws from her book Saving Yellowstone to explore the competing interests of figures like Sitting Bull and railroad magnate Jay Cooke, revealing the complex forces behind America’s first national park.

For more than 70 years, the adventures of James Bond have thrilled readers and left them wondering if any of his escapades are actually possible. Kathryn Harkup, a former chemist, investigates 007’s exploits and the weapons, technologies, and tactics of his foes. During the process, she assesses the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair and whether being covered in gold paint really would kill you.

Along with Jerusalem and Rome, Spain’s Camino de Santiago was one of the three great destinations of medieval Christendom. After centuries of decline and neglect, this ancient pilgrimage sprang to life again in the last quarter of the 20th century, drawing millions of visitors every year. George Greenia, professor emeritus of medieval studies at William & Mary, highlights the history of this road of faith and its continued popularity as a religious and secular quest for those seeking spiritual clarity.

Cultural historian George Scheper explores Oaxaca, Mexico—a vital crossroads from pre-Columbian times to today. He highlights the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, Spanish colonial legacy, and Oaxaca’s evolution into a global arts center. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city boasts well-preserved colonial churches and palaces and a dynamic cultural life that reflects centuries of rich heritage and creative expression.

The Victorians prided themselves on interest in technology and innovations in medicine and science, though the line between pseudo-science and academic knowledge was thin. Historian Julie Taddeo highlights fads like mesmerism, phrenology, and spiritualism, showing how science was consumed as entertainment. Homes displayed “trophies of empire,” while public shows misused Darwin’s theories to justify imperial expansion and Britain’s “civilizing mission.” Queen Victoria followed scientific sensations, and ordinary Britons used them to navigate uncertainty. From mummy unveilings to “Zulu exhibitions,” science, empire, and entertainment intertwined.

The HMS Challenger spent almost four years exploring the world’s oceans in the 1870s. It identified major ocean currents and defining features of the seafloor; measured sea temperatures and chemistry, creating baseline data; and collected nearly 5,000 sea creatures and plants new to science. More than 150 years later, the expedition’s findings are also shining a light on the effects of climate change. Author Gillen D’Arcy Wood looks at the legacy of this scientific odyssey.