All upcoming Lectures

Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist Essdras M Suarez leads a visual tour of two of Cuba's most captivating cities: Havana and Trinidad. Suarez's street photos document Havana's rich history and resilient spirit, while his shots of Trinidad evoke its charm through cobblestone lanes and pastel adobes. In photographs that reveal the cultural tapestry of Havana and the timeless allure of Trinidad, Suarez captures the deep connection between their inhabitants and their environments.

Lecturer Paul Glenshaw looks at great works of art in their historical context by delving into the time of the artist, exploring the present they inhabited, and what shaped their vision and creations. Together with Revolutionary War scholar Iris de Rode he examines The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis by John Trumbull, covering the story of the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781 and the fascinating process of the creation of the epic work by Trumbull. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

What do a giant rocking chair, the world’s largest wind chime, and a field of spray-painted Cadillacs have in common? Nothing much, except that they're all examples of the thousands of unique, amusing, and sometimes-bizarre roadside attractions that travelers across America visit each year. Travel expert Bill Clevlen offers some of the stories behind many of these quirky tourist magnets and reveals why they’re worth a stop­—or at least a photo op.

Enjoy a three-course lunch specially designed for Smithsonian Associates at Alta Strada in Fairfax, Virginia’s Mosaic District. Executive chef Matt Smith introduces the menu of handmade pastas and other authentic classics and guides participants through a tortellini-folding lesson before the meal.

The term “Art Deco” did not exist until the 1960s. Prior to that, the geometric, bold, machine-focused style now collectively packaged within that genre was known by many names, representing a variety of regional versions of Modernism. Drawing from the recent exhibition “Art Deco: Commercializing the Avant-Garde,” Angelina Lippert, chief curator at Poster House in New York City, offers a lively chronicle of the rise and fall of what would come to be known as Art Deco. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The allure of the sea has always captivated the hearts and minds of Americans, including some of our most notable leaders. Whether aboard naval vessels or presidential yachts, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush, and other residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have used the ocean as a backdrop for reflection, decision-making, and diplomacy. Veteran White House correspondent and historian Ken Walsh examines their seagoing stories and the maritime experiences that have left an indelible mark on the fabric of American leadership.

As the threat of World War I loomed over them in the opening decades of the 20th century, German artists turned to raw and uncompromising art that reflected their interpretations of a tumultuous world. David Gariff of the National Gallery of Art explores the vital role that German and Austrian Expressionism played in a period of volatile contradictions—providing a fertile ground for the emergence of the new visual language of artists including Max Beckmann, Gustav Klimt, Wassily Kandinsky, and Egon Schiele. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Historian Clay Jenkinson is a John Steinbeck scholar who is retracing the author’s 1960 Travels with Charley tour of America to explore the mood and face of the country on the eve of its 250th birthday. Jenkinson examines Steinbeck's extraordinary account of his road trip ­and his own attempt to make sense of what the author called "this monster country" by viewing it with fresh eyes during a spring-though-fall driving odyssey.

The longtime kings of jazz—Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie—were born within a few years of one another and overcame racial boundaries to become some of the most popular entertainers on the planet. Author Larry Tye follows the story of how these revolutionary musicians opened America’s eyes and souls to the magnificence of their music, and in the process wrote the soundtrack for the civil rights.

Billy Wilder, the Polish-born and German-raised genius behind The Apartment and Some Like It Hot, captured the outrageous quirkiness of the United States better than most of his Hollywood contemporaries His caustic and brutal observations manifested themselves in charming and sometimes-outrageous comedies, as well as forceful dramas. Film historian Max Alvarez salutes the laughter and intensity of the great Wilder and his unforgettable film achievements.