We invite you to join us from the comfort of your home as we present individual programs, multi-part courses, studio arts classes, and virtual study tours inspired by the Smithsonian’s research, collections and exhibitions. We’re excited to present this new aspect of our 55 years as the world’s largest museum-based educational program—and to have you be an important part of our future growth.
Explore all our offerings in this month's digital program guide.
The beautiful decorations of religious and secular manuscripts are centuries-old Islamic traditions. Guided by a graduate of the Turquoise Mountain Institute, explore the elements of gold-leaf manuscript illumination in the Afghan tradition.
This introductory course teaches the basic skills needed for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
For centuries, religious and secular Islamic manuscripts have contained beautiful geometric decorations. Explore the history and construction of these traditional designs with Sughra Hussainy, a graduate of Turquoise Mountain Institute in Kabul, Afghanistan. Then, create designs with graph paper and a compass.
The Great Horned Owl is found in every state except Hawaii and in almost every habitat. In a series of talks rich in audio clips, photos, and video, naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshaw presents another in-depth study of this magnificent creature. This session focuses on the owl's mating and nesting habits.
This class introduces students to the materials and techniques of one-color relief printmaking, from design and carving of the block, through inking, printing, and presentation of the finished linocut.
Memorable autobiographies are powerful evocations not just of a person, but a time and place, vividly transporting us inside the world of another to experience it as they did. In a 3-session series, documentary filmmaker and writer Sara Lukinson looks at a remarkable life recounted by Robert Graves in this session.
Gain a deeper understanding of art by developing skills in decoding (reading) and encoding (expressing) visual meaning. Create a personal set of expressive visual pages for your unique “coloring book”.
Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.
Joe Biden is facing one of the most challenging and polarized political environments ever experienced by a new president. How well has he been doing? Journalist and historian Ken Walsh looks at the high and low points of the new presidency so far as he reviews Biden’s first 100 days in office.
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases Peru.
This class introduces students to the principles of relief sculpture, which is a bridge between two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms.
Great art is timeless. Paul Glenshaw explores one of the most iconic patriotic images in American art—and one of the most reproduced—to reveal a surprising history that includes its creation in, of all places, Germany. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
In this class, students focus on the fundamentals of drawing birds: physical makeup (face, body, wings, and feet) and nuanced differences that distinguish one species from another.
Ever since its appearance around the fifth century B.C., the philosophy of The Art of War has been embraced by leaders of nations, armies, and businesses as an ancient guide to success. Historian Christopher Hamner examines the delights and frustrations of untangling Sun Tzu’s sometimes-opaque aphorisms and explores some of the most famous passages in his masterwork.
Enjoy a socially distanced morning walk on a natural oasis in the Potomac with Melanie Choukas-Bradley, the author of the new book Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island. Walk along the nearly 2-mile path where willows, bald cypresses, and cattails frame views of Washington, D.C. The morning also includes moments of guided forest bathing to quietly soak up the beauty of this wild island.
Popular theory on right side brain activity holds that the right brain is primarily responsible for the intuitive understanding of visual and spatial relationships. Designed to improve the way people see and record objects on paper, this class provides a set of visual exercises to help build the ability to draw.
This intermediate-level photography course offers a better understanding of compositional elements and practices—such as simplicity, balance, and natural lighting—that promote taking better and more unique photographs.
After enduring for so long, what made the Romanov dynasty vulnerable to come tumbling down a little more than a hundred years ago? Historian George Munro examines the policies of the rulers most responsible for the dynasty’s success in its first two centuries, the rise of Russia to an empire among the world’s first-rank powers, and the slow erosion of leadership that ultimately led to the tragic end of the Romanovs.
Walk the virtual red carpet with Washington City Paper film critic Noah Gittell in an evening that focuses on all things Oscar, from Academy Awards history and trivia to discussions of this unusual year's nominations and behind-the-scenes stories.
Learn how to make color choices in your art to bring out a reaction from the viewer. Create combinations with colored pencils that illustrate how color theory works.
Take your skills beyond auto mode as you explore a myriad of your digital camera’s exposure options and features in this course designed for intermediate photographers.
Join Fred Plotkin, a popular Smithsonian speaker on culture, history, and music, as he shares hidden treasures discovered during his casual strolls through Florence, Berlin, and Dublin.
Fairy tales are a profound force of storytelling, extending far beyond the nursery into film, advertising, novels, politics, propaganda, music, and more. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore these tales' two intertwining branches: traditional folkloric fairy tales and literary fairy tales.
What’s the secret to pairing a cocktail with just the right wickedly indulgent sweet? Two masters in composing after-dinner delights show how to make sublime confections and build expert cocktails superbly crafted for each other.
