Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (Photo: Ajay Suresh/CC BY 2.0)
Immerse yourself in Manhattan’s cultural splendors during a winter weekend getaway filled with a blend of the city’s finest music and art—and a Saturday night on the town to enjoy as you’d like. Art historian Ursula Rehn Wolfman leads the visit, discussing the interplay of the two artistic mediums.
The weekend begins with an afternoon performance at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic’s “A Tribute to Boulez,” marking the centennial year of former music director Pierre Boulez, who died in 2016. Originally performed in 1975, the concert delves into connections among works by composers ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Schubert to Boulez. Included is a private post-program discussion with a New York Philharmonic educator who provides insight into the orchestra.
Shifting focus from music to art, Sunday begins at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a guided look at the collection of musical instruments from around the world and related artworks featuring instruments. The exhibition reveals links between the musical traditions of different peoples, places, and time periods. Free time is available afterward to explore the museum and enjoy lunch on your own.
In the afternoon, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum offers a guided tour of the special exhibition “Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930,” which features over 90 artworks in the museum’s iconic rotunda. The exhibition examines the vibrant abstract art of Orphism, the international movement’s development in Paris, and the impact that dance, music, and poetry had on it.
Participants stay at the Even Hotel New York–Midtown East in the heart of the Theater District. The location is perfect for visiting the TKTS booth for discount tickets to a show on Saturday evening, which is open. An early three-course supper is included before you head back to Washington on Sunday.
Know Before You Go
- Cost includes bus transportation, lodging, all activities, and the following meals: Saturday boxed lunch en route and Sunday breakfast and supper.
- Overnight accommodations are at the Even Hotel New York–Midtown East.
- Tour departs by bus from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup at the DoubleTree Hilton, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, Maryland, at about 8:40 a.m.
- Single-room supplement $100 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Non-Member pricing).
- Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
- Detailed information is emailed to registrants about four weeks prior to departure.
- Participants are advised to purchase travel insurance for overnight and multi-day tours from a provider of your choice. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.
General Information
- Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, January 24, 2025.
- The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
