Anthony Fauci and Alan Alda Talk Science and 26 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in September

Smithsonian Associates Streaming continues through September with individual programs, multi-part courses, studio arts classes and virtual study tours produced by the world’s largest museum-based educational program.

Tuesday, September 1

Global Climate Justice: What Does It All Mean?: The question of how to meet the challenges of climate change continues to take on an increasingly larger role in the worldwide debate about the future of our planet. Olúfémi O. Táíwò, an assistant professor of political philosophy and ethics at Georgetown University, provides an overview of these issues as he examines the range of pathways that are under discussion by communities, countries and policymakers. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Wednesday, September 2

Art + History: Guernica by Pablo Picasso: Great art is timeless. In a new series, Paul Glenshaw looks at great works of art in their historical context. He delves into the time of the artist and what shaped their vision and creations. In September he’ll examine the iconic painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso, exploring its historical context, delving into the era of its artist, the present he inhabited and what shaped his vision and creations. Smithsonian World Art History Certificate enrollees receive 1/2 credit. 12 p.m. $20-25

Thursday, September 3

Photo 101: Take command of your photographic vision as you learn the basics of your camera’s exposure functions. Learn to control the properties of your images through the understanding of apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field, shutter motion effects, equivalent exposures and exposure modes. 6:30 p.m. $45-$55

Democracy: Lessons from the Ancient Greeks: As our nation experiences another election season, historian Diane Harris Cline examines how ancient Greece’s political system reflects a civilization that valued and encouraged literacy and education, a love of beauty, technological and intellectual progress, and civic engagement. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Tuesday, September 8

The Ottoman Empire’s Legacy: In the early 16th century, the expanding Ottoman Empire became a political and economic powerhouse that continued to flourish until the early 20th century. Historian and author Alan Mikhail examines one of the key factors in its dominance: the rule of Selim, the empire’s most significant, powerful, and feared sultan. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Wednesday, September 9

Monoprints Without a Press: Love mixed-media? This 3-session workshop offers the perfect way to expand your repertoire by creating an array of one-off prints using acrylic paints and other materials. Classes take place on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. through September 23. $100-$120

Bird Brains: How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think: Scientists are reevaluating the traditional view of how birds conduct their lives, uncovering a remarkable intelligence that encompasses actions once considered uniquely human. From avian cheating and kidnapping to collaboration and altruism, author Jennifer Ackerman discusses her investigation into the bird way of being. 7 p.m. $20-$25

Thursday, September 10

The Supreme Court: A Preview of the New Term: Each fall, the Supreme Court justices begin hearing and deliberating the country’s most important—and often most controversial—legal cases. Get in on the conversation as a panel of legal experts on the Supreme Court preview and debate critical issues raised in some of the cases the court will take up. 12 p.m. $25-$30

William Faulkner and the Civil War: The long shadow of the Civil War hangs over the series of great novels that William Faulkner wrote about a largely un-Reconstructed South. Author Michael Gorra sheds light on the inner and outer forces that shaped Faulkner’s literary imagination and discusses how the war is an inescapable point of reference in his characters. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Friday, September 11

Flower Arranging with Sarah von Pollaro: Since we’re spending more time indoors these days, finding ways to bring the beauty of nature into our homes is more important than ever. Join noted floral designer Sarah von Pollaro in an informative webinar in which she demonstrates how to create beautiful arrangements step by step. 12:30 p.m. $20-$25

Saturday, September 12

Heaven and Hell: Perspectives on the Afterlife: Bart Ehrman, a leading authority on early Christianity, examines ancient Near East, Greek, and Roman cultures, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and other sources to trace how the nature of the afterlife became a central focus in Western religion. 9:30 a.m. $90-$100

Sunday, September 13

Everything Orchids: Join an orchid-care expert for an enjoyable, informative, and interactive afternoon focused on America’s favorite household plant. The session is perfect for both experienced collectors and beginners and features a hands-on activity that teaches how to re-pot an orchid at home. 2 p.m. $50-$60

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater: Bill Keene, a lecturer in urban studies and architecture, leads a virtual journey that explores the history and design of the 20th century’s most iconic house, as well as the man behind its creation. 4 p.m. $30-$40

Monday, September 14

Dangerous Music: Too political, too sensuous, too crude, too abstract: Works by even the most celebrated of composers—including Mozart, Beethoven and Stravinsky—became targets for outrage and censorship. Lecturer and concert pianist Rachel Franklin looks at several once-controversial musical works and the uproars, scandals and even brawls they inspired during their times. 12 p.m. $25-$30

