Ages 3 to 7. Come learn about the mighty pollinators at the ecosystems they help to thrive in this new Discovery Theater Original Production.
From the classical villas of ancient Rome to the landscaped estates of the Renaissance, artists and patrons have long sought to bring sculpture into dialogue with nature. Art historian Jennie Hirsh traces the history and vision behind three of the world’s most inspiring contemporary sculpture gardens: Storm King Art Center in upstate New York, Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland, and Château La Coste near Aix-en-Provence. These sites reveal how artists and architects continue to redefine the possibilities of sculpture, scale, and place, offering a compelling perspective on the interplay between art and landscape. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Found in every region of the globe, embroidery is one of the world’s most widely shared forms of creative expression—and one of the most varied. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, director of the Textile Research Centre in Leiden, the Netherlands, and author of The Atlas of World Embroidery: A Global Exploration of Heritage and Styles, guides audiences through this rich tapestry, exploring the materials, tools, designs, and symbolic meanings of embroidery, as well as the communities and individual makers who sustain these traditions. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Among President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal initiatives was the Federal Art Project, which offered a crucial source of income and creative purpose for thousands of artists at a time when galleries were shuttered and patrons scarce. At its peak, the program employed over 5,300 artists. Art historian Nancy Elizabeth Green explores the enduring legacy of the Federal Art Project, illuminating how art and government together helped to lift the spirits of a nation during one of its darkest times. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular four-concert series on Saturdays. This concert features music composed by Haydn, Bartók, and Beethoven.
Willa Cather’s visits to Santa Fe in the 1920s with her partner, book editor Edith Lewis, inspired her to research and write the enduring novel she referred to as her best book. Author Garrett Peck examines how the Southwestern setting and spirit of Death Comes for the Archbishop is rooted in those travels.
Stretching for more than 1,400 miles across the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest coral reef system as well as an extraordinary range of marine life. Historian Justin M. Jacobs highlights the geological and biological evolution of the reef, its evolving cultural importance, and the manmade and environmental forces that now threaten its existence.
Many of the most beautiful buildings of the last 600 years have been erected in Asia, which is also known for its boldly modern cities. Kathleen James-Chakraborty, a professor of art history and architectural historian at University College Dublin, looks across the continent from Iran to Japan at both historic and contemporary buildings. She also highlights the important contributions that women have made as patrons and designers of innovative architecture. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)
