Celebrating Giant Pandas at the National Zoo and More Programs in January

Smithsonian Associates offers innovative, online and in-person programming that promotes learning, enrichment and creativity for people of all ages. Hundreds of seminars, studio arts classes and study tours are offered annually. To view the Smithsonian Associates digital program guide, visit smithsonianassociates.org.

 

Thursday, January 5

From Carson to Oprah to Stephen Colbert: A History of the TV Talk Show: From its start in the early 1950s, the talk show has been one of television’s most versatile and durable formats. Media expert Brian Rose surveys its changing appeal from decade to decade and examines how the talk show—and its hosts—continue to provide viewers with a lively mix of entertainment, information and compelling conversation. This program will be held online from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Friday, January 6

Frederic Church’s Olana: A Masterwork of American Landscape and Design: Olana, the Hudson Valley home of 19th-century landscape artist Frederic Church might be his most enduring masterwork. Sean Sawyer, president of the Olana Partnership, provides an overview of Church’s creation and leads a virtual tour of the landscape and main house, with its rich collection of fine and decorative arts that reflect the global reach of Church's travels and vision. This program will be held online from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET $25-$30

 

Monday, January 9

Geology of Western National Parks: Big Bend, Texas: Join geologist Kirt Kempter as he explores the geology of Western National Parks over the course of 2023, with an in-depth look at one location every month. He kicks off the series with a focus on Big Bend National Park in Texas. This program will be held online from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30

 

Tuesday, January 10

The Women Who Made Art History: From the Renaissance to the 21st Century: For centuries, women were conspicuously underrepresented in—and indeed almost absent from—art history books. Art historian Judy Pomerantz examines the role women have played in Western visual arts from the Renaissance to the present through an exploration of the works and lives of female artists who made significant marks on the art of their time and on the course of art history. This four-session online course will begin Tuesday, January 10 from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET. $80-$90

Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World: In an exciting new look at the life and tomb of King Tutankhamun, Bob Brier, a specialist in ancient Egypt, explores the 100 years of research on Tutankhamun that have taken place since the tomb's discovery in 1922. This lecture will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Wednesday, January 11

Ian Fleming: The Creator of James Bond: You might call Ian Fleming—who introduced a British Secret Service agent named James Bond to the world with Casino Royale in 1952—The Man with the Golden Typewriter. The 14 Bond books he authored sparked a global sensation, sold tens of millions of copies and became the source for the longest-running film franchise in history. In an evening in the dashing Bond spirit, author Daniel Stashower explores Ian Fleming’s life and legacy, while actor Scott Sedar reads from Fleming’s most popular works. This evening lecture will be held online from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Thursday, January 12

The Best of Ballet Music: The Soul of Movement: Ballet is a unique experience in performance art, but what really takes it to its greatest heights is the musical score. In a two-session introduction, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and both historic and contemporary film clips to illustrate how the music from dance masterpieces became a treasured part of our cultural landscape. The online course will be held on January 12 and January 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $50-$60

 

Friday, January 13

Mid-Century Modern: Sleek, Stylish, and Accessible: There’s much more to the Mid-century Modern movement than just the iconic buildings it inspired. The style was spread by design principles and color palettes that saturated everything from kitchen appliances to advertising to airline paint schemes. Lecturer Bill Keene examines the architecture and the wider implications of the broad scope of Mid-century Modern design trends and developments. This program will be held online from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30

 

Tuesday, January 17

Creative Sculptural Relief: This eight-session course introduces students to the principles of relief sculpture, which is a bridge between two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms. The course will be held in-person at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center on Tuesdays from January 17 through March 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET. $255-$285 

 

Wednesday, January 18

How to Nourish Your Mental Health: Food has power to nourish your mind, supporting emotional wellness through both nutrients and pleasure. Drawing from her new book, Eat and Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well Being, journalist Mary Beth Albright looks at cutting-edge research to explain the connection between food and mood, interprets studies from the new field of nutritional psychology and offers straightforward suggestions for what to eat and how to eat it. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

A Garden Odyssey: In Search of the World’s Most Creative Gardens: Imagine traveling the world passionately searching for the most exquisite and creatively designed gardens. Baltimore landscape architect Scott C. Scarfone was given just such an opportunity. Follow his garden globetrotting as he recounts memorable visits to fabulous garden sites across the globe. This program will be held online from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $25-$30

 

Thursday, January 26

A Journey into the Brain: Although we know a great deal about the brain, there is still so much more to learn. Join neuroscientist Eric Chudler as he leads an interactive guided tour of our most important organ, offering insights into our current knowledge of the brain and suggesting the directions future research may take. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Saturday, January 28

Inside Shakespeare: Celebrating 400 Years of the Bard’s First Folio: Shakespeare’s plays have been part of our lives seemingly forever—quoted in the taverns of 16th-century London, sparking the theatre riots of 19th-century New York City, performed in the American Wild West and filling stages and screens across the globe today. Tudor and Shakespeare scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger closely examines the playwright and his plays and how he created worlds out of words that inform and shape our language and our culture. This all-day weekend seminar will be held online from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. $80-$90

 

Crepe Paper Flowers: Cosmos, Peony, and Iris: Learn to fashion three different flowers in this three-session online workshop. Following basic instructions, construct petals, leaves and stamens for each bloom. Beginners and seasoned crepe-paper enthusiasts are welcome. The first session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. $165-$185

 

Monday, January 30

A Panda Story: Celebrating Giant Pandas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute with David M. Rubenstein: The arrival of the iconic giant pandas Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in the spring of 1972 marked the start of a program that has drawn millions of fans from around the world. It has also provided the Smithsonian an unparalleled opportunity for study. Philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, an instrumental longtime supporter of the program, and Brandie Smith, the Zoo’s director, discuss the history of giant panda care at the Smithsonian, what scientists have learned throughout the decades and what might be next for current residents Xiao Qi Ji, Mei Xiang, and Tian Tian. This program will be held in person at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center and simulcast online from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Tuesday, January 31

Galápagos Islands: Darwin’s Smoking Gun: The young Charles Darwin’s observations from his 1835 exploration of the ecologically unique Galápagos Islands were pivotal to his eventual realization that organisms change with time and that they evolve. Biologist John Kricher and photographer Kevin Loughlin discuss the rich array of fauna and flora of the Galápagos that Darwin might have found, as well as the notable, if not quirky, human history on the islands. This evening lecture will be held from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET $20-$25

 

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

Lauren Lyons | READ MORE

Lauren Lyons is a public affairs specialist at Smithsonian Associates.