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

Tom Stoppard is a towering and beloved literary figure known for his dizzying narrative inventiveness and intense attention to language. Hermione Lee discusses her new biography of one of our greatest living playwrights with longtime Stoppard collaborator Carey Perloff in a fascinating examination of his work and a riveting look at the life a remarkable man.

In illustrated presentations, explore Yale University’s architecture, art and artifacts, books and documents, and medical and natural-history objects, focusing on outstanding examples in each category.

In a 2-session series, join Sara Lukinson, a longtime filmmaker and writer for the Kennedy Center Honors, as she looks at the lives and careers of some performing arts legends and explores what made the work of these actors and musicians so moving, memorable, and exciting. This session focuses on film heroes.

In the 18th century, the British Royal Navy impressed, or forced, tens of thousands of seamen into a lifetime of service—a practice that drew resistance across the Empire. Historian Denver Brunsman examines the high human cost that enabled England’s maritime superiority.

In the early 20th century, Albert C. Barnes drew on expert guidance and his own fortune to assemble a dazzling collection of primarily French post-impressionist works that reflect his interest in the creators of his time. Bill Perthes, director of adult education at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, offers a comprehensive look at how a collector’s unique vision created an equally distinctive institution rooted in its founder’s belief that art has the power to improve minds and transform lives. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)