The second law of thermodynamics states that the universe trends toward entropy and disorder. Physicist Julian Barbour offers an intriguing new viewpoint that the law has been misapplied and that the growth of order, not chaos, determines how we experience time.
Explore the materials, tools, and techniques used in collage and assemblage as you create an artwork that’s uniquely yours. The workshop, ideal for both nonartists and those with experience, is a great way to spark your creativity in two forms that offer wide possibilities for inventive expression.
Drawing on historical sources including ancient Egypt, the classical world, and Asian art, the exuberant art deco style reflected the excitement of modern living in the 1920s and ’30s. Art historian Bonita Billman discusses the design movement that found expression in architecture, furniture, interiors, fashions, advertisements, and films. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)
Art historian and photographer Patricia Howard introduces the world of the photo surrealists and explores how they pushed the boundaries of photographic imagery in the 1920s to 1940s. Create your very own surrealist collage as part of the experience. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Who doesn’t love the familiar waddle and elegant slide of the famously flightless penguins. Charles Bergman, award-winning writer and photographer, takes you on a virtual tour to the world’s wild places to meet these wonderful creatures threatened by climate change.
Whether they are park-like retreats, centers of research, or incorporate both, the world’s botanical gardens are museums with living collections that tell unique stories. Naturalist Keith Tomlinson surveys six of the most remarkable, covering gardens from Singapore to South Africa, Morocco to Missouri. This session focuses on Capetown's Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden.
In the early 19th century, panoramic landscape wallpapers that captured American scenes were at the height of popularity. Wallpaper historian Margaret Wood joins curator Elizabeth Lay for a conversation surrounding extraordinary examples of block-printed scenic wallpapers from some of the grand homes and museums throughout the country. Part of a 3-session Decorative Arts spring series.
Living life like an economist, constantly weighing the costs and benefits of choices in order to arrive at the rational decision that makes the best use of resources, is not an easy thing to do. Economist Brian O’Roark moves through the decisions of life—from finding love to planning for retirement—inspired by the songs of the Beatles.
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases Easter Island.
Smithsonian Gardens horticulturist Christine Price-Abelow leads a virtual spring bloom tour at the National Museum of the American Indian, providing an overview of the museum’s landscape and its evolution over the last 15 years.
Inevitably, life on Earth will come to an end and humans may have to find a new home planet. Geneticist and computational biologist Christopher Mason argues that the human ingenuity that has enabled us to build rockets and land on other planets can be applied to redesigning biology that will allow us to inhabit other planets.
The 11,000-year old megalith Göbekli Tepe in a remote part of present-day Turkey has yet to yield definitive answers to the many questions swirling around it. Serif Yenen, a Turkish travel specialist, writer, and filmmaker, tells the story of this magnificent and mysterious built environment and what we can glean about the people who lived in a place once assumed to predate civilization.
The 1783 Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the War for Independence, can be seen as a triumph for U.S. diplomacy that reset relations with Britain. Historian Richard Bell examines why the agreement also irreparably damaged the U.S.–French alliance and left Native Americans, loyalists, and fugitives from slavery to fend for themselves in a newly independent nation.
During the Gilded Age (1875-1900), the United States was on the path to becoming the most economically powerful country in the world, even as the wealth gap grew wider. Join Allen Pietrobon, an assistant professor of global affairs at Trinity Washington University and an award-winning historian, for a look back at the tumultuous time.
When spring has sprung, nature isn’t shy about showing off how wild love blossoms in mating calls, dances, and rituals that can be found everywhere during the season. Liana Vitali, a naturalist and educator at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, offers a tasteful look into the world of animal and plant romance and the ways the natural world keeps buzzing.
On the eve of Arbor Day, naturalist and tree expert Melanie Choukas-Bradley presents an overview of the trees in our nation’s capital through stunning photographs of the Tidal Basin, U.S. Capitol, White House, National Arboretum, Rock Creek Park, and many other notable locations.
The 1066 invasion and occupation of England by troops led by Duke William II of Normandy changed the course of history. But the Norman Conquest never should have succeeded. Historian Jennifer Paxton examines the political and military background of the Battle of Hastings, an encounter in which the future William the Conquer needed everything to go his way—and why amazingly, it did.
Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month’s Year of the Woman with a look into the creative life of one of the style’s greatest singers, D.C.’s own Shirley Horn. Join Jessica Boykin-Settles, a voice faculty member at Howard University, as she looks at Horn’s route to fame, her jazz-world influences and collaborators, and the talent that defined this one-of-a-kind vocal icon.