Tuesday, September 15

Anti-Semitism in America: Pamela Nadell, director of the Jewish Studies program at American University, traces the history of anti-Semitism in the United States from colonial days to its dangerous contemporary rise and examines how that resurgence forces the nation to address its uniquely American forms. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Stellar Astronomy: The Fall Colors of Stars: As part of Space Tuesdays with George Mason University Observatory, Peter Plavchan and Michael Summers, professors of astronomy and physics at GMU, explore stellar evolution and the life and death of red giants, yellow suns and brown dwarfs. 8 p.m. $20-$25

Wednesday, September 16

The Outdoor Citizen: Becoming a Champion for the Natural World: What should our relationship to the planet look like when we finally emerge from our homes? John Judge, president and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club, makes the argument that to preserve the environment, a revolution must take place in which every person becomes an advocate for nature and the outdoors. 6:45 p.m. $20-$25

Thursday, September 17

The Complicated, Controversial Lives of British Royal Consorts: What happens when there’s a power struggle within a power couple? Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines some of Britain’s most famous royal pairs and the challenges they faced in maintaining a happy marriage while one of them ruled the kingdom. 12 p.m. $30-$35

Architecture of Faith: The History and Diversity of the World’s Great Mosques: Typically associated with domes, minarets and rich decoration, mosques have achieved iconic status in popular conceptions of Islamic art and culture. Ünver Rüstem, assistant professor of Islamic art and architecture at Johns Hopkins University, explores the geographical and cultural diversity of the Islamic world through mosques that extend from Spain to India and from the 7th century into our own time. Smithsonian World Art History Certificate enrollees receive 1/2 credit. 6:45 p.m. $25-$30

Monday, September 21

The Women Who Ruled the East End: Remarkable Tales of Wartime London: Women in aprons and button-up boots were the beating heart of the tenement neighborhoods that serve as the backdrop for the PBS series “Call the Midwife.” These no-nonsense matriarchs who ruled London’s sooty cobblestone streets responded with astonishing ingenuity, resilience, and strength as they faced the horrors of WWII just beyond their own front doors. Join author Kate Thompson and historian Alan Capps as they delve deep into the social history of some truly remarkable women. 12 p.m. $20-$25

Tuesday, September 22

Write Into Art: Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art: Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for a series that explores the essential elements of close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative writing through the lens of four paintings that span centuries and styles. This session explores dialogue. 10 a.m. $40-$45

Why Brexit?: As she traces Brexit’s complicated past, present, and future, historian Jennifer Paxton examines issues that reveal the tensions at the heart of a nation that may reshape the United Kingdom more profoundly than any political event in the past 300 years. 6:45 p.m. $30-$35

Wednesday, September 23

Anthony Fauci and Alan Alda Talk Science: Who better to take on a tough and complicated scientific subject than the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and actor Alan Alda, director of the Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University? Join them for an evening of thoughtful, informative discussion on the intricacies of the virus that has held us in sway since March. 6:30 p.m. $25-30

Extreme Weather and Climate: Adaptation in a Changing World: Meeting the shock and awe of extreme floods, droughts, storms, and fires calls for plans and action—and authoritative scientific information. Roger S. Pulwarty, the senior scientist in the physical sciences division at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory, examines the significance and sources of that information as countries, communities, and businesses make critical decisions in response to changing weather and extreme climate trends. 6:45 p.m. $30-$35

Thursday, September 24

“Fire!”: The Real History of the Boston Massacre: The British passed it off as an “unhappy disturbance,” but to city leaders the March 1770 confrontation with Redcoats that left five Bostonians dead was “a horrid massacre.” Historian Richard Bell examines why the complicated story of the “affray on King Street” is even more fascinating than Paul Revere’s famous engraving of it has led us to believe. 6:45 p.m. $30-$35

Friday, September 25

Celebrating 50 Years: Smithsonian Magazine and Earth Day: Smithsonian magazine was launched in the spring of 1970—as was the first Earth Day—and from the start it has been the trusted go-to source on the natural world and environmental issues. Mark these anniversaries by revisiting some of the magazine’s first articles about how we understand our planet with the journalists, photographers, and other experts who brought these stories to life. 7 p.m. $20-$25

Saturday, September 26

Sears Houses of Arlington: In the early decades of the 20th century, Sears Roebuck & Co. sold more than 70,000 prefabricated Modern Homes kits, offering Americans of moderate means the chance to own an up-to-date house. Historian Dakota Springston draws on period and contemporary images to lead a virtual tour through several historic Northern Virginia neighborhoods that boast a wide range of these distinctive houses, followed by a Q&A with a Sears Homes expert. 10 a.m. $45-$55

To view Smithsonian Associates digital program guide, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

Lauren Lyons | READ MORE

Lauren Lyons is a public affairs specialist at Smithsonian Associates.