A Practical Guide to Rewilding and More Learning Experiences in October

Smithsonian Associates offers innovative, engaging learning experiences for people of all ages. Hundreds of livestreamed and in-person lectures, seminars, performances, studio arts classes, study tours and children’s programs are offered annually. To view the Smithsonian Associates digital program guide, visit smithsonianassociates.org.

 

Sunday, October 1

A Practical Guide to Rewilding: Everyone—regardless of the size of their space—can help restore nature. Join journalist and author Isabella Tree and her husband, conservationist Charlie Burrell, to learn practical steps to rewild everything from rivers and ponds to public spaces and community gardens to urban parks and window boxes. This program will be held online from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Monday, October 2

DC Theater Preview 2023-24: As part of the annual Theatre Week celebration, join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, and a panel of critics and writers as they explore why D.C. is considered one of the best theater towns in the country, and what’s in store on local stages large and small. This program will be held in person at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

The Geology of Western National Parks: Glacier, Montana: Join geologist Kirt Kempter as he explores the geology of Western National Parks, with an in-depth look at one location every month. This online program spotlights Glacier National Park as part of a fall series, focused on parks in Montana and Utah. Additional sessions will be held November 6 and December 4. 7 p.m. ET. $25-$30

 

Tuesday, October 3 

How Cable Television Upended American Politics: Drawing on her new book, 24/7 Politics: Cable Television and the Fragmenting of America from Watergate to Fox News, Kathryn Cramer Brownell tells the story of how the cable industry worked with political leaders to create an entirely new approach to television, one that tethered politics to profits and divided and distracted Americans by feeding their appetite for entertainment. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Thursday, October 5

The Science of Free Will: Join neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell as he traces the story of how we evolved into humans with the remarkable capacity for conscious cognitive control, i.e., free will.  Living beings are not merely pushed around by physical forces, he says, but act with purpose, making sense of the world, and selecting their own behaviors. Mitchell discusses our ability to imagine and introspect—to reason, rethink and to shape ourselves over our lifetimes. This online program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. $20-$25

The First Battle of Manassas and the Experience of War: Expecting a quick and easy victory, both Union and Confederate officers were surprised by their experience at the First Battle of Manassas and learned the painful lesson that waging war in practice is much more difficult than waging it in theory. Career U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Marc Thompson examines the battle and its role in the Civil War. This program will be held online from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Tuesday, October 10

Elemental: How 5 Elements Will Shape Our Future: Following a thread woven from five of life’s essential elements—hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus—scientist Stephen Porder explores how microbes, plants and people have used these fundamental building blocks to change the planet we all share. Porder is a professor of ecology, evolutionary biology and environment and society at Brown University, where he serves as the nation’s first associate provost for sustainability. This program will be held on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Wednesday, October 11

Gothic Fairy Tales: Gothic literature and the fairy tale are much more closely related than one might expect. While it’s common to think of fairy tales as frothy, simple stories for children, they can be profoundly uncanny, spectral, even transgressive—all words linked to the Gothic. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore the connection between these two seemingly disparate literary modes. This online program will be presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

Thursday, October 12

The Great Gatsby: Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, revisits Fitzgerald’s iconic work to see how, almost 100 years after its publication in 1925, the work continues to cast a powerful spell with its piercing psychological insights and gorgeously lyrical language. This online program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35

Friday, October 13

The Colors of Crawly Creatures: Animals’ color tells us where they belong in a classification scheme and plays a role in the ecology and behavior of insects, reptiles, and amphibians. It also can reflect changes in diet, adaptations of body temperature, and immunological responses. Biologist Kay Etheridge gives visual examples of color in these roles and discusses the challenges of naturalistic representation from medieval through modern times. This online program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET $20-$25

 

Monday, October 16

Broadway's Backstory: The Evolution of an Entertainment Powerhouse: Musical theatre artist and historian Ben West chronicles the history of the Broadway stage and highlights several pivotal artists and shows along the way—particularly those related to the American musical. Join him for an exciting and informative look at the dazzling history of Broadway—the original incubator of American entertainment.  This program will be held online from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET $20-$25