From her home in Florence, art historian Elaine Ruffalo traces the ascendance of Rome from the chaos of the Dark Ages to its eventual emergence as one of the most artistically dazzling of Renaissance capitals. This is Part II of a two-part series. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)
Optimize your Instagram profile and create fun and engaging posts using the Canva platform and Lifelapse (stop motion) apps.
In this members-only series led by veteran arts educator Roberta Gasbarre, go behind the scenes and into the working lives of some of the most intriguing people from all across the Smithsonian and Washington’s worlds of culture, science, and education. This program features John Grant, geologist, Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum.
Create a lovely bouquet as you explore the basics of wet-felting techniques in a two-day workshop ideal for both beginners and more experienced felters.
Adobe Lightroom is the most useful (and user friendly) software for organizing and editing images, usable for both RAW and JPEG image files. This two-session workshop offers users an overview of the program, with a focus on working with the essential Library and Develop modules for organizing and editing your files.
Early Christianity authority Bart Ehrman explores four questions that continue to intrigue scholars and those who are interested in the history of the Christian tradition.
Learn how to make fun and whimsical handmade cards with stamps, ink, and paper. Beginners and experienced card makers are welcome.
Inspired by the 6-Word Memoir Project, learn to capture quick images of personal stories in quilted wall-hangings.
Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin combines lectures and piano demonstrations to explore the social, political, religious, and cultural influences that shaped the output of France’s great composers.
Through lectures and drawing exercises, learn how Renaissance artists used the Golden Ratio, the Rule of Thirds, three-point perspective, and the Fibonacci spiral—as well as how these elements can provide dynamic visual interest to your own compositions, no matter the medium. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Designed for beginners who want to learn how to use their digital or mirrorless camera as a creative tool, students will gain skill in technical aspects of photography so that they can concentrate on composing beautiful images.
The trauma of the slave trade forever altered Africa’s cultural history. Art historian Kevin Tervala examines the Atlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades, with a focus on how African artists—and the societies that they were a part of—reacted to the sudden and brutal disruption and transformation and depopulation of the world’s second-largest continent. He also highlights how the slave trade simultaneously brought great wealth, and with it, luxurious arts made in silver and gold. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases New Zealand.
How did the name of a Continental Army general become a synonym for treason? Historian Richard Bell reconstructs the life and times of Benedict Arnold, the reasons he turned on his country, and the larger problems of betrayal and desertion that dogged George Washington’s army.
Part of CULINASIA: The Future of Asian Food in America
In the Covid era, anti-Asian racism and violence has been widespread, and many Asian restaurants both large and small have permanently closed their doors. Why are the survival of Chinese restaurants and the preservation of the the legacy of Asian food in America so essential to the soul of our cities? In a free program, a panel of chefs, advocates, and activists discuss the future of Chinatowns across the country.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the emerging profession of architecture in America was very much a man’s world—but talented and tenacious women created doorways into it. Lecturer Bill Keene examines the notable careers of three of those pioneers and their importance in the development of the field.
Move beyond the technical and focus on cultivating and strengthening your artistic vision. Learn how to use composition, viewpoint, and light to reinforce your vision.
This course examines fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in studio-art practice, offering participants tools to enrich their own work as well to analyze and appreciate visual art in general. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Explore the Netherlands’ resistance during World War II through the amazing story of three young women whose duties included explosive sabotage and face-to-face assassinations.
Lighting can make or break your work as a digital photographer. Learn the tech tips that will make your flash one of your most effective creative tools.
From the bold and the beautiful art of the 17th century to the exuberant Rococo architecture of the 18th, art historian Rocky Ruggiero places the movements within a historical and cultural context, emphasizes artistic styles, and focuses on major creators and pivotal masterpieces. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)
In this members-only series led by veteran arts educator Roberta Gasbarre, go behind the scenes and into the working lives of some of the most intriguing people from all across the Smithsonian and Washington’s worlds of culture, science, and education. This program features Dana Tai Soon Burgess, choreographer in residence, National Portrait Gallery.
Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. This immersive program showcases Rhône Valley wines and includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
Using direct printing and water-based printing inks, create realistic looking schools of fish or a single artistic print simply by inking a whole fish and pressing it to paper.
Cutting-edge ecotourism companies are pioneering small-group safaris to new destinations that offer unique wildlife encounters for adventurous travelers. Join wilderness guide and wildlife photographer Russell Gammon for a series of virtual safaris to hidden corners of Africa, Asia, and South America in search of some of the rarest and most iconic creatures on the planet.
