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From Memory to Hope: A Service of Poetry and Prayer to Honor the Ancestors (People’s Poetry Gathering)
“Of the People” Festivals
Join a special All Saints’ Day service and community sing to honor and celebrate those we have loved and lost, and whose lives continue to inspire us. A collaborative presentation by St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, NEWorks Productions, the People’s Poetry Gathering, and Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, the service will weave together liturgy from the Episcopal tradition and original music by American composer Nolan Williams, Jr. rendered by the NEWorks Voices of America, the St. Mark’s Choir, and the gathered assembly.
Through poetry, prayer, and song, we will lift our voices in remembrance and gratitude, honoring those who have gone before us and celebrating the love, courage, and hope that continue to connect us across generations. The service is open to the public and everyone is welcome.
Nolan Williams, Jr.—multihyphenate creative and chief music editor of the landmark, bestselling African American Heritage Hymnal—has become a preeminent leader of community sings that bring…
Categories: Celebrations. Cost: Free. Event Location: New York, New York.
Sunday, November 1, 2026.
St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery
New York, NY.
For more info visit citylore.org. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Looking for a deeper dive into ocean topics? Come and find one of our Ocean Educators to explore some of the latest discoveries in marine science, stationed at an interactive cart in the Sant Ocean Hall.
Image Credit: Phillip R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
CANCELLED - SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Sketch & Discover Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join docent Sushmita Mazumdar every first Sunday of the month as she guides you to use pencil and paper to consider the unique ideas and expressions of Asian artists from various traditions spanning the continent across centuries. All materials will be provided. No reservation needed.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45-minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Tours | Arts of Japan
Gallery Talks & Tours
As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Beyond the Studio Workshop: Embroidery with Capital Stitch Co
One-Time Events
SOLD OUT
Local maker Miri Artyukhina of Capital Stitch Co unveils a brand-new pattern for booklovers at this November workshop. Participants will learn embroidery basics and all skills required to create a charming artwork, to keep for yourself or gift to your favorite bookworm. Please note that space is limited for this program and registration is required.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: MacMillan Education Center. Cost: SOLD OUT. Categories: Workshops.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
American Bison Cart Chat
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join educators in the "Bison: Standing Strong" exhibit to discover more about the Nation's Mammal - the American Bison. Learn how these fascinating animals alter their ecosystem in ways that benefit other animals and their habitat, as well as their importance to humans.
Image by Jean Beaufort, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83971372 .
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Bison: Standing Strong exhibit. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
CANCELLED - SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. NY | Hands On: Lotería!
One-Time Events
Let’s play Lotería!
A popular game played in Mexico, Lotería is similar to the game of bingo. Our version will introduce you to the colorful world of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or new to the game, our bilingual (Spanish/English) Lotería highlights the different elements related to the celebration, such as plants, animals, people, and activities, in a fun and easy way to learn.
All are welcome!
*Visitors age 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
CANCELLED - SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Printing Press Demonstration
Ongoing Tours & Activities
In the years leading up to the Revolution, cartoons, newspapers, broadsides, and pamphlets created by patriots like Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, and Thomas Paine helped unsettle American loyalty to King George III and fueled the colonial Americans’ desire for independence. Stop by our reproduction eighteenth-century printing press to understand the historical connections between technology, communication, and democracy.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 2 East. Cost: Free. Categories: Demonstrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. El Día de los Muertos
One-Time Events
A celebration of el Día de los Muertos!
Join us for our annual celebration of el Día de los Muertos—one of the Portrait Gallery’s biggest events of the year—with live music, Mexican folk-dance performances, workshops and a variety of activities for all ages, from 5 to 8 p.m in the museum's Kogod Courtyard. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. take the celebration to the streets and see video artwork by artists MasPaz and Guache. The artists will create their work live from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library rooftop and project it on the outside of the museum building (G and 9th Streets).
The Portrait Gallery strives to provide programs that are accessible to all visitors. If you have questions about the accessibility of this program, or if you would like to request real-time captioning (CART), sign language interpretation, or any other accommodations, please contact npgeducation@si.edu. Two weeks' advance notice is appreciated for requesting accommodations.
Event Location: Kogod Courtyard and G and 9th Streets. Cost: Free. Registration encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/el-dia-de-los-muertos-tickets-1999711845962?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Celebrations.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati (Sunday series)
All Programs
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 Sundays. This concert features music composed by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of American History Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/axelrod-string-quartet-1P0927?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Virtual Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join educators from the National Postal Museum for live, interactive story time. Designed for children ages 4-7, but all are welcome!
Mondays at 11:00 (ET) National Postal Museum educators will read stories aloud and lead related activities in a Zoom meeting for children and their caregivers. Explore a range of postal-related topics and more! Sessions will be interactive and last approximately 45-60 minutes. Caregivers are expected to be present with children for the duration of the program.
Event Location: Online Only. Online Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/story-time-with-the-national-postal-museum-registration-141338917507. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/story-time-with-the-national-postal-museum-registration-141338917507. Categories: Kids & Families. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Portrait Gallery Kids
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Children and families are invited to learn, play and create at the Portrait Gallery! Join educators every Monday as we explore a variety of topics and artistic materials. Participants will get a closer look at art with hands-on activities, music and story times. Portrait Gallery Kids is a fun way to engage with art and each other.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-portrait-gallery-kids-tickets-654254040447?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Tours | Arts of China
Gallery Talks & Tours
Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics.
Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Jamestown: The First 100 Years
All Programs
While the early days of Jamestown were marred with struggle, conflict, and tragedy, the settlement would survive as the first permanent English colony in North America. Unearth the tumultuous first century of Jamestown in this four-part series with Mark Summers, the public historian for the Jamestown Rediscovery archaeological project.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jamestown-first-100-years?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jamestown-first-100-years?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Cultural Expressions Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This tour introduces visitors to the broad concept of African American and African diaspora culture and five ways through which that culture is expressed. Guests converse with a docent while exploring objects pertaining to Style: Image and Identity, Foodways: Culture and Cuisine, Artistry: Craftsmanship and Creativity, Movement: Social Dance and Gesture and Language: The Power of the Word that are featured in the Cultural Expressions exhibition.
Photo Credit: NMAAHC.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: This one-hour tour program meets in the Cultural Expressions exhibition, located on L4. Tours take place at 1:15 PM and 2:30 PM. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 12:45 PM – 3:45 PM.
Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Converse with a docent. Learn how African Americans flourished in their own communities during the Era of Segregation 1876-1968 despite the turmoil around them. Under a time of intense pressure to take away their rights as citizens, African Americans not only survived the challenges set before them but crafted an important role for themselves in the nation.
Image Credit: NMAAHC.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: This one-hour tour program meets in the Defending Freedom, The Era of Segregation 1876-1968 exhibit, located on C2. Tours take place at 12:45 PM and 2:45 PM. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 12:45 PM – 3:45 PM.
Megalodon Mania
One-Time Events
Have you ever wanted to hold a piece of ancient history in your hands? Get up close with real fossilized Megalodon shark teeth collected at the bottom of the ocean! Travel millions of years into the past to discover where these giant sharks lived, where their fossils are found, and how fossils form.
Presented by: Dr. Colleen Brown, Aquatic Ecologist, Sea Grant Knauss Fellow
Photo by Colleen Brown.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Watercolor Beginning Techniques
All Programs
Have you wanted to try watercolor but found extended courses difficult to schedule? This three-session watercolor workshop covers the basics that you need to get your watercolor practice started.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/watercolor-beginning-techniques?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/watercolor-beginning-techniques?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
Tour | The Peacock Room at 150
Gallery Talks & Tours
Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Night Photography in Washington, D.C.
