n - The Smithsonian Associates

Transcription

Make the Season Brighter!
Start a family holiday tradition
with the Smithsonian
Saturday, Dec. 10
Exclusive
Family Program
for
Circle of Support*
Members
Bring your family together in the spirit
of the season and enjoy a Smithsonian
Associates event designed just for
Circle of Support members.
Begin with a global adventure in
Discovery Theater’s original
production Seasons of Light,
a celebration of holiday customs
around the world.
Afterward, try your hand at
cookie decorating and
holiday crafts for all ages as
you sip hot cocoa or warm
cider and munch on cookies.
You can round out your
Smithsonian excursion
with a visit to the Castle
and admire the beautiful
holiday décor.
TWO OPTIONS: 10:30 a.m. (CODE 1P0-558) and 1:30 pm. (CODE 1P0-559);
Discovery Theater, Ripley Center; Adults $15; Children $5; Children under 2 free;
limit 6 tickets per member
*Circle of Support members at Resident Advocate level ($175) and above are eligible
for this event. To join or upgrade your membership, please call 202–633–3030 or
visit smithsonianassociates.org/levels for more information.
SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES
Dear Fellow Members,
October 2016
Culture + Ideas
We often say we open the world of the Smithsonian
to our audiences, but this issue’s offerings also
reveal that the whole world can be explored through
Smithsonian Associates. A global tapestry of culture,
history, cuisine, and philosophy is reflected in
upcoming programs.
Stroll through charming holiday markets from
Dresden to Barcelona (p. 15), learn how Paris
seduced a generation of Gilded Age artists (p. 20),
and revel in the atmosphere of Vienna (p. 35) and
Naples (p. 39).
Explore the foundations, faith, and current controversies centered on Islam (p. 13), and how shared
visual symbolism links its practitioners to those of
Christianity and Judaism (p. 21).
Follow Rudy Maxa and DC restauranteur Daisuke
Utagawa into Tokyo’s culinary scene (p. 10), and
join spice expert Lior Lev Sercarz as he transforms
timeless spices from around the globe into
surprising new blends.
Trace the history of 19th-century South Africa
(p. 31), the Holy Land of Herod (p. 32), and the
civilizations of the Andes (p. 40) and ancient Egypt
(p. 41). Find a contemporary focus in examinations
of how archaeological looting threatens Southeast
Asia’s cultural heritage (p. 31) and how Russia
shaped its place in the world (p. 35).
From a concert of classical Indian music played by
a virtuoso of the stringed sarangi (p. 8) to a look at
the glories of Italy’s cathedrals and basilicas (p. 18),
you’ll find Associates offers you a special passport
to the world.
We’re delighted you’ve joined us on the journey!
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Art + Design
18
Science + Nature 25
Holiday-Themed
Programs
28
Past + Present
Studio Arts
31
42
Frederica R. Adelman, Director
[email protected]
Smithsonian
Spotlight
Programs with this icon highlight a
Smithsonian collection, exhibition, research,
or are presented by a Smithsonian expert.
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Helpful Information
Smithsonian Associates Membership Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Locations, Metro, and Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Programs listed by format; date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Refunds/Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside back cover
Smithsonian Associates (USPS 043-210) Vol. 45, No.2, October 2016. Published monthly by The Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution, 1100 Jefferson Drive, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20560. Periodicals
postage paid at Washington, DC. and at additional mailing offices. Vesna Gjaja, Director of Marketing and Membership; Cecelia Reed, Editor; Robert A. Sacheli, Copywriter; Ric Garcia, Visual Specialist; Copyright
2015 by The Smithsonian Associates. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Smithsonian Associates, P.O. Box 23293, Washington, D.C. 20026-3293. Printed in the U.S.A. on recyclable paper.
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Smithsonian Associates
Membership Benefits
The Smithsonian Associates opens the Smithsonian’s
rich and varied resources to our members.
When you join the Smithsonian Associates you become a part of the largest
museum-based cultural and educational program in the world. As an insider,
you have unparalleled access to the Smithsonian's world of knowledge—and enjoy a full
array of exclusive benefits.
The Smithsonian Associates, unlike the museums, is not federally funded and relies
instead on individual contributions to help bridge the gap between program expenses
and ticket revenues. There are many membership options across the Smithsonian
Institution, but Smithsonian Associates membership is the ONLY program that directly
supports Associates’ programming and outreach efforts, and the only way to access
ticket discounts and exclusive benefits at our programs.
Resident Promoter –$100
Resident Champion –$80
Resident Enthusiast –$60
Resident Associate –$45
Effective October 2016
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Members-only ticket priority—get your tickets before they go on sale to the general public
(excludes summer camps, embassy events, and other events as indicated)
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Eligibility to purchase one ticket per program at the discounted member price (savings of 30%–40%)
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Subscription to the monthly Smithsonian Associates program guide
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20% discount at SmithsonianStore.com during special Member Days sales
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10% discount at Smithsonian museum shops, SmithsonianStore.com, and select Smithsonian restaurants
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Discounts on Art Collectors Program fine-arts prints
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Eligibility to participate in travel programs sponsored by Smithsonian Journeys
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Smithsonian magazine delivered to your home
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Recognition on the Smithsonian Associates website
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INTRODUCTORY Memberships
When you become a member you’ll guarantee that you’ll be among the first to know
about the outstanding programs we bring you every month—which add up to more
than 750 opportunities for discovery, enrichment, and learning you’ll find nowhere
else. Membership has its benefits: Members receive a range of valuable discounts,
including 30%-40% off Smithsonian Associates program tickets, and access to tickets
before they go on sale to the general public.
Eligibility to purchase up to six tickets per program at the discounted member price (savings of 30%–40%)
Access to exclusive complimentary tours of Smithsonian exhibitions throughout the year
SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES OCTOBER 2016
Resident Partner –$2,500
Resident Sponsor –$1,000
Resident Patron –$600
Resident Contributor–$300
Resident Advocate –$175
and above
Resident Benefactor–$5,000
CIRCLE of SUPPORT
As a member of the Smithsonian Associates Circle of Support, you’ll play a vital and
valued role in our work. Your contributions to the Smithsonian Associates provide the
support that enables all of our programs to continue and grow. There’s no better time
to consider enhancing the level of your support. Depending on the level you choose,
you’ll enjoy enhanced benefits such as early registration for Smithsonian Summer
Camp and special programs, reserved seating at sold-out events, and invitations to
exclusive receptions with speakers.
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ALL OF THE BENEFITS of the Introductory Membership Levels, plus:
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Advance digital copy of the monthly Smithsonian Associates program guide
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Two complimentary tickets to one exclusive after-hours Mingle at the Museum event
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Access to VIP pavilion, activities, and seating at Breakfast at the Zoo
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Advance ticket purchasing by phone for high-demand programs, including Smithsonian Summer Camp
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Complimentary tickets for you and one guest to a lecture or performance
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Invitation for you and one guest to a Smithsonian Insider event during the year
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No handling fees on phone purchases
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Recognition on the annual donor list in the Smithsonian Associates program guide
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Early admission to select premier headliner events
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Complimentary invitation for you and one guest to an exclusive Meeting the Masters reception
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Recognition on the Smithsonian Associates annual donor plaque at our headquarters on the National Mall
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Copy of the Smithsonian’s annual report
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Complimentary VIP tickets and parking for you and one guest for Breakfast at the Zoo
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Advance ticket purchasing for embassy programs and receptions
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Reserved seating at most Smithsonian Associates programs
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An exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with a docent
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Eligibility to purchase tickets for bus trips to out-of-town Smithsonian events
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Private tour of a Smithsonian exhibition for you and three guests
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Invitation for two to the Annual Smithsonian Weekend, including complimentary receptions,
behind-the-scenes tours, and a black-tie dinner at one of the Smithsonian museums
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Dedicated concierge phone line for inquiries and tickets
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Recognition in the Smithsonian’s annual report
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Recognition as a sponsor of a selected Smithsonian Associates program
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Complimentary VIP tickets and parking for you and five guests for Breakfast at the Zoo
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Reserved seating at all Smithsonian Associates programs
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Additional 20% discount on member prices for Art Collectors Program fine-arts prints
Visit SmithsonianAssociates.org/levels or call 202-633-3030
SMITHSONIANASSOCIATES.ORG and 202-633-3030
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Culture + Ideas
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
Smithsonian
Spotlight
THE 40TH SEASON of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
features musical masterpieces from the early 17th to the early 21st
century, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical
instruments. Two series, featuring the SCMS’s acclaimed artists, offer
musical feasts simply unobtainable anywhere but at the Smithsonian.
Following the success last year in experimenting with various seating
configurations in the National Museum of American History’s new
Music Hall, the entire season will be performed in this chic and comfortable space. Kenneth Slowik, SCMS artistic director and recipient
of the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award, again curates a series
of pre-concert lectures (one hour prior to each program), shedding
light on the glorious music and the life and times of the featured
composers.
The Axelrod Quartet
Stradivarius and Amati
Marilyn McDonald
violin
TOMMY LAVERGNE
Marc Destrube
violin
ALL PHOTOS BY HUGH TALMAN/SMITHSONIAN
2016–2017 Season
A dress rehearsal by the Smithsonian Chamber Players in the Music Hall
shows the close proximity of performers and audience members in this
intimate space.
SMITHSONIAN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY AUDIENCES are privy to the unparalleled
opportunity of hearing two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio
Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicolo Amati—in this popular three-concert series. The
season opens in November with a string quartet adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s
Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue), BWV 1080. The four voices of the string quartet
bring fresh clarity to the exquisite counterpoint of this masterful late work, written during
the last decade of Bach’s life. Over the remainder of the season, the Axelrod Quartet
concludes its traversal of Haydn’s Op. 76 quartets, and presents works of other Viennese
composers: Webern and Brahms (in January), and
Haydn’s pupil Beethoven (in March). The final pair
of concerts of the series introduces the Rolston
Quartet, the graduate-quartet-in-residence at Rice
University’s Shepherd School of Music. This gifted
young ensemble, which was grand prize winner of
the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition
and took prizes in both the M-Prize and Bordeaux
International String Quartet competitions, joins the
Axelrods in the last of Louis Spohr’s four innovative
double quartets, utilizing both sets of instruments
Rolston Quartet: Luri Lee and Jeffrey
for an extravagant sonic experience.
Dyrda, violins; Hezekiah Leung, viola;
Jonathan Lo, violoncello
Concerts
Sat., Nov. 19 and Sun., Nov. 20
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080
Sat., Nov. 19, CODE 1P0-529; Sun., Nov. 20, CODE 1P0-532
James Dunham
viola
Kenneth Slowik
violoncello
Axelrod Quartet
THREE-CONCERT SERIES: Saturdays: CODE
BPP8; Sundays: CODE BPP9; concerts at
7:30 p.m.; pre-concert talks at 6:30 p.m.;
Music Hall, American History Museum;
Members $66; Nonmembers $85
SINGLE TICKETS: See concert date for code;
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Sat., Jan. 14 and Sun., Jan. 15
Joseph Haydn: Quartet in D Major, Op. 76, No. 5
Anton Webern: Langsamser Satz
Johannes Brahms: Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2
Sat., Jan. 14, CODE 1P0-530; Sun., Jan. 15, CODE 1P0-533
Series
subscription
and
single tickets
on sale
Sat., March 18 and Sun., March 19
Joseph Haydn: Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 76, No. 6
Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2
Louis Spohr: Double Quartet in G Minor, Op. 136
with the Rolston Quartet
Sat., March 18, CODE 1P0-531; Sun., March 19, CODE 1P0-534
Published ticket prices are subject to change, depending on availability.
Culture + Ideas
Masterworks of Five Centuries
Smithsonian Chamber Players, Smithsonian Consort of Viols, Esterhazy Machine
THE SEASON OPENS IN OCTOBER
with a program containing Krzysztof
Penderecki’s evocative Leaves of an
Unwritten Diary of 2008, and Arnold
Schönberg’s monumental D Minor
Quartet of 1904–1905, which is
formally a small-scale analogue to the
First Chamber Symphony heard at
the conclusion of last season. The
Smithsonian Consort of Viols makes
another January outing, with a program
centered around works of Alfonso
Ferrabosco and Orlando Gibbons for
viols and organ. In February, two of
California’s top period-instrument
players, Katherine Kyme and William
Skeen, join Kenneth Slowik for four of
Haydn’s inventive fortepiano trios from
the late 1780s. Slowik celebrates his
40th season as a member of the
Smithsonian Chamber Players with
a pair of all-Bach recitals at the
beginning of April. Later that month,
the theme is late-19th-century
Viennese, with two of the greatest
chamber works of Brahms: the warmly
gemütlich A Major Piano–Violin Sonata,
and the haunting, autumnally beautiful
clarinet quintet, one of the pieces
Brahms wrote after he was seduced to
end his self-imposed compositional
retirement by the artistry of clarinetist
Richard Muhlfeld. The season ends on
a festive note, with the Esterházy
Machine presenting a sampling of the
126 baryton trios Haydn wrote for his
music-loving employer Prince Nikolaus
Esterházy “the Magnificent,” and Robert
Schumann’s genial piano quartet of
1842.
Masterpieces of Five Centuries
SIX-CONCERT SERIES: Saturdays:
CODE BPQ1; Sundays: CODE BPQ2;
concerts at 7:30 p.m.; pre-concert
talks at 6:30 p.m.; Music Hall,
American History Museum; Members
$90; Nonmembers $120
SINGLE TICKETS: See concert date
for code; Members $25;
Nonmembers $35
Treble viol by Henner Harders, Mansfeld, Germany; after Henry Jaye, London, ca. 1620
Concerts
Sat., Oct. 8; Sun., Oct. 9
Krzysztof Penderecki: Leaves of an Unwritten
Diary
Samuel Barber: Adagio from the String Quartet,
Op. 11
Arnold Schönberg: Quartet in D Minor,
Op. 7
Smithsonian Chamber Players
Mark Fewer and Audrey Wright, violins; Steven
Dann, viola; Kenneth Slowik, violoncello
Sat., Oct. 8, CODE 1P0-535; Sun., Oct. 9, CODE
1P0-541
Sat., Jan. 7; Sun., Jan. 8
English Consort Music of the Elizabethan
and Jacobean Eras
Smithsonian Consort of Viols
Kenneth Slowik, Lucine Musaelian, Rebekah
Ahrendt, Catherine Slowik, Loren Ludwig, and
Arnie Tanimoto, viols; with Webb Wiggins, organ
Sat., Jan. 7, CODE 1P0-536; Sun., Jan. 8, CODE
1P0-542
Sat., Feb. 25; Sun., Feb. 26
Joseph Haydn: Piano Trios of the 1780s
Kenneth Slowik, fortepiano; Katherine Kyme,
violin; William Skeen, violoncello
Sat., Feb. 25, CODE 1P0-537; Sun., Feb. 26, CODE
1P0-543
Sat., April 8; Sun., April 9
Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
Kenneth Slowik
Sat., April 8, CODE 1P0-538; Sun.,
April 9, CODE 1P0-544
Sat., April 29; Sun., April 30
Johannes Brahms: Violin Sonata in
A Major, Op. 78; Clarinet Quintet
in B Minor, Op. 115
Vera Beths and Meredith Riley, violins;
Steven Dann, viola; Kenneth Slowik,
violoncello and piano; Charles
Neidich, clarinet
Sat., April 29, CODE 1P0-539; Sun.,
April 30, CODE 1P0-545
Sat., May 6; Sun., May 7
Joseph Haydn: Trios “fatto per S.A.S.
Prencipe Estorhazi”
Robert Schumann: Piano Quartet in
E-flat Major, Op. 47
Esterházy Machine
Steven Dann, viola; Myron Lutzke,
violoncello; Kenneth Slowik, baryton
and piano; with Ian Swensen, violin
Sat., May 6, CODE 1P0-540; Sun., May
7, CODE 1P0-546
More INFORMATION and TICKETS at SMITHSONIANASSOCIATES.ORG and 202-633-3030
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Culture + Ideas
Remakes of remakes of remakes! The latest version of The
Magnificent Seven, starring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington,
was released in September. It’s a remake of the 1960 film of the
same name, which was in turn a Hollywood remake of Akira
Kurosawa’s 1954 The Seven Samurai. The plot (a gang of gunfighters is
hired to
protect a town
from a bandit)
was also
parodied in
Three Amigos
and reinterpreted by none
other than
Stephen King
in Wolves of the
Cast of Antoine Fuqua’s 2016 film
Calla.
Jack Marshall explores why this timeless story has endured
across the decades, various media, and languages and cultures.
Sat., Oct. 1, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0-177;
Storytelling on the Screen
The Elements of Cinematic Style
Watching a filmed story is a complex act involving sensations,
emotions, and ideas. Add to these a moving camera, instantaneous
shifts in space and time, and complex interactions of words,
sounds, and images, and film becomes a unique art form.
Jack Jorgens, professor emertius in the department of literature
at American University, looks at scenes from some of the best
screen works, asking what constitutes style in film and how
cinematic expression works.
The Tramp and the
Fool: Ideas in Film
Modern Times and
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday
Wed., Oct. 5, CODE
1W0-079C; 12 noon–
1:30 p.m.; Ripley
Center; Members $25;
Nonmembers $35
Shakespeare
vs. Film
Throne of Blood
and Macbeth
Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard in
Modern Times, 1936
Wed., Oct. 19, CODE
1W0-079D; 12 noon–
1:30 p.m.; Ripley
Center; Members $25;
Nonmembers $35
Creating Poetry
From Your
Family History
A Writing Workshop
Family memories, members, and
events can provide rich material
for poets. Writer Kirun Kapur
leads a day-long practical workshop
designed to help you turn your family history into effective, meaningful poetry.
Begin by covering the elements of poetry and writing, with a
focus on examining the family as source material. Investigate how a
variety of poets have approached family-inspired writing, then
spend time creating your own poetry. No writing or poetry experience is required, but in-progress works are welcome at the session.
Kapur concludes the day with a reading from her newest book of
poetry, Visiting Indira Gandhi’s Palmist (Elixir Press), and participants
are encouraged to share some of their newly created works as well.
The poetry editor of The Drum audio literary magazine, Kapur
taught creative writing at Boston University and through the
Harvard Extension program. Her work has appeared in the Beloit
Poetry Journal, Crab Orchard Review, Massachusetts Review, AGNI,
Christian Science Monitor, other journals, and
news outlets.
Kapur’s book is available for sale and signing.
Sat., Oct. 1, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1W0-083;
Origin Stories and the
Star Wars Trilogy
Joseph Campbell and Myth in the 21st Century
Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) called mythology “humankind’s one
great story.” His life-long passion began with a boyhood obsession
with Native American culture. He was seized by “the figure of an
American Indian…with a look of
special knowledge in his eyes.” In his
classic The Hero With a Thousand
Faces, he detailed the hero’s journey
schema, a universal pattern of human
development that has inspired generations of artists, including Star Wars
creator George Lucas.
Explore that “great story” with
Doug Herman, senior geographer at
the American Indian Museum, and
Robert Walter, Campbell’s friend,
Joseph Campbell
editor, and president and executive
director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. Their conversation
touches on Campbell’s “Four Functions of Myth,” sacred and
secular mythologies, the presidential election, culture wars, how
mythologies and museums can empower or repress and manipulate people(s), and what it means to be fully human.
Thurs., Oct. 13, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1C0-084;
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© JOSEPH CAMPBELL FOUNDATION
BLACKFILM.COM
The Enduring Magnificent Seven
Culture + Ideas
With
Performances
Masterworks of Chamber Music
Co-sponsored with the Friday Morning Music Club
Chef Kwame Onwuachi
This Cookie Doesn’t Crumble
Top Chef to Chef at the Top
At the center of Fox’s
wildly popular hip-hop
drama, Empire, is the captivating force of nature
Cookie Lyon, played by
D.C. native Taraji P.
Henson, an Academy
Award nominee and
Golden Globe winner.
In her new book, Around
the Way Girl, Henson
discusses her journey from
Washington to Hollywood;
her troubled father, a
sometimes-embattled
Vietnam vet, and her
mother, a survivor of
Taraji P. Henson
violence both in the home
and on D.C.’s tough streets; and how being a single mother was
a gift to her, rather than a burden. The Howard University drama
major also comments on how having a university degree was no
shield against the pitfalls that come with being a black actress.
Spend an afternoon with Henson as she talks with NPR’s TV
critic Eric Deggans about making a life and building career—
and what really happens behind the scenes on Empire.
The ticket price includes a pre-signed copy of Around the
Way Girl (37 Ink/Atria). Additional copies are available for
purchase at the event.
You might have first heard about Kwame Onwuachi from his
stint on TV’s Top Chef, but you’ll soon be hearing more from the
26-year-old rising culinary star. Much anticipation surrounds
Onwuachi’s inaugural entry this fall into D.C.’s hot, competitive
restaurant scene. The Shaw Bijou is a high-concept, limitedseating restaurant with an unusual menu inspired by Onwuachi’s
equally unusual life experiences. They include growing up in the
Bronx and finding a love
for food while assisting
with his mom’s catering
business, learning a new
appreciation for food
living in Nigeria with his
grandfather, cooking for
the Gulf Coast oil-spill
crews, attending the
Culinary Institute of
America, and traveling
the world.
Onwuachi talks about
competing on Top Chef,
why he chose to open his
first restaurant in D.C.,
and his hopes for his
ambitious new enterprise.
Get a sneak peek of The
With
Shaw Bijou’s menu, too. A Kwame Onwuachi
TASTING
tasting follows the program.
Sat., Oct. 22, 1–2:30 p.m.; Baird Auditorium; Natural History
Museum; CODE 1L0-139; Members + Book $40;
Nonmembers + Book $50
37 INK/ATRIA BOOKS
Taraji P. Henson
Mon., Oct. 24, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center;
CODE 1L0-136; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
7
KEVIN CARROLL
Chamber music is perhaps
woodwind, brass, and piano; and the
the most subtle and intimate
addition of the voice to the instruform of musical expression. It has inspired
mental mix.
many great composers to create some of their
Each session is highlighted by
most sublime works. Originally designed for
music and video recordings and live
the private enjoyment of its players in a
chamber performances by Friday
drawing room, it is now heard in recital and
Morning Music Club musicians.
concert halls throughout the world.
OCT 19 Two’s Company
Explore some of the chamber repertoire’s
OCT 26 The String Quartet
great works, and their various forms, in this
NOV 2 Piano and Strings
lively and engaging series, co-sponsored by the
Friday Morning Music Club and led by pianist
NOV 9 The Merging of Different
Frank Conlon. In six lively sessions, Conlon
Instrumental Families
focuses on the economical and personal nature
NOV 16 Voices and Instruments
of duos and sonatas; the string quartets’
NOV
30 Four Hands, Four Voices
perfect blend of tone and ensembles; the
balance and contrast of sound achieved in the
6 sessions; Wed., Oct. 19–Nov. 30,
(Clockwise) Violin, piano; oboe, harp
pairing of piano and strings; the sound created
Noon–1:30 p.m. (no class Nov. 23);
by the combination of bowed or plucked string instruments with
Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-862; Members $100; Nonmembers $150
Culture + Ideas
With light refreshments
Conversations on
Contemporary Novels
National Book Critics Circle Award Winners
If you love discovering a new book and sharing it with
a
friend, here’s a chance to do both by reading and disBOOK
cussing recent novels recognized by the National Book
GROUP
Critics Circle.
The organization was founded in 1974 at New
York’s Algonquin Hotel. Its founding members were inspired to try to extend the lively literary repartee of past writers who had famously
gathered around the hotel’s legendary Round Table into a national conversation. An outgrowth is the annual National Book Critics Circle
Awards, honoring the best literature published in the United States in six categories—autobiography, biography, criticism, nonfiction,
poetry, and the focus of this series, fiction.
Lisbeth Strimple Fuisz, a lecturer in the English department at Georgetown University, leads spirited lectures and informal discussions
about the books. Participants should read the first book prior to class. Sherry and cookies are available for refreshment.