Whether they are park-like retreats, centers of research, or incorporate both, the world’s botanical gardens are museums with living collections that tell unique stories. Naturalist Keith Tomlinson surveys six of the most remarkable, covering gardens from Singapore to South Africa, Morocco to Missouri. This session focuses on St. Louis's Missouri Botanical Garden.
Curator Elizabeth Lay welcomes jewelry expert Sheila Smithie for an examination of several visionary French women who exercised their extraordinary creative powers in the 1920s and 1930s to transform jewelry design. A “virtual hands-on” session offers the next best thing to examining the jewels under a loupe in person. Part of a 3-session Decorative Arts spring series.
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases Australia.
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing that offers a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon for a series of workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. This session focuses on Japanese-American artist Kenjiro Nomura’s The Farm.
Traditional Palestinian thobe skirts typically feature heavily embroidered panels. Students complete a small panel segment using the Cleopatra design.
Vergil’s Aeneid is an epic poem that tells the story of the Trojan Aeneas, whose adventures included the founding of Rome. Join Shadi Bartsch-Zimmer, professor of classics and translator of the newest version of the Aeneid, as she defies the weight of the past and looks at the poem anew.
A fascinating look at the history of movie theaters examines how the experience of moviegoing has changed over the decades—and whether movie theaters will even survive in the age of streaming services.
Discover a variety of methods for making and using image transfers and expanding your creative horizons with photo alteration. Both techniques can offer new dimensions and interest to your artworks.
In January 1942, a German U-boat surfaced in New York Harbor. This American oversight inspired Operation Paukenschlag, or “Drumbeat,” a little-known Nazi campaign to bring World War II to our shores. George Mason University history professor Kevin Matthews explores this little-known period of the war and how, with help from Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, America turned back the Nazi attacks.
The human mind is very good at discerning patterns in nature: shapes, symmetries, repetitions. But why? A geologist decodes some of nature’s formations—from prosaic to sublime—to provide a better understanding of our ability for pattern recognition.
Kathleen Bashian, a certified master guide in Washington and a popular Smithsonian study leader, leads a virtual memorial pilgrimage through the city, examining the aesthetics of memorials as works of art and architecture, their origins, and their impact on contemporary visitors.
Get a hands-on overview of how versatile colored pencils can bring illustration or fine art alive with rich, vibrant color and a range of effects.
In the 19th century, Transcendentalism emerged as the first major American movement in arts and letters that left a lasting imprint on the nation’s mind and imagination. Richard Capobianco, a professor of philosophy at Stonehill College, examines the major themes of Transcendentalism and their far-reaching influence on American life.
Blossoming in Vienna and spreading like a mania through Europe, the waltz proclaimed a new freedom of sexual expression and individual liberties in the early 19th century. Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein traces the development of a musical form and a dance that changed history.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec reveled in the circuses, dance halls, nightclubs, and brothels of fin de siècle Montmartre, his beloved bohemian world that inspired works marked by energy and sensuality, as well as candor and compassion. Art historian Joseph Cassar illuminates the artist's creative life in the colorful social and cultural milieu of Paris in the Belle Epoque. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
If you’ve taken the studio arts class Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing, you are ready to try Hawaiian-style gyotaku. It includes printing in colorful inks and thin acrylics and adding color and texture with watercolor crayons and acrylic media.
Take your iPhone camera skills to another level in a two-day workshop that focuses on the ProCamera app and editing techniques; organizing, printing, and posting your photos; and a critique session on images.
Inspired by how you understand the meaning of “house,” construct a house-shaped star book with internal pockets using cardstock, mat board, ribbon, and special surface design techniques.
This two-part workshop focuses on the art of self-portraiture through photography and students will have the opportunity to create their own self-portraits.
In this intermediate-level class, learn a delicate stitch pattern and new techniques exploring the crafts of knitting and lace. Discover easier methods of working with and achieving lace’s unique texture, and get ideas for new projects.
Discover the illustrative potential of fiber art as you create a one-of-a-kind art book to document and preserve moments from your creative journey. Explore basic design principles with fabric, including the relationship of figure and ground, symmetry and asymmetry, and how to create perspective using color and line. Fusing, hand-stitching and embellishing techniques are also explored.
The Great Horned Owl is found in every state except Hawaii and in almost every habitat. In a series of talks rich in audio clips, photos, and video, naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshaw presents another in-depth study of this magnificent creature. This session focuses on the owl's hunting and feeding habits.
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases Japan.
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing that offers a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon for a series of workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. This session focuses on Antonio Martorell’s La Playa Negra I (Tar Beach I).
