Frank Lloyd Wright’s residence for Buffalo businessman Darwin D. Martin is one of the most substantial and highly developed of his Prairie-style houses and among the architect’s most significant early commissions. Mary Roberts, executive director of the Martin House, leads a live virtual tour through sections of the main house, the open-air pergola, and conservatory as she shares the fascinating history of the site.
From the Woman Suffrage Procession along Pennsylvania Avenue in 1913 to the massive Million Man March in 1995, Washington, D.C. was the setting for many of the most historic social and political American protests of the 20th century. Enjoy a fall walk with lecturer Dave Price and discover the stories behind the most significant of these protests.
Springtime in Washington is legendary, but what about that other fabulous season, fall? Join author and tree expert Melanie Choukas-Bradley on a virtual tour through autumn in the capital and see why its beauty should be as celebrated as spring’s cherry blossoms.
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 a historic-district walking tour guided by Chestertown’s mayor.
From the last years of the 19th century throughout much of the following one, Los Angeles evolved from a destination for health seekers and winter vacations to a dynamic center of industry and the leading port of the Western United States. Bill Keene draws on booster literature, magazine articles, and scholarly and informal histories to examine how LA’s vision of itself became a reality.
Environmental historian Hayden Mathews brings the heritage of one of the most storied rivers in North American to life in a three-part series that focuses on how the Potomac has shaped the lives of the those who settled along its banks from their arrival after the last Ice Age to the present day and how those lives have had an impact on the river.
The Patagonia region of South America has long attracted naturalists and explorers to unravel the mysteries of its dramatic landscape. Join geologist Kirt Kempter on a virtual tour of the region including highlights such as national parks, glaciers, and several picturesque volcanoes of the southern Andes.
Albert Barnes amassed 181 works by Pierre-August Renoir—the world’s largest collection. Barnes Foundation educator Penny Hansen uses high-definition Deep Zoom technology to offer remarkable close-up views of his paintings as she examines his stylistic changes over the years, and discusses Barnes’ great affinity for Renoir, especially his late works. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Spend a fall morning exploring the verdant wooded trails of Rock Creek Park with naturalist and author Melanie Choukas-Bradley. She surveys the botanically diverse native trees of Rock Creek Park’s floodplain forest and upland woods and covers the history of D.C.’s woodland gem, the oldest urban national park in the country.
Follow the writer’s footsteps through the capital’s downtown as historian Garrett Peck examines the urban backdrop against which Whitman carved out a role as a nurse to Civil War soldiers; met the love of his life; worked as a federal clerk; and built a community through his literary circle.
A stunning contemporary setting, the unique vision of its founding collector, and galleries that house a dazzling array of modern and post-impressionist paintings are among the many reasons that make the Barnes Foundation Philadelphia a one-of a kind magnet for art lovers. Join art historian Ursula Wolfman to experience it in person during a memorable one-day visit. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Enjoy a fall 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.
Since 1782, Baltimore's Lexington Market—the oldest public market in America—has brought fresh food and delicious flavors to the community long before "farm to table" was a hot culinary trend. Christine Rai explores its history and the stories behind some of its best-known foods that define the authentic taste of Baltimore.
In 1932 Frank Lloyd Wright published The Disappearing City, a polemic about the evils of urban centers. He envisioned a better future centered on the automobile, telephone and radio, and mass production, integrated to bring mobility, freedom, and choice to the individual. In a richly illustrated program, Bill Keene examines the apparent contradictions between Wright’s essentially anti-city views and his ongoing fascination with work to enhance urban life. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
In the early years of the 20th century, Paris became a magnet for artists from all over the world and the birthplace for some of the principal innovations of modern art. Using high-definition Deep Zoom technology, Barnes Foundation educator Penny Hansen guides a live virtual tour that highlights works in the museum’s collection by Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, and Soutine that bring this seminal period to life. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Washington D.C.'s bedrock tells a deep time tale of oceanic sedimentation, intense mountain-building, violent shearing deep in the Earth, uplift, erosion, deposition of river gravels, and recent faulting with surprising implications. Join geologist Callan Bentley at the National Zoo and adjacent neighborhoods for a walking tour of key outcrops that illustrate chapters in this history before history.
General Black Jack Pershing’s 1916 “Punitive Expedition” into Mexico was intended to capture Pancho Villa in retribution for an attack on a small New Mexico town carried out by his revolutionary forces. Although it failed in its objective, historian Dakota Springston examines how the expedition changed American warfare and why the United States’ first truly mechanized conflict served as a testing ground for the country’s entry into WWI.
They came to the Pennsylvania countryside anxious to learn the fate of husbands and family members or drawn to provide solace to strangers. Their experiences amid the horrors of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle connected thousands of disparate women of all ages whose bravery and life-changing actions at Gettysburg are often overlooked by history. Author Chuck Raasch retells some of their compelling stories on the sites on which they unfolded at Gettysburg National Military Park.
The geologic story of the rugged San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado reveals an explosive volcanic origin, including 18 supervolcano eruptions that peaked between 26 and 28 million years ago. Join volcanologist Kirt Kempter on a virtual tour of the region to discover how these massive eruptions forever transformed the landscape in the blink of an eye.
Orchid expert Barbara Schmidt leads a tour of several of the most exotic and beautiful collections in the United States. In virtual visits from California to Florida to Pennsylvania, a specialist from each botanical garden shares what makes their collection unique and highlights some of its rarest orchids.
Explore a spectacular land of fire and ice in a virtual field trip led by volcanologist Kirt Kempter, who spotlights the key features that make Iceland a bucket-list destination for all geologists.
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)