Edith Pearlman, Binocular Vision (2011)
Mon., Oct 24, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-156B; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah (2013)
Mon., Nov. 21, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-156C; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
Anthony Marra, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena (2014)
DEBORAH FEINGOLD
Mon., Dec. 19, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-156D; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
Novelist Jodi Picoult
On Tackling Tough Topics
Best-selling author Jodi Picoult is one of the most popular fiction writers today, but that doesn’t
mean her books are easy reads. Picoult has addressed some tough topics in her novels, including
the death penalty, stem-cell research, and child abuse, among others.
She prepares for each book with extensive research, sometimes investigating medical, scientific, and ethical issues. Her newest novel, Small Great Things follows an African American nurse
who clashes with the white supremacist parents of a critically ill newborn—a confrontation that
moves from the delivery room into the courtroom.
Picoult talks to NPR arts correspondent Lynn Neary about her career, the sources of her
storyline inspirations, and why the issues she tackles in Small Great Things—race, privilege,
prejudice, justice, and compassion—spoke to her as a writer.
The ticket price includes a copy of Small Great Things, which can be signed.
ANUROO
Jodi Picoult
Wed., Oct. 26, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, Natural History Museum; CODE 1L0-137;
Members + Book $40; Nonmembers + Book $50
An Evening of Indian Classical Music
With Harsh Narayan, sarangi, and Aditya Kalyanpur, tabla
When the young virtuoso Harsh Narayan plays the sarangi, the traditional stringed instrument carved
from a single block of wood emits a rich, textured, and haunting sound. The sarangi, rarely heard in the
last hundred years, has become a vital instrument again, thanks in part to Narayan, one of the rising
stars of Hindustani classical music.
Tonight, Narayan and Aditya Kalyanpur, playing the tabla (drums), introduce you to the ragas of
Indian classical music and the unforgettable sound of the sarangi—as played by a budding master.
There is a pre-concert gallery tour of the photography exhibition, Gauri Gill:
Smithsonian
Notes from the Desert, in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at 6 p.m., led by Debra
Spotlight
Diambond, curator of South and Southeast Asian Art.
This concert is presented jointly by the Freer and Sackler Galleries and Smithsonian Associates.
Thurs., Oct. 27, 7:30—9:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1P0-527; all tickets $15
Harsh Narayan
8
Culture + Ideas
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Supreme Court Justice
Stephen C. Breyer
In 1994, Stephen
Breyer was nominated
by President Clinton
to the Supreme Court
and has come to earn
a reputation for
erudition, pragmatism, and the ability to
work with both sides
of the political divide.
He taught law for
many years as a
professor at Harvard
Law School and at the
Kennedy School of
Government. He also
worked as a law clerk
Stephen C. Breyer
for the Honorable
Supreme Court Associate Justice Arthur Goldberg; as a Justice
Department lawyer in the antitrust division, an assistant
Watergate special prosecutor; and as chief counsel of the
Senate Judiciary Committee, working closely with Sen.
Edward M. Kennedy to pass the Airline Deregulation Act. In
1980, he was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals
for the First Circuit by President Carter, becoming chief judge
in 1990.
Nina Totenberg, NPR’s American
Legal Affairs correspondent, talks
with Justice Breyer about his life and
his interpretation of the Constitution
as a “living” document.
His book The Court and the World
(Knopf) is available for signing
Nina Totenberg
Thurs., Oct. 27, 7–8:15 p.m.; Lisner
Auditorium; CODE 1H0-176;
Write a Novel in a Month
November is National Novel Writing Month. Each year thousands
of writers around the world, both published and unpublished, sign
up for what’s dubbed the NaNoWriMo Challenge: drafting at least
50,000 words of their novel in “30 days and nights of literary
abandon.” Quite a feat, but surprisingly doable.
Those writers most successful in meeting the challenge start out
with a strong concept, a defined cast of characters, interesting plot
and setting, and possibly more. Whether you take up the challenge
or just want a solid base to begin or continue a novel at your own
pace, this daylong program led by author Kathryn Johnson,
provides the tools and guidance you need to produce that booklength work of fiction.
Discuss ways to make choices of genre, audience, message, and
tone. Work on point of view, voice, motivation and other
character-building considerations. Learn about conflict, which
provides plot structure, builds tension, and keeps readers’ engaged.
The final session
covers the discipline needed for
daily writing.
An online group
will be formed to
allow you to keep
in touch with the
instructor and
other participants
as you continue
to work on your
novel.
9:30 a.m. Concept
11 a.m. Whose Story Is This?
12:15 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own)
1:15 p.m. Conflict and Plot
2:45 p.m. Moving Forward and Working to Completion
Sat., Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Ripley Center; bring pad and pen
or a fully charged laptop; CODE 1H0-173; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
Public Speaking
From Fear to Confidence
If your mouth turns dry and your knees grow weak at the very
thought of speaking before a group—large or small—this all-day
program is meant for
you. Public speaking
coach Carol Ann LloydStanger offers practical,
confidence-building
guidance for anyone
who has to speak in
front of others, whether
it be formal presentations to large audiences
or less formal talks to
small groups. Learn to
improve all areas of public speaking, including connecting with an
audience and establishing credibility; crafting a clear and interesting message filled with meaningful content; dealing with
difficult people and maintaining poise under pressure, and reading
your audience and making adjustments to keep them engaged.
9:30 a.m. Start off Right
11 a.m. Craft and Deliver a Message That Matters
1:30 p.m. Maintaining Poise Under Pressure
3:15 p.m. A Public Speaker’s Toolbox
Sat., Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-865;
9
Culture + Ideas
Rob Kapilow’s
What Makes It Great?
Behind every masterpiece is a great story….
PETER SCHAAF
Presented in Partnership with Washington
Performing Arts
In his acclaimed
What Makes It
Great? series,
beloved educator,
composer, and
former NPR
music commentator Rob
Kapilow, unravels
and explores the
elements that
combine to
render a musical
composition a
masterpiece.
Each session
follows a threepart format.
Kapilow first
offers an in-depth
discussion of the
Rob Kapilow
featured work.
Next, the piece is performed in its entirety. A question-andanswer session with the audience and performers rounds
out the program.
Harold Arlen
Kapilow explores the music of Harold Arlen, composer of
“Get Happy,” “Stormy Weather,” “Over the Rainbow,” and
more classics.
Sun., Oct. 30, 6–8 p.m.; CODE 1P0-516; location indicated
on ticket; all tickets $25
Britten
A Ceremony of Carols, with the Children’s Chorus of
Washington
Sun., Nov. 20, 6–8 p.m.; CODE 1P0-517; location
indicated on ticket; all tickets $25
Dvorak
Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 81, with musicians from the
Curtis Institute of Music
Sun., Jan. 29, 6–8 p.m.; CODE 1P0-518; location indicated
Schubert
Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished,” with Peabody Symphony
Orchestra
Sun., April 9, 6–8 p.m.; CODE 1P0-519; location indicated
NOTE: Series tickets are not available.
10
A Taste
of Japan
Tokyo is the heart of
Japan and its exquisite
cuisine. The city is one of
the culinary locations
that Rudy Maxa, host of
Rudy Maxa’s World on
PBS, and Washington,
D.C., restaurateur
Daisuke Utagawa
(Daikaya, Bantam King,
Haikan, Sushiko) explore
With
in their television project Daisuke Utagawa and Rudy Maxa
Screening
for PBS, Taste of Japan, premiering in 2017.
The series follows Maxa and Utagawa as they tour Tokyo; & Tasting
Kyushu, one of Japan’s southern islands; and Hokkaido, its
northernmost island, in search of the ingredients, the people, and the
traditions behind some of the regions’ most memorable foods.
Hear from Maxa and Utagawa as they discuss the commitment,
pride, and precision that creates Japanese cuisine. View the series’
Tokyo episode, in which they visit a shop that perfectly polishes and
blends rice; a specialized vinegar factory; a lush wasabi farm outside
the city; and more food-focused stops. After the screening, enjoy
samples of sushi courtesy of Sushiko in Chevy Chase.
Tues., Nov. 1, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1L0-143;
Choosing the Right To Die
A Mother’s Perspective
For Deborah Ziegler and her family, 2014 began in the worst
possible way. A fist-size chunk of a cancerous tumor was removed
from the frontal lobe of her daughter, Brittany Maynard. Two and a
half months later, the recently married 29-year-old learned she had
less than a year to live.
Rather than face a slow, painful
death, Maynard chose to end her
life by her own hand. In doing so,
she became the face of the controversial right-to-die movement—
and her supportive mother saw
their private family anguish played
out in public.
In a conversation with Jennifer
Ludden, NPR national correspondent, Ziegler talks about her new
Deborah Ziegler with her daughter,
book, Wild and Precious Life
Brittany Maynard
(Emily Bestler Books). In it
she chronicles her daughter’s story, and how it has propelled her into
a new role as an advocate for the growing number of people struggling with end-of-life issues. She also discusses the need for more
counseling and training for families that provide care for
terminally ill loved ones.
Wild and Precious Life is available for purchase and signing.
Thurs., Nov. 3, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1L0-142;
Shuck Beans, Stack Cake,
and Chocolate Gravy
BRIANA BROUGH
Culture + Ideas
With
TASTING
Food Traditions of the Mountain South
For early settlers of the isolated Appalachian Mountain region, rocky terrain, a brief growing
season, and harsh winters presented a challenge unique in the South. It wasn’t how to maximize a
limited harvest: It was how to make it last through the year.
Drawing on a culinary history that blends Native American, German, English, and Scots-Irish
traditions, mountain people mastered food preservation, distinguishing themselves in smoking,
drying, pickling, and canning.
Food writer and cooking teacher Sheri Castle, who hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains
of North Carolina, explores the rich history and heritage of the region’s foodways and longmisunderstood cuisine.
She describes the variety of dishes based on mountain foodstuffs including corn, beans, wild
greens, sorghum, game, and freshwater fish and introduces some of the region’s iconic foods such
as shuck beans or leather britches, stack cake, and cushaws. Afterward, enjoy a taste of authentic
mountain fare.
Castle’s book, The New Southern Garden Cookbook, is available for signing.
Thurs., Nov 3, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1W0-084; Members $35; Nonmembers $50
Celebrating 400 Years of Shakespeare
The World of Spices
Wed., Nov. 9, 6:45–9 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-869;
THOMAS SCHAUER
FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY
Death by Shakespeare: Final Exits
As a savvy and
skilled showman
who knew what
Elizabethan
audiences wanted,
unforgettable death
scenes often took
center stage in
Shakespeare’s plays.
Fans at the Globe
applauded the final
exits of a long line
of doomed characters who were
stabbed, poisoned,
Watercolor of Hamlet as he stabs Polonius, 19th
smothered, hanged,
century, by Coke Smyth
cut to pieces (then
baked into a pie), swallowed hot coals, and even died of shame.
And those are only a few of the theatrical demises devised by
Shakespeare.
Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger, visitor education programs manager
at the Folger Shakespeare Library, considers three tragedies in
which death is a major character: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, and Titus
Andronicus. She screens clips of productions and explores some of
the special effects used in Shakespeare’s time, from blood-soaked
dummies to bladders filled with sheep’s blood.
Classical actor, teaching artist, and dramaturg Cam Magee and
several other actors reveal the preparation needed to perform
complex Shakespearian death scenes. The evening ends with an extravaganza of tragic deaths. You might even exit the theater
“pursued by a bear.”
Sheri Castle
Since founding La Boîte, a spice shop in New York City, in 2006,
Lior Lev Sercarz has established himself as the go-to source for
fresh and unusual spices. He creates small-batch custom blends—
which contain anywhere from 9 to 23 different ingredients—for
renowned chefs like Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert, among others,
but his evocatively named spice blends (like Orchidea N.34, Reims
N.39, and Yemen N.10) are used by home chefs as well.
With his new book, The Spice Companion: A Guide to the World
of Spices (Clarkson
Potter) Lev Sercarz
inspires readers to try
bold new flavor combinations. He offers
overviews of some of
the 102 accessible
spices included in
the volume, from
history and origin to
shopping, storage, and
suggestions for use. He
also discusses ideas and
tips for using pantry
spices and recipes for
spice blends.
Afterward, sample a
taste of Lev Sercarz’s
Lior Lev Sercarz blending spices
spice blends, courtesy
of Zaytinya, celebrated chef Jose Andres’s Mediterranean restaurant, and Brooklyn Brewery, who partnered with
Lev Sercarz on Tripel Burner, a new barrel-aged
With
beer from their limited-release BQE series. The
TASTING
Spice Companion is available for signing.
Thurs., Nov. 10, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center;
CODE 1L0-141; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
11
Culture + Ideas
Campaign 2016
Behind the Scenes of the Presidential Election
For political campaign professionals and junkies alike, the day after a presidential election is
when the fun really begins. That’s when the pollsters, pundits, and party bosses begin to sort
out what lessons were learned, what mistakes were made, what strategies worked, what sealed
the deal for the winner, and—believe it or not—how to get ready for 2020.
Join U.S. News and World Report senior White House correspondent Kenneth Walsh as he
moderates a lively discussion among a panel of experts who were right down in the trenches
during the battle. The panel includes Geoffrey Garin, pollster and senior adviser to a political
action committee supporting Hillary Clinton; Kasie Hunt, MSNBC correspondent who
covered the Clinton and Sanders campaigns; Irwin Morris, professor and chair, Department
of Government and Politics, University of Maryland; Bill McInturff, co-founder of Public
Opinion Strategies, the largest Republican polling operation, and a lead pollster for the NBC News/Wall Street Journal series; and Sunlen
Serfaty, CNN national correspondent who covered the Republican nominees.
Thurs., Nov. 10, 6:45–8:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE: 1H0-187; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
The Hollywood Musical:
Four Decades of Magic!
Cocktails of the Gilded Age
What does a thirsty robber baron reach for after a hard day
racking up millions in the market? Cocktails of course!
J. Pierpont Morgan liked to settle in with a Manhattan.
William Vanderbilt and Wall Street tycoon James R. Keene
each fancied a Vermouth Cocktail. As late 19th-century
America was making dramatic advances in manufacturing,
industrial capacity, transportation, finance, and communications, it was also
making news in the
emerging field of
mixology and the
bartending arts.
During the
Gilded Age, a
proliferation of
new cocktails
ushered in a new
breed of celebrity:
the bartender.
Meanwhile, trendier metropolises from New York to San
Francisco jockeyed for prominence in the liquid arts. Join
author and cocktail historian Philip Greene in a spirited
discussion of the cocktails of the Gilded Age and sample
four delicious cocktails of the era.
With
Reception
Tues., Nov. 15, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Mitsitam Cafe,
American Indian Museum; CODE 1H0-184;
Part 4: The 1960s
Films created during the 1960s belong to the most creative era in
cinema history, one in which Hollywood responded to a time of
tremendous changes reflected in shifting social and cultural values,
the Vietnam War, new forms of rock and pop music, and the acceleration of technological ingenuity. The dominance of television,
however, led to a rapidly diminishing movie audience, and the
musical would continue to decline as the decade unfolded. But three
films of the 1960s were among
the screen’s greatest spectacles
and successes: West Side Story,
The Sound of Music, and My
Fair Lady. Other adaptions of
Broadway hits like Gypsy, CanCan, Oliver!, Camelot, and
Funny Girl suggested that the
musical movie was in good
health.
Revisit an era and enjoy an
evening of memorable film
clips, recordings, and historical
anecdotes with American
music specialist Robert Wyatt.
Tues., Nov. 15, 6:45–9 p.m.;
Ripley Center; CODE: 1M2870; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
Cinematographer Harry Stradling and
Audrey Hepburn on the set of My Fair
Lady, 1964
Location Changes
Our programs occasionally move to a different location from the one published on tickets.
We do our best to inform ticket holders of location changes by mail, phone, and email.
You are advised to confirm the location by calling our customer service staff at 202-633-3030 (M–F; 9–5)
You can also visit SmithsonianAssociates.org for the most up-to-date information.
12
WARNER BROS.
I’ll Take a Manhattan
The Emerson String Quartet
LISA MAZZUCCOS
The 2016–17 season marks both the Emerson String Quartet’s
40th anniversary and its 37th in residence at the Smithsonian.
The Grammy Award-winning ensemble (violinists Eugene
Drucker and Philip Setzer, violist Lawrence Dutton, and
cellist Paul Watkins) offers a repertoire that includes masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, Ravel, Berg, Debussy, Dvorak,
and other greats, as well as Setzer’s solo recital featuring
pianist Hsin-Chiao Liao.
OZGUR DONMAZ
Culture + Ideas
The Qur’an
Exploring Islam
Myths and Realities
Emerson String Quartet
Concerts
Sat., Nov. 19
Mozart: String Quartet in D Minor, K. 421
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 10
Ravel: String Quartet in F Major
Sun., Dec. 11
Beethoven: String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 95 “Serioso”
Shostakovich: Quartet No. 4
Grieg: Quartet in G Minor, Op. 27
Philip Setzer’s solo recital featuring Hsin-Chiao Liao, piano
Sun., March 19
Beethoven: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 135
Berg: String Quartet, Op. 3
Beethoven: String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op.127
Sun., May 14
Mozart: String Quartet in C Major, K. 465 “Dissonance”
Debussy: String Quartet in G Minor
Dvorak: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 61
IHSANYILDIZLI
Sun., Jan. 8
During the last two decades Islam has become the most controversial religion, increasingly associated with violence, intolerance, and
misogyny. According to Pew Research Center’s 2010 report, 1.6
billion Muslims make up 23.2% of the global population. Thus,
the face of Islam is as diverse as the people who live in our world.
And although Islam has been hijacked by some of its members, the
religion is a source of spirituality and peace for the overwhelming
majority of Muslims.
In a thought-provoking all-day program, explore the faith of
Muslims from different perspectives with Islamic scholar Salih
Sayilgan. Learn about the foundations of Islam, including interpreting the Qur’an, the role of the Prophet Muhammad in the life
of Muslims, and the practice of Shari’ah, the Islamic law. Explore
the articles of Islamic faith, from Muslim belief, if any, in the
creation story to Islam’s explanation of the existence of evil. Find
out how the five pillars of Islam—testimony, daily prayers, fasting,
charity, and pilgrimage—provide the framework for a Muslim’s
daily life. Finally,
examine some of
Islam’s controversial
areas, from the meaning
of jihad to the status of
Muslim women and of
religious minorities.
9:30 a.m.
Foundations of Islam
11 a.m. Beliefs
Full series (5 concerts): All concerts begin at 6 p.m.;
Baird Auditorium, Natural History Museum; subscribers
who are donors at the Resident Patron
($600) level and above get reserved
Series
seating at all performances; CODE BPP7;
subscription
and
12:15 p.m. Lunch
(participants provide
their own)
1:30 p.m. Practices
3 p.m. Myths and
Realities
single tickets
Individual tickets: All concerts begin at
on sale
6 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, Natural History
Museum; Nov. 19, CODE 1P0-521; Dec.
11, CODE 1P0-522; Jan. 8, CODE 1P0-523; March 19,
CODE 1P0-524; May 14, CODE 1P0-525; Members $56;
Nonmembers $72
All programs subject to change.
Nusretiye Mosque, Istanbul
Sat., Nov. 19, 9:30
a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Ripley
Center; CODE 1M2871; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
13
Culture + Ideas
Cultivate Your Speaking Voice
Your voice is one of the most revealing things about you. Research indicates a clearer voice,
with lower pitch and more vocal variety, is preferred by listeners. You have more control
over your voice than you realize, and can use specific techniques to bring greater impact to
your words.
Speech pathologist Laura Purcell Verdun explains how the voice works through the balance
of airflow, vocal fold vibrations, and resonance. She introduces techniques to improve the
resonance of your voice, make optimum use of breath, and pace your speech through coordinated breathing. Explore how to vary your inflection, make your voice loud enough to be
easily heard, and meet prolonged demands throughout the day with vocal endurance.
She also considers vocal quality, the impact of posture, how can you sound more authoritative and less hesitant, and how to make your voice louder without sounding angry. Tips for
daily voice care and recovery strategies following voice strain and overuse are also discussed.
Wed., Nov. 30, 6:45–9 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-872; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
VICTOR DIAZ LAMICH
Ray Charles: “The Genius”
Ray Charles overcame racism, poverty, and blindness to gain worldwide acclaim as a
singer, songwriter, pianist, and arranger. Infusing R&B with the fervor of downhome gospel music, he helped pioneer the genre of soul music. His unique voice and
passionate style made him one of the most beloved musicians of our time.
With his genius for fusing gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, blues, jazz, country,
rock, and pop, Charles became one of the most innovative and influential talents in
American music. He wrote such enduring songs as “Hallelujah, I Love Her So” and
“What’d I Say” and made every other song his own—popular standards (“Georgia
On My Mind,” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”), pop hits (“Eleanor Rigby”), crossover
country (“I Can’t Stop Loving You”), and a stirring interpretation of “America the
Beautiful.”
Smithsonian
American History Museum Curator of American music
Spotlight
John Edward Hasse illuminates Ray Charles’s unique life
story and illustrates his enduring contributions to American culture.
One of the last performances by Ray Charles, at the
Montreal International Jazz Festival, 2003
Thurs., Dec. 1, 6:45–9 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-873; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
P.G. Wodehouse
“I Expect I’ll Feel Better After Tea”
P.G. Wodehouse’s wit didn’t spare many targets—including himself. The immortal
Bertie
Wooster skewered his creator’s own craft with the pronouncement that “every
With
journalist who is unable to make the grade drops down a rung of the ladder and
Reception
writes novels.” So the former journalist became one of the 20th century’s most
widely read humorists, revered for the droll banter between the dimwitted Bertie
and his unflappable manservant Jeeves. His own life took a dark turn during WWII: After release
from a German internment camp while living in Paris, he made several broadcasts on German radio.
Accusations of treason were proved wrong, but he never returned to England.
Explore Wodehouse’s life and art with author Daniel Stashower and actor Scott Sedar, who reads
from some of the writer’s most memorable works. Finally, as you raise a toast, remember
Wodehouse’s sage advice: “Sober or blotto, this is your motto: Keep muddling through.”
Mon., Dec. 5, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-182; Members $35; Nonmembers $45
1920 book cover
14
Culture + Ideas
The Christmas Markets of Europe
A Festive Stroll
Since the Middle
Ages, Europe’s
Christmas markets
have warmed and
brightened winter’s
darkest weeks. Stalls
brimming with
everything from
hand-crafted toys,
folk art, candles,
textiles, and clothing
to schnapps (fruit
brandies) and other
spirits, give each
market a character
Christmas market in Leipzig, Germany
of its own. The
German city of Dresden’s market, dating to 1434, is perhaps the oldest.
Without doubt, it can claim the most famous of holiday cakes, stollen.
European cultural heritage expert Fred Plotkin leads a delightful armchair
tour of some of Europe’s Christmas markets, including Dresden, Strasbourg,
Prague, Leipzig, Vienna, London, Barcelona, and little-known gems held in
Esslingen, Germany, and Bolzano, Italy.
Holiday music adds to the festive ambience, and the evening concludes with
a reception highlighting European-inspired specialties and
traditional holiday sweets.
Tues., Dec. 6, 6:45–9:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2877; Members $75; Nonmembers $85
With
Reception
European Christmas Markets Menu
Grilled Bratwurst
with spicy German mustard on a mini bun
Chicken Brochettes
marinated in lemon, mustard, herbs, and smoked paprika
European Cheese Board
A bountiful display of whole and sliced European cheeses
such as gruyère, smoked gouda, brie, manchego, and gorgonzola,
accompanied by baguettes and country bread
Prosciutto Crostini and Salami Crostini
with sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade
Alsatian Onion and Cheese Tart
Jack London writing The Sea-Wolf, 1904
Jack London
The Adventure Path
A century after his death at 40, the name Jack
London and adventure remain nearly synonymous. The writer-adventurer’s thirst for experience is reflected in works such as The Call of the
Wild and To Build a Fire.
