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Morning at the Museum
Kids and Family
The Smithsonian's Morning at the Museum is a free, sensory-friendly program for children, teenagers, and young adults who are neurodiverse and their families. Come explore the National Museum of Asian Art in the quiet time before our normal opening hours.
8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Self-Led Activities: Scavenger Hunts and Slow Looking Guides available at a staffed table and distributed throughout the galleries. , 3D Art Table: Featuring 3D-printed objects on display and a 3D printer in action for visitors to watch. , Ceramic Puzzles: Hands-on activity exploring ceramic-themed puzzles made from foam, real ceramic pieces, and paper cut-outs. 9:00 A.M. – 9:30 A.M. Gallery Tour: Freer in Egypt (Gallery 20), 9:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Gallery Tour: Chinese Art (Gallery 13),
You must register in advance to attend. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art). Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://forms.office.com/r/35LEVDWcVU. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sensory Programs.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
WILD Nature Play Club
One-Time Events
Dig in the dirt! Stomp in puddles!
Presented as a pilot program by the National Zoological Park’s Little Critters: Nature Play, our WILD Nature Play Club will meet on the first Saturday of every month at the Anacostia Community Museum where we will explore the half-mile loop trail right next to the museum. Join us for unstructured play time in nature as well as a child-directed hike through the George Washington Carver Nature Trail.
At the end of the hike, we will gather together for a story and nature activity then head back to the museum. Come prepared for our time together by dressing for the weather, bringing an extra pair of clothes, closed-toe shoes, water, and a snack!
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-nature-play-club-tickets-1375886837569?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
The World & Me: Life ON and IN the Water!
One-Time Events
Join us for a special The World & Me as we explore life IN and ON the water with our friends from Living Classrooms and the crew of the historic Living Classrooms Foundation vessel MILDRED BELLE, a 1948 Chesapeake Bay Buyboat! Join these professional mariners to explore the maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay, learn about traditional sailing tools, and try your hand at tying a variety of practical knots.
About Living Classrooms Foundation
The Living Classrooms Foundation (LCF) Department of Maritime Education has provided students with unique, hands-on programs since 1985. These dynamic, “learning by doing” programs emphasize applied learning in STEM and history. Leadership and teamwork are key objectives as students work together to support the operation of historic ships, trawl for marine life, perform scientific tests and explore the commerce, history, natural resources, and ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay.
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Joy of African Movement
One-Time Events
Mentally and physically recharge with our Joy of African Movement series using a variety of dance movements from the African diaspora, including Capoeira, Contemporary Dance, Stepping, Hip Hop, and Traditional West African Dance.
On Saturday, August 2, join The Capoeira Spot who keep capoeira’s roots present in their teaching and preserve capoeira’s history in their practice. Capoeira was developed by enslaved African people in Brazil and includes elements of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality. The Capoeira Spot encourages self-expression and creativity through capoeira’s movement, music, and jogo (game).
Through November, join us on the first Saturday of the month from 10:30am-11:45am: Saturday August 2, 10:30am-11:45am , Saturday September 6, 10:30am-11:45am , Saturday October 4, 10:30am-11:45am , Saturday November 1, 10:30am-11:45am, Ages: 16+.
Venue: African Art Museum. Event Location: Sylvia Williams Gallery (Sublevel 1). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-of-african-movement-tickets-1481373902219?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Demonstrations. Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM.
For more info visit africa.si.edu. Painted Embroidery Workshop
Resident Associate Program
Create a simple but charming embroidered painting. First paint fabric in the hoop with acrylic paint and then use a variety of stitches and beads to embellish your image.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263665?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263665?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Geometric Bead Weaving: Circles, Triangles and Squares
Resident Associate Program
Move beyond the introductory level woven strip, and its design limitations, while adding new off-loom stitches to your library of bead weaving techniques. Students learn to create three flat shapes, each in two different ways.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263666?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263666?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Composition Studies
Resident Associate Program
This course examines fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in art practice, offering participants tools to enrich their work as well as to analyze and appreciate visual art in general. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263667?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263667?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Studying Edward Hopper - In Person
Resident Associate Program
Study the nuances of Hopper's figures and compositions, focusing on his mastery of light, shadow, and atmosphere. Throughout the workshop, you have the opportunity to channel Hopper's distinctive style using water-based oils.