Lunchtime with a Curator: Decorative Arts Design Series: “Designed for You”: Hats Created by Milliner Sara Sue of Virginia: For more than 40 years, wearing a creation by milliner Sara Sue Sherrill Waldbauer of Miller & Rhoads department store in Richmond was a mark of status and taste. Nichol Gabor, curator of costume and textiles at Richmond’s Valentine Museum, joins curator Elizabeth Lay to offer a delightful look at why Sara Sue’s signature confections defined the fashionable hat for the city’s ladies who lunched. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This program will be held online from 12 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Tuesday, October 17

The Beethoven Symphonies: A new century literally began as Ludwig van Beethoven completed his first symphony in the year 1800. Within the next quarter century his great cycle of nine symphonies was complete, taking its place as the measure for the entire symphonic repertoire that followed it. In a 5-part series, classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein uses audio and video recordings as he discusses each symphony, as well as examines Beethoven’s personal journey of creation against the backdrop of Viennese society. This online program will be presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. $85-$95

Her Space, Her Time: Trailblazing Female Scientists Who Decoded the Hidden Universe: Women physicists and astronomers from around the world have transformed science and society, but the critical roles they played in their fields are not always well-sung. Author and quantum physicist Shohini Ghose discusses the remarkable stories of the rule-breakers and trendsetters who illuminated our understanding of the universe and reshaped the rules of society. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

Wednesday, October 18

Jews and Arabic: Judeo-Arabic, Its Literature, and Why It Matters: In the first of a five-part series, Miriam Goldstein, scholar of interreligious relations in the medieval Arabic-speaking world, examines the significance of the sweeping linguistic and cultural transformations that shaped Judaism as we know it today. Goldstein is a professor in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and is currently a visiting professor at Harvard and at Yale. This program will be held on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $85-$95 

Darkness in Distress: Halting the Rise of Light Pollution: Light pollution has grown at the alarming rate of 10% per year over the past decade, disrupting nocturnal ecosystems and inhibiting the production of melatonin which may affect general human health. Join Sky and Telescope magazine’s Kelly Beatty as he discusses how we can safely light up our homes, businesses and communities without wasting energy, disturbing the neighbors or creating an unhealthy environment for humans and wildlife. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. $20-$25

Thursday, October 19

Movie Monsters: Exploring the Art Behind Classic Creature Features: Join film historian Max Alvarez for a romp through the weird, blood-curdling and often downright outrageous netherworld of classic movie monsters. In a rich multimedia presentation featuring film selections and behind-the-scenes secrets of legendary and notorious creature features, Alvarez traces the movie monster from the early silent era through to Ridley Scott’s bloodcurdling Alien and the pre-CGI sequel by James Cameron, Aliens. This program will be presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35

The Operas of Giuseppe Verdi: In a 5-session series, musicologist Daniel E. Freeman offers a survey of four of Verdi’s most popular operas: La traviata, Rigoletto, Aida, and Otello. Freeman will discuss the composer’s approach to musical setting and character development. Analysis of the principal musical and dramatic components of each work includes video recordings of performances staged at the world’s leading opera houses. This course will be presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $85-$95

 

Monday, October 23

Building America: The Transcontinental Railroad: Since the 1860s, railroads like Union Pacific have played a pivotal role in the opening and then the settling and disruption of the American West. Using original photographs taken during the construction of the transcontinental railroad from the Union Pacific Historical Collection, its curator Patricia LaBounty explores the context and construction of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad and examines its role in building America. This program will be presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET $25-$30

Wednesday, October 25

A Brief History of Taiwan: Taiwan, a small island off the southeastern coast of China, has played an outsized role in modern Asian politics. Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, provides an overview of Taiwan's complex history over the past several centuries, from Austronesian seafarers and Dutch merchants to Japanese conquerors and Chinese refugees. This program will be presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

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

Lisa K. Friedman | READ MORE

Lisa K. Friedman is an author and essayist living in Washington, D.C.