Join decorative arts specialist Erin Kuykendall for a visit to Richmond’s famed Museum District, a day of guided in-depth tours of historical collections and art exhibitions, including stops at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the American Civil War Museum.

Friday, August 17, 2018 - 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Military historian Gregg Clemmer investigates six river crossings by Union and Confederate forces. Follow the path of one as you cross the Potomac at White’s Ford in the highlight of the day.

Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes, and historian and classicist John Prevas examine the connection between the final stages of the Roman Empire and the United States as a contemporary world power. Through an analysis of political and moral leadership, they compare these two versions of empires, their similarities and differences, and speculate on what that link holds for America’s future.

Thursday, September 6, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Regional historian Hayden Mathews explores the rich heritage of this lovely Eastern Shore town, focusing on both land and sea. The day includes a cruise on a replica of an 18th century vessel, as well as an historic-district walking tour guided by Chestertown’s mayor.

Sunday, September 9, 2018 - 8:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Spend a morning getting a rare behind-the-scenes look at the Supreme Court—including the courtroom where cases are argued. Then, a panel of top legal experts previews the issues that will come before the court when the new session begins in October.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Spend the afternoon with a panel of top legal experts who will preview the issues that will come before the Supreme Court when the new session begins in October.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Rail historian Joe Nevin leads an overnight tour that explores two key aspects of Central Pennsylvania’s past: its railroading heritage and one of the country’s most tragic natural disasters—the Johnstown flood of 1889—and the role of the railroads in spreading the warning and saving lives.

Depart: Saturday, September 15, 2018 - 7:00 a.m.
Return: Sunday, September 16, 2018 - 7:30 p.m.

The rugged landscape of western North Dakota was the setting against which Theodore Roosevelt transformed himself from an asthmatic 24-year-old into a robust outdoorsman—and a passionate lifelong conservationist. Experience that corner of the West—filled with dramatic vistas, vividly colored canyons, and wandering herds of wild bison—on an extraordinary 5-day tour that brings you into the heart of Roosevelt’s Badlands and the national park that bears his name.

Depart from Bismarck, ND: Saturday, September 15, 2018 - 7:00 p.m.
Return to Bismarck, ND: Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - 1:00 p.m.

Early in the last century, a group of young men from several nations took to the sky to do battle in World War I. They went on to achieve a status similar to modern-day rock stars. Learn about the exploits of these daring flying aces—many of whom didn’t survive the war.

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

On Sept. 17, 1862, more than 23,000 soldiers met death in the Maryland farmland of Antietam. Civil War historians Ed Bearss and Gregg Clemmer lead a tour to sites connected with this bloodiest battle of the war.

Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Regional historian Hayden Mathews explores the rich heritage of this lovely Eastern Shore town, focusing on both land and sea. The day includes a cruise on a replica of an 18th century vessel, as well as an historic-district walking tour guided by Chestertown’s mayor.

Sunday, September 23, 2018 - 8:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.

The best operatives never get caught—but some spies and insurgents get stopped in their tracks. Learn about notable arrests, captures, and expulsions from the 1960s through today from experts familiar with the maneuvers behind each successful catch.

Wednesday, September 26 to October 17, 2018 - 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

Join John McMurray, chair of the Deadball Era Committee and Oral History Committee of the Society for American Baseball Research, for an examination of how the World Series came to be, its evolution, and a fascinating replay of highlights from Series history. 

Monday, October 1, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Forty years after he left the White House, Reagan has assumed a near-mythical place in American history, even as the public forgets the details of his life. This evening, Bob Spitz draws on his new biography, Reagan: An American Journey, to portray a man who—by dint of luck, charm, or something else—landed the role of his life.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Join transportation expert Scott Hercik in an immersive exploration into great sailing vessels, from those of the earliest explorers to today’s high-tech and high-performance speedsters. Highlights include the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia, the Watermen’s Museum in historic Yorktown, and a 2-hour schooner sailing adventure. 

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 - 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The more than 400,000 service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery represent a cross-section of both the diversity of the American military and our nation itself. Jim Carr, a master Washington tour guide and author, leads a visit that focuses on Latino members represented in the cemetery.

Friday, October 5, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The more than 400,000 service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery represent a cross-section of both the diversity of the American military and our nation itself. Jim Carr, a master Washington tour guide and author, leads a visit that focuses on immigrant members represented in the cemetery.