Art historian Renee Gondek focuses on visual depictions of the iconic hero of the Trojan War, Achilles, to examine how the most famous of epic narratives from Classical mythology inspired centuries of creators and cultures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The National Museum of Natural History’s magnificent gems represent a glittering intersection of natural science, human history, culture, romance, artistic skill, and creativity—set against the allure of immense value and awesome beauty. Jeffrey Post, curator of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection, reveals the scandals, mysteries, and human stories behind some of the world’s most famous gems.
There are 1,121 UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout the world. Guided by Justin M. Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University, this series focuses on four of these sites that have suffered grievous damage in recent decades, from Palmyra to the Great Barrier Reef. The session focuses on Palmyra.
In what was called the speech of a generation, activist Tamika D. Mallory declared that “Black people are dying in a state of emergency” at a Minneapolis press conference following the killing of George Floyd. Drawing on her new book, she discusses the history of systemic racism in America and puts forward a vision for effective activism and lasting, positive change.
George Washington ordered the laying out of a 10-mile-square district to be the seat of government, directing that boundary stones mark one-mile intervals along its border. Historian Dakota Springston tells the story of the people who surveyed and placed the stones—and helped turn the idea of an American federal city into a reality.
Embark on a maker’s journey as you learn how to create a fiber art labyrinth modeled after an ancient convoluted circular path.
There are songs so familiar they seem part of us. In this series with writer and filmmaker Sara Lukinson, find out how some our favorites from the American songbook came to be and how they speak to generations of listeners. This session highlights Somewhere Over the Rainbow and You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Both beginners and seasoned artists can learn to take advantage of the creative possibilities of this rich pigmented, vibrant, and versatile medium.
What keeps Dante’s Divine Comedy still meaningful today, even though it was written seven centuries ago? Explore Dante’s epic poem in all its cultural and historical richness—without the need of footnotes—and discover the ways his timeless wisdom and insights can enhance our everyday lives.
Opening a Southeast Asian restaurant, bar, or food business was always an uphill battle. How can they keep their doors open during a global pandemic with the doubly stacked odds of anti-Asian racism at an all-time high? In a free program, learn how a panel of Southeast Asian chefs and restaurateurs from across the country are meeting the moment.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper called on his inside knowledge of Washington’s workings to write his newest period political thriller The Devil May Dance, in which Congressman Charlie Marder and his wife Margaret find themselves launched into the dark side of 1960s Hollywood on a dangerous assignment from Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Join him as he discusses mixing politicos and the Rat Pack in his book, as well as his work covering the non-fictional Washington.
Great art is timeless, and speaks to us across time, culture, and space. Artist and educator Paul Glenshaw looks at one of the most iconic images of the French Revolution as he delves into the time of the artist and explores what shaped David’s vision. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
During the 1920s and 1930s, Cairo’s lively music, theater, film, and cabaret scene was dominated by women who were entrepreneurs and owners as well as celebrities. Discover the rich histories of the independent figures who offered a new vision for women in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.
Maryland’s long history, diverse inhabitants, varied landscapes, and of course, the Chesapeake Bay have contributed to a delicious cornucopia of foods and culinary traditions. Explore the state’s signature flavors, both familiar and unique, from the Appalachians of western Maryland to the Chesapeake’s Eastern Shore.
No event has altered the United States more profoundly than the American Civil War. Yet the question remains: Why have Americans returned to the war to find answers in their present? Historian Stephen D. Engle traces 150 years of an ever-changing narrative of the Civil War and why we still struggle to reach an acceptable version of its legacy.
“The play’s the thing” declared Hamlet, but nowadays he could easily have substituted “the film.” Speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin combines commentary and piano demonstrations to explore how master composers such as William Walton, Nino Rota, Patrick Doyle, and others illuminate Shakespeare’s texts while helping us relate emotionally to his astonishing stories on the screen.
Henna tattoos reflect an ancient and beautiful practice of body art. Explore the form’s history as you learn to apply simple traditional Indian henna designs.
Just in time for summer, spend a fun, informative afternoon learning how to safely move and care for your orchids outside in the hotter months.
The vast Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic collisions drive the majority of our planet’s earthquakes and volcanoes, is a hotspot for world travelers. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter as he leads a journey across seven regions of the Ring of Fire, exploring their distinctive geologic settings, and using maps, dramatic photos, and Google Earth flyovers to bring the destinations to life. This session showcases Alaska.
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing that offers a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon for a series of workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. This session focuses on 20th-century African American artist Alma Thomas’ colorful compositions.
Learn both the classic materials and techniques of the woodcut, a printmaking technique almost as old as the printing press that remains a popular medium of artistic expression.
