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

Although the Barnes Foundation is widely known for its post-impressionist and early modern art, its extensive African collection has long been central to the museum’s educational mission. Using high-definition Deep Zoom technology, Barnes educator Penny Hansen guides a live virtual tour that surveys highlights of these distinctive holdings. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Art historian Robert DeCaroli examines the sites and structures that made up the urban landscape of the Khmer Empire and traces the historical shifts, royal decisions, religious beliefs, and cultural processes that led to its development. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

As a young man, Leonardo da Vinci wrote about finding the skeleton of a great “fish” while roaming in the hills of Tuscany. What followed was decades of interest in fossils and informed speculation about the planet’s history. Biologist Kay Etheridge examines how this fascination with fossils is reflected in his artworks.

From the speakeasy era to the mid-1960s, “black-and-tan clubs” were a unique entertainment phenomenon: nightclubs that brought together artists and audiences of all races to celebrate the joys of jazz. Loren Schoenberg, Senior Scholar/Founding Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, joins artistic director and conductor Charlie Young to provide historical context as Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra’s Small Band captures the vibrant spirit and style of the early black-and-tan clubs in song.

PBS television host Darley Newman shares insights into the Alabama Civil Rights Trail, which traces the footsteps of civil rights legends such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, whose stories are told in the museums, churches, and other landmarks lining the trail. Darley suggests area guides and experts who can enhance your experience.

Rivalries can be dangerous and frustrating, but they can also fuel the creation of great works of art—as was the case among the Renaissance masters. Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo brings into sharp focus the artistic rivalry among these painters and the often-overwhelming emotional and professional pressures that compelled them to create. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Taliesin, the Wisconsin home and studio of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, was witness to some of the greatest tragedies of his life, as well as some of his greatest triumphs. Join Taliesin historian Keiran Murphy as she tells the story of the iconic house and how it reflects decades of shifts in Wright's personal and professional life. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)