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263668?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Sunday, August 3, 2025, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Spanish-Language Walk-In Tours
One-Time Events
Join a volunteer docent on select Sundays for lively tours of the Portrait Gallery in Spanish. We hope to see you there.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Sunday, August 3, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Bao Li's 4th Birthday Celebration
Special Zoo Events
Join us in celebrating the fourth birthday of Bao Li, our male giant panda, on Monday, Aug. 4, at 9 a.m.! This marks Bao Li's first birthday at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
Highlights: Panda keepers will present Bao Li with a "beary" special birthday treat — a custom fruit-based ice cake made by the Zoo’s commissary team. , Can’t make it to the Zoo? Tune into the Giant Panda Cam to catch the celebration live. , Admission is free for all visitors. (Donations are welcome.), This milestone birthday is particularly special as Bao Li is one of the few giant pandas currently living in North America. His presence signifies hope for the future of giant pandas and celebrates the success of our collaborative conservation efforts. Since the arrival of the first giant pandas in 1972, the Smithsonian’s panda conservation program has made significant contributions to the recovery of these iconic animals, leading to their removal from the endangered species list in 2016. Join us as we celebrate Bao Li and the ongoing…
Venue: National Zoo. Event Location: Giant Panda Habitat (Asia Trail). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://secure.nationalzoo.si.edu/entry22/21549?_gl=1*1gytdrv*_gcl_au*MTU4OTg5MDUuMTc1Mzc5NTQ0NA..*_ga*MTk2Mjc2OTI1NC4xNzQ1MzM3MjQ2*_ga_FZ22Y9JDR2*czE3NTM3OTU0NDMkbzg1JGcxJHQxNzUzNzk2NDQ3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..*_ga_2JEVMJZZBX*czE3NTM3OTU0NDQkbzg1JGcxJHQxNzUzNzk2NDQ3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA.. Categories: Kids & Families.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
For more info visit nationalzoo.si.edu. A Trip Around the World
Resident Associate Program
Send your camper on a trip around the world—all through Smithsonian museums! They’ll explore the cultures of various continents during visits with performers and artisans at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the African Art, Asian Art, Natural History, and American Indian museums. The world opens as they discover the arts, traditions, and accomplishments of cultures through stories, traditional crafts, music, and games.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262707?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Amazing Asia
Resident Associate Program
The continent of Asia boasts the oldest civilizations, the largest population, and the most populous cities. It’s the largest of the 7 continents, with over 4.4 billion people calling it home and speaking as many as 2, 200 languages. Visits to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s United Arab Emirates exhibit and the Asian Art Museum illuminate this vast part of our globe. Campers gain an appreciation of Asia’s diversity as they discover cultures and arts from Japan to the Middle East.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262711?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
ECO-Systems Exploration
Resident Associate Program
From as small as a single tree trunk to as large as the ocean, ecosystems are everywhere. Campers investigate each part of a balanced ecosystem through games, experiments, and visits to Natural History Museum and the U. S. Botanic Garden. Throughout the week, they consider ways humans help keep our world healthy, and construct their own micro-ecosystem to take home.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262710?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Extraordinary Voyages
Resident Associate Program
Campers experience the world of Jules Verne as they embark on explorations inspired by his daring stories of adventure and invention. They journey to the depths of the ocean and the center of the Earth at the Natural History Museum and U.S. Botanic Garden; get inspired to take a trip to the moon at the Air and Space Museum; and race around the world with visits to the African and Asian Art museums. At the end of the week, families explore their campers’ plans and prototypes for a new Jules Verne-styled theme park that combines his spirit of invention with science fiction.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262713?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Jump Into Color
Resident Associate Program
Outrageous Orange? Purple Pizazz? Spend the week creating with more colors than your crayon box. Art comes to life as campers learn the basics of visual art. Campers investigate color and relationships with watercolor, tempera, printmaking, and camper-made clay. Each day is full of vibrant color as campers visit the museums, explore artists, work with new materials, and design projects that scream colors.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262709?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Monsters vs. Giant Robots
Resident Associate Program
Campers can become the king of kaiju or the master of mecha in a crash course that draws from history, technology, and the natural world to guide them in crafting and understanding giant monsters and robot movies. They practice skills in photography, drawing, and stop-motion animation inspired by the Smithsonian’s own paleoart and robots. Campers design their own giant monster or robot, dip their toes into film theory, and tell their own larger-than-life story as they make these giant beasts come to life for a Friday screening and exhibition.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262717?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Moving Art
Resident Associate Program
Can art look like it’s moving? Is there physics in art? Campers learn about American artists like Jackson Pollock who poured paint; Alexander Calder who invented the mobile; and traditional puppet masters who use shadow silhouettes to tell stories and learn how to make art in their styles. Their explorations of objects in motion include rolling balls down ramps, painting with moving marbles, spinning tops, making spin art, experimenting with balance while making mobiles, and letting gravity help them paint. Campers learn the basics of physics while creating their very own masterpieces.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262716?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
On the Move
Resident Associate Program
Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, waterways, and through the air. Smithsonian museums are filled with examples of how transportation has changed our world, from the development of the bike to delivering mail to remote corners of the world, patented moving machines to the growth of the American highway system. Inspired by these examples and a visit to Smithsonian’s Spark!Lab, campers build and race their own vehicles and propose designs for transportation modes of the future.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263838?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Space Rocketry
Resident Associate Program
