Smithsonian Associates Online Programs

From sleigh bells and sugarplums to the mystical beauties of the Nativity, December is alive with the music of Christmas. Lecturer and concert pianist Rachel Franklin revisits this most beloved seasonal repertory, exploring how classical Western composers created a canon of both secular and sacred experiences that are deeply rooted in the celebration of the holidays.

Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a beloved Christmas classic. Yet when the film was released in 1946, it was a box office flop, won no Academy Awards, and was largely forgotten—until it was rediscovered through endless airings on local TV stations beginning in the 1970s. Media historian Brian Rose examines the movie’s fascinating story.

Described by Cicero more than 2,000 years ago as a promiscuous, husband-murdering harlot, Clodia of Rome led a powerful, complex life. Classicist Douglas Boin argues that Cicero lied about her to protect his own property and interests. Drawing on neglected sources and his study of Roman lives, Boin recounts events from Clodia’s privileged childhood and describes how she engaged in her family’s tradition of egalitarian activism.

Philadelphia Art Museum curator David Barquist highlights the Arts and Crafts movement by focusing on Philadelphia artists who sought to correct what they saw as the poor quality of factory production by embracing the British Arts and Crafts movement's principles of handwork, simplicity in design, and what they called “truth to materials.” Despite their shared interest in Arts and Crafts principles, the artists created individual responses that were shaped in part by the size and organization of their workshops. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)

Observational evidence of unprecedented weather extremes is mounting from all over the globe. While linking such events directly with human influence on the climate is not easy, atmospheric scientist Edward Graham examines how atmospheric modeling scenarios make it possible to assess how the frequency and intensity of an extreme weather event may have been influenced by human effect—and if such events are on the rise.

The great organ in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is as magnificent as it is historically significant. Though preserved from the flames and water during the fire that engulfed the cathedral's roof in 2019, the instrument was taken apart, then carefully reconstructed and tuned. Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Bach expert Thierry van Bastelaer discuss the history of the organ, the factors that make it unique, and the impact of the cathedral’s restoration on its sounds.

Select a pattern inspired by early 20th-century paper ornaments and learn simple metal embossing to transform an aluminum can into a holiday ornament or objet d’art for everyday decorating.

In an afternoon of artistic experimentation designed to strengthen creative muscles and deepen skills in visual expression, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches.

Step up your card- and gift-giving game this holiday season with hand-drawn holiday-themed illustrations and borders using pointed-pen flourishes.

Few national cinemas offer as compelling a mirror to social transformation as Italy’s. In the decades following World War II, Italian filmmakers shaped a legacy of innovation, reflection, and artistry that still resonates on the global stage. In a four-part series, art historian Jennie Hirsh explores pivotal moments in Italian cinema­, from the birth of Neorealism to the bold experimentation of contemporary filmmakers, and how they captured—and questioned—their time. This session focuses on 1970s and 1980s filmmaking and the legacy of Fascism.