Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.
In honor of America’s 250th, William McShea of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and SnapshotUSA are embarking on a massive project to resurvey the mammals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Trail—and they could use your help. McShea, a conservation biologist and pioneer in the use of camera traps, explains the development of wildlife observation and tracking protocols and how ordinary people can help advance scientific knowledge of mammals and the ecosystems they inhabit, with this project and beyond.
Pull out your sketchbook and pencil to take an artful break as you explore the Smithsonian while drawing objects from vast and fascinating collections.
Over nearly 250 years, the National Mall has evolved as the center stage of the nation’s capital. The Founding Fathers saw the District of Columbia as a shining beacon of democracy for a newly independent nation, reflected in the L’Enfant Plan’s vision of the National Mall as its ceremonial core. In the first program of a 2-part series, Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, traces the Mall’s transition from pasture lands to military training grounds and from mud flats to grand monuments, sharing the complex and lesser-known history of some of the most enduring national landmarks. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Pop culture is populated by plenty of fictional cephalopod and cephalopod-inspired characters, from Squidward of “SpongeBob SquarePants” to the heptapod aliens of Arrival. Whether these portrayals accurately represent the biology, anatomy, and behavior of the animals that inspired them is another question. Come find out how quickly Finding Dory’s Hank could regenerate his eighth arm and whether a kraken could really sink a ship as cephalopod expert Danna Staaf proves that truth can be stranger than fiction.
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.
Knowing how to put together elements of wirework and strung bead jewelry is crucial to creative success. However, all the techniques in your toolbox become useless if you get stuck during the design process. Learn important design principles for jewelry makers such as use of color, creating visual texture and balance, and managing proportion.
Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Beverly Gage made 13 trips throughout the country to visit museums, historic sites, roadside attractions, reenactments, and souvenir shops where Americans learn and argue about our history. Gage shares her experiences at locations such as Mound Bayou, Mississippi; Medora, North Dakota; and Dearborn, Michigan. She also examines key moments that define America’s greatest successes and challenges.
