The Greatest Catcher in Women’s Softball and Other Inspiring Programs in November

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. 

 

Wednesday, November 1

Contemplating Nietzsche: Join Georgetown professor Joseph Hartman in considering the work of the famed German philosopher. Hartman examines some of the central questions raised by Nietzsche’s work and wonders: How would Nietzsche counsel us to live in the 21st century? This class is a mixture of discussion and lecture, and is presented in person at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. $25-$35

 Making the Case for Reform: Eastern State Penitentiary’s Impact on the Modern Penal System: Explore the history of punishment as social phenomenon with prison scholar Ashley T. Rubin, who discusses one of the most famous prisons in the country. Known for its grand architecture, this unique prison it held over 85,000 people over its long history including Al Capone. Rubin highlights the challenges of 19th-century prison administration that helped create the current U.S. penal system. This program is presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Monday, November 6

New York's Art Museums: A Virtual Exploration: In the first of a three-part series art critic Judy Pomeranz examines three museums: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters, and the Frick Collection, discussing their creation stories, and offering her critic’s eye to the objects and collections that define the museum’s distinctive personalities. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. $75-$85

 

Wednesday, November 8

Dot Wilkinson and the Real Story of Women’s Softball: Lynn Ames, author of Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story, unfolds the story of Wilkinson’s life and career as the greatest catcher to play women’s softball. She draws on her longtime friendship with Wilkinson and recounts the era of sold-out stadiums, brawls on the field, brawls in the stands, and clandestine relationships. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Thursday, November 9

JFK's Presidency: Beyond Camelot: Author and historian Mark K. Updegrove, head of the LBJ Foundation and presidential historian for ABC News, discusses JFK’s initial setbacks: the botched Bay of Pigs invasions, a disastrous summit with the Soviet premier and a mismanaged approach to the Civil Rights movement, and then reexamines the consequential White House years of a flawed but gifted leader. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. $25-$25

 

Saturday, November 11

A Struggle for Equality: Free African Americans in Post-Revolutionary Philadelphia: Historian Richard Bell leads an all-day tour that traces the fight for Black equality in post-revolutionary Philadelphia. From the story of President Washington’s enslaved Africans to Christ Church Burial Ground where African American aid workers worked during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic, Bell discusses slavery, abolition and resistance at these and other sites. The tour departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street SW in Washington D.C. at 7:15 a.m. and returns to the same location at 8:00 p.m. ET. $210-$260

 

Monday, November 13

A 2024 Election Preview with Journalist Ken Walsh:  Ken Walsh, a journalist, historian and author who spent more than 30 years as a White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, analyzes the major issues facing the country, what voters want done about them, how we became so divided, the historical parallels, the prospects for control of Congress and state governments, and the major candidates. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Tuesday, November 14

Milan in the Footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci: Take a virtual walk with art historian Laura Morelli as she explores Milan through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci, highlighting the ducal court, the spires of the stunning cathedral, the refectory where monks gazed on Leonardo’s The Last Supper while having breakfast, and the Brera Gallery, which holds some of Leonardo’s most precious works. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET. $20-$25

Jon Bonné on France’s Changing Wine Culture: Join Bonné, a two-time James Beard Award winner, as he discusses the wine regions of France, the stories behind some of the most revered producers, and what’s next for the country he calls “the soul of the global wine industry.” Bonné is the former wine editor and chief wine critic of the San Francisco Chronicle and a columnist for Decanter magazine. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

Wednesday, November 15

How We Age: Geneticist Coleen Murphy, author of the new book How We Age, illustrates how recent research on longevity and aging may be bringing us closer to this goal. Murphy chronicles the history and current state of the field, explaining longevity’s links to reproduction and mating, sensory and cognitive function, inheritances from our ancestors, and the gut microbiome. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Surrealism: The Canvas of Dreams: Artist and art historian Joseph Cassar explores the origins of Surrealism, its widespread influence, and many of its most prominent artists including Max Ernst, Jean Arp, Joan Miró, André Masson, René Magritte, Alberto Giacometti, and Salvador Dali. 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 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35

The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives: What keeps democracy alive? Are there patterns or clues found in democracies that have sustained themselves for hundreds of years? Join historians Brook Manville and Josiah Ober to discuss how democracies survive and what we need to know about the core tenets of democratic rule. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET. $20-$25

 

Thursday, November 16

Great Expectations: High School Classics Revisited: Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, explores the literary techniques and devices that give this beloved classic its enduring fame. Luzzi highlights Dickens’ remarkable psychological insight as he explores the motives and actions of characters such as the protagonist Pip, Magwitch, Miss Havisham, and Joe Gargery. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $30-$35

 

Tuesday, November 28

Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: Music historian Judith Tick examines how Fitzgerald fused a Black vocal aesthetic with mainstream popular repertoire to revolutionize American music. Learn how Fitzgerald broke new ground as a bandleader, a bebop improviser and as arbiter of the American canon. This program is presented on Zoom from 4:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. $20-$25 

Europa: Jupiter’s Habitable Moon? A Grand Tour of the Solar System: Jupiter’s satellite Europa almost certainly hides a global saltwater ocean beneath its icy surface and may be the most plausible world in our solar system to host life beyond Earth. Delve into the moon’s fascinating history with Samuel Howell, project staff scientist on the Europa Clipper Mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Following the talk, Peter Plavchan, professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, brings the sky into participants’ living rooms via remote control of the university observatory. This program is presented on Zoom from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. ET $25-$30

 

Wednesday, November 29

Forest Bathing 101: Immerse yourself in the Japanese practice of forest bathing as certified forest therapy guide Melanie Choukas-Bradley introduces its history and how-tos. Learn creative ways to reduce holiday stress and banish winter blues by connecting with nature close to home. This online program is presented on Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30

Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea: Anne Hyland, the Art Bridges Initiative curatorial coordinator at the American Art Museum, discusses the new exhibition, “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea,” highlighting the ways artists explore the American West—a place of multiple stories. Hyland examines the perspectives of 48 modern and contemporary artists who offer a broader and more inclusive view of this region, which too often has been dominated by romanticized myths and Euro-American historical accounts. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This online program is presented on Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30

 

Thursday, November 30

Washington’s Monumental Core: The Evolution of the National Mall: Discover the forgotten history of our nation’s National Mall with Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours. With a focus on architecture, urban planning, and design, Muraskin traces the Mall’s transition from pasture to military training grounds, from mud to monuments. sharing her vast historical knowledge of our most enduring landmarks. Participants enrolled in the Smithsonian World History Certificate program will earn 1/2 credit. This program is offered online from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. $25-$30

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.