Cooking French Classics and 25 Other Smithsonian Associates 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.

Wednesday, September 1

In Search of the Hummingbird: Hummingbirds have captured our imaginations with their unsurpassed jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight and ethereal presence. Nature writer Jon Dunn recalls his adventures following hummingbirds from Alaska to the tip of South America. 12 p.m. ET $25-$30

The Photo Essay: Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tell a story or evoke a series of emotions. Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their own personal interests. 6:30 p.m. ET $90-$110

Food Fight: America’s Changing Diet and Its Consequences: How did America transform from a country that relied on a relatively wholesome and nourishing food system to one in which the daily diet is laden with fats, sugar and ultra-processed unhealthy foods? Historian Allen Pietrobon traces the changes in American cuisine since the end of WWII, highlighting a few key events that radically changed how and what Americans eat. 6:45 p.m. ET $20-$25

Thursday, September 2

Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks: Grandmasters of American Comedy: For more than seven decades, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks made America laugh—either through their remarkable solo careers or their legendary partnership. Discover the extraordinary comic talents of these giants of American comedy who conquered every medium they took on: television, films, Broadway, recordings. 12 p.m. ET $20-$25

Tuesday, September 7

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Contradictory Urban Visions: In 1932 Frank Lloyd Wright published The Disappearing City, a polemic about the evils of urban centers. He envisioned a better future centered on the automobile, telephone and radio and mass production, integrated to bring mobility, freedom and choice to the individual. In a richly illustrated program, Bill Keene examines the apparent contradictions between Wright’s essentially anti-city views and his ongoing fascination with work to enhance urban life. Enrolled participants in the Smithsonian World Art History Certificate earn 1/2 credit. 7 p.m. ET $25-$30

Wednesday, September 8

A Trip to Britain with the Great Composers: In a recital with commentary, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin serves as tour guide to the England that Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Liszt and Chopin experienced. Through delightful music plus contemporary letters and newspaper articles, she follows the musical travelers as they hobnob with royalty, dazzle the critics, complain about the weather and admire the ladies. 6:30 p.m. ET $25-$30

Thursday, September 9

An Overlooked Gem in Naples: The National Archaeology Museum: The National Archaeology Museum in Naples is one of the most spectacular showcases of antiquities in the world, with treasures from Pompeii, Herculaneum and their sister towns and villas. Join art historian and tour guide Laura R. Weinstein live from Rome as she highlights some of the most fascinating collections of this visit-worthy cultural gem in Naples. Enrolled participants in the Smithsonian World Art History Certificate earn 1/2 credit. 12 p.m. ET $20-$25

Friday, September 10

Florentine Splendor: The Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens: Florence’s imposing Pitti Palace was chosen by Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo as the grand ducal residence in 1549 and it soon became the new symbol of the Medicis’ power over Tuscany. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo leads a virtual visit to the Pitti Palace, where she highlights a selection of painting masterpieces, discusses the extraordinary objets d'art, and leads a stroll through the Boboli Gardens. Enrolled participants in the Smithsonian World Art History Certificate earn 1/2 credit. 12 p.m. ET $20-$25

Build a Tiny House: It takes a village! In this workshop, students construct their own tiny houses, which they personalize working in paper-mache, acrylics and mixed media. 1:30 p.m. ET $165-$185

Saturday, September 11

Freestyle Embroidery Basics: In this workshop, beginners are introduced to surface freestyle hand embroidery. In this style, the stitches are applied freely, disregarding the weave or structure of the ground cloth. Students learn how to select and prepare fabric using a simple design, ready their hoop and begin stitching. 12:30 p.m. ET $55-$65

Flash Quilt Stories: Inspired by the 6-Word Memoir project, learn to capture quick images of personal stories in quilted wall-hangings. Fusing allows students to appliqué shapes quickly, while embroidered details emphasize essential ideas. 1:30 p.m. ET $45-$55

Sunday, September 12

Local Color: Foraging for Natural Dyestuff: Natural dyes are all around us: fields of wildflowers, tree- and flower-lined city streets; our own kitchen composts. Students learn where to find natural in-season dyestuff sources in the Mid-Atlantic area, how to extract dye and how to prepare and dye fabric. 12:30 p.m. ET $50-$60

Growing Show Orchids: Your orchids are thriving and blooming. If you’re wondering what’s next in your orchid adventure, this class is for you. Learn about the conditions necessary to raise vigorous, healthy orchids for shows—and tips on transporting competition-ready orchids. 2 p.m. ET $30-$40

Monday, September 13

Book Arts: Standards and Creative Variations: Learn the rules of bookmaking…then get creative and break them! Each week, make different kinds of books, including an accordion book, Japanese stab bound journal and a travel journal with sewn in pages. 12 p.m. ET $125-$145

