Programs

The borough of Staten Island is a place that’s often overlooked by visitors—and fellow New Yorkers. On a two-day excursion led by arts journalist Richard Selden, discover an array of cultural and historic treasures that prove this island deserves to shed its underdog reputation. Stops include Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden; the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art; and Clear Comfort, the waterfront home of pioneering photographer Alice Austen. And, of course, there’s a trip aboard the Staten Island Ferry.

The study of iconography reveals how symbols and allegories help decode artworks that long puzzled scholars. Art historian Noah Charney examines how medieval viewers recognized saints in paintings despite widespread illiteracy. By identifying attributes tied to martyrdoms, such as Saint Lucy’s eyes on a platter or Saint Peter’s inverted cross, viewers understood each figure’s identity and meaning. Using Crivelli’s Demidoff Altarpiece, Charney shows how to read religious images like clues in a visual investigation. (World Art History Certificate elective,1/2 credit)

Home to extraordinary finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Naples National Archaeological Museum offers a glimpse into the ancient Roman world. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero introduces some of the museum’s most compelling treasures, from breathtaking mosaics and monumental sculptures to everyday objects that reveal how Romans lived, worked, and found pleasure nearly 2,000 years ago. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Britain’s so-called “devil’s decade” saw the nation reeling from the 1929 Wall Street crash as unemployment, poverty, and widening class divisions reshaped daily life. Many turned to cinema glamour and theatrical escapism while tabloids fixated on sensational crimes and royal scandal, including Edward VIII’s affair with Wallis Simpson. At the same time, economic despair fueled support for Oswald Mosley’s fascist movement. Historian Julie Taddeo highlights this turbulent era as a clash between lingering Victorian traditions and an increasingly modern, fractured society.

In an era marked by concerns over tariffs, political polarization, and shifting global alliances, questions about the durability of the U.S. dollar’s international dominance are becoming increasingly urgent. Economist Barry Eichengreen traces the evolution of cross-border money from the earliest coinage of the 7th century B.C.E. to modern cryptocurrencies and emerging central bank digital currencies. Eichengreen examines patterns in the life cycles of international currencies over the past 2,500 years, offering valuable lessons about how currencies rise—and why they fall.

The Brusilov Offensive—launched amid the battles of Somme and Verdun—caused over 2.5 million casualties and may have been history’s deadliest battle. Historian Indy Neidell argues it was the best chance for an early World War I armistice, as Gen. Aleksei Brusilov’s innovative shock-troop tactics nearly forced Germany and Austria-Hungary to negotiate. Had Russia succeeded, the intact German, Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires of 1916 might have shaped a radically different postwar world.

Explore and enjoy glorious songs from the great American Songbook with stories about their long, often-unexpected lives. Three-time Emmy Award–winning writer and documentary filmmaker Sara Lukinson’s abundant sampling of clips—and lively storytelling—make for two joyful and moving evenings to spend with Irving Berlin and George and Ira Gershwin, along with the artists who keep their songs alive. This session focuses on Irving Berlin.

Author Megan Kate Nelson explores how the American West took shape in the 19th century by highlighting communities that thrived even as frontier mythology erased them. Drawing from her book The Westerners, she examines federal and individual actions that fueled cultural tensions. She spotlights figures such as Sacajawea, more than just Lewis and Clark’s guide but an explorer who forged her own path; Jim Beckwourth, a biracial trader known for his cultural insight; and Polly Bemis, a Chinese immigrant who built a life in Idaho despite exclusion laws. Nelson also discusses several of the sources she used to write about the lived experiences of men and women who built the American West.

Fairy lore was once far broader and stranger than the 19th-century image of tiny winged beings. Historian and folklorist Francis Young traces how European cultures imagined fairies as powerful, human-like supernatural entities—from Irish aos sí to Scandinavian elves and Balkan vilas. He illustrates how these beliefs adapted to Christianity, thrived through the Middle Ages, and survived major cultural shifts, including the Reformation and Enlightenment. Young also highlights how colonial expansion globalized the idea of fairies and how enduring beliefs in fairies influence contemporary culture.

The U Street NW neighborhood has long been a vibrant corridor for the rich social, civic, and cultural life of Washington's African American community. Join local guide Lynn O’Connell on a walking tour that focuses on the history of the neighborhood. Sites visited include the African American Civil War Memorial, the legendary Howard Theatre, and the locations of one-of-a-kind murals featuring such history makers as Duke Ellington and go-go legend Chuck Brown.