As an adolescent London was an oyster pirate
on San Francisco Bay. By 17 he had traversed the
Pacific and visited Japan on a seal-hunting
voyage. He joined the Klondike Gold Rush in
1897, where he snatched a hoard of experiential
loot for his fiction. In 1904 he journeyed to Korea
to report on the Russo-Japanese War. Three years
later he began a voyage to the South Seas on his
ketch, the Snark.
For all his travel and writing, it was London’s
intellectual journey that was the most significant
adventure path he ever traveled. Kenneth Brandt,
a professor of English at the Savannah College of
Art and Design, examines a writer whose life was
as thrilling and eventful as any of his novels.
Tues., Dec. 6, 6:45—8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center;
CODE 1W0-086; Members $30; Nonmembers
$45
Nutcracker Sweets
A festive display of Christmas cookies, chocolates, gingerbread,
biscotti, and stollen
Glühwein
Hot mulled wine with spiced cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and citrus
White Wine
Our Photo and Video Policy
You may be photographed or recorded for educational and promotional purposes when you attend a
Smithsonian Associates event. But turn those cell
phones and minicams off: Participants are not
permitted to take photos or videos.
15
Culture + Ideas
Travel Hacking 101
Kafka
How To Travel for Less
The Man Who Defined
a Nightmare
After a decade working nine-to-five, Mike and Anne
Howard decided that life is short and their bucket list was
long, so they quit their jobs, rented out their apartment,
and embarked on a trip around the world. Five years later,
they are still at it—traveling across seven continents and
more than 50 countries.
In a presentation rich with resources, the Howards—
founders of the travel website HoneyTrek.com—share
practical tips and industry trends illustrating how you
can travel well for significantly less. The couple describe a
more immersive
and creative way
to travel—where
saving money is
but one of the
pleasurable
benefits.
From frequent
flyer tickets to
free lodging,
no-cost volunteering, and
hidden-gem
destinations,
they point out
ways you can transfer from the “tourist track” and move
out as a globetrotter—on any budget.
Thurs., Dec. 8, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0189; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
When a writer perfectly captures a
human situation, we forever use their
name to describe that circumstance.
Franz Kafka so precisely conveyed
the experience of being trapped in
something bizarre, illogical, and
complex that we need only say
“Kafkaesque” to communicate that
nightmare. But how much do we know
about that man behind the word?
Despite his short life (he died at 40),
Kafka wrote three novels, several tales,
and dozens of marginal short stories.
He also kept a diary and produced
extensive correspondence, most of it
published only after his death.
Considered one of the most influential
writers in world literature of the last
century, Kafka’s work expresses like no
other the anxiety and alienations of his
Monument to Franz Kafka by the
time—and often, our own.
sculptor Jaroslav Rona, 2003, Prague
Kafka expert and scholar Elizabeth
Rejac, president of the Kafka Society of America, analyzes the life and
literary context of the author of The Metamorphosis, covering the main
characteristics of his style, the influence of his work on contemporary
literature, and what exactly makes something “Kafkaesque.”
Sat., Dec.10, 1–3 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0-192; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
Radio City Music Hall
Front and Center for the Christmas Spectacular
There’s no more iconic holiday
performance in New York than
Radio City Music Hall’s famed
Christmas Spectacular. And
there’s no better way to see the
precision dancing of the
Rockettes than from prime
orchestra seats in the fabulous
art deco theater where the
show has been a tradition
since 1933.
The Radio City Rockettes perform the March of the Wooden Soldiers
Before the theatrical magic
begins at a matinee performance, get a special behind-the-scenes VIP tour of the Music Hall,
covering the stunning 1930s interiors and art, the Great Stage, Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, and,
perhaps, an opportunity to meet a Rockette along the way.
Thurs., Dec. 8, 6:45 a.m.–11 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower Hotel,
Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup stop at the I-495 Exit 27
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
carpool lot at about 7:10 a.m.; tickets are in the center orchestra section, rows OO–
QQ; the cost of Music Hall tickets are not refundable over and above the usual refund policy; tour takes place unless
interstate travel is not possible; some walking and standing is required; gourmet box lunch served en route; dinner on your own during
2 hours of free time after the performance; CODE 1ND-014; Members $260; Nonmembers $305
TOUR
16
Culture + Ideas
Make the Season Brighter!
Start a family holiday tradition with the Smithsonian
Discovery Theater’s signature production Seasons of Light has been a tradition for 17 years.
A celebration of the history and customs of Christmas, Diwali (Devali), Las Posadas,
Ramadan, Santa Lucia Day, Kwanzaa, and the First Nations’ tradition of the Winter
Solstice, the delightful interactive show bridges communities and cultures.
A special performance exclusively for Circle of Support members at the Resident
Advocate level and above is the perfect way to bring your own family together in the spirit
of the season. Afterward, try your hand at cookie decorating and holiday crafts for all ages
as you sip hot cocoa or warm cider and enjoy cookies. You can round out your
Smithsonian excursion with a visit to the Castle and admire the beautiful holiday decor.
Exclusive
Family Program
for
Circle of Support*
Members
Sat., Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m. (CODE 1P0-558) and 1:30 pm. (CODE
1P0-559); Discovery Theater, Ripley Center; Adults $15; Children
$5; Children under 2 free; (limit 6 tickets per member)
* Circle of Support members at Resident Advocate level ($175)
and above are eligible for this event. To join or upgrade your
membership, please call (202) 633-3030 or visit
smithsonianassociates.org/levels for more information.
Smithsonian
Spotlight
Musicians From Marlboro
Musicians performing at Marlboro Music
Virtuoso young artists from the venerable Marlboro Music Festival
return for Marlboro Music’s 23rd season as part of the Freer and
Sackler Galleries’ concert series to perform music by Schubert, Haydn,
Reger, and Schumann. The Washington Post calls the annual Marlboro
concerts “among the most invigorating events of the classical season.
Dozens of astoundingly gifted young virtuosos [give] performances
that radiate vitality and freshness.”
The program features Schubert’s String Trio in B-flat Major, D. 471;
Haydn’s Flute Trio in D Major, Hob.XV:16; Reger’s Serenade in G
Major, Op. 141; and Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47.
Veteran pianist Cynthia Raim leads an international ensemble that
includes violinist Francisco Fullana, violist Maiya Papach, flutist
Joshua Smith, and cellist Ahrim Kim.
The concert is presented jointly by the Freer and Sackler Galleries
and Smithsonian Associates.
Wed., Dec. 14, 7:30–9:30 p.m.; location indicated on ticket; CODE 1P0-557; all tickets $15
Brandy: In the Winter Spirit
Nothing warms a December evening like brandy. Whether you’re sipping it by the fire or
sipping it in a glass of your favorite eggnog, brandy gives an added glow to the holidays. The
venerable distilled wine is produced and enjoyed the world over, with cognac from France
leading the way, but other varieties include the German label Asbach, pisco from Peru, and
even brandy made here in the Washington area.
Scott Harris is a distiller and brandy evangelist, as well as the man responsible for a new
local spirit, Catoctin Creek’s 1757 Brandy from Loudon County. Enjoy a lively evening as
Harris explains production methods around the globe, offers expert tips for enjoying your
brandy, and shares some of his favorite bottles.
Mon., Dec. 12, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Mitsitam Cafe, American Indian Museum;
CODE 1B0-190; Members $50; Nonmembers $65
With
TASTING
17
Art + Design
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy
JEANNETTE TAS
The most splendid
churches of Italy are
renowned for their art
treasures, from Giotto’s
14th-century frescoes in
Florence, Padua, and Assisi
to Giaocomo Manzu’s
20th-century bronze doors
for St. Peter’s in Rome.
Some churches have one
great art treasure that
makes a pilgrimage a
necessity, such as Masaccio’s
Brancacci Chapel in the
Church of Santa Maria
del Carmine in Florence.
Piccolomini Library in Siena Cathedral
Others—such as the
Florentine Santa Maria Novella or the Frari in Venice—tell
virtually the whole story of the art and culture of their native cities.
Giovanni Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese are just a few
of the brightest stars in the galaxy of extraordinary artists who
made their mark on Venetian churches. In Florence, Brunelleschi’s
majestic dome rose above some of Western art’s greatest masterpieces, including works by Donatello, Verocchio, and Michelangelo.
Saint Peter’s is just one of Rome’s churches enriched by papal
munificence. Contained within Siena’s Duomo are significant masterpieces by Duccio, Donatello, Ghiberti, Bernini, and Michelangelo.
In a lavishly illustrated seminar, Eric Denker, senior lecturer at
the National Gallery of Art, explores churches of Venice, Rome,
Siena, and Florence that represent some of Italy’s most exceptional
repositories of ecclesiastical art.
9:30 a.m. The Basilica of
Saint Mark and the
Treasures of Venice
11 a.m. The Duomo and
the Riches of Florence
12:15 p.m. Lunch
(participants provide their
own)
1:30 p.m. St. Peter’s and
Rome’s Papal Churches
3 p.m. The Gothic
Dream: The Duomo in
Siena
Detail of The Last Judgement, a fresco in
the Duomo, Florence; ca. 1579
Sat., Oct. 1, 9:30 a.m.–4:15
p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE
1M2-858; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
You love art.
Light and Color in Art
Now become the expert
you’ve always wanted to be.
Our understanding of color underwent a sea change in the mid1600s when Isaac Newton’s work with prisms shattered light to
reveal the visible color spectrum. Artists were fascinated by
Newton’s experiments with light as the source of color and began
to find ways to use contrasting and complementary colors in their
work. Tonight, artist William Woodward illuminates different
techniques artists have drawn on to manipulate light and color,
and how generations of artists have enlisted their unique properties to create masterpieces.
Woodward explains terms associated with color and light,
including value, tone, shade, chiaroscuro, and tenebrism. He shows
how these and other elements surfaced in the work of Venetian
artists such as Titian whose use
of translucent layers of brilliant
color influenced the development of mannerism and foreshadowed the Dutch Masters.
Impressionists, including
Monet and Cassatt, captured
the intensity of light and its
effect on color. Contemporary
artists have used just one color
to see how light changes the
Water Lilies, 1922, by Claude Monet
viewer’s perception.
Earn a
Smithsonian
Associates’
Certificate in
World Art History
The program offers core
courses and electives as
well as access to free
tours, regular meet and
greets, and a private
Facebook page where
ideas can percolate.
Get started today.
Registration is ongoing and year-round.
SmithsonianAssociates.org/ArtCertificate
202-633-3030
Tues., Oct. 18, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-174;
18
TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit
World Art History certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
A Bold Beauty
Masters and Masterpieces of the Baroque, Rococo,
and Neoclassical Periods
creation of a capital for the
American Republic: the beginnings of industrialization; and the Napoleonic era.
Nothing tells the creative
story of the 17th and
18th centuries more
eloquently than the
profusion of great masters
and masterpieces it
produced: Caravaggio,
Bernini, Rembrandt,
Gainsborough, St. Peter’s
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, ca. 1652, by Bernini Cathedral in Rome,
Versailles, and St. Paul’s
Cathedral London. These enduring achievements stretch from the
brilliant baroque period to the exuberance of the rococo to the
formal sobriety of the neoclassical era.
Focusing on major masters and pivotal masterpieces, art
historian Karin Alexis places these periods within a historical and
cultural context, emphasizing artistic styles, aesthetics, and
meaning. Topics include the stirrings of baroque in post-High
Renaissance art; classicism, exemplified in Versailles and
Schonbrunn Palace, and pastoral and landscapes paintings;
Flemish masters; the Spanish School; the Dutch School; and
Christopher Wren and Georgian baroque. The program concludes
with a look at the late baroque, rococo, and neoclassicism, from
French masters to Thomas Jefferson, Gilbert Stuart, and the
LOUVRE
SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA
Art + Design
FRI., OCT. 21
6:15 p.m. The
Beginnings of the
Baroque
7:15 p.m. International
Classicism
SAT., OCT. 22
9:30 a.m. Drama Most
Splendid
11 a.m. Dutch Masters
Buffoon with a Lute, ca. 1626, by Frans
Hals
1:15 p.m. The North
2:30 p.m. The 18th Century
2 sessions; Fri., Oct. 21, 6:15–8:15 p.m. and Sat., Oct. 22, 9:30
a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-179; Members $135;
Nonmembers $170
From great cathedrals to monastery grounds, sacred sites
throughout Washington, D.C., provide the setting for beautiful
religious mosaic works in a wide range of styles.
Mosaic artist and educator Bonnie Fitzgerald leads a tour of the
city’s mosaic art representing nearly 125 years of creation.
The Basilica of the
National Shrine of
the Immaculate
Conception recalls
Romanesque and
Byzantine churches.
Its mosaics reflect
artistic traditions
from ancient to
modern and include
soaring decorated
vaulted ceilings,
Resurrection Chapel in Washington National
Cathedral
ornate arches, and
windows of alabaster inlaid with geometric designs in gold smalti.
The nearby St. John Paul National Shrine showcases a large Mater
Ecclesiae mosaic created by the Vatican mosaic studio, a large 24
karat-gold Marian cross designed and fabricated by Fitzgerald, and
stunning mosaics in the Redemptor Hominis Chapel designed by
artists at Rome’s Centro Aletti, founded by St. John Paul. Another
neighboring site in Brookland, the Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan
BONNIE FITZGERALD
Sacred Mosaics in Washington
Monastery, contains a
number of mosaics
on its grounds.
Washington
National Cathedral
houses both stained
glass and mosaic
artwork installations.
The Resurrection
Chapel contains a
large mosaic designed
by noted art deco
Mosaic of priests in Vietnam in the National
artist Hildreth Meiere
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
and mosaics by
Rowan and Irene LeCompte. In the shadow of the cathedral, Saint
Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral is designed in the traditional
Byzantine style. The interior walls and ceiling are covered in stone,
glass, and gold mosaics, including many depictions of saints and
other sacred images.
OUT
D
L
SO
TOUR
Fri., Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; bus departs from the
Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and De Sales St.,
NW; no pickup stop; 3-course lunch at Busboys and
Poets included; CODE 1ND-007; Members $140;
Nonmembers $185
19
Art + Design
FOTOBRICENO
The Postal Museum
Salutes New York City
Smithsonian
Spotlight
The Postal Museum’s
exhibition New York
City: A Portrait
Through Stamp Art
spotlights 30 original works that were
used to create stamps
that celebrate one of
the greatest cities in
the world and its
cultural heritage.
During an evening at the museum, Calvin Mitchell, assistant
curator of philately, provides insights into the exhibition,
whose works represent categories covering baseball, Broadway,
city life, icons, politics and government, and music.
Enjoy a taste of New York in some light refreshments, as well
as a chance to try your own hand at designing, collecting, and
sending your own postal creations.
Thurs., Nov. 3, 6:30–8:30 p.m.; Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE (Union Station Metro, Red line); one drink
ticket for a specialty cocktail or nonalcoholic beverage and
light hors d’oeuvres included with admission; cash bar offers
specialty cocktail, wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages;
must be 21 years old with valid ID; not a seated event; CODE
1P0-528; Members $25 advance, $30 door; Nonmembers $45
advance, $50 door
Jewelers of the Gilded Age
Tiffany and Cartier
When we think of creators at the pinnacle of fine-jewelry design,
Louis Comfort Tiffany and Louis-Francois Cartier are high on the
list. They and their firms rose to prominence by creating luxurious
rings, brooches, tiaras, and other extravagant and elegant baubles
for the moneyed denizens of the Gilded Age—and the generations
that followed.
The work produced
by these artists and
their workshops are
still considered some
of the best and most
innovative jewelry
ever made, and their
creations the ultimate
status symbol. These
treasures are found in
museums all around
the world and fought
over hotly when they
appear at auction.
Brooch in the form of a pansy, ca. 1900, by
Each artist had a
Tiffany and Company
characteristic style
and established a brand that still connotes luxury and glamour.
Art historian Stefanie Walker provides a guide to their glittering
legacies.
Mon., Nov. 7, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-160;
Seductive Paris
In the late 19th century, Paris was the
only place to be for any self-respecting,
aspiring American artist. The city
beckoned young painters like Whistler
and Sargent to study with masters like
Gerome, Cabanel, Bonnat, and
Bouguereau. It was a heady time to be an
artist and a generation of American
painters took full advantage.
Art historian Bonita Billman highlights Paris’s ascension as the center of
the art world, the French atelier system,
and the masters who trained and influenced a generation of American artists,
sharing their ideas and techniques.
Expatriates Mary Cassatt, Lila Cabot
Perry, and Cecilia Beaux, among others,
were inspired to paint scenes of everyday
life and domestic interiors. Childe
Hassam, Theodore Robinson, Robert
20
SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
American Painters in the City of Light, 1855–1920
Henri, and other artists helped to popularize
the new impressionist style in this country,
while expatriate painters John Singer Sargent
and James Whistler encouraged American collectors to buy impressionist paintings.
9:30 a.m. French Teachers and American
Students
11 a.m. Summers in the Country: American
Painters in Brittany and Normandy
12:15 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their
own)
1:30 p.m. Domestic Bliss: Painters of Genre
Scenes
3 p.m. Impressionism in America
Sat., Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Ripley
Center; CODE 1M2-868; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
In the Garden (Celia Thaxter in Her Garden),
1892, by Childe Hassam
COOPER HEWITT
Mingle at the Museum
GODOT13/ WIKIMEDIA
Art + Design
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Sacred Signs
The Interwoven Symbolism of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam
Reading the latest headlines about the Middle East, it might be easy
to forget that the three Abrahamic faiths—Christianity, Judaism,
and Islam—have common origins and shared symbolism, and even
adopted symbols and visual ideas from the pagan art that preceded
them. Ori Soltes, teaching professor at the Center for Jewish
Civilization at Georgetown University, explores how these religious
traditions transformed or reinterpreted the meanings of common
symbols to express their particularized sense of God and of the relationship between divinity and humanity.
Why and how, for example, does the free-standing dome form
connect the Roman Pantheon, the Dome of the Rock, St Peter’s
basilica, and the Via Farini synagogue in Florence? How do the
color blue (or other colors) and the numbers—virtually every one
from 1 to 10—offer interwoven symbolic significance for all three
Abrahamic faiths? How have Judaism and Islam visually expressed
God without the possibility of figurative imaging and how has
Christianity gone beyond the limits of figurative expression in
visually articulating God? And how is the legacy of antiquity and
the medieval period still palpable in the era of both modern and
contemporary art?
The Dome of the Rock, a significant religious site for Judaism and Islam
NOV 9 The Language of Visual Symbols
in the Ancient Pagan World
NOV 16 Symbols in Christian Art
From the Catacombs to Gauguin
NOV 30 Symbols in Jewish Art
From the Arch of Titus to Sy Gresser
DEC 7 Symbols in Islamic Art
From the Dome of the Rock to Parviz Tanvol
4 sessions; Wed., Nov. 9–Dec. 7, 6:45–8:45 p.m. (no class
Nov. 23); Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-183; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
Spanish Art and Architecture
PRADO MUSEUM
A Treasury of Delights
The art and architecture of Spain as seen in the works of El Greco, Goya, Velazquez, Picasso, and
Gaudi offer a window into the influences that define the country’s history and national identity.
Art historian Joseph Cassar highlights four artists and four structures that exemplify Spain’s distinctive cultural heritage.
He looks at El Greco’s expressionistic and mystical altarpieces for Toledo’s churches, and the
splendid portraiture of Diego da Silva Velazquez, notably his famous composition Las Meninas;
Francisco de Goya’s dark Romanticism in his
“Black Paintings,” and the bold new direction that
Pablo Picasso contributed to his forbears’ artistic
legacy; the Galician cathedral of Santiago de
Compostela’s famed Portico of Glory by Master
Mateo, and the opulent Nasrid residences of the
Alhambra at Granada; and finally, Gaudi’s
recasting of traditional Gothic church designs in
Sagrada Familia cathedral, and his modernisme as
showcased in Casa Batllo and Casa Mila.
9:30 a.m. El Greco and Velazquez
The Sagrada Familia Cathedral by Antonio
Gaudi, Barcelona
11 a.m. Goya and Picasso
1:30 p.m. Santiago de Compostela and the Alhambra
3 p.m. Gaudi in Barcelona
Las Meninas, (The Ladies-in-Waiting) 1656, by
Diego Velazquez
Sat., Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-190; Members $90;
Nonmembers $140
21
Art + Design
TOUR
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Henri Matisse affectionately called Etta and Claribel
Cone “my two Baltimore ladies.” Friends of Gertrude
Stein and her brother Leo, the well-traveled, artloving sisters assembled a collection of the artist’s
work that is among the largest in the world.
Baltimore-based arts journalist Richard Selden leads
a visit to the Baltimore Museum of Art to view the
extensive Cone Collection, which also includes pieces
by Picasso, Gris, Miro, Giacometti, Mondrian, and
other pioneers of modern art.
Visit the museum’s recently expanded contemporary art wing and the major exhibition Matisse/
Diebenkorn, which explores the profound influence
of Matisse on painter Richard Diebenkorn.
The afternoon’s destination is the Maryland
Institute College of Art. At MICA, one of the nation’s
top schools of art and design, tour the campus and
view faculty, student, and alumni work, providing an
inside look at current and future trends in contemporary art.
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
Matisse and Contemporary Art in Baltimore
View of Notre Dame, 1914, by
Henri Matisse
Ocean Park #79, 1975, by Richard Diebenkorn
Sat., Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; bus departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St., SW, with a pickup stop at the I-495
Exit 27 commuter parking lot at about 9:55 a.m.; lunch at Gertrude’s (named for Stein, a native Baltimorean), featuring chef
John Shields’ Chesapeake-inspired menu; CODE 1ND-011; Members $155; Nonmembers $200
Holiday Charms in Fairmount Park
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
Philadelphia’s Historic 18th-Century Neighborhood
Philadelphia in the late 18th century was a powerful and busy center of commerce,
and many wealthy citizens sought elegant country retreats to escape the city. The six
historic houses in Fairmount Park, along the Schuylkill River, offer a glimpse into
the intriguing public and private lives of prominent Philadelphians during an
important time in history, just prior to and after the American Revolution. The
houses reflect a range of architectural styles and changes in domestic tastes, from the
symmetry of Palladian style to the lightness of the federal, with a love of neoclassicism that continued into the 19th century. Collectively known as the “Charms” of
Fairmount Park, three of the houses open their
doors to a special holiday-season guided tour for
Smithsonian Associates.
They include Laurel Hill, a graceful 1767
Georgian-style house on a high bluff that offers
stunning views of the Schuylkill; the impressive
Cedar Grove
Strawberry Mansion, built around 1789, which
incorporates both Federal and Greek Revival
styles, and whose grounds include a charming secret garden; and Cedar Grove, a mid-18th century
country house whose interior includes an extensive collection of furniture and decorative arts, with many
objects from the Quaker family who built it and owned it for generations.
To round out the day, visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art for insights into the era’s domestic life by
touring Classical Splendor: Painted Furniture for a Grand Philadelphia House. The exhibition showcases a
suite of furniture designed in 1808 by Benjamin Henry Latrobe for the house of merchant William Waln
and his wife, Mary. The painted and gilded furniture is one of the greatest artistic triumphs of the early
Strawberry Mansion
national period. Free time at the museum follows.
TOUR
22
Fri., Dec. 2, 7:30 a.m.—9:30 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup
stop at the DoubleTree Hilton, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, Maryland, about 8:10 a.m.; lunch at Chima’s Brazilian Steakhouse
included; a boxed dinner and refreshments are served on the return trip; CODE 1ND-A15; Members $185; Nonmembers $230
LOUVRE
Art + Design
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
Leonardo and Michelangelo. These towering geniuses of Western art grew up in the same
city, shared the same patrons, and also shared an intense dislike—for each other. But their
fraught relationship was fueled by a secret fascination and a fierce competition that spurred
them—and their contemporaries—to new levels of artistic achievement.
