Welcome to Smithsonian Associates In-Person Programs

Immerse yourself in Manhattan’s cultural splendors during a winter weekend getaway filled with a blend of the city’s finest music and art—plus a Saturday night on the town to enjoy as you’d like. The weekend includes a performance by the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center and tours of exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Art historian Ursula Rehn Wolfman leads the visit.

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular four-concert series on Saturdays. The concert features music composed by Schubert, Mozart, and Bruckner.

While Romare Bearden worked in many mediums from oil and watercolor to printmaking, he is best known for his mixed-media collages and photomontages. After looking at Bearden’s works of art, students try their hand at creating Bearden-inspired mixed-media compositions.

Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular four-concert series on Sundays. The concert features music composed by Schubert, Mozart, and Bruckner.

At the nationally celebrated Moon Rabbit restaurant in Washington, D.C., chef Kevin Tien oversees a menu that features contemporary takes on classic Vietnamese dishes with an homage to his mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. His special menu designed for Smithsonian Associates’ guests also has a family flavor: It celebrates the Lunar New Year, a time when Vietnamese families gather over food to honor their ancestors, review the past year, and pray for health and prosperity in the coming one.

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.

Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.

Learn to capture the depth of field, motion effects, and exposure you want by quickly making camera adjustments in the field. Topics covered include ISO, apertures, shutter speeds, exposure modes, metering modes, exposure compensation, and histograms.

Ages 7-11. This spirit-rousing musical play chronicles the struggles and triumphs of pioneering African American baseball players. 

Ages 7-11. This spirit-rousing musical play chronicles the struggles and triumphs of pioneering African American baseball players.