Lauren Lyons

Lauren Lyons is a public affairs specialist at Smithsonian Associates.

Stories from this author

Open spiral-bound sketchbook on a wooden desk showing a pencil drawing of a large bird statue in front of a cathedral-like building, surrounded by plants, a pencil, and an eraser.

Spring Into Creativity: Discover Art Classes From Smithsonian Associates

A variety of art images appear in a collage including a portrait of a woman in a red dress, a nightscape, a large marble domed building, an equestrian state and a statue of a man holding a calf on his shoulders

Earn a Smithsonian World Art History Certificate This Year

Red and gold Christmas ornaments rest on top of open sheet music, surrounded by curled gold ribbon, creating a festive holiday scene

Celebrate the Season: Your Guide to Smithsonian Associates’ Holiday Programs

A variety of tools used to create art are displayed including scissors, fabric, a digital camera, tubes of paint and paintbrushes

New Season, New Skills: Explore Fall Art Classes From Smithsonian Associates

Sun shines brightly on a mountain landscape scene depicting a road with an RV

Discover the History of America's Road Trip Culture and More Learning Experiences From Smithsonian Associates

A person sculpts a clay bust. Two additional sculptures appear in the background.

Discover Online and In-Person Art Classes from Smithsonian Associates

A variety of art images appear in a collage including a portrait of a woman in a red dress, a nightscape, a large marble domed building, an equestrian state and a statue of a man holding a calf on his shoulders

Earn a Smithsonian World Art History Certificate Online in 2025

A portion of a violin is shown accented with red ribbon and an ornament

Celebrate the Spirit of the Season With These Festive Smithsonian Associates Programs

A stunning composite images of stars appearing in a crab formation deep in space

Discoveries of the Webb Space Telescope and More Programs in September

A baseball player hits a ball while at bat in a crowded stadium

Baseball in the Movies and More Programs to Kick off Summer

A portrait of a man wearing a dark shirt

An Evening With Author Erik Larson and More Programs in May

A variety of art images appear in a collage including a portrait of a woman in a red dress, a nightscape, a large marble domed building, an equestrian state and a statue of a man holding a calf on his shoulders

Enter a World of Art in 2024

A group of hikers surrounded by trees on a trail look up as a tour leader points something out

A New Year of Delightful Destinations

A hand places a pecan on a decadent dessert

Get Ready for the Holidays With These Festive Programs

A smiling Dorothy Liebes stands in her studio in her blue apron, supervising two young women sitting at looms with spools of colorful thread and skeins of yarn close at hand.

The Vibrant Textiles of Dorothy Liebes and More Programs in July

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Hokusai’s Career in Prints and More Programs in June

A group of children and two adults sit at a table creating origami birds among exhibits.

Kids Can Experience a Night of Adventure at the Smithsonian This Summer

A man wearing a lab coat sits in a chair inside a wire cage with electric bolts coming down

Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Bill Nye’s 'The End Is Nye' Series Plus More Programs in May

A solar flare erupting from the sun in deep space.

A Grand Tour of the Solar System and More Programs in April

A black and white photograph featuring cars with people conversing.

True Tales from the Life of Alice Roosevelt Longworth and More Programs in March

A woman wearing a brightly colored shirt with flowers smiles while showing two children a butterfly that is perched on her finger.

Summer Camps Offer Kids Opportunities to Connect with the Smithsonian’s Museums and Research

Two men stand, one wearing glasses and a scarf and the other with a mustache, smile for the camera.

Rick Steves on Eating in Italy and More Programs in February

Image of five works of art, including a painting with a girl in a red hat, the Taj Mahal, Starry Night, a statue of a calf-bearer, and an equestrian statue.

Earn a Smithsonian World Art History Certificate in 2023

A giant panda sitting in a snowy landscape holds a piece of bamboo

Celebrating Giant Pandas at the National Zoo and More Programs in January

Wide shot of snowy forest and a line of seven Canadian geese on the shore of a stream.

Birding in a Winter Wonderland and More Seasonal Programs in December

Wide shot of people admiring the Christmas Tree lights at Market Square.

Get Ready for the Holiday Season With These Festive Programs

A woman stands with her arms crossed looking intently at the camera. She appears in front of a black background wearing a black leotard.

