Join in a weekend-long toast to the diamond anniversary of Smithsonian Associates. This evening program includes a special "How the Smithsonian Sparkles" lecture, highlighting three of the Smithsonian’s most scintillating exhibits: the studio model of the starship Enterprise from the original “Star Trek” series, which resides at the National Air and Space Museum; the Winston Red Diamond, a rare Fancy colored diamond that is part of a recently opened National Museum of Natural History exhibit along with its dazzling companions in the Winston Fancy Color Diamond Collection; and ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz from the National Museum of American History, which are one of the most asked-about artifacts at the Smithsonian. For in-person attendees, continue the evening with a cocktail demonstration and tasting by drinks historian Philip Greene, pop-up crafts, and light refreshments.

Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most famous film directors who ever lived. Over five decades, he made 54 films, including classics such as The 39 Steps, Rebecca, Notorious, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo, and Psycho. Few filmmakers have been as popular, critically celebrated, and influential not only as a director but also as a multimedia showman through his TV series, magazines, book anthologies, board games, and record albums. Media historian Brian Rose looks at Hitchcock’s achievements and, through dozens of film clips, examines his extraordinary creativity.

What if living to 100 wasn’t just a dream, but a possibility within reach? Physician and public health expert John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association, explores the science and strategies behind living a longer, healthier life as he offers practical guidance grounded in the latest research on aging and longevity.

Abraham Lincoln, an icon in American history and thought by many to be one of our nation’s greatest presidents, is often remembered as simply "Honest Abe" or the "rail-splitter." Going beyond what most Americans were taught in school, historian Robert Watson explores the many sides of this magnificently complex man, including his knack for oratory, love of literature, his physical strength, humor and humility, and his looks, loves, and losses.

Frederick Douglass was a visionary—a prophet who could see a better future that lay just beyond reach. Historian Richard Bell examines Douglass’s life to reveal more than another great man on a pedestal as he explores this many-sided man’s life, family, and career.

Can a sculpture made from automobile tires, a white canvas covered with white paint, and a banana duct-taped to a wall really be considered as art? They can, says art historian Nancy G. Heller, who explains how it’s possible by revealing the surprising connection between an abstract art work and a pizza: basic elements like color, texture, scale, and composition. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)

In the 1970s, the ultimate trip for any backpacker was the storied “Hippie Trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. A 23-year-old Rick Steves made the trek and, like a travel writer in training, documented everything along the way, from jumping off a moving train to making friends in Tehran to getting lost in Lahore to battling leeches in Pokhara. Forty-seven years-later, Steves shares stories and the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his life-changing 1978 experience.

Great art is timeless. Paul Glenshaw explores Paris during the Belle Epoque and the cabarets and music halls that fascinated artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. His 1895 painting evokes the joyful chaos of the era as well as his unrequited passion for a famous music hall star. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)