In a richly illustrated daylong
program, art historian Nigel
McGilchrist depicts the two artists as
perfectionists and brilliant craftsmen
with different ways of confronting
the same world—Leonardo as the
observer and Michelangelo as the
idealist. They held opposing views
on science, religion, and the burning
issues of the Renaissance. Between
them, they revolutionized painting
and sculpting for all time.
9:30 a.m. The Consequences of
Competition
11 a.m. Techniques and
Conservation
Mona Lisa, ca. 1503–04, by Leonardo da Vinci
1:30 p.m. Obsessions and Recurring Themes
The Pieta, 1499, by Michelangelo
3 p.m. Writings, Dreams, and Nightmares
Sat., Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m.—4:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-876; Members $90; Nonmembers $140
Hieronymus Bosch
Heaven and Hell
Painting on the cusp of the medieval and
Renaissance worlds, Hieronymus Bosch
(1450–1516) continues to fascinate us with
the fantastic imagery and densely symbolic
messages of his compositions. Though
little is known about his background,
this Netherlandish painter seems both to
express the spiritual dilemmas of his generation and to exist in a timeless world of
his own.
None of the many interpretations of
his most famous painting, Garden of
Earthly Delights, are conclusive or mutually
exclusive. The same can be said of many of
his other works. The 500th anniversary of
his death was marked this year with major
Garden of Earthly Delights, ca. 1490, by Hieronymus Bosch
international exhibitions in his hometown
of Hertogenbosch and in the Prado. Yet even after new examinations and research, many of his masterpieces remain as perplexing as they
did centuries ago.
Art historian Aneta Georgevskia-Shine discusses ways of approaching the works of Bosch, which reveal worlds that his contemporaries
thought unimaginable.
Wed., Dec. 7, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-188; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
23
PRADO MUSEUM
ST. PETER’S BASILICA, ROME
Contrasts in Greatness
Art + Design
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
WHITE HOUSE
Christmas with the First Ladies
Architectural Splendors
Decking the Halls
at the White House
Owning a splendid house on
New York’s Fifth Avenue was the
ultimate symbol of success in
the Gilded Age. Wealthy families
such as the Astors and the
Vanderbilts commissioned the
most prominent architects of
the day to create Manhattan
mansions modeled after
Europe’s palaces. Most were
demolished and forgotten less
than a century later, but their
Beacon Towers, Sands Point, Long
stories still offer a portrait of life Island
among America’s monied elite.
Outside the city, glorious mansions were built along the sprawling
North Shore of Long Island—the Gold Coast—and farther east in
the Hamptons. The fictional world of Jay Gatsby, vividly described
in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, was inspired by real people, events, and
places from “that slender riotous island” where the rich came to play.
Architect, author, and historian Gary Lawrance depicts these
vanished wonders of residential architecture, the
people who built them, and the changing face of
Gilded Age New York City and Long Island from 1870 to 1930.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
No home in America celebrates the
holidays quite like the White
House, and behind each annual
celebration is a first lady who lends
her own distinctive style to the festivities. Coleen Christian Burke, a
professional decorator who was a
2014 White House design partner,
surveys the signature holiday decorating approaches of modern
The White House decorated for
residents from Jackie Kennedy to
the holidays
Michelle Obama.
Based on her own experience and her book Christmas with the
First Ladies, Christian Burke shows how the first lady’s personality,
causes, and interests influence seasonal decorating themes, from
Jackie Kennedy’s diplomatic children’s teas to Michelle Obama’s
decor recognizing American service men and women. She
describes the meticulous planning behind a White House holiday
theme—2014’s required as many as 57 trees and multiple 20-foot
arches! Finally, because crafts have often played a role in White
House seasonal decor, create your own ornament inspired by such
White House originals as miniature wrapped gifts (Jackie
Kennedy) or ornate ballet slippers (Barbara Bush).
Fifth Avenue Palaces and Long Island Retreats
Program
Sat., Dec. 10, 2–5 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1W0-087; Members
$45; Nonmembers $55
Tues., Dec. 13, 6:45–8:45 p.m.: Ripley Center;
CODE 1W0-088; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
An Artful Weekend in New York
MOMA, the Met, and the Neue Gallery
NEUE GALERIE
Spend an art-filled weekend in Manhattan with plenty of time to
portraits included in an exhibit at the Met. The poignant circumtake in several of the most intriguing exhibits on view in three
stance of his death served as the inspiration for the exhibition.
cultural powerhouses—and a night on the town to enjoy as you
Klimt and the Women of Vienna’s Golden Age, 1900–1918 at the
like. Art historian Ursula Rehn Wolfman leads the visit, which
Neue Gallery New York examines the artist’s sensual portraits of
highlights the art of three influwomen as the embodiment of fin-de-siècle
ential and distinctive 20thVienna. Central to the Klimt exhibition is
century European artists.
the side-by-side display of Portrait of Adele
The Museum of Modern Art’s
Bloch-Bauer I (1907) and Portrait of Adele
Francis Picaba retrospective is the
Bloch-Bauer II (1912).
first major American exhibition
Accommodations are at the historic
to encompass the full range of
Roosevelt Hotel, restored to its Jazz-Age
the French artist’s audacious, inglamour. Its midtown location makes it an
fluential career which ranged
ideal base for your Manhattan weekend.
from impressionism to Dadaist
Sun., Jan. 15, 8:30 a.m.—Mon.,
Overnight
provocation, pseudo-classicism,
TOUR Jan. 16, 10:30 p.m.; bus departs
and photo-based realism.
from the Mayflower Hotel,
The Metropolitan Museum of
Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St.,
Art’s Max Beckmann in New York
NW, with a pickup at the DoubleTree
focuses on the final years of the
Hilton, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel,
German artist who came to
Maryland, at about 9:10 a.m.; price includes
Sunday boxed lunch en route and Monday
America after WWII and moved
breakfast and supper; CODE 1NN-ART;
to New York City in 1949. He
Members $555; Nonmembers $740; singlesuffered a fatal heart attack on his
room supplement $105
way to see one of his selfAdele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907, by Gustav Klimt
24
Meet Astronaut Mike Massimino
NASA
Science + Nature
No Ordinary Spaceman
A 6-foot-3, blue-collar kid from Long Island with poor eyesight and a fear of
heights is not what you’d call a surefire bet for the space program. But Mike
Massimino is no ordinary guy. He was an astronaut with the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and is the veteran of two NASA space
flights: STS-109, aboard space shuttle Columbia in March 2002, and STS-125,
aboard space shuttle Atlantis in May 2009. His final mission was to repair the
Hubble Space Telescope in 2009.
Massimino recounts some of his interesting moments as an astronaut—on
this planet and far above it. From playing himself on TV’s The Big Bang Theory Astronaut Michael J. Massimino peers into Space Shuttle
Columbia’s crew cabin during a break in work on
to breathtaking adventures in outer space, he tells a compelling story about
the Hubble Space Telescope, 2002
following a dream and what having the “right stuff ” really means—at NASA,
in space, and in life.
His book Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe (Crown Archetype) is available for signing
after the program.
PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL / ROBERT NERONI
Thurs., Oct. 6, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-178; Members $20; Nonmembers $30
Medical History in Philadelphia
Including America’s Oldest Hospital
Join museum education consultant Sheila Pinsker for a close-up look at fascinating medical history
in Philadelphia. Explore the history of American medicine as you view skulls, skeletons, and
specimens, as well as models, memorabilia, and medicinal herbs.
Begin the day at the Society Hill
mansion of Philip Syng Physick, known
as the Father of American Surgery (and
sip his cherry shrub), then walk through
the streets of old Philadelphia passing
by other medical landmarks.
After a 3-course lunch at the historic
City Tavern, tour the building that
from 1755 to 1804 housed the country’s
first surgical amphitheater, part of the
Historic Pennsylvania Hospital Surgical
Pennsylvania Hospital, which Benjamin
Amphitheatre, in use 1804–1868
Franklin co-founded “to care for the
poor, sick, and insane” and that continues to serve as an acute-care facility.
The late-Georgian building in Center City that houses the College of
Physicians of Philadelphia and the Mutter Museum is the last stop of the day.
Home of Philip Syng Physick, Philadelphia
Tour the museum and hear about the role of forensic anthropology in criminal
investigations.
TOUR
Fri., Oct. 7; 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and De Sales St., NW, with a pickup stop
at the I-495 Exit 27 carpool parking lot at about 7:25 a.m.; lunch included at the historic City Tavern; tour involves
considerable walking and stair climbing; stop is made on the return trip to purchase a meal; CODE 1ND-001; Members
Location Changes
25
ALL PHOTOS: NATIONAL INSTIUTES OF HEALTH
Science + Nature
The Pulse on Modern Medicine
Insights from NIH Experts
Our new series, presented in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, reveals what is
currently “hot” in biomedical research—and what it all means for our health and medicine.
Medical Mysteries and Rare Diseases
The NIH Undiagnosed Diseases program
William Gahl leads the Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) at the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), which works with patients who lack a medical diagnosis despite years of
evaluation and visits to numerous doctors and medical research teams. Individuals whose
conditions have eluded medical diagnoses may apply to become UDP participants and, if
invited, are admitted to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Each patient undergoes
William Gahl
a week of diagnostic tests and expert consultations—provided at no cost. Gahl’s and the UDP’s
ultimate goals are to provide answers for patients and families affected by
mysterious conditions, hope of a diagnosis and the possibility of therapeutic
strategies, and to gain new insights about rare and common diseases.
Gahl describes several mystifying real-life cases and reviews the logic, techniques, and teamwork needed to provide answers for patients. He has been the
recipient of many awards, including the Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding
Government Service from the American Medical Association.
Anthony Fauci
Julie Segre
Gary Gibbons
An introductory talk by David Adams, senior staff clinician at the National
Human Genome Research Institute, from 6:45–7:30p.m., provides appropriate background information on genomic testing and DNA
analysis. Refreshments are offered during a 15-minute break between the presentations.
Next session: Thurs., Oct. 13, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0-172; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
Welcome
to the
Universe
ESA/HUBBLE/NASA
Upcoming sessions: Anthony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Thurs., Nov. 17, CODE 1B0-173; Julie
Segre, head, Microbial Genomics Section and chief, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, NHGRI; Thurs., Dec. 8, CODE 1B0174; Gary Gibbons, director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Jan. 24, CODE 1B0-175; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
Challenges in Cheetah
Conservation
When world-class astrophysicists J. Richard Gott,
Michael A. Strauss, and Neil
deGrasse Tyson team-taught Galaxy NGC 1569 produces stars more
than 100 times faster than the Milky Way
an introductory astronomy
course at Princeton, it was standing-room-only. The class, which
covered everything from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes,
wormholes, and time travel, inspired them to write their new book,
Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour (Princeton University
Press).
Join two of the authors, Gott and Strauss, as they engage in a
conversation that takes you from our home solar system to the
outermost frontiers of space as they describe the latest discoveries
in astrophysics. Gott is a professor of astrophysics at Princeton
University. Strauss has used large surveys such as the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey to study extragalactic astronomy and observational
cosmology.
Welcome to the Universe is available for signing after the program.
Mon., Oct. 17, 6:45–8:15 p.m.; Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn
Museum; CODE 1C0-085; Members $20; Nonmembers $30
26
CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND
An Intimate Look
at the Stars
Namibia, a nation whose cheetah population is the largest of any
in the world, once considered the animal as vermin. The country’s
citizens now take such pride in their cats they have declared Namibia
to be the cheetah capital of the world. That turnaround and her role
in it is one of the topics Laurie Marker,
Smithsonian
a conservation biologist, educator, and
Spotlight
leading expert on the cheetah discusses
with Suzan Murray, director of the Smithsonian Global Heealth
Program at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
Marker has spent more than 40 years studying the cheetah,
working with both wild and captive populations all over the world.
She and Murray delve into the complex network of social, economic
and environmental
problems to be
unraveled if Africa’s
most endangered
big cat is to have a
permanent place
on Earth.
Dr. Laurie Marker with cheetahs
Tues., Oct. 18,
6:45–8:45 p.m.;
Ripley Center; CODE
1A0-002; Members
$30; Nonmembers
$45
Science + Nature
Spiders: Predators and Prey
There are spiders we all know from childhood: the itsy bitsy one, the one that scared
Little Miss Muffet, and of course, Charlotte. Then there are the spiders well known by
Hannah Wood, curator of arachnids and myriapods at the Natural History Museum.
Spiders have been around for more than 350 million years and there are more than
46,000 known species. Their evolution has helped illuminate basic principles underlying species diversification and trait evolution and change. Tonight, Wood discusses
the natural history of spiders and introduces us to her specialty: assassin spiders.
Aptly named, these spiders evolved into highly efficient predators—of other
spiders. Wood talks about the development of their specialized predatory strategy, hunting techniques, and unusual
physical characteristics, including enormous jaws. She
also considers the evolutionary forces that led to
the spiders’ method of survival.
From assassin spiders to jumping spiders,
pirate spiders, and more, Wood puts a
surprising spin on the story of a remarkable species.
Your Brain in the
Digital Age
Wed., Oct. 19, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley
Center; CODE 1C0-081; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
Photo IDs
Please be sure to have photo identification whenever attending a Smithsonian
Associates’ program, as it may be required
at the venue.
Our Photo and Video Policy
You may be photographed or recorded
for educational and promotional purposes
when you attend a Smithsonian Associates
event. But turn those cell phones and
minicams off: Participants are not
permitted to take photos or videos.
Mon., Oct. 24, 6:45–8:15 p.m.;
African Art Museum; CODE 1C0-082;
Smithsonian
Spotlight
Assassin (Pelican) spider
PHOTO BY HANNAH WOOD
A Spectacular Day at Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary
KEVIN WATSON
The kettle’s whistling, the TV’s blaring,
the cell phone’s sounding alerts. The brain’s
balancing act begins: Our voluntary goaldirected system says “make tea”; our
stimulus-driven system says “get the cell.”
Without a fine balance between the two,
we would be unable to focus on anything.
So how does our brain allow us to make
decisions in light of the barrage of external
and internal stimuli we are confronted
with daily?
Sarah Shomstein, an associate professor
of cognitive neuroscience at George Washington University, talks about the brain’s
neural mechanisms that allow attentional
selection. According to Shomstein, the brain
isn’t able to process our incoming information all at once. The critical question, she
says, is how the brain chooses what to
process first and what to process next. She
addresses the science behind that question
and suggests ways we might enhance the
brain’s ability to keep us focused. So pay
attention!
Come to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the world’s first refuge for birds of prey and an international center for raptor conservation, for a chance to see eagles, falcons, hawks, and
osprey soaring high over a mountaintop preserve that glows with fall foliage. These are
among the species represented at the 2,600-acre sanctuary, which offers incredible scenic
overlooks, 8 miles of trails, a visitor
center, native plant garden, and the
Acopian Center for Conservational
Learning. Along with more than
13,000 acres of private and public
lands, the preserve is part of one of
the largest protected tracts of contiguous forest in southeastern
Pennsylvania. In addition to its
raptor population, Hawk Mountain
is an important mammal area and
the site of an international pilot
project of the Pennsylvania
Biological Survey.
Bird-watchers on Hawk Mountain
Your day on the mountain—at
the height of the fall migration season—begins with a staff-led orientation followed by a
picnic box lunch. Then enjoy an afternoon that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses of the
sanctuary’s important work, a hike, special activities, and some up-close time with raptors.
TOUR
Wed., Nov. 2, 7:30 a.m.– 9 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower Hotel,
Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup stop at the I-495 Exit 27
carpool lot, at about 7:55 a.m.; bring binoculars and camera; tour includes
walking, hiking, and standing on rock, uneven terrain; moderate and easier
hiking options available; sturdy shoes required; CODE 1ND-006; Members
27
Underground Virginia
Caves of the Shenandoah
Mysterious, awe-inspiring, and beautiful, Virginia’s caves never fail to dazzle visitors. See for
yourself during a visit to realms of wonder eons in the making in the scenic Shenandoah
Valley. With Gregg Clemmer, expert caver, mapper, and conservationist as your guide,
explore two of the region’s great caverns, from their stone columns and draperies to delicate
helectites and dog-toothed spar.
The adventure begins at Shenandoah Caverns, where you descend inside Virginia’s only
cave elevator to see the formations that first captivated explorers in 1884. Marvel at the
aragonite bushes bursting from ascending walls and cascades of flowstone suspended from
ceilings. After lunch, spend the afternoon exploring Luray Caverns’ shields, veils, domes,
flowstone, and forests of stalactites.
The tour ends with a stop at Gray
Ghost Winery to relax and compare notes
on the day’s unique caving experiences.
Sat., Nov. 5, 7:30 a.m.–7:30
p.m.; bus departs from the
Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St.,
SW, with a pickup stop at the
Vienna Metro station south-side Kiss
and Ride kiosk at about 7:55 a.m.; tour
involves significant amount of walking and standing; wear walking shoes and clothing
for cave temperatures in the mid-50s; three-course lunch at historic Mimslyn Inn;
CODE 1ND-009; Members $160; Nonmembers $205
TOUR
Enduring Extremes
Holiday Inspirations
Create a Beaded Ornament
Nov. 12; page 49
Wreath Making
with Smithsonian Gardens
Dec. 2, 6; page 42
TOUR: Fairmont Park
Dec. 2; page 22
Needle Felting for the Holidays
Dec. 4; page 42
Christmas Markets of Europe
Dec. 6; page 15
TOUR: Radio City Music Hall
Dec. 8; page 16
A New Holiday Family Tradition
Dec. 10; page 17
Christmas with the First Ladies
Dec. 10; page 24
Holiday Cookie Decorating
Dec. 11; page 42
Brandy: The Winter Spirit
Dec. 12; page 17
The Science of Astronaut Health
NASA
Knit a Scarf for the Holidays
Nov. 5 and 19; page 42
The mission of a human
journey to Mars is in our
future. NASA’s development of
the Space Launch System
rocket and Orion spacecraft to
power such missions is well
underway. As long-duration
space travel comes closer to
reality, NASA is devising
protocols and strategies to
protect the health of future
astronauts.
Contributing to this effort
is groundbreaking research
following Scott Kelly’s recent
Scott Kelly of NASA (left) and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscos- record-setting 340-day mission
aboard the International Space
mos on the International Space Station
Station (ISS). While in orbit, he
participated in tests to detect the genetic effects of spaceflight; back home, his identical
twin brother Mark was the control.
This evening, Richard Williams, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, introduces
a panel of agency colleagues including Vincent Michaud, deputy chief health and
medical officer; Victor Schneider, senior medical adviser; J.D. Polk, senior medical
officer; and Saralyn Mark, senior medical adviser on women’s health. Their wideranging discussion touches on space’s physiological challenges, ensuring astronauts’
health, medical benefits derived from space science, and an update on research from
the ISS, the world’s only microgravity laboratory.
Wed., Nov. 9, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Warner Bros. Theater, American History Museum;
CODE 1B0-189; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
28
ANDREW ROMANESCHI
Science + Nature
Science + Nature
The Smithsonian Greenhouses
and How They Grow
The Smithsonian Gardens greenhouse facility is
situated on ten acres in Suitland, Maryland, and
serves as the permanent home of Smithsonian
Gardens’ Greenhouse Nursery Operations. The greenhouses provide
plant material for the gardens and horticultural exhibits throughout the
Smithsonian Institution.
To kick off your exploration,
enjoy a discussion with Smithsonian horticulturist Vickie
Dibella en route to the greenhouses. During your behind-thescenes tour, discover what it takes Smithsonian greenhouses in Suitland, Maryland
to keep the many gardens and
interior plant displays looking their best all year round. The 10-acre facility includes growing areas,
exterior storage, and greenhouses devoted to tropical plants, interior display plants, and nectar
plants used for the Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum. Learn how staff care for the
acres of annual bedding plants destined for the Smithsonian’s gardens, as well as the huge tropical
specimens that hibernate for the winter at the greenhouses.
Get a close-up look at the thousands of plants that make up the Smithsonian Orchid Collection,
and delight your senses with their various fragrances, colors, sizes, and shapes. Find out about the
environmental control systems and get a sneak peek at all the colorful poinsettias growing for the
upcoming holiday displays.
SMITHSONIAN GARDENS
Smithsonian
Spotlight
TOUR
Clowesia Grace Dunn, a hybrid orchid
variety
TWO OPTIONS: Wed., Nov. 9, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. (CODE: 1NH-A01); Wed., Nov. 16, 1–4 p.m.
(CODE 1NH-B01); tours depart and return by bus to the front of the S. Dillon Ripley
Center (Smithsonian Metro, Blue/Orange/Silver lines); Members $45; Nonmembers $60
Washington’s Hidden Infrastructure
How Water Works
Every day we count on turning the bathroom or kitchen faucet to
find clean, clear water pouring out. Behind the production of that
usable water is a complex infrastructure, a world little recognized
and rarely seen by the public. With Bill Keene, a lecturer in history,
urban studies, and architecture, as guide, go behind the scenes of
water facilities in the Washington area.
Start the day with a private guided tour of the Arlington Water
Pollution Control Plant. The South Arlington facility treats 30
million gallons of wastewater each day from residences and businesses, with nearly 20 percent of the flow coming from localities
outside Arlington such as Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.
The plant processes wastewater and hazardous-waste materials to
protect local water-ways, especially Four Mile Run, the Potomac,
and Chesapeake Bay.
After lunch, the group moves into the District with a private tour
Delacarlia reservoir and filter buildings
of the Washington Aqueduct in Northwest. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers manages the historic aqueduct, and two other facilities that provide wholesale water treatment and delivery services to
D.C. Water and its partners in Northern Virginia, Arlington County, and Falls Church. Visit the Dalecarlia treatment plant on
MacArthur Boulevard, for an orientation on how the water is purified and delivered. Then, follow the production process at the
EPA-certified water quality laboratory. You’ll end a fascinating and informative day with a new appreciation and understanding of
what goes on before you turn the tap.
TOUR
Mon., Nov. 14, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW; no pick-up
stop; tour involves standing and walking for extended periods—please wear closed-toed shoes; 3-course lunch at the
Bonefish Grill in Arlington; CODE 1WD-010; Members $135; Nonmembers $180
29
Science + Nature
Advances in Military Medicine
From Mercy Street to the 21st Century
VISIT FREDERICK
Many of the scientific, medical, and technoas well as examples of contempological innovations of the past two centuries
rary innovations in modern
have had their roots in military medicine.
military care.
Spend a day led by science and history comIn the afternoon, explore the
municator Steve Lonker and Civil War
National Museum of Civil War
medical historian Jon Willen visiting two
Medicine in historic Frederick,
area museums that promote the history of
Maryland, a town that was transmilitary medicine and its impact on our
formed into a vast hospital center in
present and future healthcare.
the aftermath of the nearby battles
The first stop is the National Museum of
of South Mountain and Antietam.
Health and Medicine in Silver Spring. The
The museum is the center for the
museum was founded in 1862 as the Army
study and interpretation of the
Medical Museum, with a mission to better
medical history of the Civil War.
understand and improve the care of soldiers.
Volunteers guide visitors through
Ambulance Gallery: the beginning of emergency medicine
During the Civil War, the museum became a
the five galleries that highlight the
center for the collection of specimens used for research in military
challenges faced by Civil War doctors and surgeons, correct longmedicine and surgery. Today, NMHM cares for more than 25
standing misconceptions, and show how Civil War medicine
million objects that preserve the past, present, and future of
continues to have an impact on us today.
American military medicine. Docent-led tours offer views of
Sat., Dec. 3, 9:15 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.; bus departs from
TOUR
objects such as the bullet that killed President Lincoln, the
Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St., SW; no pick-up stop;
amputated tibia and fibula of Civil War Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, a
enjoy a 3-course lunch in Frederick; CODE 1ND-013;
skull of a soldier from the 34th Massachusetts Volunteer infantry,
HELENAH SWEDBURG
From Ecosystem Menaces to Menu Items
What if the greatest tool in combatting environmental degradation
was the fork? Aliens are on the attack all across America—but they’re
not the kind for which science fiction lovers have a taste. Invasive
species, also known as aliens, are non-native animals and plants
that can cause harm to an ecosystem into which they’re introduced.