All Programs
Learn the techniques required to capture great nighttime photos, including how to use exposure modes, exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO. For the second session, meet in the field to photograph the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/night-photography-in-washington-d-c?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/night-photography-in-washington-d-c?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
Orchids: Rooted in History
All Programs
Orchids aren’t just beautiful—they’re ancient survivors, with a lineage stretching back more than 120 million years. Over time, they’ve adapted to nearly every environment, evolving extraordinary forms and captivating people across cultures. Barb Schmidt, the vice president of the American Orchid Society, leads a journey through deep time, from orchids that grew alongside dinosaurs to the dazzling varieties of today. Schmidt explores their evolution, stories of daring orchid hunters, and the cultural meanings that have made these blooms so fascinating.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/orchids-rooted-in-history?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/orchids-rooted-in-history?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
The Statue of Liberty: A Transatlantic Story
All Programs
When French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi first traveled to the United States to propose the construction of a giant tribute to liberty, Americans either rejected the idea or were baffled by it. Nevertheless, completed in 1886, the Statue of Liberty stands today as one of the best-known symbols of the United States. It was ultimately a gift from the French people to the American people, as private citizens, not the two governments, financed it from torch to toe. Historian Edward Berenson illuminates the origins of Lady Liberty, the complex construction process, and her shifting meaning.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/statue-of-liberty?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/statue-of-liberty?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Rise of Fascism
All Programs
Historian and author William I. Hitchcock argues that Americans were not simply indifferent to the rise of fascism before World War II. From Mussolini’s rise in 1922 to Pearl Harbor in 1941, the nation engaged in intense debates over the threat—and appeal—of authoritarianism. Initially focused on the New Deal and avoiding foreign conflicts, Franklin D. Roosevelt gradually recognized fascism’s dangers. Influenced by journalists, advisers, and activists, he helped build a coalition committed to defending democracy, human rights, and freedom worldwide.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/fdr-and-rise-of-fascism?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/fdr-and-rise-of-fascism?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: After Five.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Little Critters: Nature Play at the Bird House (Finding Fossils)
NZP Kids and Families
Calling all young paleontologists!
Join us for creative, drop-in play at the Zoo as we explore ancient worlds through fossils.
Little Critters: Nature Play is designed for ages 0-5 and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians must remain with their children.
Location: Bird House Classroom.
Venue: National Zoo. Event Location: Bird House Classroom. Cost: Free drop-in program; no pre-registration required.Parents and guardians must remain with their children. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
For more info visit nationalzoo.si.edu. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Write Into Art: Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art
All Programs
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for a course of three online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. The sessions spotlight a diverse range of visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice. This session focuses on 16th-century Bolognese Mannerist painter Lavinia Fontana.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/write-into-art-1K0739?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/write-into-art-1K0739?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Animal Spotlight - Bison!
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This week is a special animal spotlight on bison! Families can celebrate our national mammal by making observations of bison specimens from our education collection, learn about ways they help their ecosystem, and explore how bison have been portrayed in art.
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals exhibit on the 1st floor of the museum. Please note that space is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is possible that the program might be at capacity when you arrive. If this happens, please enjoy other areas of the museum and try again later in the program.
Accessibility: Access services such as American…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
Flights of Fancy Story Time: Nobody Owns the Sky by Reeve Lindbergh
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join us to hear the story of brave Bessie Coleman and learn about all of the places she traveled in her life to reach her dream of becoming a pilot. After the story, make a banner to celebrate your own hopes and dreams.
Takes place at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center each Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am.
These programs are made possible through the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Venue: Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center. Event Location: At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Ask at the Welcome Center for the exact location of that day's story time. Cost: Free, Parking $15. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit airandspace.si.edu. Tours | Arts of Japan
Gallery Talks & Tours
As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Chinese Art: From the Bronze Age to the People’s Republic
All Programs
With a dynamic, far-reaching history that spans the Neolithic period to the modern age, Chinese civilization has given rise to some of the world’s most remarkable artistic creations. Art historian Robert DeCaroli explores this complex legacy by examining how shifts in China’s social, religious, and political life have influenced transformations in its material culture. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/chinese-art?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/chinese-art?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Workshops
Register to join the sessions.
Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections.
All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image credit: Taki Katei / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Toshio and Yuka Fujikura in memory of Tome Fujikura, F2014.8.28a-d.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ginJalQ2SrujYkg4lbl2ZA. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ginJalQ2SrujYkg4lbl2ZA. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Virtual Tour | Art of South Asia
Gallery Talks & Tours
Encounter South Asian art from across the Indian subcontinent in this free, online tour. Journey through time, from historical sculptures to contemporary art and photography. This tour highlights both the diversity and unity of South Asian art, and it brings together works from the traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Image: Krishna Entertains His Companions; India, Himachal Pradesh state, Guler or Chamba, ca. 1760–1765; opaque watercolor and gold on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection—funds provided by the Friends of the National Museum of Asian Art, S2018.1.8.
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1XcV5JccQ_eOqyJjgd7MRQ. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Tour | The Peacock Room at 150
Gallery Talks & Tours
Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Magna Graecia: Early Greek Culture in Italy
All Programs
In Plato’s time the South of Italy was known as “Greater Greece,” the beautiful land settled in the centuries after 800 B.C.E. by colonists from the Greek mainland. Author Ross King examines how these settlers brought trade and prosperity as well as their religion, customs, alphabet, and language. They also nurtured on Italian soil the political, philosophical, and artistic foundations that would influence and support the world of the Ancient Romans and, much later, that of the Italian Renaissance.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/magna-graecia?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/magna-graecia?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Storytime Studio: Let’s Head Outside
One time events
ABOUT STORYTIME STUDIO
Storytime Studio is a captivating blend of play, educator-led read-alouds, and art exploration designed for kids from birth to age 6 and their caregivers. Every Wednesday morning at 10 and 11 AM, visitors are welcomed into our studio to enjoy a special
Storytime adventure.
Storytime Studio has limited capacity. Entry is first-come, first-served.
THIS WEEK
This November, let’s explore the revitalized Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden together.. We’ll start off by visiting Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti’s Monumental Head (1960), a portrait of his brother Diego. After celebrating sibling relationships in a read-aloud of Louise Loves Art, we’ll make our own sculptures of a loved one using wire and tinfoil.
Featured book: Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, Storytime Studio is a one-hour experience.
There are two Storytime sessions each Wednesday, with entry times at 10 and 11 AM. Participation for each adult and child is limited to one hour.
No pre-registration is…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Events: Storytime Studio, About Hirshhorn Kids, Visiting with Kids, Art Project: Rock and Metal Sculpture.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Van Gogh’s Toolbox: Expressive Techniques in Drawing for Self-Taught Artists
All Programs
Although Vincent van Gogh was self-taught, his imaginative drawings and instantly recognizable touch reveal a deep understanding of principles like line weight, spacing, and value. Through hands-on exercises prompted by van Gogh’s drawings and his global influences, discover how to make your marks more imaginative and expressive. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/van-goghs-toolbox-techniques-in-drawing?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/van-goghs-toolbox-techniques-in-drawing?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
Wellness Wednesday
One-Time Events
Join the Portrait Gallery and wellness expert Aparna Sadananda for mindfulness programs inspired by the Portrait Gallery’s collection. Explore artful meditations, sound baths and musical meditations. For a detailed schedule of wellness programs please reference the specific dates below. These programs are for ages 18+ and are suitable for all skill levels. No experience is necessary.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wellness-wednesdays-tickets-2001072638128?aff=ebdsoporgprofile. Categories: Workshops.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Advanced Embroidery Stitches
All Programs
Expand your knowledge of embroidery into more challenging stitches and learn how to best use them in designs. Study the “families” of stitches and explore their many variations.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/advanced-embroidery-stitches?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/advanced-embroidery-stitches?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
A History of Gilbraltar
All Programs
In classical antiquity, Gibraltar inspired the original idea that the Earth was divided into distinct continents. Sailors, poets, and geographers saw Gibraltar as a natural marker separating the Mediterranean from the Atlantic and Europe from Africa. This idea had lasting global ramifications, and the geography of the Strait of Gibraltar helped create the pattern of European imperialism and the trajectory of the slave trade. Historian Geoffrey Plank traces Gibraltar’s story from its connections across the Mediterranean to its role as a symbolic boundary between continents, cultures, and religions.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/history-of-gilbraltar?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/history-of-gilbraltar?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
See Me at the Smithsonian with NMAA
See Me at the Smithsonian
See Me at the Smithsonian is a free, virtual program that fosters connection and belonging for adults with dementia and their companions through discussions and reflections on museum objects.
During this virtual program, participants will view portraits from the National Museum of Asian Art's new From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art exhibition.
This program will include a hands-on activity.
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/LFb-lPgjRbKEn1ClzwPUTQ#/registration. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Tour | The Peacock Room at 150
Gallery Talks & Tours
Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Musical Innovation in the Age of AI
One-Time Events
Throughout history, new technologies have changed the ways people create, experiment, and bring ideas to life. Today, AI is becoming another tool in the creative process, giving songwriters new ways to improvise, explore possibilities, and develop variations on their ideas. What happens to the creative process when people collaborate with AI? How might new technologies change what it means to compose, invent, and create?