Misty Copeland Honors a Trailblazing Black Ballerina and More Programs in November

A group of jazz musicians perform on a stage to a live audience

An Evening with Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Plus More Programs in October

A rocket launches into a bright blue sky from a launchpad amid a great deal of smoke and near a body of water

The Private Space Industry Revolution Plus 20 More Programs in September

Image shows a variety of foods including a piece of salmon, avocados, sardines and two small bowls of nuts and seeds

How to Be a Conscious Eater Plus More Programs in August

Image is black and white showing a man in a suit standing in front of a river

60 Years of Bond, James Bond and More Programs in July

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Kids Can Experience Nighttime Adventures at the Smithsonian This Summer

Image shows a woman wearing a white shirt standing with and holding the reins of a horse

Geraldine Brooks on the Heart of a Horse and More Programs in June

Image depicts an Egyptian funerary mask

Almost Lost to History: King Tut and His Tomb Plus More Programs in May

Image shows a landscape of tall grass with a herd of bison roaming

Saving Yellowstone, Frans de Waal on Gender, Icelandic Folklore and More Programs in April

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J. Kenji López-Alt on the Wok, a Night at the Oscars, Jane Austen’s Enduring Legacy and More Programs in March

Image shows a smiling woman eating a bowl of fruit.

Explore How Women Chefs Achieve Food Justice and Community Empowerment

A Cheetah and a Cub play together

A Celebration of Love in the Animal Kingdom and More Streaming Programs in February

Image shows two children wearing masks painting

Smithsonian Summer Camp Is Back!

Image of five works of art, including a painting with a girl in a red hat, the Taj Mahal, Starry Night, a statue of a calf-bearer, and an equestrian statue.

Earn a Smithsonian World Art History Certificate in 2022

Image shows a castle in snow

Ring in the New Year With Streaming Programs Inspired by the Smithsonian's World of Knowledge

A modern evergreen wreath on a metal hoop displayed on a white background

Get Ready for the Holiday Season With These Virtual Programs

Image of a woman, Elizabeth Warren, smiling in a blue shirt

Senator Elizabeth Warren, Kal Penn, Remembering Cokie Roberts and More Programs Streaming in November

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Ken Burns, Anthony Fauci, Justice Stephen Breyer, Stanley Tucci and Ina Garten Headline October Streaming Programs

On September 28 cooking teacher, author and journalist Susan Herrmann Loomis invites you to enter her Parisian kitchen virtually during a Smithsonian Associates Streaming program as she shares what the home cook needs to know to make a delicious plat du jour. (Francis Hammond)

Cooking French Classics and 25 Other Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in September

Professional puzzler Stanley Newman leads a Smithsonian Associates Streaming seminar

Mastering Crosswords and 19 Other Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in August

Cooking Up History, presented by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and Smithsonian Associates, shares fresh insights into American culture past and present through the lens of food.

Cooking Up History with the National Museum of American History and Smithsonian Associates

In a Smithsonian Associates Streaming program on July 28, a panel of experts share the best advice and resources for staying safe, healthy and well-informed so you can relax on your long-overdue trip.

How to Start Traveling Again and 25 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in July

On June 3 live from Panama, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute staff share their ground-breaking research on tropical forests and marine ecosystems.

Live from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and 26 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in June

Smithsonian Associates Streaming presents surprising stories behind the jewels in the Smithsonian National Gem Collection. (Hope Diamond, Chip Clark)

Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection Unearthed and 34 More Programs Streaming in May

CULINASIA panel discussions will be held May 5, May 19, June 9 and June 23.

CULINASIA Conversation Series Explores the Future of Asian Food in America

Egyptologist Jacquelyn Williamson on site at Tell el-Amarna. Williamson will lead an all-day seminar for Smithsonian Associates on April 10 examining the site's latest discoveries.

Excavations at Tell el-Amarna and 25 Other Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in April

Smithsonian Summer Virtual Adventures will be held from June 21 through Aug. 27. (Smithsonian Associates)

Smithsonian Summer Virtual Adventures Offer Live Learning Experiences for Kids

Theodore Roosevelt scholar and historian Clay Jenkinson tells the story of Roosevelt’s beloved west and the national park that bears his name in a Smithsonian Associates Streaming program on March 4. (National Park Service)

Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota and 27 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in March

Matthew McConaughey joins Gayle King for a Smithsonian Asssociates Streaming event on February 10 to discuss his new memoir. (Vida Alves McConaughey)

An Evening with Matthew McConaughey and 26 Other Virtual Smithsonian Events in February

Edward Hopper,

Earn a Smithsonian World Art History Certificate in 2021

Smithsonian Associates Streaming presents

An Evening with Martin Sheen and 24 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in January

Smithsonian at 8, a production of Smithsonian Associates, hosts smart, adventurous and memorably entertaining after-hours gatherings with themes from the local to the global.

A Virtual Winter Solstice Event with Smithsonian at 8

Alex Guarnaschelli talks about cooking with family connections in a live Smithsonian Associates program streaming Dec. 8 (Johnny Miller).