Jackson Landers—Charlottesville-based journalist, teacher, and
author of Eating Aliens: One Man’s Adventures Hunting Invasive
Animal Species—offers an intriguing alternative approach to minimizing the ecological and economic impact of invasive species:
transform them into a
source of food. Hear about
his adventures in conservation cuisine as he tackles
crayfish in Virginia, spiny
iguana in Florida, and
snakeheads and starlings in
the Washington, D.C., area.
Landers is joined in conversation by chef and
cookbook author John
Shields, whose Baltimore
Jackson Landers holds a snakehead fish,
restaurant Gertrude’s spotan edible species invading the Potomac
lights Chesapeake cuisine.
He provides a food professional’s perspective on
With
the region’s invasive species, and offers tastings of
Light
dishes incorporating them.
Reception
30
Fri., Dec. 9, 6:45—8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE
1A0-003; Members $35; Nonmembers $50
A Once and Future Earth?
Exploring Titan, Saturn’s Giant Moon
The search for life elsewhere in the solar system has tantalized
humanity for centuries, and Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, has
emerged as a particular focus of study. NASA describes Titan as
one of the most Earth-like worlds found to date, and one that
offers a glimpse of what our own planet might have been like
before life evolved. The Cassini mission has shown that this frozen
“prebiotic” world shares many parallels to Earth, including lakes,
rivers, rain, clouds, mountains, and possibly volcanoes.
Ralph Lorenz, a
scientist at the Johns
Hopkins University
Applied Physics
Laboratory in
Laurel, Maryland,
examines how Titan
is now being
explored in space
missions and in the
laboratory. For
example, by chemically re-creating
Titan’s hydrocarbon
lakes, researchers are Artist’s conception of Titan’s surface with Saturn
in the background
discovering interactions previously
unknown to science, which may help us understand how the moon
came to be and its similarity to Earth when it produced the beginnings of life.
Mon., Dec. 19, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1A0-004;
NASA/CRAIG ATTEBERY
Taking a Bite Out of
Invasive Species
Past + Present
Hot Pots, Museum Raids, and
the Race To Uncover Asia’s
Archaeological Past
DC’s Historic Sites
Welcome to Georgetown
This lunchtime lecture series about
Georgetown—a unique neighborhood
founded in 1751—continues with
Oak Hill Cemetery, home to a James
Renwick-designed Gothic Revival chapel
and the burial place of many famous Washingtonians.
Upcoming sessions include Dumbarton Oaks
Gardens, with extraordinary features that range from
formal garden rooms and cutting gardens to rustic
wilderness and meadows; the C&O Canal National
Historical Park, the ninth most-visited site within the
National Park System; Tudor Place, one of the nation’s
few historic urban estates retaining the majority of its
original landscape; and the historic Georgetown Library
Peabody Room, which
houses the D.C. Public
Library’s special collections of Georgetown
neighborhood history.
Lunchtime
Series
Oak Hill Cemetery
Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel
Tues., Oct. 4, Noon–
1 p.m.; Ripley Center;
CODE 1B0-182;
Members $20;
Nonmembers $30
Dumbarton Oaks Gardens
Tues., Oct. 11, Noon–1 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0183; Members $20; Nonmembers $30
C&O Canal
Tudor Place
Peabody Room, Georgetown Library
Tues., Nov. 1, Noon–1 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0186; Members $20; Nonmembers $30
Thurs., Oct. 6, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1L0-135; Members
$30; Nonmembers $45
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM OF SOUTH AFRICA
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Georgetown
Fifty years ago, a Harvard undergraduate, Stephen Young, son of the
former U.S. ambassador to Thailand, tripped over the roots of a kapok
tree, exposing the rim of a beautifully painted pot sticking up out of the
ground. Thus began the first chapter of the
archaeological saga of Ban Chiang, a village
in Thailand.
The chance discovery led to a new understanding of a sophisticated Bronze Age
culture previously unknown to archaeologists. But the worldwide attention garnered
by the site’s pottery and bronze objects led
to extensive looting.
Joyce White, founder and executive
director of the Institute for Southeast Asian
Archeology, located at the University of
Ceramic pot at the Ban Chiang
Pennsylvania Museum, brings you behind
the scenes of one of the largest antiquities- Museum, Thailand, ca. 300
B.C.–A.D. 300
trafficking cases ever investigated by the
U.S. Justice Department. She also talks about the terrible effects of archaeological looting and how these illegally exported objects made their
way from Thailand to public and private collections in the United States.
Battle of Isandhlwana, 1885, by Charles Edwin Fripp
South Africa
Empire, War, and Sovereignty
Queen Victoria’s military adventures in Africa demonstrate both the
global reach of the mighty British Empire in the 19th century and the
dangers of overreach. Historian Benedict Carton, explores three pivotal
conflicts that profoundly shaped South Africa and its legacy of empire.
1 p.m. The Fate of African Independence: The Xhosa Cattle Killings
in the Cape Colony (1850–1860)
2:15 p.m. A Warrior Nation’s Last Stand: The Battle of Isandlwana
and Anglo–Zulu War (1870–1880)
3:30 p.m. The Boer War: Empire’s Final Hurrah (1899–1902).
Sat., Oct. 15, 1–4:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-172; Members $50;
Nonmembers $90
31
Past + Present
Frank Underwood’s Washington
A House of Cards Walking Tour
COLLECTION OF THE ARTIST/NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
For local viewers hooked on House of
Cards, part of the fun of watching
uber-power couple Frank and Claire
Underwood in action has been spotting the Washington locations both
stately and shadowy that serve as the
backdrop to their climb to the White
House. If the motivations and deviations in the series’ plots sometimes
swerve beyond belief, the settings
provide a geographic grounding in
reality (at least when Baltimore isn’t
playing stand-in for Washington).
Local historian Kathleen Bashian
leads a walking tour that offers
insights into the history and background of various Washington
Kevin Spacey as President Francis J. Underwood
locations associated with the
Underwoods’ scheming affairs of state by Jonathan Yeo, 2015
(and otherwise).
The tour passes several places in the title sequence, including the Capitol, Ulysses S.
Grant Memorial, and the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial. Stop at the FBI
Building, the Justice Department (headquarters for Solicitor General Heather Dunbar),
and recall the assassination attempt on Underwood at the memorial to James Garfield.
The power of political lobbyists and the
press get a nod at the Podesta Group building
and of course, the White House is one of the
stops. The tour ends with the ultimate political
fiction-and-reality mashup, Frank Underwood’s
presidential portrait (or is it Kevin Spacey’s?)
at the National Portrait
Smithsonian
Gallery.
Spotlight
Although Frank’s
favorite local spot for ribs, Freddy’s BBQ Joint,
is fictional, lunch is at Hill Country Barbeque
Market where the food is deliciously real.
TWO OPTIONS: Sun., Oct. 16
(CODE 1NW-A02); Sat., Nov. 5
(CODE 1NW-B02); 9:30 a.m.–1:45
p.m.; meet at the fountain on the
West Front of Capitol; limited to 30 participants; wear comfortable shoes; tour covers
around 2 miles; lunch included; Members
TOUR
Please note: The Frank Underwood portrait will not
be on view for either tour. A discussion of the
portrait will still take place during lunch.
The Bronze Age: Civilization and Collapse
For more than 300 years during the Late Bronze Age, from about 1500 B.C. until just
after 1200 B.C., the Mediterranean region was the stage on which Egyptians, Mycenaeans,
Minoans, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Cypriots, Trojans, and Canaanites interacted,
creating a cosmopolitan world system such as has only rarely been seen before the
current day.
Blame for the end of the Late Bronze Age is usually laid squarely at the feet of the
so-called marauding Sea Peoples. They may have been responsible for some of the
destruction that occurred at the end of the Late Bronze Age, but it is more likely that
a nexus of events, both human and natural—including earthquakes, storms, droughts,
rebellions, and systems’ collapse—coalesced to bring the age to an end.
After centuries of cultural and
technological evolution, the
civilized and international world of Colossi of Memnon, Luxor, Egypt
the Mediterranean regions came to a dramatic halt in a vast area stretching from
Greece and Italy in the west to Egypt, Canaan, and Mesopotamia in the east. Large
empires and small kingdoms that had taken centuries to evolve, collapsed rapidly.
The world’s first recorded Dark Ages began. It was not until centuries later that a new
cultural renaissance emerged in Greece, setting the stage for the evolution of Western
society as we know it today.
Classicist and anthropologist Eric Cline surveys a dramatic period of achievement,
upheaval, and collapse.
OCT 17 Mycenaeans, Minoans, and Trojans
Daytime
Program
OCT 24 Egyptians, Canaanites, and Cypriots
OCT 31 Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians
NOV 7 Collapse
Eric Cline excavating at Megiddo, Israel
32
4 sessions; Mon., Oct. 17–Nov. 7, Noon–1:30 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-177;
Past + Present
The Bayeux Tapestry and the
Norman Conquest of England
Giants in the Sky
Nine hundred and fifty years ago, on Oct. 14, 1066, Duke William of Normandy
conquered England in what is known as the Battle of Hastings. Much has been
written about the Norman Conquest in the centuries since, but nothing
begins to compare with the telling of the story on a piece of linen about 230
feet long, known as the Bayeux Tapestry. In 50 scenes embroidered on cloth
with colored yarn, the tapestry
brings alive the year 1066.
Filled with armored knights,
soldiers astride their war
horses, heraldic symbolism,
even Halley’s Comet, the
mystery-laden artifact commands attention as a pivotal
piece of historical evidence.
In this illustrated lecture,
A section of the Bayeux Tapestry depicting horses
Richard Abels, professor of
being shipped to England
history at the United States
Naval Academy, discusses the history of the year 1066 and the unique political
agendas embroidered in this timeless fabric.
Their names tell the story of these magnificent
flying machines: Galaxy, Globemaster, Starlifter.
These are among the largest and most specialized
aircraft ever to fly with the United States military.
Join transportation expert Scott Hercik as he goes
behind the scenes and onboard the aircraft that
carry personnel to destinations around the world.
The day begins at the Air Mobility Command
Museum at Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base,
home to a variety of vintage aircraft and the
largest military aircraft in any museum in the
world. Guides lead a tour of the preserved basecontrol tower and through the 20,000-square-foot
World War II-era hangar. They explain the roles of
a number of giant propeller, turbo-prop, and jet
airplanes and take participants on board for an
insider’s look at the unique design and capabilities
of aircraft such as the C-141 Starlifter.
Military Aircraft
T
U.S. AIR FORCE
D OU
L
O
S
Mon., Oct. 17, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-175; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
The Holy Land in the Time of Herod
King Herod the Great is most often associated with the Massacre of the
Innocents described in the Gospel according to Matthew (2:1–23). Whether
that event really happened is a matter of debate among biblical scholars, but
among archaeologists, there’s little doubt Herod was the single greatest
builder in the history of the Holy Land. Archaeologist Jodi Magness explores
some of the major archaeological sites dating to the reign of Herod, including
the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem; his fortified palace at
Masada; and Jewish tombs and burial customs (including the tomb of Jesus).
9:30 a.m. Jerusalem in the Time of Herod and Jesus: Part 1
11 a.m. Jerusalem in the Time of Herod and Jesus: Part 2
1:30 p.m. Masada, Last Stronghold of the Jewish Revolt against Rome
3 p.m. Ossuaries and the Burials of Jesus and James
Sat., Oct. 22, 9:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-863; Members
A Super Stallion helicopter is loaded into a C-5A Galaxy
Other highlights feature the propeller-driven
C-124 Globemaster II, and a visit inside the C-5A
Galaxy, the largest American military jet. Over
lunch, speakers share their personal experiences
of flying these aircraft.
Afterward, explore Dover Air Force Base, which
has a rich history of hosting a wide variety of
training, anti-submarine, fighter, bomber, and
transport aircraft. Learn of its current role as
home base to the state-of-the-art C-17 Globemaster III and the newly re-engined C-5M Super
Galaxy, and meet some of the men and women
who fly these giants in the sky.
Wed., Oct. 19, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; bus
departs from the Mayflower Hotel,
Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW,
with a pickup stop at the New
Carrollton Metro east side Kiss and Ride at about
8:25 a.m.; a government issued-photo ID is
required; participants will be contacted prior to
the tour for additional security information;
controlled photography is permitted; lunch
included; CODE 1ND-005; Members $145;
Nonmembers $190
TOUR
Aerial photo of Masada, Israel
33
Past + Present
LANDIS VALLEY VILLAGE & FARM MUSEUM
Discover insights into the cultural history of central and eastern
Pennsylvania as you visit a pair of one-of-a-kind destinations in the
region, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum and the Mercer
Museum and Fonthill Castle. Each of the sites grew out of their
founders’ personal
interests in celebrating and preserving aspects of
the area’s distinctive
centuries-old
heritage.
George and Henry
Landis recognized
the significance of
the traditions of
Landis Valley’s Millstone Grove in the fall
their German
ancestors who had settled in Lancaster County during the early
1700s. With a collection of more than 75,000 related artifacts, the
brothers opened a small museum in the 1920s on the grounds of
their Landis Valley homestead. Today, that museum is a history
village and farm that collects, preserves and interprets the history
and material culture of the Pennsylvania German rural community
from 1740 to 1940.
The Mercer Museum in Doylestown has a 50,000-strong collection that focuses on objects and artifacts from more than 60
MERCER MUSEUM
Heritage and History in Pennsylvania
American trades and crafts that thrived from pre-Revolutionary
times through the mid-19th century. The museum’s four-story
atrium has an astonishing and whimsical display of boats, wagon
wheels, carriages, tools, and furniture, among other items. Archaeologist and ceramicist
Henry Chapman
Mercer, who founded
the museum in 1897,
also designed and built
his nearby residence,
Fonthill Castle. The day
concludes with a visit to
this six-story structure,
an opulent and quirky
mix of medieval, Gothic,
Fonthill Castle
and Byzantine styles that
was a showplace for Mercer’s collection of tiles and prints.
Environmental historian and storyteller Hayden Mathews leads
the tour.
Sat., Oct. 29, 7 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; bus departs from the
Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St., SW, with a pickup stop
at the I-495 Exit 27 carpool lot at approximately
7:25 a.m.; boxed lunch included; return trip includes
a stop to purchase a meal; CODE 1ND-008; Members $165;
Nonmembers $210
TOUR
How the Britons Became the English, the Welsh, and the Scottish
Creating a United Kingdom
34
CHRISTOPHER FURLONG
ADAM PETTO
How did the island of
In a fascinating
Britain come to comprise
daylong survey,
three distinctive ethnic
historian Jennifer
identities—English,
Paxton traces the
Welsh, and Scottish—
emergence of Britain’s
and what does it mean
diverse ethnic landscape
to be British? In an age
and examines the
of political devolution,
strains facing the
United Kingdom as
can Britishness survive if
it renegotiates the
national identity erodes?
relationship between
Recent DNA studies
England and its smaller,
show that the English
increasingly assertive
are mostly descended
A “Beefeater”at the Tower
A Burberry garment of the Welsh
A piper in the Scottish
neighbors.
from the indigenous in- of London
flag, made in Wales
Highlands
The recent conhabitants of the British
tentious referenda on Scottish independence and British memberIsles who adopted the language and culture of the Anglo-Saxons
ship in the European Union demonstrate that the question of
who invaded sometime in the 5th century. Invasions by the Viking,
what it means to be British remains unsolved.
and the Normans in 1066 contributed the final piece of the
identity puzzle. The story of the Welsh is one of resistance to the
9:30 a.m. The Making of England
Anglo-Saxons. Although Wales lost its political independence, it
11 a.m. The Making of Wales
has preserved its indigenous language more successfully than other
12:15
p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own)
parts of the Celtic world.
Northern Britain was subject to the most diverse influences of
1:30 p.m. The Making of Scotland
any part of the British Isles: Pictish, Irish, English, and Scandinavian.
3 p.m. The End of Britain?
Nevertheless, Scotland developed a strong national identity. The
Sat., Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m.– 4:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-864;
union between England and Scotland only came about by a
dynastic accident, when the Stuarts inherited the English throne.
Past + Present
The Splendors
of Vienna
It is easy to think of Vienna as an
idyllic place filled with the sound of
lilting waltzes drifting from its
parks, cafes offering tortes with
puffs of whipped cream, and grand
Lipizzaner horses executing intricate
dance movements. But Austria’s
largest city was once the capital of
an empire extending from the Baltic
to the Mediterranean and from the
Alps to the Black Sea. The influence
of many diverse cultures flowed into
Vienna, turning it into a cosmopolitan metropolis whose creativity is
second to none.
Opera expert and writer Fred
View of Vienna from the glarden of Schonbrunn Palace
Plotkin knows Vienna well and is a
keen observer of its extraordinary character and occasional contradictions. He reveals the
city of Sigmund Freud, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Mahler as vibrant, modern, and
known also for remarkable achievements in painting, design, contemporary music,
medicine, literature, and philosophy.
In this richly illustrated armchair tour, you will find there is so much more to Vienna
than you could have possibly dreamed.
Wed., Nov. 2, 6:45–9 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-866; Members $30; Nonmembers
$45
Ask us about
RESERVED SEATING
and other benefits
of donating to
Smithsonian Associates
Contact Donor Services
202-633-3030
Russia’s Place in the World
Over the past two centuries, as Russia transformed itself from a formal empire into
the Soviet Union, and most recently, into the Russian Federation, it has been a
power to be reckoned with.
Historian George Munro examines four key periods of Russian history, each
spanning about a half century. He considers Russia’s place in the Napoleonic and
post-Napoleonic world; its role during the era of European imperialism, including
the run up to World War I; the shifting of power under Bolshevik rule; and finally,
Russia’s ambitions in
the post-Cold War
world. Today, there are
signs a resurgent
The Russian Imperial Crown set on a Russian flag
Russia may be challenging American hegemony once again. Interpreting Russia’s sense of its
place among nations helps us to better understand the policies of the current
Russian leadership under Vladimir Putin.
9:30 a.m. From Savior of Europe to Gendarme of Europe
11 a.m. Russia Turns East
1:30 p.m. Russia Envisions a New World
3 p.m. From Cold War to New Cold War (?)
Sat., Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.: Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-867; Members
The Kremlin and St. Basil Cathedral, Moscow
35
Past + Present
Historians Ed Bearss and Gregg Clemmer follow
the paths that brought George Washington and his
Overnight army to some of the most critical locations of the
Tour
Revolutionary War in Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
and Delaware.
Begin at Washington Crossing Historic Park, at the Pennsylvania
site where Washington and his soldiers set across the Delaware to
New Jersey on Christmas night, 1776. Visit the Battle of Trenton
Monument, then the Old Barracks Museum for a taste of military
life in the Continental Army. A stop at the site of the January 1777
Battle of Princeton rounds out the day.
On Sunday, the
Replica of a ca. 1777 camp at Valley Forge National Historical Park
group visits the sites
of the Battle of the Clouds and the Paoli Massacre before arriving at Valley Forge National
Historical Park. The Continental Army encamped on the site during the brutal winter of
1777–1778, and the park includes remains and reconstructed fortifications, Washington’s
headquarters, numerous monuments, reconstructed huts, and a memorial chapel and
visitors center.
Overnight
Sat., Nov. 12, 7 a.m.–Sun., Nov. 13, 7 p.m.; bus departs from the Mayflower
TOUR Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup stop at the I-495
Exit 27 carpool parking lot at about 7:25 a.m.; one breakfast, two lunches,
and Saturday dinner included; overnight accommodations at the Hampton Inn
& Suites., Phoenixville, PA; singles registering at the double-room rate are paired
(on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement ($65)
otherwise; information mailed to registrants about four weeks prior to departure;
purchase of trip insurance recommended; CODE 1NN-REV; Members $435;
Nonmembers $580
36
Replica of a Revolutionary War squad room at Old
Barracks Museum
OLD BARRACKS MUSEUM
George Washington’s
Revolutionary War
Past + Present
U.S. ARMY COMBAT ART PROGRAM
Eleanor Roosevelt
The War Years and After
Waiting Interrogation, 1967, by James Pollock
Prisoners
of War
War has always resulted in prisoners,
and their treatment has always been
problematic. Settings extend from
the Revolutionary War’s prison
ships to the Civil War’s infamous
Andersonville camp, Japanese slave
labor camps and German concentration camps, and North Korean brain
washing centers to Guantanamo
Bay and Abu Ghraib. Just as war has
changed dramatically over the years,
so has the treatment of captured
prisoners.
Evan J. Wallach, a circuit judge at
the Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit, is an expert on war crimes
and the law of war. He finds that
how a country treats—or
mistreats—captured enemy
prisoners is a key gauge of its values
as a society and its views of international human rights. He discusses the
history of prisoners of war, how
POW status is defined in modern
warfare, the current required
treatment of prisoners, limits to their
interrogation, and the potential
domestic and international legal
sanctions for their mistreatment.
Mon., Nov. 14, 6:45–8:45 p.m.;
Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-181;
Members $30, Nonmembers $45
Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the most
important and powerful first ladies,
faced many issues still with us today.
Biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook
whose newest book, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Volume 3: The War Years and After, 1939–
1962 (Viking), follows the arc of war and
the evolution of a marriage as she
discusses her portrait of a modest, selfdeprecating woman who grew into
a moral force in a turbulent world.
The first lady struggled for her core
issues—economic security, New Deal
reforms, racial equality, and rescue—
when they were sidelined by FDR’s focus
on the war efforts. She gained confidence in her own vision, even when her
beliefs clashed with government policies
on such issues as neutrality, refugees,
and the threat of communism. The war
years shaped her into a leader, visionary,
and guiding light.
Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 3 is available
for signing.
Eleanor Roosevelt, 1948
Tues., Nov. 15, 6:45—8:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1B0-193; Members $20;
Nonmembers $30
Cracking the Runic Code
The Alphabet of Mystery
The Vikings and other early societies that
preceded the English, Germans, and
Scandinavians used what is known at the
Runic alphabet as a means of communication. But what are runic characters? Even the
word rune is claimed to mean “mystery.”
For more than a millennium, researchers
have examined these early inscriptions most
often found on stones to understand early
cultures and their influences in areas that
stretch from Iran to the Americas. Henrik
Williams, a professor and chair in the department of Scandinavian languages at Uppsala
University, shares the stories behind this stillmysterious alphabet, providing glimpses of
the Viking culture as it was nearly a thousand
years ago. In the telling he uncovers stories of
Viking warriors, law makers, and autocrats,
graffiti, death poems, and cryptograms.
The Karlevi stone displays one of the earliest
poems written in runes, ca. 1000 A.D.
Thurs., Nov. 17, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley
Center; CODE 1H0-186; Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
37
Inside
Blair
House
Blair House may be
modestly scaled
compared to its
grander neighbor
across Pennsylvania
Avenue, the White
House, but it’s a
place filled with
Dillon room, Blair House
history. Its guest
book is filled with notable names including Queen Elizabeth II,
Charles de Gaulle, Vladimir Putin, Hosni Mubarak, Nelson
Mandela, and Margaret Thatcher. It has hosted special events
including Inauguration Day activities and state funerals, was the
site of an assassination attempt on President Truman, and houses
an important collection of American art and decorative objects.
Managed by the U.S. Department of State, Blair House (which is
actually four interconnected townhouses) has long been an elegant
and welcoming setting for international diplomatic hospitality.
Most of the public, though, never gets a glimpse of what goes on
beyond its imposing Greek Revival entrance portico. Join curator
Candace Shireman as she covers the intriguing history of “the
president’s guest house” and highlights its recently restored
interiors furnished with important cultural heritage collections,
including a rare portrait of Lincoln painted from life during the
Civil War and 18th-century hand-painted Chinese wallpaper
acquired during the Kennedy administration.
