From Space to Insects, April Brings New Programs for Curious Minds

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

 

Tuesday, April 2 

Ever-Evolving Emerson: The Complex Humanity of an American Icon: Join Emersonian lecturer and editor James Marcus as he pieces together a new portrait of Emerson’s life. Marcus explores the many ways in which Emerson shares our preoccupations with fate and freedom, race and inequality, love, and grief, and illustrates how Emerson’s desire to see the world afresh is a lesson that never grows old. This program will be held online from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

 

Thursday, April 4  

Not the End of the World: The Beginning of a Better Future: Is Earth on the brink of destruction? Author Hannah Ritchie challenges this prevailing narrative in her new book, Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet. She argues that a more optimistic outlook emerges when we step back and consider the progress that humanity has achieved throughout history. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

Beyond Audubon: Bird Images through the Centuries: From the 16th century to the present, birds have been represented in a variety of ways. The earliest printed images isolated the birds on the page, but over time, they were shown with plants in their habitat and sometimes with nests and eggs. Kay Etheridge, professor emerita of biology at Gettysburg College, discusses natural history images that combine art and science in ways that have furthered our knowledge of birds. This afternoon program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

 

Saturday, April 6 

Art and Kingship in Southeast Asia: Robert DeCaroli, associate professor of history and art history at George Mason University, examines the cultural and artistic traditions of ancient Southeast Asia from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism, with a focus on the royal arts of the great civilizations from modern Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar), and Vietnam. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1 credit. The first of this two-part lecture is presented on Zoom from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. $90-$100 

Monday, April 8 

How Jazz Captivated France: Why did jazz take hold of the City of Light and shine a beacon across Europe? Drawing on rare film clips, photographs, and original recordings, John Edward Hasse, curator emeritus of American Music at the National Museum of American History, assembles an all-star cast­—from Josephine Baker to Louis Mitchell and his Jazz Kings, Duke Ellington to Django Reinhart­—to provide insight into how the quintessentially American art form captured the fancy of dancers, musicians, and audiences here more than in any other non-Anglophone country. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $25-$30 

 

Tuesday, April 9 

Figurines of the Ice Age: The Mysteries of Venus: Made by hunter-gatherers from stone, bone, ivory and even kiln-fired clay 10,000 to 40,000 years ago, these female statuettes have been found at archaeological sites from France to Siberia and yet no explanation of their function and meaning has been determined. Join Paleolithic archaeologist April Nowell as she explores what they might have meant to the societies who made them and the complicated history of the interpretation of the infamous Venus figurines. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

Understanding the Human–Canine Connection: Dogs have been considered people’s best friend for thousands of years, but never has the relationship between humans and their canine companions been as important as it is in today’s world. Jen Golbeck, the “internet’s dog mom” and science writer Stacey Colino, authors of The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human–Canine Connection, reveal the benefits our dogs can have on our physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being, often without our realizing it. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

 

Wednesday, April 10 

Law and Order on the Railroad: Explore the fascinating history of crime-fighting on the rails—which has some surprising Hollywood connections­—with Patricia LaBounty, curator at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This program is presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30 

The Art of Floral Design: Explore the spectrum of floral design with Arrin Scutliff, including centerpieces, wiring techniques, and photographing your work. The step-by-step demonstrations will appeal to designers of every level. This six-session program is presented on Zoom from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. $160-$195 

 

Thursday, April 11 

A National History of Puerto Rico: For centuries, Puerto Ricans have crafted and negotiated complex ideas about nationhood. Historian Jorell Meléndez-Badillo offers a new history of Puerto Rico, providing a lens through which to understand the political, economic and social challenges confronting its people.  This program is presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $25-$30 

Frankenstein: Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, leads participants through an exploration of the cultural sources, scientific elements and literary devices that make Mary Shelley’s book so inventive and groundbreaking. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35 

 

Tuesday April 16 

The Genius of Akira Kurosawa:  Film historian Max Alvarez unfolds the remarkable history of Akira Kurosawa, one of the world’s leading cinematic masters. From a meteoric rise at Toho Studios during the 1930s through personal and professional triumphs, frustrations and artistic comebacks, Alvarez chronicles the remarkable life and career of this great Japanese artist. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35 

Joan Nathan: My Life in Recipes: In Joan Nathan’s new book, My Life in Recipes, the noted authority on global Jewish cuisine uses recipes to trace her family’s history and her own story of marriage, motherhood and a career as a food writer—and punctuates it with all the foods she has come to love. Join her for a conversation in which she discusses the treasury of recipes and stories in the book and her personal journey of discovering Jewish cuisine from around the world. This program will be held at the Ripley Center from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET $25-$35 

Pluto: Ice World Full of Surprises: The New Horizons mission flew by Pluto in 2015 and revealed more than a few surprises such as glaciers, volcanoes and fields of organic compounds. Join Michael Summers, a professor of planetary science and astronomy at George Mason University, to learn how these geologic hints inform astronomers and scientists, and how the New Horizons mission revolutionized how we view the most distant worlds in our solar system. This program is presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. $25-$30 

 

Wednesday, April 17 

Great Musical Partnerships:  Join pianist Rachel Franklin as she examines the complex web of love and genius that bound together Robert Schumann, Clara Weick, and Johannes Brahms. In this first of four sessions, Franklin discusses Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio in G minor, Schumann’s Carnaval, and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1. This program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. $95-$105 

 

Friday, April 19 

Winning with Walla Walla Wine: Explore the rich diversity of Walla Walla Valley as it celebrates 40 years since becoming an appellation. Sommelier Erik Segelbaum leads you in discovering the nuances in aroma, flavor profiles and aging potential of select Walla Walla Valley wines and gaining a deeper appreciation for this renowned wine region of Washington State. The immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit available for pick up from a local Washington, DC wine bar to enhance the experience and is presented on Zoom from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $70-$80 

 

Thursday, April 25 

"The Old Man and the Sea": High School Classics Revisited: Join Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, in a close reading of this literary masterpiece, showing how Hemingway manages to create a spellbinding narrative through brilliant characterization, detailed depictions of the natural world, and sustained inquiry into the relationship between the human and animal world. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m ET. $30-$35 

 

Friday, April 26 

Butterflies and Moths: Winged Wonders: In a lively presentation accompanied by stunning images, Emmy Award–winning wildlife documentary filmmaker Steve Nicholls presents some of the latest scientific discoveries as he explores the fantastic and surprising world of butterflies and moths.  This program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

 

Tuesday, April 30 

Steinbeck and the Arthurian Saga: Join scholar Clay Jenkinson in a fascinating look at the book that was to become The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights and the tale of what began for Steinbeck as a straightforward work of translation and revision that acquired a life of its own. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35 

 

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.