In this free public program, a human-centered composer and an expert in computational creativity join a music journalist and critic to explore how AI is reshaping songwriting and the relationship between people and technology. Together, they will consider the possibilities and pitfalls of AI-assisted creativity and what this emerging technology can teach us about the nature of invention itself.
Doors open at 6:00 PM | Program Begins at 6:30 PM
An audience Q&A and light reception, including book sales and signing, will follow.
Speakers: inti figgis-vizueta & Maya Ackerman
Moderator: David…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Warner Bros. Theater, first floor. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2002301153651. Categories: After Five. Demonstrations. Performances. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. By Illegitimate Means: How Birth Decides Dynasties
All Programs
Legitimacy in medieval and early modern England was never private. Birthright could reorder kingdoms and spark wars. Historian Cheryl White traces how disputed heirs shaped dynasties—from William the Conqueror, mocked as “the Bastard” yet able to seize a throne, to the crises after Edward III and the tenuous claim of Henry VII. White reveals how the fate of a kingdom could turn on one enduring question: Who was born to rule?
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/by-illegitimate-means?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/by-illegitimate-means?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Gaudí's Vision: Heritage, Innovation, and the Future of Design
All Programs
As the world commemorates the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death, explore the lasting influence of this visionary architect. Most of Gaudi’s Modernist designs are in or near Barcelona, Spain, and seven of them have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Amilcar Vargas, head of heritage at Casa Batlló—a Gaudi masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site—examines how the architect’s work inspires conversations about creativity, sustainability, craftsmanship, and the relationship between nature and the built environment. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/gaudis-vision?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:45 PM.
Virunga National Park
All Programs
The mist-enshrouded peaks of the Virunga Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are part of one of Africa’s earliest protected natural areas. Known for an active chain of volcanoes, Virunga National Park is home to the endangered mountain gorilla and more than 300 other faunal and floral species. Historian Justin M. Jacobs shows how together with the adjacent lands of Volcanoes National Park, made famous by the fieldwork of zoologist Dian Fossey, Virunga provides a tense yet majestic backdrop for the competing demands of economic development and ecological preservation.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/virunga-national-park?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/virunga-national-park?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
San Francisco: Then and Now
All Programs
Regional historian and master storyteller John Martini brings the past vividly into the present through the fascinating art of rephotography—the process of locating the exact vantage points of historic photographs and capturing those same scenes today. Using dozens of compelling “then-and-now” comparisons, Martini reveals how some of the Bay Area’s most famous landmarks, including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point, and Sutro Baths, have evolved across more than a century of dramatic change.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/san-francisco-then-and-now?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/san-francisco-then-and-now?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
The American Table: 10 Cookbooks That Shaped a Nation
All Programs
Among the thousands of cookbooks published since the nation’s earliest days, a select few have transformed the way Americans cook, eat, and think about food. Cultural historian Leslie Goddard journeys through the pages of some of America’s most influential cookbooks, including ones by Fannie Farmer, Irma Rombauer, and Julia Child, and uncovers what they reveal about the evolution of American food culture.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/american-table?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/american-table?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Culinary Arts.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Historically Speaking – Loving the Fire: An Evening with Deborah Santana
One-Time Events
Join us for an intimate, uplifting evening with Deborah Santana in the Oprah Winfrey Theater.
Deborah Santana is a celebrated author, business leader, and founder of Do a Little, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational and health opportunities for women and girls globally. Santana is the author of Space Between Stars, co-editor of All the Women in My Family Sing, and producer of five documentary films. She is also a leadership donor and member of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Council, Co-chair of the Smithsonian Education Advisory Board, and a lead investor in the Courage Museum in San Francisco.
Her new book, Loving the Fire: Choosing Me, Finding Freedom, reflects powerfully on transformation, motherhood, family heritage, profound life changes, and spiritual growth. Deborah takes readers on a deep human journey of resilience and renewal. From her work with Daraja Academy to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, she shows…
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: Concourse, Oprah Winfrey Theater. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://tickets.si.edu/nmaahc/events/01a0d99f-9584-ac84-07b7-c29dcc119172?tg=01a0d99f-958b-f59f-bc15-e31f272d3093. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Shopping/Book Signing. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Little Critters: Nature Play at the Bird House (Finding Fossils)
NZP Kids and Families
Calling all young paleontologists!
Join us for creative, drop-in play at the Zoo as we explore ancient worlds through fossils.
Little Critters: Nature Play is designed for ages 0-5 and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians must remain with their children.
Location: Bird House Classroom.
Venue: National Zoo. Event Location: Bird House Classroom. Cost: Free drop-in program; no pre-registration required.Parents and guardians must remain with their children. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
For more info visit nationalzoo.si.edu. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Big Objects, Big Stories: Point of Pines Plantation Slave Cabin
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join us for a docent-led tour to get a fresh look into the Museum's featured object. At each of these 15-minute talks visitors will hear incredibly big stories about a big object.
About this Program: Visitors cannot overlook the Point of Pines Plantation Slave Cabin, a circa early 1800s slave cabin from the Point of Pines Plantation on Edisto Island, S.C. The cabin is one of two remaining slave dwellings on Edisto Island. Its story provides a revealing glimpse into the most formative and troubling chapters in American history.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: Program meets at the Point of Pines Planation Slave Cabin, Level C3. Talks take place at: 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Science on a Sphere
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Come explore our blue planet with NMNH Ocean Educators. Through NOAA’s Science on a Sphere technology, you’ll encounter a series of interactive visualizations projected on the Sant Ocean Hall’s giant globe. Watch sea turtles migrate coast to coast, track ships through global waters in real-time, explore the changing climate patterns shaping our planet, and much more!
Photo credit: Jennifer Renteria, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Flights of Fancy Story Time: Nobody Owns the Sky by Reeve Lindbergh
Ongoing Activities
Join us to hear the story of brave Bessie Coleman and learn about all of the places she traveled in her life to reach her dream of becoming a pilot. After the story, make a banner to celebrate your own hopes and dreams.
Takes place each at the National Air and Space Museum in DC each Thursday at 11 am.
No event reservations, but remember to get your free timed-entry pass to the Museum.
These programs are made possible through the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Venue: Air and Space Museum. Event Location: At the National Air and Space Museum in DC. Ask at the Welcome Center for that day's exact location. Cost: This is a free drop-in story time. You will need free timed-entry passes to enter the Museum. Categories: Kids & Families.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit airandspace.si.edu. Flights of Fancy Story Time: Nobody Owns the Sky by Reeve Lindbergh
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join us to hear the story of brave Bessie Coleman and learn about all of the places she traveled in her life to reach her dream of becoming a pilot. After the story, make a banner to celebrate your own hopes and dreams.
Takes place at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center each Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am.
These programs are made possible through the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Venue: Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center. Event Location: At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Ask at the Welcome Center for the exact location of that day's story time. Cost: Free, Parking $15. Categories: Kids & Families.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit airandspace.si.edu. Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Tours | Arts of Japan
Gallery Talks & Tours
As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
A History of the Movie Musical
All Programs
As soon as movies learned to talk, they also learned to sing and dance—and the movie musical quickly became one of America’s most popular film genres. Media historian Brian Rose guides you through the rich history of the movie musical, illustrated with extended clips from dozens of classic films. From 42nd Street and Swing Time to Meet Me in St. Louis, West Side Story, and Chicago, the four-part series celebrates the songs, stars, and stories that made movie musicals an enduring part of American culture.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/history-of-movie-musical-1J0583B?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/history-of-movie-musical-1J0583B?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM.
Making A Way Out of No Way Highlight Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Learn about the ways in which African Americans created possibilities in a world that denied them opportunities. On this docent led tour visitors will reflect on the perseverance, resourcefulness, and resilience required by African Americans to survive and thrive in America.
Photo Credit: NMAAHC.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: Program meets in the Making A Way Out of No Way exhibition, L3. Each 1-hour tour takes place at 1:30 PM and 2:45 PM. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Making A Way Out of No Way.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
DC | Artful Evenings: Water's Edge with Artist Sky Hopinka
One-Time Events
Enjoy an artful evening that celebrates Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, and learn about connections between the acclaimed Hoocąk artist’s work and that of filmmaker and visual artist Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Indians).
Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and time to enjoy Lowe’s work currently on view.
Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow,…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 1, Rasmuson Theater and Level 3, North Gallery. Cost: Free, registration recommended. Categories: After Five. Celebrations. Films. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
For more info visit s.si.edu. Air and Space After Hours: Innovating Galleries
One-Time Events
From groundbreaking technologies to creative preservation methods, innovation is at the heart of the National Air and Space Museum’s exhibitions. Join us for an after-hours event at the Museum to:
Talk to our curators about the past, present, and future of aviation and space, Get behind-the-scenes stories from staff that care for our artifacts and develop our exhibitions, Meet our partners from around the Smithsonian, including the National Zoo, the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Explore the Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery, Enjoy small bites (included while supplies lasts) and beverages (available for purchase), Listen to music by strolling musicians throughout the building, This program is for guests 21 or older. Guests must present a valid ID for entry.
This event is free but tickets are required. Tickets will be available to be reserved from this linked webpage above on October 2, 2026 at 6 PM ET.
Venue: Air and Space Museum. Event Location: National Air and Space Museum. Cost: Free with registration, only 21+
Tickets will be available to be reserved from this linked webpage above on October 2, 2026 at 6 PM ET. Get Tickets/Register: https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/events/air-and-space-after-hours-2026. Categories: After Five. Gallery Talks & Tours. Demonstrations. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
For more info visit airandspace.si.edu. J.M.W. Turner and John Constable: Rivals in the Romantic Era
All Programs
J.M.W. Turner and John Constable, two of Britain’s greatest painters, were contemporaries. While they had very different approaches to their work, their shared belief in the natural world as inspiration and a source of imagination is reflected in their paintings. Art historian Bonita Billman looks at the lives, careers, and oeuvre of Turner and Constable, examining their artistic influences, painting methods, patrons, and personal interests. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/turner-and-constable?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/turner-and-constable?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet
All Programs
Joseph Smith Jr. became one of 19th-century America’s most influential and controversial religious leaders, publishing The Book of Mormon and founding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He built temples, created a city-state, ran for president, and practiced plural marriage. Historian John G. Turner traces Smith’s rise from impoverished farmhand to his mob-killing, showing how he forged a religious tradition that continues to resonate widely.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/joseph-smith?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/joseph-smith?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
History Film Forum presents “American Sons”
One-Time Events
American Sons follows a brotherhood of Marines a decade after their deployment to Afghanistan as they struggle to overcome the trauma of combat and the loss of their friend Corporal JV Villarreal. At the heart of this 2025 documentary is JV’s narrated, first-person video diary of his life in Afghanistan, which serves as both a window into the past and a testament to the unbreakable bonds of those who sacrifice in war together.
After the film, join us for a panel discussion with special guests:
Cpl. William "Billy" Branch (a Marine who served alongside JV), April Villarreal Rodriguez (JV’s sister), Laura Varela (producer), Andrew James Gonzales (director/producer), This film has sensitive content. Visitors under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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The National Museum of American History welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities. This event is wheelchair accessible. Captioning and assistive listening devices will be provided. Additional accommodations are…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Warner Bros. Theater, 1 Center. Cost: Free, tickets required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-film-forum-presents-american-sons-tickets-2002466236418?aff=trumba. Categories: After Five. Films. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Assisted listening devices. Captioning. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Exposure by Exposure Skate
“Of the People” Festivals
The largest and longest-running event of its kind, Exposure is an annual festival, fundraiser, competition, and skate clinic in Encinitas, California, that champions the growing and dynamic universe of women’s skateboarding. Exposure Skate brings together world-renowned skateboarding legends, rising stars, and young aspiring athletes to activate their mission of empowering women and girls in the skateboarding community through service, mindfulness, and compassion.
Categories: Demonstrations. Performances. Cost: TBA. Event Location: Encinitas, California.
Friday, November 6, 2026 – Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Encinitas, CA.
For more info visit exposureskate.org. Edgar P. Richardson Symposium – Revolutionary Rivals: Portraits from the Global Theater of War
One-Time Events
Event Location: McEvoy Auditorium. Cost: Free. Registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/edgar-p-richardson-symposium-tickets-2001386384552?aff=ebdsoporgprofile. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Due to inclement weather, Wonderplace will open at 12 noon on Friday, January 19, pending staff availability. We will update this entry if the operating status for Wonderplace changes. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis.At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Stamp your calendar for Story Time! Join us every week for a fresh story, a stroll through the Museum, hands-on postal play, and more. Together, we’ll explore mail and all the ways it connects us to people, places, and big ideas.
Stop by anytime—whether you stay for one activity or the whole session, this program will get everyone’s “stamp of approval”.
Meet in the Museum Lobby.
If there are services or accommodations that can improve your experience (e.g. ASL interpretation, etc.), please contact NPMprograms@si.edu; 1–2 week’s advance notice is recommended but not required.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Meet in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free ; no registration required. Categories: Kids & Families.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Slavery and Freedom Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Explore the complex story of slavery and freedom. Visitors will view priceless objects, connect to the past, and hear about the actions of ordinary men and women, demanding freedom and transforming our nation.
Photo Credit: NMAAHC.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: Program meets in the Slavery & Freedom exhibition, located on C3. One hour tours take place at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
DC | (In)Visible Women Wikidata Edit-a-Thon
One-Time Events
Join the Smithsonian's (In)Visible Women Project for a Wikidata edit-a-thon!
Hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Archives Center and Wikimedia DC, this edit-a-thon will focus on connecting existing Wikidata records documenting people with associated Smithsonian collections resources. Please note: capacity is limited to 30 participants, and registration is required.
Once your registration is confirmed:Please be prepared for routine security screening upon entry to the museum (enter at 4th St. & Independence Ave. SW). Attendees should bring a personal laptop to participate in the Wikidata editing training. Please create a Wiki account prior to the event. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, 10:30-11 AM | Arrival and Welcome | Level 4, Rooms 4018/4019Meet the (In)Visible Women project team representing the National Museum of the American Indian and get to know your fellow Edit-A-Thon participants. 11 AM-12 PM | Curator Tour—InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives | Level 2Rachel Menyuk,…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 2, Level 4. Cost: Free, registration required, please note: capacity is limited to 30 participants. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nmai-archives-center-wikidata-edit-a-thon-tickets-2002966326200. Categories: Celebrations. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
Big Moments, Little Stories
One-Time Events
Join us at the Anacostia Community Museum for a cozy story time that brings children, caregivers, and community together through books, creativity, and play. Stories will connect with ACM’s current exhibition and celebrate themes of community, family, neighborhood, history, and the fall and winter seasons.
Families are invited to stay for indoor play, creative exploration, and time to connect with one another. This welcoming, accessible program supports different ways of participating, with sensory toys and tools available for children who benefit from tactile, movement, or sensory experiences.
Come in, get cozy, meet your neighbors, and share stories that remind us that we all have a place in our community’s story.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10:30 a.m.
Duration: About 1 hour.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Sunburst Lounge. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-moments-little-stories-storytime-and-sensory-play-tickets-1999723326300?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa Exhibition Highlights Tour
American Latino Museum
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.
Along the way, you’ll engage with interactive experiences that reveal the heartbeat of salsa—the clave—and the musical st…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor East, Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-exhibition-highlights-tour-tickets-2003993050159. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa ¡Puro Ritmo! | National Museum of the American Latino. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Tours | Arts of China
Gallery Talks & Tours
Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics.
Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Art and Beauty in Siena
All Programs
Art historian and author Laura Morelli leads an immersive virtual tour of Siena, one of Tuscany’s most beautiful and historic cities. Exploring the Gothic cathedral, the Palazzo Pubblico, and the distinctive Piazza del Campo, she reveals the artistic treasures that define Siena’s medieval legacy. Along the way, Morelli examines masterpieces by Duccio, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers, highlighting the art, architecture, and history that make Siena a jewel of Tuscany. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-and-beauty-in-siena?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-and-beauty-in-siena?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Workshops
Register to join the sessions.
Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections.
All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image credit: Taki Katei / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Toshio and Yuka Fujikura in memory of Tome Fujikura, F2014.8.28a-d.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ginJalQ2SrujYkg4lbl2ZA. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ginJalQ2SrujYkg4lbl2ZA. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, November 6, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Trunk Show: Saaj by G
National Museum of Asian Art
Come celebrate Diwali and shop Saaj by G’s jewelry, which blends traditional South Asian craftsmanship with modern design. This trunk show will offer handcrafted, luxurious pieces that celebrate cultural pride and personal expression. Whether you’re looking for bold statement jewelry or delicate everyday accessories, Saaj by G empowers you to showcase your individuality with elegance and grace.