American Schism: Healing a Divided Nation: In the wake of the January 6 siege on the Capitol, bitter political divisiveness, anger and irrational thinking continue to roil the United States, inhibiting the possibility of logical debate. Enlightenment scholar Seth David Radwell proposes a plan to begin the process of repair and reconciliation: a new dialogue between all thoughtful Americans, informed by our country’s history. 6:45 p.m. ET $20-$25

Tuesday, September 14

Notre Dame: Reconstructing an Icon: Over the centuries, Notre Dame Cathedral has survived myriad threats to its survival, emerging as a resilient yet vulnerable symbol of the historical and cultural legacy of Paris and all of France. Art historian Judy Scott Feldman surveys the cathedral’s history and the ongoing restoration and historic preservation efforts to return the cathedral to its condition before the devastating April 2019 blaze. Enrolled participants in the Smithsonian World Art History Certificate earn 1/2 credit. 12 p.m. ET $20-$25

Friday, September 17

Circular Weaving: Circular weaving is fun technique for new weavers as well as experienced fiber artists. Learn how to warp and weave on several sizes of circle looms as you explore plain weave as well as twinning, soumak, ray knots and loops. 12 p.m. ET $85-$105

Discovering South America: Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. This immersive program showcases South American wines and includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience that must be picked up from a local Washington, DC wine bar. 12 p.m. ET $85-$105

Monday, September 20

A Geologic Tour of the Northern Rockies: Join geologist Kirt Kempter for an exploration of the splendid scenery and geology of the northern Rocky Mountains that straddle the border between the United States and Canada. From the emerald Lake Louise near Banff to the majestic views along Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier, a deep geologic history created these spectacular park landscapes, which are now designated as World Heritage Sites. 7 p.m. ET $25-$30

Tuesday, September 21

George F. Will Speaks His Mind: Pulitzer Prize-winning author and columnist George F. Will casts a careful eye on what defines the American experience as he explores an array of topics with Steven V. Roberts, Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs at American University. Topics include drug policy and the criminal justice system; the First Amendment; meritocracy and education; Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys; and, yes, the morality of enjoying football. 6:30 p.m. ET $20-$25

Thursday, September 23

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Learn about Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, located along the Appalachian flyway in eastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1934 as the world’s first sanctuary for raptors, Hawk Mountain’s 2,500 acres of land are dedicated to conservation and connected to an important migratory pathway that thousands of birds pass through daily in peak fall migration. 12 p.m. ET $25-$30

Friday, September 24

The Beasts Before Us: The Untold Story of Mammal Origins: In the last 20 years, scientists have uncovered new fossils that have drastically rewritten the story of mammal evolution as we knew it. Paleontologist Elsa Panciroli goes back hundreds of million years earlier as she discusses the emergence of the extraordinary lineage to which we belong, called Synapsida, from their murky split from a shared ancestor with reptiles at the dawn of life on land. 12 p.m. ET $20-$25

Tuesday, September 28

Plat du Jour: French Classics for Today’s Home Chef: Plat du Jour, French for dish of the day, is announced on chalkboards displayed in front of France’s restaurants, cafes, brasseries, and bistros. Cooking teacher, author and journalist Susan Herrmann Loomis highlights this iconic part of a set menu. Virtually enter her Parisian kitchen as she shares what the cook needs to know to make a delicious plat du jour. 6:30 p.m. ET $20-$25

Wednesday, September 29

Wine and the White House: A Presidential Toast: From the earliest administrations to today, presidents have recognized the important function wine plays in entertaining at the White House. In an illustrated conversation, Fred Ryan, Jr., author of Wine and the White House: A History, is joined by Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Richard Kurin for an informative and entertaining evening perfect for devotees of presidential history, lovers of wine, or both. 6:45 p.m. ET $20-$25

Thursday, September 30

Frank Sinatra: He Set the Standard. Period: He went from bobby-soxers’ dreamboat to the Chairman of the Board—and he did it his way. Music historian John Edward Hasse toasts the unmistakable voice that defined Sinatra’s stardom. 6:30 p.m. ET $30-$35

Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge: Chinese Americans and the Power of Stir-Frying: In Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge, culinary historian and award-winning cookbook author Grace Young writes of how for centuries the Chinese carried their woks and stir-frying techniques around the globe. In America, beginning around the late-19^th century, Chinese immigrants struggled to establish themselves in cities and small towns—from San Francisco to the Mississippi Delta—while contending as well with poverty, discrimination, and to this day, anti-Asian bias. 6:45 p.m. ET $20

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.