Join Historic Royal Palaces guide Siobhan Clarke for a virtual look inside four great historic royal palaces. Using maps, paintings, photographs, and music, Clarke introduces the splendid corridors of royal power and pleasure.
In recent decades it has become acceptable to believe that greed is good and can be a productive force for good. But does the capitalist model for accumulating wealth force us to choose between the useful and the good? Steven M. Emmanuel asserts that the Buddha speaks directly to the benefits and the dangers of wealth acquisition as it pertains to happiness.
There are 1,121 UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout the world. Guided by Justin M. Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University, this series focuses on four of these sites that have suffered grievous damage in recent decades, from Palmyra to the Great Barrier Reef. The session focuses on the Bamiyan Buddhas.
In a two-part series, Jon Grinspan, curator of political history at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum, delves into the deep and sometimes wild history of American democracy to uncover a period of extreme division in the late 1800s. This session focuses on political struggles from the Civil War into the 1890s.
The 2021 edition of the popular Philadelphia Flower Show is the first to be held outdoors in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. Join Nicole Juday Rhoads, director of engagement at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, for a presentation on the Philadelphia Flower Show’s history and a preview of the new show themed "Habitat: Nature's Masterpiece.”
Met Cloisters curator Barbara Drake Boehm provides a fresh interpretation of the complex imagery woven into the iconic medieval Unicorn Tapestries. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Learn how 19th-century Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt’s conversations about the arts, science, politics, and exploration with figures such as President Thomas Jefferson and artist Charles Willson Peale had a lasting influence on American art, culture, and understanding of the natural world.
Space historian and television host Amy Shira Teitel tells the fascinating story of two women pilots who spent years as adversaries in search of the same goal: creating a place for women in the male-dominated arena of aviation and space flight.
Examine the development of the Corning Museum of Glass, now the largest museum in the world devoted to the subject, in a virtual look at its collections, library, Innovation Center, and other aspects of this world-class resource.
Show off your photos like a pro and learn how to assemble a personal portfolio that reflects your best work and your distinctive vision as a photographer.
As ruler of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, Sultan Mehmed II viewed himself as a new Roman emperor. To reflect that power and prestige he required an appropriate symbol: the magnificent Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Join Serif Yenen, a tour guide and guidebook author, for an exploration of the dazzling palace—including its fabled hidden sections—and stories about the lifestyles of the sultans who inhabited it. (World Art History certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
In this members-only series led by veteran arts educator Roberta Gasbarre, go behind the scenes and into the working lives of some of the most intriguing people from all across the Smithsonian and Washington’s worlds of culture, science, and education. This program features Monica Mohindra, head of program coordination and communication, Veterans History Project, Library of Congress.
In a two-part series, Jon Grinspan, curator of political history at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum, delves into the deep and sometimes wild history of American democracy to uncover a period of extreme division in the late 1800s. This session focuses on political reforms put in place in the 20th century.
There are 1,121 UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout the world. Guided by Justin M. Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University, this series focuses on four of these sites that have suffered grievous damage in recent decades, from Palmyra to the Great Barrier Reef. The session focuses on Timbuktu.
There are songs so familiar they seem part of us. In this series with writer and filmmaker Sara Lukinson, find out how some our favorites from the American songbook came to be and how they speak to generations of listeners. This session highlights This Land Is Your Land and Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Take command of your photographic vision as you learn the basics of your camera’s exposure functions. Learn to control the properties of your images through the understanding of apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field, shutter motion effects, equivalent exposures, and exposure modes.
Seeking inspiration for knitting projects—or just a good story? Explore a beloved form of fiber art as knitting expert Ann Richards leads a virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s collection of knitted objects and artifacts.
We loved watching TV series "Downton Abbey" and its glimpses into Edwardian lives. Historian Julie Taddeo looks beyond the show’s period fashions and lavish sets to consider its historical accuracy and what it says about the 21st century.
Spices are the fastest, easiest way to make a good dish a spectacular one, according to spice expert and professional chef Lior Lev Sercarz. He explains how to create spice blends, how to cook with them, and demonstrates the preparation of a spicy summer dinner.
Join Linette Dutari, associate director of communications at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute live from Panama for an engaging program about STRI’s ground-breaking research on tropical forests and marine ecosystems and their astounding biodiversity.
Circular weaving is a fun and versatile technique for new weavers as well as experienced fiber artists. Learn how to warp and weave on several sizes of circle looms as you create projects from coasters to cushions to home décor.
This workshop is for students who have attended the Colored Pencil workshop or for those with experience who feel their skill may need a boost with this versatile medium.
To fight the challenges of racism and white supremacy today, we must understand their origins, reminds medievalist Paul B. Sturtevant. Join him as he uncovers the thousand-year-old lineage of a very modern problem.
