All upcoming 60th Anniversary programs

The Mogao Grottos of China—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—are often referred to as an “art gallery in the desert.” For more than a thousand years, kings, merchants, monks, and nuns called the nearby desert oasis of Dunhuang home. Not far from town they sponsored the excavation and decoration of nearly 500 caves with paintings that depicted Buddhist iconography, local folktales, and life along the Silk Road. Historian Justin M. Jacobs traces the history of the grottos, analyzes the paintings, and discusses the controversial fate of a secret “cave library.”

Art played a pivotal role during the dawn of European natural history in the 16th and 17th centuries. Advancements in scientific technology, trade, and colonial expansion allowed naturalists to study previously unknown and overlooked insects, animals, and other beestjes: “little beasts” in Dutch. Curators of the National Gallery of Art’s exhibition “Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World,” share an exhibition overview and a closer look at the artists and ideas that it highlights. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The largest museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items. Guided by Smithsonian librarians Jane Quigley and Leslie Overstreet, visit three research collections normally accessible to members of the public by appointment only: the National Museum of Natural History Library, the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, and the John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology. In addition to brief presentations about the collections, selected books—from 16th-century illustrated herbals and accounts of Captain Cook’s voyages to 21st-century works naming new species of plants and animals by Smithsonian scientists—are on display for browsing, questions, and discussion.

The largest museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items. Guided by Smithsonian librarians Jane Quigley and Leslie Overstreet, visit three research collections normally accessible to members of the public by appointment only: the National Museum of Natural History Library, the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, and the John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology. In addition to brief presentations about the collections, selected books—from 16th-century illustrated herbals and accounts of Captain Cook’s voyages to 21st-century works naming new species of plants and animals by Smithsonian scientists—are on display for browsing, questions, and discussion.

Why do we always succumb to this bountiful, joyous, teary-eyed musical that melts even the cynical and leaves everyone singing? The glorious melodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s final show never age, and its plot never fails to touch us as it covers everything from music-making to resistance to tyranny. Documentary filmmaker Sara Lukinson, who teaches at New York University, traces how the story went from a German memoir and documentary to a Broadway hit, movie fame, and entertainment immortality.

The largest museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items. Guided by Smithsonian librarians Jane Quigley and Leslie Overstreet, visit three research collections normally accessible to members of the public by appointment only: the National Museum of Natural History Library, the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, and the John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology. In addition to brief presentations about the collections, selected books—from 16th-century illustrated herbals and accounts of Captain Cook’s voyages to 21st-century works naming new species of plants and animals by Smithsonian scientists—are on display for browsing, questions, and discussion.

The largest museum library system in the world, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 2 million items. Guided by Smithsonian librarians Jane Quigley and Leslie Overstreet, visit three research collections normally accessible to members of the public by appointment only: the National Museum of Natural History Library, the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, and the John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology. In addition to brief presentations about the collections, selected books—from 16th-century illustrated herbals and accounts of Captain Cook’s voyages to 21st-century works naming new species of plants and animals by Smithsonian scientists—are on display for browsing, questions, and discussion.

As a co-founder of the Sixties pop group Jay and the Americans, singer Kenny Vance shares stories about early heroes of rock & roll with journalist Budd Mishkin. Through clips from his documentary, Heart & Soul: A Love Story, witness how these young street artists broke new ground, created harmony by singing doo-wop, and ultimately formed a bridge to the popular music and youth culture of today.

Today’s coral reefs are threatened by a wide range of human-made problems. As predictions about the future of these ecosystems grow increasingly dire, scientists are looking in an unlikely place for new ways to save corals: the past. Geoscientist Lisa S. Gardiner discusses how studying the fossilized limestone cities left behind by ancient corals can uncover lessons that may help reefs survive the environmental challenges of the present.

Pull out your sketchbook and pencil to take an artful break as you explore the Smithsonian while drawing objects from vast and fascinating collections. Option to register for this program as a 6-session series.