Cooking with Alex Guarnaschelli and 25 Other Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in December

Chef Danielle Renov offers up festive Hanukkah ideas from her new cookbook during a Smithsonian Associates Streaming program on December 6. (Moshe Wulliger)

Get Ready for the Holiday Season With These Virtual Smithsonian Programs

Sommelier Erik Segelbaum leads a guided tasting of the perfect wines to pair with the season’s traditional foods on Nov. 20.

Perfect Food and Wine Pairings and 26 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in November

Smithsonian Associates will offer a virtual tour of George Washington's Alexandria on October 16 that spotlights churches, houses, taverns and other sites associated with the first president, as well the newly revitalized waterfront. (Visit Alexandria)

A Virtual Tour of Old Town Alexandria and 27 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in October

Jodi Picoult, Deepak Chopra, and Kevin Kwan are among the authors speaking at Smithsonian Associates Streaming programs this fall. Photo left to right (Rainer Hosch, Michael-Allen, Jessica Chou)

Best-Selling Authors Headline Smithsonian Associates Streaming Programs

In a live-streamed Smithsonian Associates program on September 23, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Alan Alda discuss the intricacies of the virus that has held the public in sway since March.

Anthony Fauci and Alan Alda Talk Science and 26 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in September

Jill Heinerth, a Canadian cave diver, underwater explorer, writer, photographer and filmmaker, shares stories from her expeditions in a live-streamed event on Aug. 12. (Jill Heinerth)

Exploring Underwater Caves and 22 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in August

In a Smithsonian Associates Streaming program on July 8, historian Allen Pietrobon leads a literary journey that explores the nature and impact of American travel stories.

The Great American Road Trip and 20 Other Smithsonian Associates Events Streaming in July

Art historian Renee Gondek will discuss the disasters of Ancient Thebes in live, virtual Smithsonian Associates event on June 4.

10 Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in June

Free Smithsonian Associates Streaming Programs run from May 14 to June 11 (Smithsonian Associates).

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Launches With 11 Free Programs

Teaching artist Mary Hall Surface stands in front of Edward Hopper’s 1939 painting Cape Cod Evening at the National Gallery of Art. Surface will lead a creative writing workshop for Smithsonian Associates at the Freer Gallery of Art on March 27.

A Creative Writing Workshop and 20 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in March

Restaurateur Danny Meyer will talk about bringing Manhattan style to D.C. dining at the Smithsonian on February 20. (Daniel Krieger)

A Conversation with Restaurateur Danny Meyer and 18 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in February

Television host Darley Newman explores falconry traditions in the desert of Qatar. She'll be speaking about Qatar at the Smithsonian on January 30. (Travels with Darley)

Travels with Darley Newman and 22 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in January

Smithsonian Associates will hosts an evening with singer-songwriter Ben Folds on December 3. (Joe Vaughn)

An Evening with Ben Folds and 21 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in December

Katie Couric will receive the 2019 John P. McGovern at a Smithsonian Associates event on Nov. 12. (Kevin Lynch Inc)

A Conversation with Katie Couric and 23 Other Smithsonian Associates Events in November

A student learns how to turn spring foliage into botanical watercolors and prints on paper in the Smithsonian Associates studio arts class, Painting and Printing: Leaves Two Ways. (Sue Fierston)

A Botanical Painting and Printing Class and 21 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in October

At Smithsonian Associates' annual Breakfast at the Zoo on Sept. 14, animal keepers will give informal talks offering participants a chance to see selected animals up close. (Norwood Photography)

Breakfast at the Zoo and 25 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in September

SMITHSONIAN at 8's A Garden Party: From Africa to Asia will take place Friday, Aug. 16 in the Enid A. Haupt Garden. Guests will enjoy music, cocktails, curator talks and late-night access to galleries featuring art from the African and Asian continents.

A Garden Party and 21 Other Things to Do in August at the Smithsonian

Smithsonian Associates will offer sunrise hiking tours through Great Falls National Park into Mather Gorge in July and August. (Dennis Govonni)

Sunrise Hiking and 20 Other Things to Do with Smithsonian Associates in July

Former Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough holds

Learn the Real Science Behind 'Breaking Bad’ and 19 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in June

Smithsonian Sleepover at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar Hazy Center (Smithsonian Associates)

18 Things to Do at the Smithsonian in May

Jennifer Barnhart and Rick Lyon with the Avenue Q puppet, Nicky. Barnhart and Lyon will speak at a Smithsonian Associates event on April 27.

25 Things to Do at the Smithsonian in April

Smithsonian Studio Arts Oil Painting Class (Smithsonian Associates)

20 Things to Do at the Smithsonian in March

What Makes It Great? With Rob Kapilow (Christian Amonson)

14 Things to Do at the Smithsonian in February

Emerson String Quartet (Tristan Cook)

15 Things to Do at the Smithsonian in January