Programs

Frank Gehry rejected strict Modernism early on, embracing experimentation, unconventional forms, and raw materials to redefine architectural expression. His Santa Monica house signaled this shift, and digital tools later enabled the sculptural complexity seen in the Guggenheim Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Fondation Louis Vuitton. Though often associated with Postmodernism and Deconstructivism, he resisted labels, prioritizing intuitive exploration. Celebrated and criticized, Gehry transformed contemporary architecture and expanded the possibilities of what buildings can communicate. Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture, examines Gehry’s life and work. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Art historian Sophia D’Addio surveys Umbria, known for hill towns, majestic landscapes, and the legacy of Saint Francis. Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, and Orvieto hold medieval and Renaissance treasures. Umbria’s culinary specialties focus on prized local ingredients such as black truffles, wild boar, lentils, and olive oil. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Forest ecologist and author Suzanne Simard reveals how forests endure through interconnected cycles of renewal and adaptation. She warns that disrupting these delicate systems undermines resilience, especially under human pressures and climate change. By recognizing nature’s regenerative balance and the intricate relationships that sustain ecosystems, Simard argues for ecological stewardship rooted in renewal and long-term resilience.

In the wildly popular British series “Poldark,” Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after the American War of Independence to find his estate in ruins, his finances exhausted, and his first love engaged to his cousin. Determined to rebuild, he reopens his copper mines, marries his former kitchen servant, and champions the working class, even risking his life in a duel. Historian Julie Taddeo examines the show’s topics—economics, religion, marriage, medicine, social customs, fashions, and the details of daily life in Cornwall and London—and explores what the series portrays accurately about the period and what its creators fictionalized.

As the Impressionist movement evolved, it became a symbol of modern art and began to transcend national boundaries. Today, the development and practice of Impressionism is seen less as a uniquely French movement and instead as a major influence on the world’s visual culture. In a 4-session series, art historian Joseph Paul Cassar surveys its influence in Russia, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Great Britain. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

At the center of classical Greece stood Athens and Sparta. Together, they defeated the Persians, the era’s only superpower. Yet later, they spread conflict and destruction across the eastern Mediterranean, culminating in the horrors of the Peloponnesian War. Historian Adrian Goldsworthy examines the complex and often volatile relationship between militarized Sparta and radically democratic Athens—opposites in ideology and culture, each driven by the Greek longing to excel and experimenting in radically different ways to govern a state.

Historic house museums are more than time capsules of architecture and décor: They are vibrant portals into human experience. Public historian Ken Turino examines how these historic houses serve as unique repositories of personal narrative and cultural and social history—lives lived, decisions made, and cultural shifts textbooks can only describe.

Explore the key role of knitting in American women’s battle to gain the right to vote, the survival of the musk ox, and anthropological understanding of past cultures and the rise and fall of civilizations. In fact, knitting has played a role in world history many times. Learn just how powerful a beloved handicraft can be.

Follow the 25-year journey of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s vice president of horticulture, Andrew Bunting, as he transforms his suburban Philadelphia property into a private garden featuring a series of distinctive small spaces. Bunting covers his approach to garden design, plant choice, seasonal displays, and his maintenance regime and covers the challenges of creating a personal landscape that provides practical lessons and creative ideas for home gardeners.

Every two years, the Venice Biennale transforms Venice into a living museum. This cultural extravaganza has grown into one of the world’s most influential exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture, cinema, dance, music, and theater, showcasing groundbreaking work from more than 90 nations. In a 2-session series, art historian Jennie Hirsh explores the biennale’s rich past and its landmark 2026 edition. This session focuses on the history of the Venice Biennale. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)