Shop during the Asia After Dark | Diwali Festival on November 6 or the following day during museum hours on November 7. Image provided by Saaj by G, Gurpreet Kaur.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: NMAA Store. Cost: Free. Categories: Shopping/Book Signing. Celebrations. After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – Saturday, November 7, 2026, 4:00 PM.
Lifelong Learners: Community in a Cup
One-Time Events
Led by Brittany Mona' , Community in a Cup: Session 1 is a two-hour hands-on candle-making workshop designed for adults to explore wellness, creativity, and community building through creative practice. The experience invites participants to slow down, reflect on their relationship with the natural world, and discover how simple creative practices can support relaxation, connection, and joy.
Drawing inspiration from the ways communities have used light, scent, and gathering to create spaces of comfort and connection, participants will engage in guided conversation about the personal and cultural meanings associated with candles and communal spaces.
Through facilitated discussion, sensory exploration, hands-on art making, and social interaction, participants will learn the basics of candle making and create a personalized candle using selected scents and materials. Throughout the workshop, participants will have opportunities to share memories, stories, and experiences while connecting with fellow learners.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Program Room. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lifelong-learners-community-in-a-cup-tickets-2002298877844?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Artful Movement | SEL Webinar for Students K–3
Kids and Family
Get ready to observe, chat, and move with art! In these webinars, students (grades K–3) will look carefully at a work of art through facilitated exploration. Then, they will breathe, stretch, and flow through a guided mindful movement. This month’s theme is “Mountain Strong: Steady and Grounded.”
These sessions are perfect for families, homeschool groups, virtual schools, and teachers who may want to review a recording with their students after the live session. Everyone who registers gets a link to the recording. Each session includes American Sign Language interpretation. Sessions take place on Fridays from 1 to 1:30 p.m. We present these webinars in partnership with Create Calm. Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (1797–1858); No. 14 Hara: View of Fuji and the Ashitaka Mountains, from the series Pictures of Famous Places of the Fifty-Three Stations (detail); Japan, 1855, 7th month; ink and color on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Study Collection, Gift of Victor and Takako Hauge, …
Event Location: Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p2Y4aTSfRMOPnZ9b0h3lAQ. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p2Y4aTSfRMOPnZ9b0h3lAQ. Categories: Kids & Families. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa Exhibition Highlights Tour
American Latino Museum
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.
Along the way, you’ll engage with interactive experiences that reveal the heartbeat of salsa—the clave—and the musical st…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor East, Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-exhibition-highlights-tour-tickets-2003993050159. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa ¡Puro Ritmo! | National Museum of the American Latino. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM.
Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Portrait Connections
One-Time Events
A relaxed social event designed for adults (ages 21+) who identify as Autistic or with sensory, learning, and developmental disabilities.
Held in the building’s iconic Great Hall, this program provides opportunities to connect with the community while exploring art, history, and biography in a sensory-friendly environment.
The program offers several opportunities for participation:Exhibition Galleries and Guided Tour: Guests can explore the third-floor galleries at their own pace or join a 30-minute tour at 6:00 p.m highlighting select portraits in nearby galleries. Hands-On Activity: Try a fun, creative activity related to portraiture. Wine, Drinks, and Snacks: Relax and mingle while enjoying refreshments. Each guest will receive one coupon for a free drink. Additional drinks may be purchased. Break Area: Need a break from the fun? A quiet space will be available for your comfort. Registration is required. Portrait Connections programs are free for visitors with disabilities and their companions. If…
Event Location: The Great Hall. Cost: Free. Registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portrait-connections-tickets-2001388750629?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true. Categories: After Five.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM.
Family Gallery Activities | Diwali
Kids and Family
Bring the whole family to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Make crafts, listen to stories, participate in a scavenger hunt, and learn how we protect light-sensitive art. Image credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Sonya Pencheva.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Courtyard, Gallery 1, Gallery 2, Gallery 12. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: After Five. Celebrations. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Asia After Dark | Diwali Festival
Performances
Celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, with an evening of food, music, dance, and activities! Learn how different regions celebrate this Hindu holiday, create crafts to take home, and see the museum lit up once the sun goes down.
Register in advance for the best experience. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis. Food VendorsCuisine from the Indian Diaspora
5–9 p.m.
West Building, Plaza, ActivitiesTrunk Show with Saaj by G
1-9 p.m.
East Building, Museum Store, Family Gallery Activities
5–7 p.m.
West Building, North Corridor and Galleries 1 and 2, Storytelling with Sana Hoda - Stories of the World: Diwali
5-7 p.m.
West Building, North Corridor, Color a Diya
5–9 p.m.
East Building, Level B2, ImaginAsia, Decorate a Rangoli with Kulture Khazana
East Building, Level B1, Gallery 27
5–9 p.m. PerformancesStrings for the Festival of Lights: Classical Sarod Recital by Swarnendu
6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
West Building, Meyer Auditorium, Dance Performances by Vishious…
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Event Location: East Building, West Building. Cost: Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/asia-after-dark-diwali-festival-tickets-2001238735931?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true. Categories: After Five. Celebrations. Performances. Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas, Body Image: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. ASL-interpreted program. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | Art in a New Light
National Museum of Asian Art
Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, by exploring how light can reveal new perspectives on art. Join conservation scientist Matthew Clarke to discover how X-ray, infrared, and other forms of light allow researchers to look beneath the surface of paintings, textiles, sculptures, and more. Through examples from scientific research on Asian art—including a recent study of Indian pichwais—learn how scientists uncover details about artists’ materials, techniques, and histories that are invisible to the naked eye. Image credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Hutomo Wicaksono.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: South Corridor. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: After Five. Gallery Talks & Tours. Demonstrations. Celebrations. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Día de los Muertos Celebration
“Of the People” Festivals
A cornerstone of the public art movement, Self Help Graphics & Art is home to one of the nation’s longest-running celebrations of Día de los Muertos, a pillar of Mexican, Indigenous, and Mexican American heritage that honors and commemorates ancestors and those who have passed. Each year, weeks of seasonal arts workshops culminate in a one-day festival complete with a procession, traditional Aztec dance, public altars, vendors, music, and more.
Categories: Performances. Demonstrations. Kids & Families. Celebrations. Cost: Free. Event Location: Los Angeles, California.
Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Self Help Graphics & Art
Los Angeles, CA.
For more info visit www.selfhelpgraphics.com. Staunton, Shakespeare, and Steam: Fall in the Shenandoah Valley
All Programs
Nestled in the heart of scenic Shenandoah Valley, Staunton, Virginia, is alive with history, culture—and a little steam. Washington, D.C. area guide Lynn O’Connell leads a weekend getaway that offers a sampling of Staunton’s best sights, including the only replica of Shakespeare’s indoor theater and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, plus a train excursion.
Event Location: Detailed information for overnight tours is emailed approximately FOUR WEEKS. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/staunton-shakespeare-and-steam?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 7:30 AM – Sunday, November 8, 2026, 7:30 PM.
Little Critters: Nature Play at the Bird House (Finding Fossils)
NZP Kids and Families
Calling all young paleontologists!
Join us for creative, drop-in play at the Zoo as we explore ancient worlds through fossils.
Little Critters: Nature Play is designed for ages 0-5 and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians must remain with their children.
Location: Bird House Classroom.
Venue: National Zoo. Event Location: Bird House Classroom. Cost: Free drop-in program; no pre-registration required.Parents and guardians must remain with their children. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
For more info visit nationalzoo.si.edu. FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2026. This farm stand is direct-to-consumer located East of the River in Ward 8.
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand takes place on the outdoor plaza of the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Place, SE Washington, DC 20020) every Saturday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) from April 18 - November 21, 2026.*
You can learn more about what is happening at the farm stand from our friends over at FRESHFARM Markets.
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand is generously supported by The Hillside Foundation - Allan and Shelley Holt.
*Weather permitting. Be sure to follow the Anacostia Community Museum for updated information.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Plaza. Cost: Free to Attend. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1985418954539?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Shopping/Book Signing.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Growing Community: Garden as Places of Art
One-Time Events
We will unpack the intersections of plants, art, and a living canvas. Through the lens of gardens as living sculptures, we will forage the garden for found objects that inspire and illuminate the growing that surrounds us all. We will create a canvas collage that will reflect our living environment. We will explore the lasting beauty of Mother Nature on canvas.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Community Garden. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-community-garden-as-places-of-art-tickets-2002299723373?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Demonstrations.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Open Studio: Are You Sur(real)?
