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All upcoming Lectures

All upcoming Lectures

Programs 1 to 10 of 93
Sunday, February 16, 2025 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as naturalist and botanical horticulturist Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens on the East and West Coasts of the United States, Morocco, and Germany. Vibrant visuals illustrate how each site takes a unique approach to design and interpretation as they all celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This program highlights South Carolina’s Brookgreen Gardens and Anima Garden in Morocco.


Wednesday, February 19, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET

As part of the most visible household in the nation, china used in the White House offers a comprehensive overview of the changing styles, tastes, and modes of entertaining across almost 250 years of American history. Philadelphia Museum of Art curator David Barquist explores the history of the porcelain tableware chosen by American presidents and their families for public and private dining. He also looks at the changes over time in the ceramics available to Americans. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)


Wednesday, February 19, 2025 - 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET

From our country’s birth, slavery was a point of contention. But despite the divisiveness of the issue, a full-scale abolitionist movement did not get underway until the 1830s. African Americans were at the forefront, but except for Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, their contributions are not widely known today. Kelly Hancock of the American Civil War Museum examines several lesser-known key activists and their efforts to end of slavery and achieve equality under the law.


Thursday, February 20, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET

Unforgettable costumes define our favorite films: the chic gray suit by Edith Head for Kim Novak in Vertigo; Irene Sharaff’s massive ballgown for Deborah Kerr in The King and I; and William Travilla’s pink gown and gloves worn by a diamond-bedecked Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Film historian Max Alvarez leads a stylish journey through six decades of cinematic costumes in a tribute to the remarkable designers whose sketchpads came to life on the soundstages.


Thursday, February 20, 2025 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET

We are fascinated with Mars, our neighbor in space so like Earth in some ways, and so utterly different in others. Two of NASA’s robotic rovers continue their decade-long quest for evidence that Mars was once much warmer, wetter, and more hospitable to life than it is today. J. Kelly Beatty, senior editor for Sky & Telescope magazine, leads an examination of the Red Planet from afar and up close, offering the latest updates on our current and future exploration of Mars and delving into the real odds of finding life there.


Friday, February 21, 2025 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET

There are few more beautiful wine regions than Campania, a gorgeous stretch of volcanic coastline that includes Capri and the Amalfi and Positano coasts. Home to the now-extinct Mount Vesuvius stratovolcano, the mineral-rich soils coupled with proximity to the Mediterranean are the most significant factors influencing the distinctive terroir of this magical region. Sip Italian-style as you savor fresh and bright whites and intense and brooding reds.


Sunday, February 23, 2025 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as naturalist and botanical horticulturist Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens on the East and West Coasts of the United States, Morocco, and Germany. Vibrant visuals illustrate how each site takes a unique approach to design and interpretation as they all celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This program highlights the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, and the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens.


Monday, February 24, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET

The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, completed in the 14th century in Florence, is the city’s principal Dominican church. Located next to the main railway station, the church, cloisters, and chapter house contain works by some of Italy’s most notable Gothic and early Renaissance artists, including Brunelleschi, Giotto, and Ghiberti. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights this lesser-known church and museum and its treasures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)


Monday, February 24, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET

Oscar-winning composers such as Bernard Herrmann, Max Steiner, Ennio Morricone and John Williams have engraved iconic scenes into our collective memory with their extraordinary music. Just ahead of this year’s ceremony, concert pianist and film-music fanatic Rachel Franklin leads a journey through 90 years of award-winning movie scores, accompanied by her grand piano and a wide collection of fascinating film clips.


Tuesday, February 25, 2025 - 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET

Ramen has been one of the most common foods in Japan for decades and it continues to surge in popularity in the United States. Sapporo is one of the most competitive ramen markets in Japan, with more than 1,000 ramen shops in the city. At Washington, D.C.’s Haikan restaurant, chef Katsuya Fukushima and Daisuke Utagawa break down the distinctive components and characteristics of Sapporo ramen, demonstrate its preparation, and then invite you to sit down for an authentic ramen lunch.