Quilting is a tradition that has transcended the limits of culture and eras. Throughout the centuries, styles and techniques evolved, but the common thread in the creation of quilts was often their makers: women. Led by Alden O’Brien, textile and costumes curator at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, visit three museums to explore the role quilting has played in our society, including how it has been used to express emotion and act as a force of social justice.

Rise early and enjoy a delightful summer walk at Virginia’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens with American Horticultural Society international travel guide Keith Tomlinson. The 95-acre setting features thousands of ornamental and native plants in numerous collections; lakes and adjacent forests that attract a variety of birds; a restored log cabin that embodies the colorful history of the garden; and a unique Korean bell pavilion.

The art of Impressionist-era creators is in the spotlight during a 2-day visit to three of Philadelphia’s outstanding collections led by art historian Ursula Rehn Wolfman. The Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibition “Mary Cassatt at Work” is devoted to the works of the Pennsylvania-born Impressionist, who challenged the conventional expectations of Philadelphia’s elite. “Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes” places masterpieces from the same period near each other and traces the development of these two artists. Showcased in an elegant Beaux-Arts–style building, the Rodin Museum’s collection of nearly 150 bronze, marble, and plaster sculptures represents every phase of Auguste Rodin’s career. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

Rise early and enjoy a delightful summer walk at Virginia’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens with American Horticultural Society international travel guide Keith Tomlinson. The 95-acre setting features thousands of ornamental and native plants in numerous collections; lakes and adjacent forests that attract a variety of birds; a restored log cabin that embodies the colorful history of the garden; and a unique Korean bell pavilion.

The geography and environment of the Mid-Atlantic were shaped over hundreds of millions of years by influences including the impact of a massive meteor; four tectonic mountain-building events; ice sheets and tropical oceans; plants and animals; and at least 15,000 years of human habitation. Environmental historian Hayden Mathews interprets the many layers of the region’s natural history as he leads a tour to three sites in Calvert County, Maryland: Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, Calvert Marine Museum, and Flag Ponds Nature Park.