One time events
It’s all about sculpture this November at Open Studio. Each week, we’ll draw inspiration from the Museum’s newly renovated Sculpture Garden and learn about artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Mark Grotjahn, and more.
Join us this week as we look at Giacometti’s sculpture Monumental Head (1960). Then, using materials like wire, pipe cleaners, and foil, we’ll create our own avant-garde masterpieces.
Meet in Art School on the Museum’s Lower Level.
ABOUT OPEN STUDIO
Let your creativity run wild at Open Studio! Drop in to explore modern and contemporary art through interactive hands-on activities inspired by the Hirshhorn collection and artworks on view. Open Studio helps you transform your ideas into reality.
Every session introduces a new theme and a fresh perspective on art-making. Activities are designed to captivate everyone—from budding young artists to seasoned creators—and allow them to craft, create, and learn.
No reservations or tickets are required. Stroller parking is available in the Hirshhorn…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Events: Open Studio, Hirshhorn Art School, Art School Everywhere, Art Project: Avant-Garde Aluminum.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
The World and Me: National Bison Day
One-Time Events
Learn more about your place in the world through explorations of nature and culture.
Join us Saturday, November 7th, as we celebrate National Bison Day! Discover different bison adaptations and learn how the bison almost went extinct but are now rising in numbers. Families with learners of all ages will be invited to explore different stations, make observations of museum specimens up close, and explore bisons through play and art.
This is a drop-in event. Families can drop in anytime from 10:00am - 12:30pm and stay for as long as your family would like. No registration is required. Cost: Free.
Location: Meet at the entrace of Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Q?rius is located next to the Constitution Avenue entrance.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice. However, accommodations may not be possible with less than…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, Ground Floor. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Celebramos a los Veteranos: A Festival of Service and Remembrance
American Latino Museum
Across 250 years of American history, generations of Latinos have served the nation through the U.S. military. Celebramos a los Veteranos: A Festival of Service and Remembrance honors that history while bringing together veterans, service members, families and communities to reflect on what it means to serve.
Presented by the National Museum of the American Latino at the National Museum of American History, the festival will explore stories of military service across generations—from Admiral David Glasgow Farragut to Colonel Marisol Chalas and veterans serving today. Through conversations with veterans, service members and military historians; historical tributes; a pop-up exhibition; and participation from veterans organizations nationwide, the program will examine the many ways Latino service has shaped American military history.
Visitors will also experience the music of military and civic life, exploring how marching bands, patriotic music and other musical traditions have become part of the Ameri…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor Flag Hall and 1st Floor. Cost: FREE, Registration Recommended. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebramos-a-los-veteranos-a-festival-of-service-and-remembrance-tickets-2003465168250?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Lectures & Discussions. Celebrations.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Mosaic Express - In Person
All Programs
Create a 2D, contemporary mixed-media mosaic artwork while you learn the basics of mosaics, experience working with a variety of materials, and enjoy the company of others in the studio. Everything you need to create a small home décor artwork in this workshop is provided.
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/mosaic-express?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:15 AM – 5:15 PM.
DC | Service and Sacrifice: Veterans Day 2026
One-Time Events
Join the National Museum of the American Indian in honoring the enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military. Throughout the day, visitors of all ages can learn more about Native military service and honor veterans through presentations, a short film, hands-on activities, various information tables, and more.
Portions of the day’s events (marked with * below) will be livestreamed, watch at AmericanIndian.si.edu/livestream.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, Level 1, Potomac Atrium, 10:30-11 AM | Posting of the Colors, Welcome*Members of the Native American Women Warriors (NAWW) will present the colors to begin the day's programming. Ralph and Dennis Zotigh (both Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) will share an Honor Song for Native veterans along with an opening prayer, and welcome remarks from museum leadership. 11 AM-12 PM | WWII Indigenous Code Talkers: The Contributions of Pueblo Indian Language Speakers*Dr. Christine Sims (Acoma Pueblo), Associate Professor in…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 1: Potomac Atrium, Rasmuson Theater, Level 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Outdoors: Welcome Plaza, National Native American Veterans Memorial. Online Link: https://www.americanindian.si.edu/livestream. Cost: Free. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Kids & Families. Films. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit americanindian.si.edu. Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa Exhibition Highlights Tour
American Latino Museum
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.
Along the way, you’ll engage with interactive experiences that reveal the heartbeat of salsa—the clave—and the musical st…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor East, Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-exhibition-highlights-tour-tickets-2003993050159. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa ¡Puro Ritmo! | National Museum of the American Latino. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. NY | Native Sounds Downtown: Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey
One-Time Events
Welcome Cherokee country and blues musician Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey to the Native Sounds Downtown stage at our New York museum this November! Performances begin at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM.
Agalisiga "The Chuj" Mackey is a musician and educator from the Cherokee Nation in Northeast Oklahoma. Mackey spent his early years in the traditional Cherokee community of Kenwood, OK, where his mother’s family settled after the forced removal of Cherokee people from what is now North Carolina. Mackey later moved to Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, to become fluent in the Cherokee language at the Cherokee Immersion School.
Mackey grew up participating in traditional Cherokee ceremonies and singing ceremonial songs. He also draws inspiration from the “Father of Country Music” Jimmie Rodgers and hill country blues musician R.L. Burnside. He writes and sings original compositions in the Cherokee language in his deep baritone voice, melding classic country and blues. In addition to his artistic endeavors,…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 2, Great Hall. Cost: FREE. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Spirit Toonz: D.C. Soccer in Art
One-Time Events
Join artist Rain Young for a fun, hands-on art workshop celebrating soccer, creativity, and Washington, D.C.’s ever-evolving story. Participants will choose from a selection of featured Washington Spirit players and create one large collectible sports card using a playful, cartoon-inspired interpretation of their chosen player. With illustration, color, and imagination, families can add their own creative style to a one-of-a-kind card to take home.
More than a sports card, each creation offers an opportunity to explore how art and sports can help tell the stories of the people, teams, and moments that have become part of D.C. history. As objects and stories connected to Washington sports rotate through We Make History, the workshop invites families to think about history as something that isn’t only in the past—it’s something we’re all making every day.
Whether you love soccer, drawing, collecting sports cards, or simply creating together, come kick off your creativity and make a little D.C. history of…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Program Room. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spirit-toonz-dc-soccer-in-art-tickets-2002299832700?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Art Walk
One-Time Events
Join the National Portrait Gallery every Saturday morning for a themed sketching tour featuring up to three portraits from the museum’s collection. During each session, Portrait Gallery educators will encourage participants to look closely, sketch what they see, and make connections. This program is designed for visitors of all ages, and no prior drawing experience is necessary. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
After the tour, participants are invited to continue creating in the Education Center through a hands-on artmaking activity. All art materials are provided by the National Portrait Gallery.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-walk-tickets-1995913274332?aff=ebdsoporgprofile. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Highlights Tour in Mandarin 館藏精華導覽
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join free walk-in tours in Mandarin. These one-hour, docent-led tours feature highlights from the museum’s collections, including the famous Peacock Room and select masterpieces of Chinese art. Each tour is unique, so you can learn something new every time. No registration is needed.
國立亞洲藝術博物館邀請您參加免費普通話導覽（無需預約）
在一小時的導覽中，我們的講解員將帶您聚焦博物館中的精華，包括舉世聞名的孔雀廳和精選的中國藝術品。每場導覽都是獨一無二的，讓您每次對藝術品都能有不同的了解。 Image credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1915.103a-b.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art) information desk 西樓（佛利爾美術館）咨詢臺. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Art Studio
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Calling all artists! Join the Portrait Gallery for a free, drop-in art program, where creativity knows no bounds. Every weekend, visitors of all ages are invited to explore a different artistic medium while drawing inspiration from the Portrait Gallery’s collections and exhibitions. On select weekends, learn from a featured guest artist, who will lead specialized workshops and share their expertise. To stay informed about upcoming guest artist workshops, please check the Portrait Gallery’s Eventbrite page.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-art-studio-tickets-1112707681629?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. ONLINE | 2026 Online Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In: Cultural Sovereignty on the 250th
One-Time Events
The annual Online Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In, hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in collaboration with Teaching for Change, is an opportunity for educators around the world to access classroom resources from NMAI’s online education portal Native Knowledge 360° the Zinn Education Project, and more. This event will be hosted ONLINE via Zoom. Cost: $15
Teachers select two workshop breakout sessions that include relevant and resource-rich experiences to support effective use of American Indian-focused classroom lessons and resources from Teaching for Change and NMAI. The goal of the Teach-In is to support awareness of the museum’s Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°) national education initiative and its classroom lessons to promote improved teaching about American Indian communities. Teachers play a crucial role in advancing the museum’s work to transform popular understandings of Native history, cultures, and contemporary lives.