Join naturalist Keith Tomlinson for a virtual tour with an emphasis on adventuring. Located just three hours west of Washington in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, the beautiful highlands of Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area offer outdoor lovers an ideal setting for exploration.
Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. This immersive program focuses on Charonnay and Pinot Noir wines and includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
Get the most out of your digital mirrorless or SLR camera by taking part in this workshop, which provides a solid introduction to these cameras’ features and potential.
Musicologist and pianist Daniel Freeman pays tribute to iconic composer Johann Sebastian Bach and some of his greatest orchestral works in this day highlighted by music and video recordings.
Use colorful Akua water-based printmaking ink to create evocative spring-themed prints on fabric.
Create colorful and bright gerbera daisies as you learn basic floral papercraft techniques. At the workshop’s end, leave with the ability to complete three realistic gerbera daisies.
Art historian and photographer Patricia Howard introduces the world of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue and white print. Create your own in this unique studio arts program. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Admiral William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy (Ret.) talks about what it means to be a hero. Given his record of service to his country as leader of the United States Special Operations Command, it’s not a cliché to say it takes one to know one.
Join architect Travis Price in a discussion of modern architecture and what it says about our natural environment, the cultures within it, and the materials we use to create it.
Photographer Bruce White has spent much time in and around the White House, shooting it for books published by the White House Historical Association. As the author of At Home in the President’s Neighborhood, he’s the perfect guide for a vitual tour of the area most closely connected with the residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Lafayette Park.
Traditional Palestinian thobes’ intricate chest designs communicate the embroidery’s central theme. Create a small chest design segment using the iconic Ramallah arch pattern on waste canvas.
Thousands of life-size terra-cotta figures were buried to accompany China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, in the afterlife. Learn how the 3rd-century B.C. ruler shaped the visible expression of Chinese imperial power with a legacy that includes glittering palaces, sweeping defensive walls, and stunning artwork, along with the buried warriors. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
There are 1,121 UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout the world. Guided by Justin M. Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University, this series focuses on four of these sites that have suffered grievous damage in recent decades, from Palmyra to the Great Barrier Reef. The session focuses on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Mouse rules! Over the last nine decades, the Walt Disney Company has transformed every facet of the entertainment business. Author Brian Rose examines the secrets behind the development of this still-growing powerhouse, tracing the remarkable evolution of a small cartoon studio in 1923 into the most powerful force in worldwide media today.
Sharpen your knowledge of focus and depth of field through in-class discussion and homework assignments. Gain a better understanding of focus modes, area modes, and hyperfocal distance/focusing. DSLR, mirrorless, and film cameras are welcome.
David Eisenhower, director of the Institute for Public Service at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, examines Operation Overlord, the daring cross-Channel invasion that was a meticulously detailed plan—and a logistical nightmare.
Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Gary Rendsburg describes the discovery of these precious fragments and their influence on the development of both ancient Judaism and early Christianity.
You can’t visit Italy right now—but you can join art historian and culinary expert Elaine Trigiani at her farmhouse in Tuscany for a virtual exploration of Calabria—the toe of Italy’s boot—through a vivid look at its artistic and culinary heritage. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
It’s only natural to ask “Why?” in the face of life’s most complex questions and then come up with the answers. Evolutionary biologist Rui Diogo takes a scientific look at how humans have long made sense of their worlds, and suggests there’s a more rational and empirical question to ask in our quest for understanding: How?
The oyster is one of the most enduring symbols of the Chesapeake Bay. But in the mid-19th century through the 1950s, oyster pirates, legal watermen, and authorities engaged in violent disputes. Historian Dakota Springston examines how the Oyster Wars led to the oyster’s near extinction, and eventually, protection.
In the 11th century, Pisa was a thriving city and a maritime power. Lucca later emerged as one of the region’s trading centers. Join Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo for an incisive look at these cities’ influence on the development of art and architecture in the Mediterranean region. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Historian Jennifer Paxton examines the history behind Shakespeare’s history plays and explores the fascinating ways in which he did—and did not—depart from what his contemporaries knew about their own past both to entertain his audience and to comment on the politics of his own day.
Put away your point-and-shoot camera. Learn to make the most of your iPhone’s camera, starting with essential photography basics and moving on to some of the best apps, camera accessories, and low-cost tools for editing and image management.
Washington, D.C., is Indian land. The city is built on the traditional ancestral homelands of the Piscataway and Anacostan peoples. Join Elizabeth Rule, director of the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy at George Washington University, to explore the history and legacy of Native Americans in the nation’s capital, as well as a new digital guide and mobile app that maps local sites of Indigenous importance.