Thurs., Nov. 17, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; location indicated on ticket;
CODE 1H0-185; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
CAROL HIGHSMITH/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Past + Present
Theodor Herzl
The Founder of Modern Zionism
As an assimilated Viennese Jew, Theodor Herzl was a most unlikely
candidate to become the founder of modern Zionism and have a
city (Herzliya) named for him in Israel. But just 50 years after his
movement was born, David Ben Gurion stood before a huge
portrait of the determined playwright,
writer, and political
activist to proclaim
independence for
the state of Israel.
Ralph Nurnberger,
professor of international relations at
Georgetown
University, shares
how—against the
odds—Herzl became the spearhead of this political movement.
He was not religious, didn’t speak Hebrew, had not read the
works of previous Zionist thinkers, and knew next to nothing
about the lives of the impoverished and oppressed Jewish masses
in Eastern Europe. He was not committed to the present location
of Israel and was willing to consider other locations. And yet, he
developed the concepts of Zionism, wrote the most significant
books and articles outlining the rationale for a Jewish homeland,
and established the organizations needed to carry out this dream.
And perhaps most remarkable of all, Israelis on the right and left
of the political spectrum accept Herzl as the founder of modern
Zionism.
Tues., Nov. 29, 6:45–8:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-180;
The Smithsonian Castle’s distinctive red sandstone facade glows warmly
against the cool marble that dominates the National Mall. The story of its
stones, from Seneca Quarry in Montgomery County, is just as remarkable
as that of the building. The quarry saw its first developer die, filed for
bankruptcy twice, suffered through floods, and contributed to a national
scandal that embarrassed the Grant presidency and helped bring down the
Freedman’s Bank. Until it was closed in 1901, the quarry was the source of
stones used in projects all over the region, including the Cabin John Bridge
and some walkways and doorways of the U.S. Capitol.
Garrett Peck, author of The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry,
leads an excursion exploring the role that the quarry played in the building
of 19th-century Washington. The first stop is the Castle, then travel to the
site of the quarry in Poolesville, now within the C&O Canal National
Historical Park. Late fall provides an ideal time for a visit, as the bare trees
reveal the remnants of the brick structures and the landscape. Tours of the
Seneca Schoolhouse and Montevideo, the striking Federal-era home once
Remnants of the stone cutting mill at Seneca Quarry
owned by quarry owner John P.C. Peter, provide another glimpse of life
during the years that the Seneca Quarry was a thriving part of the local scene.
TOUR
38
Sun., Nov. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; bus departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St., SW; no pickup stop; wear warm layers
and sturdy boots; expect some uneven terrain during portions of the tour; boxed lunch onsite at historic Rocklands Farm;
CODE 1ND-012; Members $130; Nonmembers $175
GARRETT PECK
The Seneca Quarry and the Castle
ANGELAFOTO
Past + Present
World Art History
Certificate elective:
Earn 1/2 credit
Montgomery Meigs
in Washington
Naples
The Civil War and Beyond
As we mark the bicentennial of his birth, Montgomery Meigs
remains perhaps the Civil War’s least known major figure. He was
quartermaster general of the Union Army with sole responsibility
for a budget of more than $1 billion (the equivalent of $16 billion
today). His leadership was crucial in eradicating the rampant corruption that had previously characterized the office.
As an engineer and
architect, he was responsible for the construction of the House
and Senate wings and
the dome of the U.S.
Capitol; the design
and construction of
Washington’s stilloperating aqueduct;
and the original
concept for the
South side of the Arts and Industries building
Smithsonian Arts and
Industries building, among other accomplishments.
Meigs was also a patron of the arts, inventor, and respected
member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American
Philosophical Society, and a regent of the Smithsonian.
Historian and urban studies specialist Bill Keene sheds light on
Meigs’ fascinating life and legacy.
History in
a Crucible
Wed., Nov. 30, 6:45—8:45 p.m.; Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn
Museum; CODE 1M2-878; Members $30; Nonmembers $45
Thurs., Dec. 1, 6:45–9 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-874;
One of the world’s most
exciting and appealing
cities, Naples embraces
contrasts—modernity
and antiquity, extravaNaples, with Vesuvius in the distance
gance and poverty,
beauty and decay. Art historian Nigel McGilchrist conducts a
virtual tour of this singular city that has been the crucible of a lifeloving people since wealthy ancient Romans made the Isle of Capri
in the Bay of Naples their playground.
Explore Roman emperors’ villas and gardens, as well as the back
streets of ancient Roman life in the Archaeological Museum—
preserved by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 A.D. Art of more
recent vintage is in the Capodimonte Museum, where works from
Masaccio to Titian and Goya recall the city’s importance under
Bourbon rule in the 18th and 19th centuries. Encounter churches
with Caravaggio masterpieces and examples of sublime art and
antiquities around the city.
Naples’ celebrities are eccentric, its pizza is without equal, its
gastronomy is arguably Italy’s best, its traffic is chaotic, but its
subway system is state-of-the-art. It would take more than the
shadow of looming Mount Vesuvius to dim its brilliance.
The Gift of Color… Prints and glass sculpture from the Smithsonian Associates
Art Collectors Program capture worlds of color—and make memorable holiday gifts.
For more details call 202-633-8680 or visit our web site ArtCollectorsProgram.org
Hopi Eagle Dance
by Dan Namingha (detail)
Nonmembers: $1200 Members: $900
Code: ART036
August Breakfast/Maine
Buttercup Yellow Persian with Red Lip Wrap
by Carolyn Brady (detail)
by Dale Chihuly
Nonmembers: $1200 Members: $800
Nonmembers: $6,500 Members: $6000
Code: ART043
Code: ART130
39
GEORGE SCHEPER
Past + Present
The Civilizations of the Andes
During the course of its extraordinary 4,000-year history, the preColumbian civilization of the Andean world created the earliest cities of
the Western hemisphere, stupendous monumental architecture, magnificently crafted artifacts—and, on the eve of the arrival of Europeans, one
of the most extensive empires the world has ever known, the Inca.
George L. Scheper, senior lecturer in advanced academic programs
at Johns Hopkins University, provides a cultural overview of these
achievements.
Scheper outlines the challenging ecological environment Andean
cultures lived in and introduces peoples such as the Moche and the
Lambayeque and Chimu cultures,
whose artisanship became one of
Machu Picchu
the foundations of the Inca
Empire. He examines the Inca state and its distinctive artifacts and architectural monuments, and
describes the extraordinary discovery of the ancient royal compound of Machu Picchu. Scheper also
touches on world cultural heritage, patrimony, the repatriation of artifacts, and responsible tourism.
9:30 a.m. Environmental Contexts and the Earliest Andean Civilizations
11 a.m. North Coast Predecessors of the Inca
1:30 p.m. The Empire of the Sun
3 p.m. Visiting Machu Picchu
Sat., Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1M2-875; Members $90; Nonmembers $140
Paracas Textile, ca. 100–300 C.E., Peru
RON COGSWELL
BROOKLYN MUSEUM
A Cultural Exploration
Civil War Washington
Historians Gregg Clemmer and Ed Bearss lead an excursion covering life,
politics, and key events in the Union’s capital city during wartime. Begin
with a walking tour of Lafayette Square and President’s Park, then pass
buildings that once housed the departments of State, War, Army, Navy, and
Treasury and other sites associated with President Abraham Lincoln and
his administration.
Visit sections of Arlington National Cemetery where prominent military
figures who fought for the Union are buried, followed by lunch in
Arlington. Then visit Fort McNair to view the site of the Washington
Arsenal, where conspirators in the assassination plot against Lincoln were
tried and four were executed. The tour continues to Lincoln’s summer
cottage on the grounds of the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home, and
concludes with a stop at the African American Civil War Memorial.
TOUR
Lincoln’s Cottage in Northwest Washington
Sat., Dec. 10, 8 a.m.—6 p.m.; bus departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St., SW; dress for outdoor walking and weather;
photo ID required; CODE 1ND-016; Members $155; Gen. Admission $200
Location Changes
40
Past + Present
Temples, Monuments, and Tombs
Exploring Egypt’s Ancient Treasures
Ancient Egypt was a major Mediterranean civilization, existing for almost 30 centuries. Its culture was
one of architectural innovation and artistic beauty, governed by rich religious traditions.
Perhaps best-known among Egypt’s spectacular historic sites are its pyramids—at one time among
the largest structures on earth. The Great Pyramid and those in Cairo, the Giza plateau, and other
locations served as royal funerary structures filled with riches for the afterlife. The Karnak Temple
complex is the second-largest ancient religious site in the world, and kings might have been crowned at
the Luxor Temples site. Many pharaohs, their families, and powerful nobles are buried in the Valley of
the Kings. The most famous is Tutankhamen’s tomb, and a recent theory suggesting that Queen Nefertiti
is buried behind one of its walls sparked new searches for secret chambers. Philae Temple, known as the
“Jewel of the Nile” was built by Greek rulers of
Egypt. Abu Simbel, the massive temple of Ramses II
carved into a mountain, was an inspiration for
Mount Rushmore.
Bas relief of Rameses III in Khonsu
Spend an amazing day exploring the timeless
Temple, Karnak
heritage of this ancient culture with Egyptologist
Bob Brier, an expert in pyramids, tombs, and mummies.
9:30 a.m. Pyramids
11 a.m. From Karnak to the Ramesseum
12:15 p.m. Lunch (box lunch provided)
1:15 p.m. The West Bank of the Nile
2:45 p.m. The Jewel of the Nile and Abu Simbel
The Great Sphinx and pyramids in Giza
Sat., Jan. 7, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1H0-191; Members $110;
Nonmembers $145
Spies Among Us
Arriving Hungry?
Snacks In the Ripley Center
Beverages (water, wine, and beer) and
assorted snacks will be available
for purchase in the
lobby of the
Smithsonian
Associates’
offices on
Tuesdays,
Wednesdays,
and Thursdays,
6–7:15 p.m.
Codebreaking, Espionage, and
Counterintelligence in Arlington
When most people think of spying and international intrigue,
Arlington, Virginia, is probably not what first comes to mind. But
this city just over the Potomac is an espionage hotbed, where codebreakers at Arlington Hall (a former girls’ school that served as the
center of the Army’s Signal Intelligence Service cryptography effort
during World War II) exposed extensive Soviet spy networks in the
United States, and where the CIA’s controversial longtime counterintelligence chief and Arlington resident James Angleton used that
information to hunt Soviet agents and moles.
To top it off, Arlington was home to Aldrich Ames, the CIA’s
most damaging spy—to the United States, not the Soviet Union.
David Robarge, the
CIA’s chief historian,
exposes the dark side of
spy work in the suburbs
and explains why the
nation has had such a
difficult time tracking
down enemy agents and
protecting its secrets.
Tues., Jan. 10, 6:45–
8:45 p.m.; Ripley
Center; CODE 1H0-192;
Members $30;
Nonmembers $45
41
Studio Arts
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS
Enjoy a break from the hectic holiday shopping
season and create some do-it-yourself gifts of
your own. Learn how to make meaningful gifts
for your friends and family—and yourself—with
guidance from experienced instructors of the
Smithsonian Associates Studio Arts program.
Knitting for Beginners
Holiday Cookie
Decorating
Making a Scarf for the Holidays
Have you marveled at beautiful hand-knit
garments, wishing that you could create one?
Why not learn this skill and create
a scarf for yourself or to give
as a holiday gift?
The instructor teaches the
fundamentals of knitting,
including casting on, basic knit
and purl stitches, increasing,
decreasing, and binding off.
Students learn by practice,
and knit a scarf during and
between classes. No previous
knitting experience is required.
2 sessions, 4 hours each; Ann Richards; Sat., Nov. 5 and 19, 10:15
a.m.; bring to the first class a set of size-8 knitting needles and a
light-colored skein of worsted-weight yarn; CODE 1K0-0AM;
Wreath Making with
Smithsonian Gardens
Smithsonian
Spotlight
Each holiday season, Smithsonian Gardens staff turn seedpods,
evergreens, and colorful stems into unique creations that fill the
urns, adorn the gates, and hang from the lampposts of the
museum gardens.
Meet at the Smithsonian Castle to view the holiday decorations
before taking a wintry walk through the bedecked grounds with
Smithsonian Gardens horticulturist Christine Price-Abelow. Then,
retreat to the
warmth of the
Ripley Center
to create a
one-of-a-kind
wreath inspired by the
botanical decorations seen
in the gardens.
Light holiday
refreshments
and all wreath-making materials provided.
TWO OPTIONS: 1 session, 2.5 hours each; Christine PriceAbelow; Fri., Dec. 2, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-0CE; Tues., Dec. 6,
2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0CF; Members $75; Nonmembers $95
42
Chef Lynnette Jackson of
Lynnette’s Cakes and Catering
leads a workshop in decorating festive treats to serve at
your own dessert table or to
give as gifts. Learn techniques
to decorate sugar cookies,
make cookie-in-a-jar gifts, and
get packaging ideas for your
handmade treats. Holiday refreshments included.
One 2-hour session; Sun.,
Dec. 11, 1 p.m.; all materials and some supplies to use at
home, are included; CODE 1L0-144; Members $75;
Nonmembers $90
Needle Felting for
the Holidays
Elves and Ornaments
Add some handcrafted accents to
the season in a workshop that
covers the basics of needle and wet
felting. Make a sprightly elf for your
shelf or mantle and create an
ornament of your own design as
you explore the art of sculpting, embellishing, and painting with a felting
needle. Learn to apply facial
features and intricate details to
create a home decoration or gift
that’s uniquely your own. An easy
and fun introduction, no felting experience is needed. Light holiday refreshments and seasonal music add
to the afternoon.
One 4-hour session; Renate
Maile-Moskowitz; Sun., Dec. 4, 1
p.m.; $10 supply fee, payable to
the instructor at the first class,
covers the cost of all materials.
CODE 1K0-0CG; Members $65;
Nonmembers $85
Studio Arts
GENERAL
DRAWING
World Art History Certificate
elective: Earn 1/2 credit
Oil Pastels for
Everyone
Color Theory
With an understanding of color
concepts and relationships, you can
use color to evoke subtle as well
as dynamic sensations in a viewer.
Through lecture, film, demonstration, and hands-on experimentation, students learn about Johannes
Itten’s color theory and wheel,
color value, chroma, and hue. Work with value contrast and also begin
to explore color temperature and complementary color contrast and
harmonies. Use acrylic paints to mix and create colors, and also experiment with Color-Aid colored papers, to develop sensitivity to color
values and color movement in shaping composition. Open to
students of all levels. No drawing or painting experience is required.
PAULA RAUDENBUSH
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Jamie Platt; Thurs., Oct. 13–Dec. 8 (no
class Nov. 24); 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0ZB; Members $225;
Nonmembers $275
Materials and
Techniques
A Hands-on Exploration
Explore a wide range of artistic
possibilities as you investigate the
properties of graphite, colored
pencils, pastels, watercolors,
acrylics, and oil. Through guided
drawing exercises and painting
assignments referencing forms
from still-life arrangements to en plein air studies, experiment with the
techniques and tools of a different media. Critiques enable students to
develop their individual styles and skills. Previous drawing and
painting classes required; the course is not appropriate for beginners.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Sandra Gobar; Sat., Oct. 15–Dec. 10 (no
class Nov. 26), 2 p.m.; some shared supplies provided; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0ZT; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
Exploring the Visual Foundations
and Traditions of Art
Learn how Renaissance masters used the Golden Ratio, Rule of Thirds,
three-point perspective, and the Fibonacci spiral, and how these
elements can provide visual interest to your own compositions.
Producing simple outline drawings helps gain a fuller understanding
of visual language, and examining classic
paintings offers insights into form and composition. The process reveals how artists of the
Renaissance blended the rational, spiritual, and
emotional to produce some of greatest art
ever created. Appropriate for beginning and
experienced artists in all mediums as well as
non-artists. Drawing experience not required.
2 sessions, 2 hours each; Chester Kasnowski;
Fri., Oct. 21 and 28; 10:30 a.m.; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0ZU; Members $55;
Nonmembers $75
Sennelier oil pastels are richly
pigmented and have a creamy
consistency. They adhere to
paper, canvas, wood, metal,
and glass. The experience of
using them simulates drawing
with oils, and the colors are
Trees, oil pastel by instructor Chester
bright, highly saturated and
Kasnowski
long-lasting if maintained
correctly. Oil pastels travel easily and are excellent for color sketching.
Get a grounding in the basics of oil pastels. Group technique
demonstrations and one-on-one instruction are part of the class,
which welcomes both beginners and seasoned artists.
6 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Chester Kasnowski; Thurs., Oct. 13–Nov. 17,
2 p.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0ZQ; Members $175;
Nonmembers $225
Continued Pastel
Designing the 21st Century Still-Life
Explore the brilliant and
luminescent effects of
oil and chalk pastels.
Building on the
concepts explored in
Introduction to Pastel,
intermediate-toadvanced students investigate a myriad of
ways to construct stilllife arrangements to
achieve innovative comSociopolitical Constructed Terrains, by inpositions. Each week
structor Sandra Gobar
delves into techniques
including frottage, wet brushing, resist, scraping-out, and combining
pastels with gouache, pencil, and oils.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Pastel, Sketching with Pastels in the
Smithsonian Gardens, or prior approval of the instructor.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Sandra Gobar; Sat., Oct. 15–Dec. 10 (no
class Nov. 26), 10:15 a.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0ZR;
Drawing on the
Right Side of
Your Brain
Designed to improve the
way people see and record
objects on paper, this course
helps build the ability to
draw. After completing an
exercise as a record of initial skill,
students move through assignments
that deepen their understanding of edges and space, relationships
between objects, and light and shadow.
8 sessions; 2.5 hours each; Shahin Shikhaliyev; Fri., Oct. 14–Dec. 16
(no class Nov. 11 or 25); 6:30 p.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K00ZN; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
43
Studio Arts
Beginning Drawing
This class, a valuable introduction for beginners, teaches the basic
skills needed as a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a
variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils,
students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and
perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
Students are introduced to still-life, architectural interiors and
exteriors, and figure drawing. The instructor provides individual
guidance, demonstrations and lectures, and encourages group
discussion.
TWO OPTIONS: 8 sessions, 2.5 hours
each; Josh Highter; Sun., Oct. 16–
Dec. 11 (no class Nov. 27), 10:15
a.m.; supply list on website; CODE
1K0-0ZJ; Jamie Platt; Tues., Oct. 18–
Dec.13, 6:30 p.m. (no class Nov. 22);
supply list on website; CODE 1K00ZK; Members $225; Nonmembers
$275
Figure Drawing
and Independent
Projects
This class covers advanced elements
of composition, anatomy, and developing individual artistic direction.
Working from live models, students
are encouraged to draw accurate or
aesthetically strong works based on
the figure. Open to all levels; students
work in the medium of their choice.
Model fees included in tuition.
Classes are taught by professional artists and teachers.
View detailed class descriptions and supplies information
at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio
View portfolios of work by our instructors
at SmithsonianAssociates.org/artinstructors
Developing Your Sketchbook
A sketchbook is so much more than just a book for drawing. This
class will help you boost your creativity and record your thoughts and
visual observations and transform your sketchbook into a powerful
expression of your
inner self.
Students work on
improving their
sketchbooks and
the stories they tell
through using
creative techniques,
materials, and
thought processes.
Learn basic drawing
skills and discover
how to capture the
Sketchbook by instructor Lori Vankirk Schue
essence of what
you see and think.
Get practice in working in public spaces in classes that meet at a
variety of museums and other places close to the Smithsonian.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Lori VanKirk Schue; Mon., Oct. 24—Dec. 12,
1 p.m.; supply list on website; bring a hard-covered sketchbook
(spiral-bound is best) no smaller than 7x10, a pencil with eraser, and
a pencil sharpener; CODE 1K0-0ZP; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Max-Karl
Winkler; Sun., Oct. 16–Dec. 11 (no
class Nov. 27), 2 p.m.; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0ZM; Members $235; Nonmembers $285
PAINTING
Beginning Oil
Painting
Continued Drawing
As an investigation of drawing beyond the introductory level, this
course offers practice in using traditional media. Sessions focus on the
four traditional subjects of drawing (still-life, landscape, portrait, and
figure) and include warm-up exercises, individual and group critiques,
and demonstrations by the instructor. Students can expect to develop
new skills, learn new techniques, and explore their areas of interest
while reinforcing the
art training they
already have.
Participants should
have completed a
beginning drawing
course.
Lectures, demonstrations,
and hands-on experimentation introduce the medium
of oils. Working from still-life
arrangements, explore basic
painting techniques
including color-mixing,
scumbling, and glazing to
gain the technical background needed to get
started as a painter.
Experience in drawing is
helpful but not necessary.
8 sessions, 2.5 hours
each; Jamie Platt;
Wed., Oct. 19–Dec. 14;
(no class Nov. 23);
6:30 p.m.; supply list
on website; CODE:
1K0-0ZL Members
$225; Nonmembers
$275
TWO OPTIONS: 8 sessions,
3 hours each; Shahin
Desire, an oil painting by instructor
Shikhaliyev; Thurs., Oct. 13–
Shahin Shikhaliyev
Dec. 8 (no class Nov. 24);
6:30 p.m.; CODE: 1K0-0ZV; Fri., Oct 14–Dec. 16 (no class Nov. 11 or
25); 3 p.m.; supply lists on website; CODE 1K0-0ZW; Members $235;
Nonmembers $285
Drawing by instructor Jamie Platt
44
Studio Arts
Beginning Acrylic Painting
Are you ready to
pick up a paint
brush? Painting is
as much about
how you think as
it is the process
of putting colors
on canvas. This
beginning-level
course introduces
both the skills
needed to paint,
and how to observe
and reflect the world around you like an artist. Learn how to make
the mental shift to a different way of seeing to create a “painterly
representation” of what you see.
Participants are introduced to composition, color, and value management and the process of visual selection, and experiment with
these concepts by painting a series of still-life set ups. They also
learn how to develop painting techniques by researching a favorite
American painter from the Smithsonian collections. Basic drawing
skills are helpful but not necessary.
The Hudson River School
Investigating America’s First School of Landscape Painting
Find inspiration in the beautiful landscapes painted by the artists of
the Hudson River School. An instructor-led talk and tour to view
Hudson River paintings at the National Gallery of Art is followed by
two in-studio sessions featuring lectures and demonstrations of
painting in the movement’s style. Students create their own paintings
in the Hudson River School spirit, drawing on what they’ve learned of
the genre’s techniques, color palette, and materials.
SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
3 sessions, 4 hours each; Sandra Gobar; Sun., Oct. 16–30; 2 p.m.;
supply list on website; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0AB;
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Shahin Shikhaliyev; Mon., Oct. 17–Dec. 5,
6:30 p.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0AC; Members $235;
Nonmembers $285
Introduction to
Watercolor
Beginning students as well as
experienced painters explore
new materials and techniques
in watercolor painting.
Working on still-lifes and landscapes from direct observation or photographs, they
explore basic watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through
classroom demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.
8 sessions; 2.5 hours each;
David Daniels; Mon., Oct. 17–
Dec. 5, 1 p.m.; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0ZX;
Members $225; Nonmembers
$275
Dover Plains, Dutchess County, New York, 1848, by Asher B. Durand
Lessons in Portrait Painting
from the Dutch Masters
Through direct observation of Dutch Masters paintings at the National
Gallery of Art and hands-on practice in the studio creating their own
masterpieces, students learn how to apply the techniques used by
artists like Rubens and Rembrandt to give the illusion of threedimensional form in portraits and achieve that Dutch glow.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Adrienne Kralick; Wed., Oct. 19–Dec. 14,
(no class Nov. 23); 10:15 a.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0ZZ;
Watercolor by instructor David Daniels
Continued Watercolor
This class investigates watercolor techniques that offer opportunities
for greater individual experimentation and expression. Go beyond the
basics of paint application and learn how to construct strong, vibrant,
personality-filled paintings as you hone your skills as a watercolor
artist. You don’t have to be an expert, but some prior painting experience is helpful.