Professional development credit will be pro…
Event Location: Online, via Zoom. Online Link: https://teachingforchange.app.neoncrm.com/forms/native-knowledge-360-online-teach-in-registration-530. Cost: $15, Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://teachingforchange.app.neoncrm.com/forms/native-knowledge-360-online-teach-in-registration-530. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Workshops. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Captioning.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Tours | Arts of China
Gallery Talks & Tours
Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics.
Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Wirework Intensive: Explorations in Fiber Jewelry
All Programs
Explore the intersection of fiber art and jewelry to create soft, tactile, textural pieces of wearable sculpture. Working with recycled fabrics and creating bead embroidery and 3D forms are explored.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/wirework-intensive-explorations-in-fiber-jewelry?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/wirework-intensive-explorations-in-fiber-jewelry?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
NY | Native Sounds Downtown: Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey
One-Time Events
Welcome Cherokee country and blues musician Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey to the Native Sounds Downtown stage at our New York museum this November! Performances begin at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM.
Agalisiga "The Chuj" Mackey is a musician and educator from the Cherokee Nation in Northeast Oklahoma. Mackey spent his early years in the traditional Cherokee community of Kenwood, OK, where his mother’s family settled after the forced removal of Cherokee people from what is now North Carolina. Mackey later moved to Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, to become fluent in the Cherokee language at the Cherokee Immersion School.
Mackey grew up participating in traditional Cherokee ceremonies and singing ceremonial songs. He also draws inspiration from the “Father of Country Music” Jimmie Rodgers and hill country blues musician R.L. Burnside. He writes and sings original compositions in the Cherokee language in his deep baritone voice, melding classic country and blues. In addition to his artistic endeavors,…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 2, Great Hall. Cost: FREE. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Castle Docent Tours
Ongoing Tours
Join us for an outdoor tour of the first two buildings in the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building (National Museum of the American Latino)! Meet one of our volunteer docents by the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW.
Tours subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions; last-minute cancellations may occur. Inquire at the Castle information desk. No registration is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Castle. Event Location: The tour begins at the sign outside of the north doors of the Castle, on Jefferson Drive SW. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk up). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
A Walk on the Wild Side with Photomontage - In Person
All Programs
If you like the idea of using images from magazines to create collages that tell a story, then this class is for you. Take this opportunity to walk down the path of surrealism, political commentary, or any other subjects of your choosing to create your own photomontage.
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/walk-on-wild-side-with-photomontage?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John Lavine and Meryl Lipton Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A.…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa Exhibition Highlights Tour
American Latino Museum
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.
Along the way, you’ll engage with interactive experiences that reveal the heartbeat of salsa—the clave—and the musical st…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor East, Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-exhibition-highlights-tour-tickets-2003993050159. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa ¡Puro Ritmo! | National Museum of the American Latino. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Teen Studio: The Art of Existing
One time events
Teens: Ready to level up your art? Join us for Teen Studio, a free art-making program exclusively for teens ages 13–19. Push your artistic boundaries using materials and techniques inspired by artists whose work is now on view at the Hirshhorn.
Dive into the Hirshhorn’s newly renovated Sculpture Garden with weekly workshops inspired by sculptures on view. This Saturday, explore Monumental Head (1960), an existentialist sculpture by Alberto Giacometti. Then morph clay and aluminum wire into sculptures that reflect what it truly means to exist as a human being.
Drop in to Teen Studio every Saturday between 2:30 and 4:30 PM. Register for the entire school year here (one-time registration covers all sessions). Join one session or join them all! Meet in Art School on the Museum’s Lower Level.
Looking for more? Explore Art School Everywhere, wherever you are, to learn about artists in the Hirshhorn collection and get creative any time.
ABOUT TEEN STUDIO
Teens ages 13–19 are invited to hang out and get creative…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Events: Teen Studio, Hirshhorn Art School, Art School Everywhere, Bun(dt)shaft Cake-Off: Bake a Mini Hirshhorn!
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. NY | Native Sounds Downtown: Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey
One-Time Events
Welcome Cherokee country and blues musician Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey to the Native Sounds Downtown stage at our New York museum this November! Performances begin at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM.
Agalisiga "The Chuj" Mackey is a musician and educator from the Cherokee Nation in Northeast Oklahoma. Mackey spent his early years in the traditional Cherokee community of Kenwood, OK, where his mother’s family settled after the forced removal of Cherokee people from what is now North Carolina. Mackey later moved to Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, to become fluent in the Cherokee language at the Cherokee Immersion School.
Mackey grew up participating in traditional Cherokee ceremonies and singing ceremonial songs. He also draws inspiration from the “Father of Country Music” Jimmie Rodgers and hill country blues musician R.L. Burnside. He writes and sings original compositions in the Cherokee language in his deep baritone voice, melding classic country and blues. In addition to his artistic endeavors,…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 2, Great Hall. Cost: FREE. Categories: Performances. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Día de los Muertos Celebration with Self Help Graphics & Art
American Latino Museum
***This event will be outdoors on the block of Anderson Street, right outside Self Help Graphics & Art’s Boyle Heights building from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Time.
Self Help Graphics & Art’s 53rd Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration will start with a procession at 2 PM, led by Danza Azteca Chicomecoatl. Join this longtime tradition and walk from Mariachi Plaza (1831 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA) to Self Help Graphics & Art's permanent home on the corner of 1st Street and Anderson Street, where the celebration will take place outdoors on the block of Anderson Street from 3-10 PM.
This communal gathering will feature live music and dance as ofrendas (offerings) to the ancestors, community altars of remembrance and resistance by local community members, Muertos Market featuring local artists and artisans, Self Help Graphics prints for sale, local food vendors, face painting, art activities, and more!
This festival is part of the Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a community of festivals acr…
Event Location: Self Help Graphics & Art | Outdoors, 1300 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/self-help-graphics-arts-53rd-annual-dia-de-los-muertos-celebration-tickets-2000318072201?aff=w. Categories: Kids & Families. Performances. Celebrations. After Five.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 6:00 PM – Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1:00 AM.
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra - 100 Years of Jazz Giants
All Programs
Nineteen twenty-six was the birth year of a generation that would permanently change the course of jazz history. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra honors groundbreaking musical artists who make up “the class of 1926,” including Ray Brown, Melba Liston, and Randy Weston.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of American History Warner Bros. Theater. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/sjmo-jazz-giants?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM.
Second Sundays: “This Land Is ...”
Spotlight Programs
11 a.m.–2 p.m. PT
The Huntington’s “This Land Is ...” initiative invites visitors to reflect on the American story through the lens of land, drawing from library, art, and botanical collections to spotlight relationships between place, U.S. history, and American identities. In this family-friendly event, visitors can participate in artmaking workshops with AMBOS: Art Made Between Opposite Sides, and join a national conversation at the We Hold These Truths interviewing booth.
Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Kids & Families. Cost: Free with general admission. Get Tickets/Register: https://tickets.huntington.org/events?_gl=1%2a12laoua%2a_gcl_au%2aMTE4MDYwMDcxOS4xNzg4OTkxMDYy%2a_ga%2aMTc2NDgyOTc4Ni4xNzg4OTkxMDYy%2a_ga_1BGEDHGTJ6%2aczE3ODg5OTEwNjMkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODg5OTEwNjMkajYwJGwwJGgw. Event Location: San Marino, California.
Sunday, November 8, 2026.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
San Marino, CA.
For more info visit www.huntington.org. All Eyes on Pittsburgh
All Programs
The centerpiece of this art-filled three-day visit to Pittsburgh—a city of smokestacks and steel reborn as a vibrant cultural capital—is the 59th Carnegie International, North America’s longest-running survey of international contemporary art. In addition, the tour led by arts journalist Richard Selden offers a deep dive into Pittsburgh’s distinctive art and history, including visits to the Mattress Factory, Andy Warhol Museum, Senator John Heinz History Center, and National Aviary and a ride on the historic Duquesne Incline.