Saturday, October 6, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The more than 400,000 service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery represent a cross-section of both the diversity of the American military and our nation itself. Jim Carr, a master Washington tour guide and author, leads a visit that focuses on Latino members represented in the cemetery.

Friday, October 12, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The more than 400,000 service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery represent a cross-section of both the diversity of the American military and our nation itself. Jim Carr, a master Washington tour guide and author, leads a visit that focuses on immigrant members represented in the cemetery.

Saturday, October 13, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Join historian and author Garrett Peck on a walk though wartime Washington. Its stops include Pershing Park, the First and Second Division monuments, the D.C. War Memorial, the spot where sheep grazed on the Ellipse, and the site where thousands of women volunteered for the American Red Cross.

Sunday, October 14, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

A central element of the Second World War was the presence of dozen navies on six oceans and a number of seas, including the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Maritime historian Craig L. Symonds offers a summary and analysis of how that naval conflict determined both the trajectory and the outcome of the war.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

For decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. and Russia established a mostly amicable relationship in order to avoid further conflict. Today, this relationship is beset by challenges. Explore the current tensions between the two key world powers, and where the relationship may be headed.

Wednesday, October 17 to 31, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

Join decorative arts specialist Erin Kuykendall for a tour of historic Annapolis, Maryland, to discover architectural gems and works of art from the eve of the American Revolution. Through visits to historic Georgian-style homes and an examination of the period’s decorative arts, Kuykendall offers a portrait of a vibrant capital city in which building, politics, art, and international commerce thrived.

Friday, October 19, 2018 - 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The beginning of the end of slavery can be traced to two extraordinary events: John Brown’s ill-fated 1859 raid on the arsenal at Harpers Ferry and the Battle of Antietam. Join author and historian Garrett Peck on an exciting day trip following the steps of John Brown in Harpers Ferry and a tour of parts of the Antietam National Battlefield on foot.

Saturday, October 20, 2018 - 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

In a fascinating look into our nation’s history and how we remember our fallen leaders, museum specialists from the American History Museum uncover some of the extraordinary stuff of presidential death that Americans have saved over the centuries.

Monday, October 22, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

He was passionate about his beliefs, he treated his peers with respect, and they dubbed him "The Happy Warrior" for his tireless advocacy of liberal causes. Learn about the long career of Hubert Humphrey, one of the great post-war leaders who played a central role in some of the country's most divisive issues.

Thursday, October 25, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Join historian and author Garrett Peck on a walk though wartime Washington. Its stops include Pershing Park, the First and Second Division monuments, the D.C. War Memorial, the spot where sheep grazed on the Ellipse, and the site where thousands of women volunteered for the American Red Cross.

Friday, October 26, 2018 - 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Join historian and author Garrett Peck on a walk though wartime Washington. Its stops include Pershing Park, the First and Second Division monuments, the D.C. War Memorial, the spot where sheep grazed on the Ellipse, and the site where thousands of women volunteered for the American Red Cross.

Saturday, October 27, 2018 - 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. Drawing on his new book, Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History, Keith O’Brien recounts how a cadre of those women banded together to break the original glass ceiling: the entrenched prejudice that conspired to keep them out of the sky.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Though it’s among the signatures on the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Rush’s name is one that doesn’t immediately come to mind as one of the most influential patriots of the Revolutionary era. Drawing from his new biography, Stephen Fried resurrects and celebrates the most significant Founding Father we’ve never heard of.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Join Rachel Cooper and Renee Sklarew, authors of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Washington, D.C., as they lead a fall excursion to the Lorton, Virginia, area to explore a trio of distinctive sites in Fairfax County: Mason Neck State Park, American statesman George Mason’s mansion Gunston Hall, and Lorton Workhouse Art Center.

Saturday, November 3, 2018 - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

With a nation of highly polarized voters heading to the polls on November 6, the 2018 midterms will help clarify what’s important to a restless electorate. Two days after the ballots are cast, White House and political analyst Ken Walsh brings together four leading political analysts to interpret what the victories and losses mean for the country.

Thursday, November 8, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.

Historian Richard Bell examines this musical phenomenon to reveal what its success tells us about the marriage of history and show business. He investigates what the show gets right—and wrong—about Alexander Hamilton, the American Revolution, and the birth of the United States, and why it all matters.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 - 6:45 p.m.