Learn the benefits of quiet time spent in touch with nature as Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a certified nature and forest-therapy guide and author of The Joy of Forest Bathing, leads a 2-hour walk in the Smithsonian’s beautiful Enid A. Haupt Garden.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 - 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

What was it like to be in a London theater when Shakespeare’s plays were the latest hits? A visit to one of the Blue Ridge’s most charming towns—and the site of a unique reproduction of the Bard’s Blackfriars Playhouse—offers a chance to journey into theatrical history.

Saturday, May 25, 2019 - 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Visit two of the most interesting museums that reflect the tastes of their founders—both present and past—when you spend the day exploring the newly expanded Glenstone in suburban Potomac and the venerable Phillips Collection with art historian Ursula Wolfman. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit­)

Saturday, June 1, 2019 - 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

All aboard for an exciting three-day rail journey through West Virginia’s breathtaking mountain scenery led by railroad historian Joe Nevin.

Depart: Friday, June 7, 2019 - 8:00 a.m.
Return: Sunday, June 9, 2019 - 7:30 p.m.

Did you know there is rural beauty nearby to Washington that rivals the English countryside or Provence? Spend a June day with author and naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley as she shares some of her favorite places in a slice of paradise bordering the Frederick County line.

Friday, June 7, 2019 - 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A single shot in Ford’s Theater on an April night 1865 set off a dramatic chain of events, one of the most sensational of which was John Wilkes Booth’s flight from Washington. Civil War historian Gregg Clemmer and special guest Ed Bearss trace his path from the District to Maryland to the Virginia barn where he met his death.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Tangier Island is a community inextricably connected to the Chesapeake Bay. Join naturalist Keith Tomlinson as he leads a day devoted to discovering the island’s unique charms and attractions—on both land and water.

Sunday, June 9, 2019 - 6:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Two stunning new contemporary landmarks, the Vessel in Manhattan and Connecticut’s Grace Farms—as well as a private architectural yacht tour of New York harbor—join Philip Johnson’s Glass House, the High Line, and Yale University on the itinerary for a 3-day exploration of the creative synergy between architecture and design. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Depart: Thursday, June 13, 2019 - 8:00 a.m.
Return: Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 10:30 p.m.

Tangier Island is a community inextricably connected to the Chesapeake Bay. Join naturalist Keith Tomlinson as he leads a day devoted to discovering the island’s unique charms and attractions—on both land and water.

Sunday, June 23, 2019 - 6:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Washington, D.C., was the first municipality to be recognized a leading sustainable city by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities initiative. Spend a day with Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture, for a close-up look at several sites—from the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant to an elementary-school garden—that play a role in creating a greener nation’s capital.

Friday, June 28, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

On this guided behind-the-scenes tour, take a rare look at some of the treasures of the largest and most diverse museum library system in the world as you step into the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History.

Monday, July 8, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Spend a day behind the scenes at Wolf Trap, America’s only designated National Park for the Performing Arts. Highlights include a tour of Wolf Trap’s performances spaces, the nearby Barns of Wolf Trap, and an invite to a private rehearsal with singers from the Wolf Trap Opera Company.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

One of North America’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders is the perfect destination for a visit that includes all the don’t-miss attractions of Niagara Falls—and a memorable dinner in one of Ontario’s most historic and charming towns.

Depart: Thursday, July 11, 2019 - 7:00 a.m.
Return: Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 8:30 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Thursday, July 11, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Join historian Gregg Clemmer as he explores and interprets the most iconic battle of the Civil War in a full-day excursion.

Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Arts journalist Richard Selden leads a visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to experience Awaken, a unique exhibition that gathers spectacular objects of Buddhist art from across the centuries into a series of immersive spaces that trace a journey to spiritual enlightenment. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

On this guided behind-the-scenes tour, take a rare look at some of the treasures of the largest and most diverse museum library system in the world as you step into the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

On this guided behind-the-scenes tour, take a rare look at some of the treasures of the largest and most diverse museum library system in the world as you step into the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Staten Island is a destination often overlooked by visitors—and fellow New Yorkers. On a 2-day excursion, arts journalist Richard Selden uncovers an array of cultural, historical, and architectural attractions that prove that this island the size of Bermuda deserves to shake off its underdog reputation.

Depart: Sunday, July 21, 2019 - 8:00 a.m.
Return: Monday, July 22, 2019 - 9:00 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The art of impressionist-era creators is in the spotlight during a 2-day visit to several of Philadelphia’s outstanding collections led by art historian Ursula Rhen Wolfman. A special exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and visits to the Barnes and the Rodin Museum are part of this perfect getaway for art lovers. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Depart: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 9:00 a.m.
Return: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 9:00 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 tour that brings you into the heart of Roosevelt’s Badlands and the national park that bears his name.

Depart from Bismarck, ND: Sunday, September 15, 2019 - 6:00 p.m.
Return to Bismarck, ND: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 1:00 p.m.

Savor the beautiful lower Hudson Valley—a treasure trove of historic houses and home to the school that produces top chefs—in a 3-day excursion led by Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture. The tour includes visits to the Kykuit Rockefeller estate, the Culinary Institute of Ameirca (for a French lunch), the Springwood family estate where Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born, magnificent Vanderbilt Mansion, and more.

Depart: Sunday, September 22, 2019 - 7:00 a.m.
Return: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 - 10:00 p.m.

Explore the man-made wonders of the C&O Canal, as well as natural beauty of spring along the Potomac River, guided by writer and local historian Garrett Peck. Highlights include the Monocacy Aqueduct, the canal town of Williamsport, the Paw Paw Tunnel, and an overnight stay in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, site of America’s first spa.

Depart: Sunday, October 20, 2019 - 8:30 a.m.
Return: Monday, October 21, 2019 - 6:30 p.m.