Event Location: Detailed information for overnight tours is emailed approximately FOUR WEEKS. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/all-eyes-on-pittsburgh?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 8:00 AM – Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 10:00 PM.
Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
**DUE TO LIMITED STAFFING, WONDERPLACE WILL BE CLOSED FOR 12:30 - 1:30 PM ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3.**
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
American Bison Cart Chat
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join educators in the "Bison: Standing Strong" exhibit to discover more about the Nation's Mammal - the American Bison. Learn how these fascinating animals alter their ecosystem in ways that benefit other animals and their habitat, as well as their importance to humans.
Image by Jean Beaufort, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83971372 .
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Bison: Standing Strong exhibit. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Tours | Arts of Japan
Gallery Talks & Tours
As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Looking for a deeper dive into ocean topics? Come and find one of our Ocean Educators to explore some of the latest discoveries in marine science, stationed at an interactive cart in the Sant Ocean Hall.
Image Credit: Phillip R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tshiab! Blessings from the Hmong New Year Table
Rhythms, Roots, Recipes
Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music brings together cooking demonstrations, live music, and storytelling. Each program in the series explores traditions that animate families and communities across the United States—and beyond.
Hmong New Year is a time to celebrate the end of the harvest season while washing away any bitterness and hardship faced during the previous year. Across the Hmong diaspora, it also is an opportunity to renew ancestral ties and impart cultural lessons to the next generation.
Join us as Minneapolis-based, award-winning chef Diane Moua prepares traditional Hmong dishes including nqaj npua tsawg (Hmong pulled pork), pickled mustard greens, sticky rice, and tuav kuas txoj (hot sauce). While Moua cooks, Tiffany Xyooj will perform Hmong folksongs that reference staple ingredients and migration, each echoing the voices and hopes of those who came before. This lively conversation will be facilitated by KaYing Yang of the social enterprise RedGreen Rivers. Noj…
Venue: American History Museum. Stage: National Museum of American History (Coulter Plaza). Folklife Categories: Foodways. Performance. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning. Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Interactivity Level: Low (direct participation is not expected).
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
For more info visit festival.si.edu. Pakeezah
Films
New 4K Restoration!
Following our Diwali celebration, enjoy this beloved Bollywood classic, a heartbreaking romance with gorgeous visuals and some of the most beautiful songs ever committed to film. Set against the backdrop of the courtly era of the Nawabs of Lucknow, Pakeezah is a poetically exquisite classic that took fourteen years to complete. The film’s painterly frames are saturated with color, opulent sets and costumes, haunting music, and actress Meena Kumari in an unforgettable performance.
The courtesan Nargis is rejected by the family of her husband Shahabuddin and dies giving birth to her daughter Sahibjaan who grows up to become a renowned courtesan. But she lives in a gilded cage, yearning for love and a life of dignity. Her life takes a turn when a forest officer, Salim, accidentally encounters her while she is asleep in a train compartment. Captivated by her, he leaves behind a note praising her beauty and innocence without knowing her identity. Their paths cross again and they fall in love.…
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pakeezah-tickets-2000643239786?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Films. Celebrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Tour | From the Louvre
Gallery Talks & Tours
In From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art, you can admire remarkable artworks created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries from a vast geographic area extending from Spain to India. This tour guides you through the exceptional selection of masterpieces, including a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an enigmatic Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. Meanwhile, learn about the extraordinary journeys these works took and how they were invested with power and new meaning along the way. Image: Signed by Muhammad ibn al-Zayd; Basin, Known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis”; Syria or Egypt, Mamluk dynasty, ca. 1330–1340; engraved and inlaid copper alloy, gold, silver, black compound; coats of arms of the House of France, Paris, 1821; entered the Louvre in 1793; Paris, Musée du Louvre, Islamic Art Department, LP 16; ©️ 2009 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet in the S1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! Virtual Reality Experience
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Step back to 1776 in stunning virtual reality! Experience Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution! where you'll discover how thousands of Patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 3 East. Cost: $10 per person. Categories: Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Gunboat Philadelphia. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Museums Association of the Caribbean 2026 Conference in Trinidad & Tobago
One-Time Events
Held biennially, the MAC Conference is the principal gathering for the Caribbean and circum-Caribbean museum community. A multilingual gathering across English-, Spanish-, French-, and Dutch-speaking contexts, the conference brings together the people, ideas, and practices shaping the future of the museum sector in the region.
Building on the success of MAC’s 2024 Conference, which welcomed over 200 delegates from 60 institutions across 23 countries, the 2026 conference continues to expand as the region’s leading forum for dialogue, exchange and collaboration.
This year’s Conference is hosted by Trinidad and Tobago Alliance of Museums (TTAM). Conference Theme
Caribbean Museums: Connectors, Conveners, and Catalysts for Change
The MAC 2026 conference explores how Caribbean museums act as connectors, conveners, and catalysts for change by strengthening community ties, advancing cultural stewardship, and fostering sustainable, inclusive futures across the region.
Event Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Cost: https://caribbeanmuseums.com/mactandt2026/faqs.php. Get Tickets/Register: https://caribbeanmuseums.com/mactandt2026/registration.php. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 10:00 AM – Friday, November 13, 2026, 11:00 AM.
For more info visit caribbeanmuseums.com. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM.
Portrait Gallery Kids
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Children and families are invited to learn, play and create at the Portrait Gallery! Join educators every Monday as we explore a variety of topics and artistic materials. Participants will get a closer look at art with hands-on activities, music and story times. Portrait Gallery Kids is a fun way to engage with art and each other.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-portrait-gallery-kids-tickets-654254040447?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Tours | Arts of China
Gallery Talks & Tours
Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics.
Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Take a Seat!: Chairs of the 20th Century
All Programs
Many of the chairs still in use today were designed in the 20th century—and have stood the test of time for their comfort, function, and striking visual presence. Art historian Jennie Hirsh explores the history of iconic modern chairs from around the world, tracing how designers including Elaine Gray, Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and Charles and Ray Eames reimagined seating for a rapidly changing century. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/take-seat?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/take-seat?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Meditation Mondays
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join us for an in-person meditation on our 4th floor, Panoramic Overlook. This session provides an opportunity for participants of any experience level to explore the museum’s themes through mindfulness meditation practice. Together we will experience freedom in the present moment through insight into oneself. This session will be instructor led. No experience or special clothing is necessary. Seating will be provided.
For inquiries, please contact NMAAHCEngage@si.edu.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: 4th Floor, Panoramic Overlook. Cost: Free! Registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://tickets.si.edu/nmaahc/events/019db082-bc4f-99fb-b26a-979887de5ca5. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM.
Double Victory: The African American Military Experience Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Double Victory: The African American Military Experience conveys a sense of appreciation and respect for the military service of African Americans from the American Revolution to the War on Terror. Visitors have an opportunity to engage in a conversation with a museum docent and learn about the contributions of African Americans to the military history of the United States.
Tours take place at 1:15 pm and 2:30 pm.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: This one hour tour program meets at Level 3 in the Double Victory: The African American Military Experience exhibit. Cost: Free; walk-in
Tours are subject to docent availability; last minute cancellations may occur. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Permanent Collection Tour
Gallery Talks & Tours
The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Mixed Media Art Warmups
All Programs
Art warmups enable students to jump right into their projects knowing there are no wrong answers. Students work with positive and negative space, do quick sketches, go beyond the color wheel, and use mixed-media techniques to build layers and texture.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/mixed-media-art-warmups?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/mixed-media-art-warmups?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Highlights Tour
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Look for our friendly volunteer at the Information Desk for a 45 minute tour of the highlights of the museum.
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Starts at the Information Desk in the Historic Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
Tour | The Peacock Room at 150
Gallery Talks & Tours
Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
The Art of Historic Preservation
All Programs
Historic preservation is often thought of as the stewardship of grand landmarks associated with great figures like Thomas Jefferson, as well as places of worship, courthouses, and monuments. But the modest houses, working landscapes, and overlooked spaces that hold our personal and collective memories also matter. Public historian Ken Turino traces the history of the preservation movement in America, including how the field has evolved to have a more inclusive vision of what deserves protection.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-of-historic-preservation?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-of-historic-preservation?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Great Composer-Pianists: Mendelssohn, Liszt, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff
All Programs
Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin explores the creative minds and keyboard talents of a quartet of piano pioneers celebrated for their prowess as both composers and performers. Franklin concludes each lecture by performing a work by the spotlighted composer.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.