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; David Daniels; Mon., Oct. 17–Dec. 5,
10:15 a.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0ZY; Members $225;
Nonmembers $275
Instructor Adrienne Kralick’s painting of a Rembrandt self-portrait
at an underpainting stage of the layering process
45
Studio Arts
MIXED MEDIA
SCULPTURE
World Art History Certificate
elective: Earn 1/2 credit
Exploring Abstraction
Explore the basis
of abstraction by
studying color, line,
and shape as they
relate to composition. Learn to
create exciting and
innovative works
of art using a
series of drawing,
painting, and
collage exercises
designed to
examine nontraditional ways of
handling traditional
materials and
subject matter.
Balancing Act, by instructor Delna Dastur
Charcoal and
pastel, as well as the newer liquid acrylic glazes and media, are used.
This is a process-oriented class with an emphasis on finding a
more intuitive way of working. An examination of contemporary art,
including a brief visit to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden,
provides a comprehensive look at abstract
Smithsonian art. Critiques and group discussion contribute
Spotlight
to the process.
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Delna Dastur; Thurs., Oct. 13–Dec. 8, (no
class Nov. 24); 12 noon; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0AF;
Collage, Assemblage, and Mixed-Media
Whimsical or
serious, personal or
universal, collage is
a highly versatile
and accessible
technique that
results in the playful
combination of
different, and
sometimes unlikely,
materials. In this
class, students are
introduced to the
materials, tools, and
technologies used
in collage and assemblage, and find inspiration in creators such as Joseph Cornell,
Romare Bearden, and Gertrude Green, whose works are held in
Smithsonian collections.
As they develop their own projects, students learn through experimentation with color, form, and design, as well as explore the use of
text, images, texture, and natural and found objects. Students at any
level of experience are welcome.
TWO OPTIONS: 8 sessions; 2.5 hours each; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard;
Wed., Oct. 19–Dec. 14, (no class Nov. 23); 1:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0AD;
Wed., Oct. 19–Dec. 14 (no class Nov. 23); supply list on website; 6:30
p.m.; CODE 1K0-0AE; Members $230; Nonmembers $280
46
Introduction to
Sculpture
Explore the basic materials and
methods of sculpture through
hands-on studio work, lectures,
and demonstrations. Become
familiar with the works of
noteworthy sculptors past and
present, and get an overview of
the physics of sculpture, surface
patinas and textures, and
effective composition.
Students work in a variety of
media (including paper, cardboard, oil clay, wire, and found
Teddy Roosevelt, by instructor
objects) to create representaCharles Bergen
tional and abstract works using
both additive and subtractive methods of sculpting. Experience in
drawing, design, woodworking or three-dimensional art is helpful
but not required.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Charles Bergen; Thurs., Oct. 13–Dec. 8
(no class Nov. 24), 6:30 p.m.; supply list on webstie; CODE 1K0-0AG;
Neon Light
Sculpture
Contemporary
Mark-Making
In this six-session course held
at the instructor’s Washington
studio, explore the mysteriously compelling qualities of
neon light and create your
own illuminated object. Begin
with a lecture that explores the
very first marks made by early
humans and how they relate to
contemporary neon markmaking, examines early neon
light-based artwork, and looks
Cave Drawing (with neon) by instructor
at the sculpture of contempoCraig Kraft
rary neon artists.
In subsequent hands-on sessions, learn the basics of glass tube
bending and observe demonstrations of the process of tube bombarding and rare-gas filling. Beginning as well as advanced students
are welcome.
6 sessions (one 1.5 hour lecture and five 3-hour workshops); Craig
Kraft; Tues., Oct. 18, 6:30–8 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 25–Nov. 22, 6:30–9:30
p.m.; $85 supply fee payable to the instructor at the first class, covers
the cost of shared supplies, the use of the bending equipment, and
the processing of a neon tube made by each student; purchase of a
transformer to operate sculpture is optional; CODE 1K0-0AH;
Studio Arts
Continued Foundational
Hand Calligraphy
CALLIGRAPHY
Sumi-e and Shodo
Moving On to Italic
Japanese Brush Painting and Calligraphy
The elegant and refined art forms of sumi-e (brush painting) and
shodo (calligraphy) offer a gateway to the study of principles of
classical Japanese
techniques. Students
learn to write
numbers, the
Japanese alphabet,
and their names.
They also try their
hand at painting
flowers, insects, birds,
and other animals
with graceful watercolor strokes. Open to beginning and more advanced students.
The widespread growth of universities
in 15th-century Europe made quickly
produced manuscripts essential. The italic
hand emerged to meet that need. Trace
Calligraphy by instructor
that development as you learn the essenMarta Legeckis
tials of this calligraphic style.
Review the Foundational hand’s unique characteristics, including
construction and the height relationship among groups of letters.
Through examination, analysis, and exercises focusing on size, pen
angle, and letter slopes, discover how the Foundational morphed into
the Italic that is still popular today. This intermediate-level class is
geared to students with classroom experience in the Foundational hand.
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Marta Legeckis; Tues., Oct. 18–Dec. 13
(no class Nov. 22), 10:15 a.m.; all supplies provided; CODE 1K0-0AJ;
8 sessions; 2.5 hours each; Aiko Shimura Erickson; Sun., Oct. 16–Dec.
11 (no class Nov. 27), 10:15 a.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K00AL; Members $205; Nonmembers $255
FIBER ARTS
Introduction to Pointed-Pen Calligraphy
Back-to-Basics Boot
Camp for Knitters
Explore the elegant script, commonly known as Copperplate—
unmatched in its usefulness for social stationery—in this class
designed for beginners. Starting with basic tools and mechanics,
discover what is needed to develop your skills and how to recognize
the small details that make this style of writing so appealing. Learn to
work with color, how to use this hand in different sizes and in various
applications—from writing in a simple format to working on a more
artistic expression of a text.
8 sessions; 2.5 hours each;
Lee Ann Clark; Mon., Oct.
17–Dec. 5, 1:30 p.m.; all
supplies are provided;
CODE 1K0-0AK; Members
Whether you know how to knit a scarf but
not much more, or are confident in your
beginning knitting skills but want to make
sure you’re ready for an intermediate
class or project, this workshop is for you.
The instructor reviews basic techniques including casting on; knitting
and purling; binding off; increasing and decreasing; and basic finishing
skills. Various knitting tools are also reviewed and students practice
taking gauge. The workshop’s pace may be uncomfortable for
absolute beginners but is perfect for people with a little knowledge
and want to build on it. .
One 7-hour session, includes a lunch break (participants provide their
own lunch); Ann Richards; Sat., Oct. 15; 10 a.m.; bring a pair of size-8
knitting needles, a skein of light-colored, worsted-weight yarn, scissors,
and a yarn needle; pattern to practice reading is optional; CODE 1K00AN; Members $75; Nonmembers $95
Continued
Pointed-Pen
Calligraphy
Laundry to Legacy
The elegant script,
commonly known as
Copperplate, is unmatched
in its usefulness for social
stationery. The rhythm and
grace of the letterform is
used on invitations, menus,
and placecards, and can
take your personal correspondence to a new level.
Calligraphy by instructor Lee Ann Clark
Further explore the versatility of this tool and continue to hone your skills with formal writing,
focusing on capital letters, alternate letterforms, and flourishing.
Contemporary styles with modern twists and variations are examined.
Beginning Pointed-Pen Calligraphy or other pointed-pen experience is required.
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Lee Ann Clark; Mon., Oct. 17–Dec. 5, 6:30
p.m.; all supplies provided; CODE 1K0-0CA; Members $245;
Nonmembers $295
Repurposing Treasured Garments into Memory Quilts
In this workshop, students engage in a
hands-on design activity using paper
after hearing a discussion by the instructor about how to work with
stretchy fabrics, color ideas, quilting
options, and finishing techniques.
Have fun finding out how to create a
lasting heirloom from treasured
T-shirts. Any level of experience is
welcome.
One 5-hour session; Lauren Kingland;
Sun., Oct. 16, 10 a.m.; includes lunch
break (participants provide their own); T-shirt quilt by instructor
Lauren Kingsland
workshop fee includes instructor’s
book, The Extraordinary T-shirt Quilt: The Scrapbook You Can Sleep
Under; bring small paper scissors, a 12-in. ruler, repositionable glue
stick or Scotch tape, and a calculator; CODE 1K0-0AQ; Members $55;
Nonmembers $75
47
Studio Arts
OTHER MEDIA
Relief Printing
Sogetsu Ikebana
Linocut and Woodblock
Modern Japanese Flower Arranging
The most sculptural of all printmaking
techniques, woodblock printing and
linocut printing are ideal for creating
bold images composed of patterns
and textures. This class introduces
the relief print, from techniques of
design and transfer through cutting
and printing the block. Students
design and produce their own
editions, using nontoxic materials and
employing both one- and two-color
techniques.
Beginning and continuing students learn
some of the basic styles and
variations of ikebana as taught
by Japan’s Sogetsu School of
Ikebana. Using flowers, greens,
and glass containers, they
create beautiful and striking
basic and free-style arrangements, including centerpieces.
Flowers, greens, and other basic
materials are included in tuition.
Students should bring a shallow container
with sides about 2 to 3 inches high and approximately 9 inches in
diameter (a Pyrex pie plate, quiche dish, or plastic design tray from a
florist works well) to the first class. They should also bring a frog (a
needled flower holder) about 2 to 3 inches in diameter, or may
purchase it from the instructor at the first class.
8 sessions; 2.5 hours each; Max-Karl
Winkler; Thurs., Oct. 13–Dec. 8 (no
class Nov. 24) 10:15 a.m.; supply list
on website; CODE 1K0-0AT; Members
Woman 3, woodcut relief print
by instructor Max-Karl Winkler
6 sessions; 2 hours each; Jane Redmon, Wed., Oct. 19–Nov. 30
(no class Nov. 23), 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0AU; Members $200;
Nonmembers $250
Introduction to Coptic Binding
Coptic binding is ancient
book structure developed
in Egypt by the Copts and
used from the 2nd century
A.D. through the 11th
century. The sections of the
book are sewn through the
fold and attached to each
other with link stitches. The
exposed spine creates a
decorative element out of
the sewn structure.
In this class, students are
Book binding by instructor Katie Wagner
guided through the book
construction process from start to finish. They also explore various
binding materials such as handmade papers and creative cover choices.
This non-adhesive binding technique can be easily replicated at home.
4 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Katie Wagner; Tues., Oct.18–Nov. 8, 6:30
p.m.; shared tools and some supplies are provided; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0AZ; Members $150; Nonmembers $195
Market Basket Workshop
Learn how to create a beautiful and
versatile market basket. A master
basket weaver shows students the
proper way to prepare materials and
how to use tools to create this oneof-a-kind basket suitable for every
task. Weavers of all skill levels are
welcome
Market basket by instructor Lori
VanKirk Schue
One 3-hour session; Lori VanKirk
Schue; Sat., Nov. 5, 1 p.m.; bring
spring clothespins, small straight nose
garden clippers; and a dish towel; a
$35 supply fee is payable to the
instructor who provides all other
materials and shared tools; CODE
1K0-0AY; Members $60;
Nonmembers $80
Contemporary Mosaics
The Cosmos in Glass Mosaic
Get an introduction to the ancient art of mosaics in a class with a contemporary
twist and theme. Look to the heavens for inspiration in creating a fine-art glass
mosaic based on images of the cosmos from the Hubble Telescope and NASA.
Students are guided through the complete process of working in the direct
method of mosaic-making using stained glass and other glass products. In addition
to creating a beautiful art object, learn the nuances of working with stained glass in
mosaics, including cutting techniques, sourcing and preparation of materials and
fabrication methods. Open to all skill levels. Returning students may work independently on works of their choice.
Cosmos in Glass mosaic by instructor Bonnie Fitzgerald
48
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Bonnie Fitzgerald; Tues., Oct. 18–Dec. 13 (no class
Nov. 22), 6:30 to 9 p.m.; supply list on website; $65 supply fee payable to
instructor at the first class covers generous selection of stained glass, adhesives,
substrate, and grout; CODE 1K0-0AW; Members $245; Nonmembers $295
Studio Arts of the Gilded Age
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
World Art History Certificate elective:
Earn 1/2 credit
Painting Lessons from
American Artists of the
Gilded Age
Learn how Gilded Age artists achieved their
signature styles and effects—and apply
those techniques to your work. Begin with
a lecture on the period’s artists, a materials
demonstration, and a warmup painting
exercise. In the next session, visit the
American Art
Smithsonian
Museum and
Spotlight
the National
Gallery to view Gilded Age paintings understand how they were created. Then return
to the studio to apply what you’ve learned
through copying sections of paintings by
Sargent, Beaux, and Cassatt as you create
your own Gilded Age-inspired work.
The Loge, 1882, by Mary Cassatt
Beading Workshops
All beading examples by instructor Mïa Vollkommer
Create a Beaded Ornament
Whether you’re looking to
create a new holiday
ornament that’s destined to
become an heirloom, or
just want to brighten up a
window during the gray of
winter, this easier-than-itlooks beaded glass ball is
for you. Learn a simple
netting technique to cover
the ornament, and then
add some fun fringe to
finish the piece if desired.
No bead-weaving experience is necessary.
One 3.5-hour session; Mïa Vollkommer; Sat.,
Nov. 12, 2:30 p.m.; supply list on website;
CODE 1K0-0BB; Members $50; Nonmembers $70
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Adrienne Kralick; Sat., Oct. 15–Dec. 10 (no class Nov. 26),
10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-0AA; supply list on website; Members $245; Nonmembers $295
A Period
Earring
Sampler
A Gilded Age Bouquet
Gilded Age novelists and poets eloquently drew on
flowers and floral symbolism to convey moods and
settings, deepen characterizations and themes, and for
the sheer beauty they represent. In this series, works
by three of the period’s authors—Edith Wharton, Henry
James, and Emily Dickinson—provide the inspiration
for floral designs. Learn fundamental techniques in
design as well as handy tips and tricks. Period-style refreshments are served.
Ladies of high
society during
the Gilded Age
rarely attended a
cultural event or
entertained at
home without
earrings adorned
with diamonds or gemstones dangling from their
earlobes. In this workshop, capture the spirit of
those fine pieces as you create two pairs of
earrings made with Swarovski crystal, pearls, and
precious metal chain and wire. Some prior
wirework experience is helpful, but not necessary.
3 sessions, 2 hours each; Sarah von Pollaro;
Tues., Oct. 18, 25, and Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.; no
experience necessary; take home centerpiecesized arrangements after each session; $75 supply fee, payable to instructor at
the first class, covers the cost of all flowers, greens, and vases; CODE 1L0-140;
Arrangement by instructor Sarah
von Pollaro
One 4-hour session; Mïa Vollkommer; Sun.,
Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m.; supply list on website;
CODE 1K0-0BD; Members $65; Nonmembers $85
The mosaic artwork produced by Tiffany Studios in the
late 1870s was known for deeply saturated colors and
lustrous surfaces. Create a beautiful Tiffany mosaic reproduction using a wide variety of stained glass
mimicking the brilliant Favrile glass developed by the
Tiffany Studios. Students learn the nuances of working
with stained glass as a mosaic material, including
cutting techniques, sourcing and preparation of
materials, and fabrication methods. No mosaic or
stained-glass experience required. Returning students
may work independently on projects of their choice.
8 sessions, 2.5 hours each; Tues., Oct. 18–Dec. 13
(no class Nov. 22), 12:30 p.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald;
Tiffany Favrile glass mosaic samsupply list on website; $65 supply fee payable to
pler, ca. 1900
instructor at first class covers Tiffany-inspired design
patterns and stained-glass selection, substrate, adhesives and grout; CODE 1K00AV; Members $245; Nonmembers $295
HAWORTH ART GALLERY
Tiffany-Inspired Mosaics
A Period Festoon Necklace
Create your very own statement necklace in the
iconic Festoon style of the Gilded Age, featuring
draped chains, crystals, and gemstones. Students
learn the wirework
techniques needed
to create a piece of
jewelry that may
very well become a
wardrobe staple.
One 3-hour session;
Mïa Vollkommer;
Sun., Nov. 13, 10
a.m.; supply list on
website; CODE 1K00BC; Members $55;
Nonmembers $75
49
Studio Arts
A Sequin Statement Bracelet
Turn up the volume on sparkle this holiday season with a vintageinspired sequin cuff bracelet. Learn how to cover grosgrain ribbon in
sequins and beads, and achieve a professional-looking finish with a
fringed border and
specially designed clasp.
No prior beading experience is necessary to relax
and “get your bling on”
with this meditative
technique.
Beading by instructor Mïa Vollkommer
One 4-hour session; Mïa
Vollkommer; Sat., Nov.
12, 10 a.m.; supply list on
website; CODE 1K0-0BA;
Members $65;
Nonmembers $85
PHOTOGRAPHY
Micro-Macrame
Cuff Bracelet
Think that macramé is just for the
coconut planters and wall hangings
of the 1970s? Think again! Micromacrame is a beautiful and contemporary way of creating intricate
looking earrings, pendants and
bracelets. In this 2-night class we’ll
learn the basic knotting techniques
needed to create a beautiful cuff
bracelet with beads of your choosing.
Beading by instructor Mïa
The finishing of knotted pieces,
Vollkommer
knotting with wire, and designs for
other types of jewelry will also be demonstrated and discussed.
2 sessions, 3 hours each; Mïa Vollkommer; Mon., Nov. 14 and Tues., Nov.
15, 6:30 p.m.; supply list on website; CODE 1K0-0BE; Members $95;
Nonmembers $115
BEGINNER
Introduction to Black-and-White Film Photography
and the Darkroom
In a world of digital cameras and photo software programs, today’s photographers have access to technical
and creative tools their counterparts as recently as a generation ago could never have imagined. At the same
time, a new appreciation has sprung up for the techniques used by the masters of 20th-century black-andwhite photography such as Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Berenice Abbot.
This class provides a thorough introduction to the 35mm camera and the basics of photo darkroom techniques. Learn how to use your camera, compose a photograph, develop film, and make a print in the
Smithsonian Associates’ well-equipped darkroom. Gain an understanding of photography from shutter speed
to finished print, and how black-and-white film and darkroom skills can enhance your work.
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Peggy Feerick; Fri., Oct. 14–Dec. 16 (no class Nov. 11 and 25), 6:30 p.m.; CODE
1K0-0BK; bring a 35mm adjustable camera to the first class; all developing chemicals are provided; Members
Digital
Camera
Basics
Get better control of
the picture-taking
process with digital
cameras in this
hands-on workshop
that covers topics
such as obtaining a
good exposure using
Photograph by instructor Eliot Cohen
various shooting
modes; making exposure adjustments on an image that is too light or
dark; controlling color and tone as files are captured; understanding
resolution, picture quality, and file formats such as JPEG and RAW;
transferring files to the computer; and organizing those files with a
browser. There is no prerequisite, and students do not need to own
a digital camera to benefit from the class. However, if possible, they
should bring a digital camera, charged battery, and instruction manual
to class.
TWO OPTIONS: One 7.5-hour session; Eliot Cohen; Sun., Oct. 16,
10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-0BZ; Sun., Dec. 4, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-0CC;
wear comfortable clothes and shoes for afternoon shooting session;
50
Understanding Your Digital Mirrorless
or SLR Camera
Moving Beyond Auto Mode
Learn how to use your SLR or mirrorless camera to best advantage in
this hands-on class. In the morning, the focus is on how to use
features such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and depth of field.
Information regarding RAW vs. JPEG files and White Balance is also
discussed. Shooting modes such as shutter priority, aperture priority,
and manual are demonstrated. The afternoon is given over to practice
during a field shooting session on the Mall. You’ll be out of auto
mode by the end of the session!
Bring your camera
and lenses, an empty
card, and a fully
charged battery. It
may be helpful to
have the camera
manual.
One 7-hour session
each; Eliot Cohen;
Sun., Nov. 6, 10 a.m.;
CODE 1K0-0ZC;
Members $210;
Nonmembers $260
Studio Arts
The Joy of Photography
Beyond the Camera
An Exploratory Course
Alternative Photographic
Processes
This non-darkroom course is designed for beginners who want to
learn how to use their digital SLR camera as a creative tool. The goal
is to gain skill in technical aspects of photography so that they can
concentrate on composing beautiful images. Students work digitally,
and topics include
aperture, shutter speed,
metering, exposure, ISO,
composition, special
effects, and flash photography. The instructor
gives weekly assignments and reviews them
in subsequent classes.
Students should bring
to the first class a digital
Photograph by instructor Marty Kaplan
SLR camera with manual
or override capabilities. Students must bring images for review on a
flash drive or CD or in print. Point-and-shoot digital cameras are not
appropriate for this course.
TWO OPTIONS: 8 sessions; 3 hours each; Marty Kaplan; Sun.,
Oct. 16–Dec. 11 (no class Nov. 27), 10:15 a.m.; CODE 1K0-0BR;
Tues., Oct. 18—Dec. 13 (no class Nov. 22), 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BS;
Since 1839, when the first practical photographic process, the
daguerreotype, was announced,
photographers have created and
worked with a variety of materials
and light-sensitive processes to
capture images. Many of these
historical methods and techniques
have been forgotten.
Get a hands-on introduction to
alternative photographic processes Pinhole photograph by instructor
Peggy Feerick
in this intriguing and enjoyable
class. Begin with one of the earliest 19th-century forms, the cyanotype,
then investigate the camera-less world of photograms, create pinhole
cameras, and explore dramatic negative images. Move beyond the
20th century, working with your smart-phone camera to create largescale images using photocopiers.
Film photography and darkroom experience is helpful, but not necessary.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Peggy Feerick; Sun., Oct. 16–Dec.11 (no
class Nov. 27); 10:15 a.m.; all darkroom chemicals and supplies
provided; CODE 1K0-0BW; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
Exhibiting and Selling
Your Photographs
Open Darkroom
Plus
Learn how to get
your photos seen
and sold. This
session covers
venues to get your
photos seen by the
public, such as
juried exhibitions,
photo contests,
showing in alternative spaces (bookstores and coffee
Photograph by instructor Joe Yablonsky
shops), art festivals,
galleries, and websites. It also addresses photography portfolios, copyrighting images, email marketing, postcards, pricing, printing your
photos, matting and framing.
This class is geared to photographers with basic or proficient
darkroom skills who are interested in taking their work to
the next level. Students benefit
from small-group lectures,
individual instruction, and
independent work to gain
confidence in a specific area.
Possible topics include toning,
fiber-based printing, dodging
and burning, and assessment
of print quality.
JOE YABLONSKY
One 3-hour session; Joe Yablonsky; Wed., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE
1K0-0BT; Members $45; Nonmembers $65
TWO OPTIONS: 8 sessions,
3 hours each; Paul Matthai;
Thurs., Oct. 13–Dec. 8 (no class Nov. 24), 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BG;
Joe Yablonsky; Sat., Oct. 15–Dec.10 (no class Nov. 26), 10:15 a.m.;
CODE 1K0-0BH; Members $230; Nonmembers $280
Custom Digital Printing and Mat Cutting
Learn how to get digital photos printed accurately and custom cut windows in mat
board. Classes cover inexpensive online printing labs, paper choices, aspect ratios,
printing techniques, mat board choices and sources, and mat-cutting tools. Bring two
JPG images to the first session for printing and resizing. At the second session, a custom
mat board is cut and the final product assembled. Your work is ready to be slipped into
11 x 14 frames.
2 sessions; 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Thurs., Dec. 1 and 8, 6:30 p.m.; mat board
included in class fee; CODE 1K0-0CB; Members $100; Nonmembers $125
51
Studio Arts
Lightroom + Vision
Use fun, powerful Lightroom software to organize your pictures, choose and develop your
best images, avoid mistakes—and become a better photographer. The class primarily
focuses on understanding and using Lightroom’s Library and Develop modules through six
classroom sessions that include lectures, demonstrations, selected resources, and hands-on
practice, as well as two Sunday afternoon location shoots.