Discover the visual splendor and spiritual power of Byzantine art with art historian Judy Scott Feldman, from the jewel-like mosaics of Ravenna to the dazzling domed interior of Hagia Sophia and the penetrating stare of holy figures in Orthodox icons. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Quickly capture a scene using flowing lines and spontaneous watercolor techniques. Create landscape paintings and vignettes inspired from virtual travel from Europe to California. Complete one or more paintings as you use techniques in composition, drawing, and painting.
There are songs so familiar they seem part of us. In this series with writer and filmmaker Sara Lukinson, find out how some of our favorites from the American songbook came to be and how they speak to generations of listeners. This session highlights Summertime and My Favorite Things.
Create postcard-size paintings while virtually spending an afternoon in Provence. Discover how to capture light and shadow with flowing lines and colors. Use photos in the instructor's "Life in Provence" series, or your own photos as references.
One of the most sought-after vocal coaches in Hollywood, Denise Woods shares proven, practical, and invaluable tools to change both how we communicate and ultimately how we see ourselves.
The extensive journals that chronicle the Lewis and Clark expedition’s trek from St. Louis to the Pacific and back offer a vivid look at one of the most remarkable adventures in American history. Clay Jenkinson, a preeminent Lewis and Clark and Jefferson scholar, examines the dynamics of the journals, how they were written, and what they included in their entries—and what they did not—to offer a deeper understanding of the greatest land exploration in North America.
Beginning photographers learn how to use histograms, a graphic display of the brightness levels of pixels in an image—and an essential guide to achieving the correct exposure.
Art historian Bonita Billman introduces major artists and movements in American painting from the late 18th century to the present, revealing the connections between historical changes and artistic choices. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)
Stopping the dissemination of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation campaigns continues to be a Herculean task. An expert discusses how to identify and combat fake news—and how to resist becoming a victim of misinformation.
Are you worried about your memory, or someone else’s? Understand more about how memory works and how you might optimize yours from Barry Gordon, a nationally recognized expert on memory and memory disorders. It is an evening you won’t forget.
His role as Union Army quartermaster general is well known, but Montgomery Meigs was also an engineer, architect, inventor, and patron of the arts who left an indelible impression on the face of the capital city. Historian Bill Keene offers a virtual tour of sites in the Washington area associated with Meigs in his role of engineer and architect.
Learn how to paint a sun-filled scene with flowing watercolors. Explore positive and negative space, mixing a range of color values, and capturing sunlight with your paintbrush. A tracing and reference photo is provided to help you begin drawing ahead of class time.
Students learn how to use their ISO settings to darken and brighten photos, and how this relates to other camera settings such as aperture and shutter speed.
At the height of the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy saw outer space exploration as a race for survival—and America was losing to the Soviet Union. Author Jeff Shesol examines why John Glenn’s February 1962 mission into space had greater goals than circling the planet: It was to calm the fears of the free world and renew America’s sense of self-belief.
Light can make or break your photos. Understand the essentials of shooting in a natural-light setting as you learn to gauge the direction of light; recognize degree of diffusion; minimize (or emphasize) lens flare; control conditions with lens hoods, and more.
Looking for some refreshing cocktail ideas for warm summer evenings? Author and cocktail historian Philip Greene demonstrates how to make classics like the Tom Collins, Mojito, Southside, Daiquiri, and Jack Rose. He also mixes in the drinks’ histories and folklore.
Do you wish you knew more about those intriguing-looking birds you spot in your backyard or on your walks? Matt Felperin, NOVA Parks’ roving naturalist, offers an essential guide on what you see and hear designed for both beginning birders and those who want to take their skills to the next level.
The artist Raphael arrived in Rome in 1508 and brought a subtle revolution in art and architecture to the Eternal City. Join art historian Elaine Ruffolo for a virtual visit to the papal apartments—Stanze—Raphael painted, and revel in his virtuosity. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Historian and scholar Michele L. Simms-Burton, a former professor of African-American studies at Howard University examines the creators and the works that came alive during one of the most creative and intellectually productive eras in African American history, the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s.
Art historian Aneta Georgevskia-Shine discusses ways of approaching Hieronymus Bosch (1450–1516), a unique artist who continues to fascinate us with the fantastic imagery and densely symbolic messages of his compositions. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The Borgias’ name has become synonymous with blind ambition, murder, rape, incest, and torture in Renaissance Italy. But there was something more to know about them, and art historian Elizabeth Lev provides a broader context to the powerful family’s story.
Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. This immersive program focuses on wine favorites from the pros and includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
