Events for the Week of December 14-18: Harry Truman, A Doll’s House, The Muppets and More!
Monday, December 14: Harry S. Truman: The Man from Independence: Cultures in Motion Performance
Harry Truman is the haberdasher-turned-world leader who supported civil rights and compulsory health insurance and whose legacy includes the controversial decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. Come learn about this former United States president and the love-hate relationship he had with the public in this Cultures in Motion performance written by Clay Teunis and featuring John Dow as Truman. Free. Portrait Gallery, 7:00 PM
Tuesday, December 15: Seasons of Light
For an all-inclusive seasonal celebration, check out “Seasons of Light.” Performed annually for the past ten years, “Seasons of Light” features the customs of winter holidays from different cultures, such as Ramadan, Devali, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, Christmas and Winter Solstice celebrations. Tickets are required. Prices are $6 for adults, $5 for children, $4 for Resident Members. Discovery Theater. 10:15 AM. This event repeats today at 11:30 AM. This event also repeats throughout the month of December, but show times vary. Please check goSmithsonian for show times on the day you intend to visit the National Mall.
Wednesday, December 16: Ask an Expert: Earth Observations from Apollo-Soyuz – The Smithsonian Experiment
In this lunchtime lecture, come listen to Ted Maxwell from the museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies discuss the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz space mission—a landmark collaboration between the United States and the Soviet Union that would be the last mission in the States' Apollo space program . Free. Air and Space Museum, 12:00-12:15 PM
Thursday, December 17: Meet Our Museum: The Dolls Decorate the House for the Holidays
The Doll's house is a very, very, very fine house—and it's decked out for the holidays! Wreaths have been hung and Christmas trees trimmed in this perennial visitor favorite: the five-story early 20th century miniature mansion that is home to the Doll family. (You can read more about the house here.) Today, come listen to curator Larry Bird talk about intricate details of this home that recently came to light after a recent renovation of the piece. American History Museum, 12:00-12:30 PM.
Friday, December 18: Discovery Theater, A Muppet Family Christmas Film Screening
Get into the seasonal swing of things with a screening of the 1987 holiday special A Muppet Family Christmas which features favorite characters such as Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef—who tries to make dinner out of Big Bird. Free. Discovery Theater, 10:15 AM
For more information on events and exhibitions at the Smithsonian museums, check our companion website, goSmithsonian.com, the official visitor’s guide to the Smithsonian.