Students may use Lightroom 4 on the PC systems in the wifi-connected learning lab, or
bring their laptops with LR 5 or 6 loaded. The newest camera models require LR 6. A free30 day trial version can be downloaded. Lightroom may be purchased through a subscription with auto-updates ($10 monthly) or a perpetual license ($143). Students may wait
until after the first class to download the software.
6 classroom sessions plus 2 field trips; 3 hours each; Barbara Southworth; classroom sessions: Mon., Oct. 17–Nov. 28 (no class Nov. 7), 6:30 p.m.;
field trips: Sun., Oct. 23 and Nov. 6, 2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BY; Members $240; Nonmembers $290
Go beyond taking random photographs and develop a cohesive body
of work that is uniquely yours. Review some contemporary photographers’ work and define the characteristics that are incorporated into
their portfolios. Then evaluate your best photos and identify the attributes that define your own photographic vision. Targeted homework
assignments help
you increase your
collection of
portfolio-quality
work. Portfolio
books, print sizes,
order of presentation, photography websites,
and presentation
methods are also
discussed.
3 sessions; 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Mon., Oct. 17–31, 6:30 p.m.;
CODE 1K0-0BQ; Members $125; Nonmembers $145
Introduction
to Studio
Portraiture
JOE YABLONSKY
Build Your Photographic Portfolio
This class is designed for
photographers with solid
camera operation skills
who are interested in
learning to use lighting
effectively in portrait work.
Classes focus on such
topics as posing a subject;
Photograph by instructor Marty Kaplan
using highlight and shadow
to create three-dimensional contrast; the difference between high key
and low key lighting; how to use a flash meter; and understanding
strobe lighting. Participants produce portfolios of portraits of models
and their classmates.
Students work in the format of their own choosing and may work
in either black-and-white or color. At the first session, the instructor
discusses a list of materials that each student should bring to class.
8 sessions, 3 hours each; Marty Kaplan; Mon., Oct. 17–Dec. 5, 6:30
p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BU; Members $220; Nonmembers $270
Photographic Creativity, Design,
and Composition
Darkroom Fine-Art Printing
The balance of visual tension in an image is fundamental in photography. When achieved successfully, well-made visual relationships are
created. This class offers participants a better understanding of compositional elements and how best to apply them. Emphasis is placed
on practices that promote taking better and more unique photographs, including simplicity, balance, and natural lighting conditions.
Weekly lectures and assignments feature topics including extended
shutter speeds, light graffiti, bokeh templates, and macro photography. Students
should have an understanding of basic
camera operation.
They provide their
own cameras and
may work in the
format of their
choosing. Work is
reviewed digitally.
Bring a portable
drive to share
Discovery, photography by instructor Joe Yablonsky
images in class.
Take your darkroom printing to the next level by learning how to use
fiber paper and chemical toners. Fiber paper—archival in nature and
heavier than standard RC paper—is more appropriate for fine-art
photography. Students learn the additional processing steps for fiber
paper; the use of chemical toners to enhance black-and-white prints
and increase archival permanence; and how different paper tones
(cool, neutral, and warm) and
different chemical toners (sepia
and selenium) can dramatically enhance a print’s look.
All standard darkroom
chemicals and sepia and
selenium toners are provided.
Bring a selection of your best
negatives and at least one
pack of Ilford fiber paper
(8 x 10., 25 sheets, glossy
finish) to the first session.
Photograph by instructor Joe Yablonsky
Recommendations include:
Ilford Multigrade FB Cooltone, Ilford Multigrade FB Classic (neutral
tone), and Ilford Multigrade FB WarmtoneMultigrade FB Warmtone.
4 sessions; 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Wed., Oct. 19–Nov. 9, 6:30
p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BN; Members $155; Nonmembers $205
4 sessions; 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Tues., Oct. 25–Nov. 15; 6:30
p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BL; Members $135; Nonmembers $155
52
Studio Arts
Mastering Exposure
In this workshop designed for intermediate photographers, participants develop a greater understanding of the complex relationship among aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and how a
camera’s exposure meter views a scene. Topics covered include exposure modes, exposure
compensation, filter exposure factors, bracketing, metering modes, histograms, the zone
system, dynamic range, eliminating camera shake, tripods, and flash concepts.
Learn how to correctly assess a scene and override what the camera recommends to consistently take accurately exposed photographs. Skills are honed through specifically designed
assignments and in-class review of work produced.
It’s recommended that students have taken an introductory photography class, possess
good working knowledge of their cameras, and use a camera with the classic exposure
modes (P, A/Av, S/Tv, M). Bring your camera and its manual to the first session.
4 sessions, 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Thurs. Oct. 27–Nov.17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-0BM;
Continuum by instructor Joe Yablonsky
ON LOCATION
Fall Landscape Photography
on the Potomac
An Environmental Photography Experience
Described as a national treasure, the 15-mile Potomac gorge from
River Bend Park to Roosevelt Island is the setting for a series of
shooting assignments to capture evocative early-morning fall landscapes in Maryland
and Virginia in this
beautiful, ecologically significant area.
Attention to photographic seeing and
refinement of style
and vision is emphasized on walks
of up to three miles.
After two field
trips, a class critique Students on location in the Potomac gorge
is held. Additional field excursions are followed by a final portfolio
review. Discussion online, on location, and in class may include
camera work, current issues, suggested reading, and recommended
resources, including Smithsonian offerings. A class blog is available
to post images. Students should have basic photography skills.
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Barbara Southworth; Fri., Oct. 14–
Dec. 16 (no class Nov. 11 or 25), 10:15 a.m.; use any manually
adjustable digital or film-based format with tripod and cable
release or remote; process film, if used, outside of class time;
CODE 1K0-0BF; Members $220; Nonmembers $270
Photographing DC’s
Public Sculpture and
Architecture
Learn to capture this vibrant capital
city and sharpen your way of thinking
about shooting outdoors. Class
sessions include lectures, field trips,
loosely structured assignments, and
critique sessions in which students
develop strategies for successful
outdoor shoots. Lectures cover depth
of field; exposure adjustments; using a
tripod; composition; and natural
Neptune fountain (detail), by
instructor Joe Yablonsky
lighting conditions.
All field trips are Metro accessible,
and destinations include the National Gallery of Art and the Portrait
Gallery, the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden and the National Gallery; the
Library of Congress; Supreme Court; Union Station and its Columbus
Fountain; the Andrew Jackson monument in Lafayette Square; the Peace
Monument on the Capitol grounds; and Smithsonian buildings on the
National Mall.
A basic understanding of photographic concepts is required, along with
a camera that allows for adjustments to the aperture, shutter speed, ISO,
and exposure compensation. Participants may work in the camera format
of their choice.
8 sessions; 3 hours each; Joe Yablonsky; Sun., Oct. 16–Dec. 11 (no class
Nov. 27), 1:30 p.m.; considerable walking on location; students provide their
own transportation; CODE 1K0-0BP; Members $220; Nonmembers $270
The Washington Mall By Night
Advanced photography students capture the strength and pristine beauty of the Mall in
this class that combines lecture, discussion, darkroom work, and critique with on-location
shooting sessions. Emphasis is given to the special equipment, film, processing, and
technical and creative challenges associated with nighttime photography. Students explore
photographing at sunset and after dark and light-painting techniques.
Students must have darkroom experience and should bring a manual camera, tripod,
cable release, light meter (if owned), small flashlight, high-speed negative film, and notetaking supplies to the first class. Students work in black-and-white film. On-location sites are
discussed on the first night of class. Three additional optional field trips are held outside of
regular class time.
NEW DATE: 8 sessions, 3 hours each; Paul Matthai; Mon., Oct. 24–Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m.;
all developing chemicals provided; CODE 1K0-0BV; Members $225; Nonmembers $275
Photography by instructor Paul Matthai
53
Getting Here
9
Below is a list of our most
frequent program locations.
1 Baird Auditorium
Natural History Museum
10th and Constitution Ave., NW
Metro: Federal Triangle
(Blue/Orange/Silver)
2 Warner Bros. Theater
American History Museum
14th and Constitution Ave., NW
Metro: Smithsonian station, Mall exit
3 Lisner Auditorium
George Washington University
21st and H St., NW Metro:
Foggy Bottom/GWU (Blue/Orange/Silver)
4 Meyer Auditorium
Freer Gallery of Art
12th and Independence Ave., SW Metro:
Smithsonian station, Independence Ave. exit
5 Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium
Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Sts., NW
Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown
(Red, Yellow/Green)
7 Renwick Gallery, Grand Salon
1661 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Metro: Farragut North (Red) or
Farragut West (Blue/Orange/Silver)
8 Ring Auditorium
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
7th and Independence Ave., SW
9 Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Drive, SW
10 Smithsonian Castle
1000 Jefferson Drive, SW
Metro: Smithsonian–Mall exit
11 STUDY TOURS BUS PICKUPS
Location for most local tours: Holiday Inn
Capitol, 550 C St., SW (corner of
6th & C); Metro: L’Enfant Plaza–7th &
Maryland Ave. exit (Yellow/Green/
Blue/Orange/Silver)
6 Rasmuson Theater
American Indian Museum
4th and Independence Ave., SW
Metro: L‘Enfant Plaza (Blue/Orange/Silver or
Green/Yellow); Maryland Ave./Smithsonian
Museums Exit
54
12 U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Auditorium
701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial
(Green/Yellow)
13 Voice of America Auditorium
Wilbur J. Cohen Building
330 Independence Ave., SW
(enter on C St.); Metro: Federal
Center SW (Blue/Orange/Silver)
14 University of the District of
Columbia Theater of the Arts
NOT SHOWN ON MAP
4200 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Metro: Van Ness/UDC (Red line)
METRO The Mall entrance of the
Smithsonian station closes at 10 p.m.
The other entrance, at Independence Ave.
and 12th St., SW, closes at midnight
and at 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays), as
do the Gallery Place and Federal Triangle
stations, To be sure not to miss the last train
to your destination, call Metro at
202-637-7000 for schedules.
PARKING Nearby Colonial Parking garages are shown on the map. Some offer $6 parking
for our events on weekday evenings after 5:30 p.m. and all day on Saturday and Sunday. Inquire before parking and have your event ticket with you. Parking lot hours vary. Very limited
parking is available around the Mall. Some spaces are metered ($2 per hour). For special
events, parking may be available at the west parking lot of the Natural History Museum.
Please note: Published ticket prices are subject to change, depending on availability.
Programs by Format
NEW LISTINGS are in RED
ALL-DAY PROGRAMS
Creating Poetry From Your Family History .....Sat,
Public Speaking ......................................................Sat,
Write a Novel in a Month ....................................Sat,
Exploring Islam........................................................Sat,
The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy ...Sat,
Seductive Paris........................................................Sat,
Spanish Art and Architecture..............................Sat,
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo..............Sat,
The Holy Land in the Time of Herod ..............Sat,
How Britons Became the English .....................Sat,
Russia’s Place in the World.................................Sat,
The Civilizations of the Andes ...........................Sat,
Temples, Monuments, and Tombs...................Sat,
Oct 1.................................6
Oct 29 ..............................9
Oct 29 ..............................9
Nov 19...........................13
Oct 1 ..............................18
Nov 5 .............................20
Nov 19...........................21
Dec 3 .............................23
Oct 22............................33
Oct 29............................34
Nov 5 .............................35
Dec 3 .............................40
Jan 7...............................41
COURSES
Storytelling on the Screen...................................Wed, Oct 5 ..............................6
Masterworks of Chamber Music .......................Wed, Oct 19............................7
Contemporary Novels...........................................Mon, Oct 24 ...........................8
A Bold Beauty .........................................................Fri, Oct 21 .............................19
Sacred Signs ............................................................Wed, Nov 9 ..........................21
The Bronze Age ......................................................Mon, Oct 17.........................32
LECTURES
culture + ideas
The Enduring Magnificent Seven .....................Sat, Oct 1.................................4
Joseph Campbell ...................................................Thurs, Oct 13..........................6
Taraji P. Henson ......................................................Sat, Oct 22 ..............................7
Chef Kwame Onwuachi.......................................Mon, Oct 24 ...........................7
Novelist Jodi Picoult ..............................................Wed, Oct 26 ...........................8
Justice Stephen C. Breyer ...................................Thurs, Oct 27..........................9
A Taste of Japan .....................................................Tues, Nov 1 ..........................10
Choosing the Right To Die ..................................Thurs, Nov 3.........................10
Shuck Beans ............................................................Thurs, Nov 3.........................11
Death by Shakespeare: Final Exits....................Wed, Nov 9 ..........................11
The World of Spices ..............................................Thurs, Nov 10 ......................11
Campaign 2016 .....................................................Thurs, Nov 10 ......................12
The Hollywood Musical: 1960s ........................Tues, Nov 15........................12
I’ll Take a Manhattan .............................................Tues, Nov 15........................12
Cultivate Your Speaking Voice ..........................Wed, Nov 30........................14
Ray Charles: “The Genius”..................................Thurs, Dec 1.........................14
P.G. Wodehouse.....................................................Mon, Dec 5 ..........................14
The Christmas Markets of Europe ....................Tues, Dec 6...........................15
Jack London: The Adventure Path....................Tues, Dec 6...........................15
Travel Hacking 101 ................................................Thurs, Dec 8.........................16
Kafka ..........................................................................Sat, Dec 10...........................16
Brandy: In the Winter Spirit.................................Mon, Dec 12 ........................17
art + design
Light and Color in Art............................................Tues, Oct 18 .........................18
The Postal Museum Salutes NYC .....................Thurs, Nov 3 ........................20
Jewelers of the Gilded Age.................................Mon, Nov 7 ..........................20
Hieronymus Bosch: Heaven and Hell.............Wed, Dec 7 ..........................23
Christmas with the First Ladies..........................Sat, Dec 10...........................24
Architectural Splendors ........................................Tues, Dec 13........................24
science + nature
Astronaut Mike Massimino .................................Thurs, Oct 6..........................25
The Pulse on Modern Medicine .......................Thurs, Oct 13 .......................26
Welcome to the Universe ...................................Mon, Oct 17.........................26
Challenges in Cheetah Conservation ..............Tues, Oct 18.........................26
Your Brain on the Digital Age.............................Wed, Oct 19.........................27
Spiders.......................................................................Mon, Oct 24.........................27
Enduring Extremes ................................................Wed, Nov 9 ..........................28
Taking a Bite Out of Invasive Species .............Fri, Dec 9...............................30
A Once and Future Earth? ..................................Mon, Dec 19........................30
past + present
DC Historic Sites: Georgetown ..........................Tues, Oct 4 ...........................31
Asia’s Archaeological Past ...................................Thurs, Oct 6..........................31
South Africa..............................................................Sat, Oct 15............................31
The Bayeux Tapestry ............................................Mon, Oct 17.........................33
The Splendors of Vienna .....................................Wed, Nov 2 ..........................35
Prisoners of War .....................................................Mon, Nov 14........................37
Eleanor Roosevelt ..................................................Tues, Nov 15........................37
Cracking the Runic Code .....................................Thurs, Nov 17......................37
Inside Blair House .................................................Thurs, Nov 17......................38
Theodor Herzl: Modern Zionism.......................Tues, Nov 29........................38
Montgomery Meigs in Washington ..................Wed, Nov 30........................39
Naples: History in a Crucible..............................Thurs, Dec 1.........................39
Spies Among Us.....................................................Tues, Jan 10 .........................41
PERFORMANCES
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society (SCMS)
Axelrod String Quartet ...........................Sat, Nov 19, Sun, Nov 20 .............4
Masterworks of Five Centuries.............Sat, Oct 8, Sun, Oct 9 ....................5
An Evening of Indian Classical Music ..............Thurs, Oct 27..........................8
Rob Kapilow’s What Makes It Great?..............Sun, Oct 30 ..........................10
The Emerson String Quartet...............................Sat, Nov 19...........................13
Make the Season Brighter!..................................Sat, Dec 10...........................17
Musicians From Marlboro....................................Wed, Dec 14 ........................17
STUDIO ARTS
Drawing, Painting, Fiber Arts, Other Media, Photography, ..................42-53
STUDY TOURS
Radio City Music Hall............................................Thurs, Dec 8.........................16
Sacred Mosaics in Washington..........................Fri, Oct 28 .............................19
Matisse and Contemporary Art..........................Sat, Nov 19...........................22
Holiday Charms in Fairmount Park ..................Fri, Dec 2...............................22
An Artful Weekend in New York........................Sun, Jan 15...........................24
Medical History in Philadelphia .........................Fri, Oct 7................................25
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary ..................................Wed, Nov 2 ..........................27
Underground Virginia............................................Sat, Nov 5 .............................28
The Smithsonian Greenhouses.........................Wed, Nov 9 ..........................29
Washington’s Hidden Infrastructure.................Mon, Nov 14........................29
Advances in Military Medicine ..........................Sat, Dec 3 .............................30
Frank Underwood’s Washington ......................Sun, Oct 16 ..........................32
Frank Underwood’s Washington ......................Sat, Nov 5 .............................32
Giants in the Sky ....................................................Wed, Oct 19.........................33
Heritage and History in Pennsylvania..............Sat, Oct 29............................34
George Washington’s Revolutionary War .......Sat, Nov 12...........................36
The Seneca Quarry and the Castle ..................Sun, Nov 20 .........................38
Civil War Washington ............................................Sat, Dec 10...........................40
55
Programs by Date
OCTOBER
Sat, Oct 1
Creating Poetry From Your Family History................6
Thurs, Nov 10
The World of Spices .....................................................11
Sat, Nov 12
George Washington’s Revolutionary War ...............36
Mon, Nov 14
Washington’s Hidden Infrastructure ........................29
Campaign 2016.............................................................12
The Enduring Magnificent Seven ................................6
Wed, Oct 5
Thurs, Oct 6
Fri, Oct 7
Sat, Oct 8
Sat, Oct 9
Thurs, Oct 13
Sat, Oct 15
Sun, Oct 16
Mon, Oct 17
Tues, Oct 18
Wed, Oct 19
Fri, Oct 21
Sat, Oct 22
Mon, Oct 24
Wed, Oct 26
Thurs, Oct 27
Fri, Oct 28
Sat, Oct 29
Sun, Oct 30
The Great Cathedrals and Basilicas of Italy............18
Storytelling on the Screen .............................................8
Astronaut Mike Massimino.........................................25
Asia’s Archaeological Past ..........................................31
Medical History in Philadelphia ................................25
SCMS: Masterworks of Five Centuries .......................5
SCMS: Masterworks of Five Centuries .......................5
Joseph Campbell .............................................................6
The Pulse on Modern Medicine................................26
South Africa ....................................................................31
Frank Underwood’s Washington...............................32
Welcome to the Universe...........................................26
The Bronze Age .............................................................32
The Bayeux Tapestry ...................................................33
Light and Color in Art...................................................18
Challenges in Cheetah Conservation......................26
Masterworks of Chamber Music .................................7
Your Brain on the Digital Age ....................................27
Giants in the Sky ...........................................................33
A Bold Beauty ................................................................19
Taraji P. Henson ...............................................................7
The Holy Land in the Time of Herod......................33
Chef Kwame Onwuachi.................................................7
Contemporary Novels .....................................................8
Spiders .............................................................................27
Novelist Jodi Picoult........................................................7
An Evening of Indian Classical Music ........................8
Justice Stephen C. Breyer .............................................9
Sacred Mosaics in Washington .................................19
Public Speaking ................................................................9
Write a Novel in a Month ..............................................9
How Britons Became the English ............................34
Heritage and History in Pennsylvania .....................34
Rob Kapilow’s What Makes It Great? ......................10
NOVEMBER
Prisoners of War ............................................................37
Tues, Nov 15
I’ll Take a Manhattan ....................................................12
The Hollywood Musical: 1960s................................12
Eleanor Roosevelt ..........................................................37
Thurs, Nov 17
Sat, Nov 19
Cracking the Runic Code ............................................37
Inside Blair House.........................................................38
SCMS: Axelrod Quartet ...................................................4
The Emerson String Quartet ......................................13
Exploring Islam...............................................................13
Spanish Art and Architecture .....................................21
Matisse and Contemporary Art.................................22
Sun, Nov 20
SCMS: Axelrod Quartet ...................................................4
Tues, Nov 29
Theodor Herzl: Modern Zionism ..............................38
The Seneca Quarry and the Castle..........................38
Wed, Nov 30
Cultivate Your Speaking Voice ..................................14
Montgomery Meigs in Washington..........................39
DECEMBER
Thurs, Dec 1
Ray Charles: “The Genius” .........................................14
Naples: History in a Crucible .....................................39
Fri, Dec 2
Holiday Charms in Fairmount Park...........................22
Sat, Dec 3
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo .....................23
Advances in Military Medicine ..................................30
The Civilizations of the Andes...................................40
Mon, Dec 5
P.G. Wodehouse ............................................................14
Tues, Dec 6
Jack London: The Adventure Path ............................15
The Christmas Markets of Europe ...........................15
Wed, Dec 7
Hieronymus Bosch: Heaven and Hell ....................23
Thurs, Dec 8
Travel Hacking 101 ......................................................16
Radio City Music Hall ...................................................16
Fri, Dec 9
Taking a Bite Out of Invasive Species......................30
Sat, Dec 10
Kafka ..................................................................................16
Tues, Nov 1
A Taste of Japan .............................................................10
Make the Season Brighter!..........................................17
Wed, Nov 2
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary .........................................27
The Splendors of Vienna ............................................35
Choosing the Right To Die ..........................................10
Shuck Beans ...................................................................11
The Postal Museum Salutes NYC.............................20
Seductive Paris...............................................................20
Underground Virginia...................................................28
Frank Underwood’s Washington...............................32
Russia’s Place in the World ........................................35
Christmas with the First Ladies..................................24
Thurs, Nov 3
Sat, Nov 5
Mon, Nov 7
Wed, Nov 9
Jewelers of the Gilded Age.........................................20
Death by Shakespeare: Final Exits ...........................11
Sacred Signs ...................................................................21
Civil War Washington ....................................................40
Mon, Dec 12
Brandy: In the Winter Spirit.........................................17
Tues, Dec 13
Architectural Splendors ................................................24
Wed, Dec 14
Musicians From Marlboro ............................................17
Mon, Dec 19
A Once and Future Earth? ...........................................30
JANUARY
Sat, Jan 7
Temples, Monuments, and Tombs ...........................41
Tues, Jan 10
Spies Among Us.............................................................41
Sun, Jan 15
An Artful Weekend in New York ................................24
Enduring Extremes........................................................28
The Smithsonian Greenhouses ................................29
56
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October
Tot Rock: Marsha and the Positrons
The sky’s no limit at this positive energy—and
plenty of fun science facts—performance of music
from the group’s CD Gravity Vacation.
Fábulas Fairy Tales
Tools of Discovery
Production
Ages 2 to 6
Wed., Oct. 26 and Thurs., Oct. 27
10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1 p.m.
Information Desk, Air and Space Museum
A fresh and fun introduction to
Spanish, math, music, and a
fábulas new take on familiar tales.
Ages 5 to 8
Thurs., Oct 6 and Fri., Oct. 7,
Wed. Oct. 12 and Thurs, Oct. 13
10:15 and 11:30 a.m.
Discovery Theater, Ripley Center
There is no charge, but reservations are required.
Generously underwritten by the Conrad N. Hilton
Foundation and presented in partnership with the
National Air and Space Museum.
Hoop of Life with Ty Defoe
November Preview
Ages 5 and up; Tues., Nov. 15
10:15 and 11:30 a.m.
Baird Auditorium, Natural
History Museum
Katy’s Grocery Store Birthday!
Einstein in Motion
Ages 6 to 10; Wed., Nov. 9
and Thurs., Nov. 10
10:15 and 11:30 a.m.
Follow us on:
facebook.com/
DiscoveryTheater
twitter.com/
SmithsonianKids
Tools of Discovery Production
Ages 3 to 7
Thurs., Nov. 17 and Fri., Nov. 18
10:15 and 11:30 a.m.
DiscoveryTheater.org

n - The Smithsonian Associates

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