From Earth to the outer planets, the Science Guys of Baltimore explore the physics of space and how astronauts work (and have fun) in the International Space Station. Visits to the Air and Space Museum and Udvar-Hazy Center illuminate life in space and what it takes to get there. Campers take on challenges and games; discover the use of technology in space, including satellites; and design, build, and launch their own rocket at the end of the week.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262712?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Story Builders
Resident Associate Program
Stories are important to be heard and to be told. Storytelling keeps cultures and traditions of the past alive in our modern day, allows those who are unheard to be heard, and makes our imaginations soar. Campers explore the world of storytelling around the globe by learning its history, its variety of forms, the components of a good story, and the importance of preservation. After museum visits, games, and discussions, inspired campers take their turn at becoming story creators and tellers.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262715?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
The Age of Dinosaurs
Resident Associate Program
This fascinating interactive camp combines biology, paleontology, botany, and art. Campers visit the Natural History Museum, National Zoo, and the U.S. Botanic Garden to learn about fossil formation, prehistoric plants, and the varieties of dinosaurs that roamed the earth millions of years ago. The time-traveling explorers craft their own dino eggs, fossils, and terrain to create their Jurassic diorama.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262708?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Unsung Heroes
Resident Associate Program
America is the home of the brave, but what does it mean to be brave? What makes someone a hero? Campers discover that American heroes encompass Native Americans, the Founding Fathers, civil rights activists, and many others who helped to build our nation. They also examine how people showed heroism through acts of non-violent protests and by their powerful words. Campers create their own history books, draw their heroes, and re-enact some memorable moments in history.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262714?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Nuestras Voces: Bringing the Smithsonian to Your Classroom (Kansas City, Kansas)
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and the Charlotte Museum of History for an educator workshop on using primary resources, museum objects, and children’s books in the classroom.
This free workshop will include: An introduction to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. , An overview of five children’s books published by the National Museum of the American Latino and how they correspond to state standards and curriculum in Social Studies, English and Language Arts. , Sample activities for teacher participation, which can also be replicated in the classroom as plug and play stand-alone activities. , An orientation to using the Smithsonian Learning Lab. , Question and Answer Session , A resource kit with copies of all the books outlined as well as reproducible handouts for the classroom. The books featured are: “Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos who have Shaped the United States” , “Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico” , “Nuestras…
Event Location: Kansas Public Library South Branch (3104 Strong Ave Kansas City, KS 66106). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nuestras-voces-bringing-the-smithsonian-to-your-classroom-kansas-city-tickets-1538092749819. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Rome's Gladiator Emperor: The Mystifying Madness of Commodus
Resident Associate Program
Lucius Aurelius Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius, became Rome’s emperor in the year 180. A decade later, he suddenly descended into a bizarre megalomania and proclaimed himself a demi-god—a reincarnated Hercules who led brutal spectacles in the arena and reshaped Roman traditions and institutions that had endured for centuries. Historian Colin Elliott investigates how trauma, crisis, sycophancy, and absolute power forged and felled Rome’s gladiator emperor.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264099?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264099?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 4, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Play Date at NMNH: At Home in a Habitat
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Tuesday, August 5th is all about the rainforest! During this program, families will be able to make observations of different rainforest animals from our collection (including a leafcutter ant and a sloth) and learn about how the rainforest provides a safe place for many different animals to live. Families will also be invited to take a look at the rainforest area of the exhibit!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners, their caregivers, and families to explore different natural history themes through art, play, and exploration.
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,…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 5, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Great Hall Story Time
One-Time Events
Join us in the Portrait Gallery’s picturesque Great Hall for an interactive story time that gets up close and personal with art. Participants will look closely at portraits and read stories as they learn more about the people who have shaped history.
Event Location: Great Hall. Cost: Free. Registration Encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-hall-story-time-tickets-1335479447979?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Nuestras Voces: Bringing the Smithsonian to Your Classroom (Bonner Springs, Kansas)
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and the Charlotte Museum of History for an educator workshop on using primary resources, museum objects, and children’s books in the classroom.
This free workshop will include: An introduction to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. , An overview of five children’s books published by the National Museum of the American Latino and how they correspond to state standards and curriculum in Social Studies, English and Language Arts. , Sample activities for teacher participation, which can also be replicated in the classroom as plug and play stand-alone activities. , An orientation to using the Smithsonian Learning Lab. , Question and Answer Session , A resource kit with copies of all the books outlined as well as reproducible handouts for the classroom. The books featured are: “Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos who have Shaped the United States” , “Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico” , “Nuestras…
Event Location: Wyandotte County Historical Society and Museum (631 N 126th St. Bonner Springs, KS 66012). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nuestras-voces-bringing-the-smithsonian-to-your-classroom-tickets-1538109369529. Categories: Workshops.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM.
Georges Bizet and Carmen: A Life in Music, a Legacy in Opera
Resident Associate Program
When Georges Bizet died suddenly at the age of 36 in 1875, the debut of his new opera, Carmen, had just been dubbed a humiliating failure. He would never know that only a few months later its subsequent productions were triumphs, and this vibrant and revolutionary work has never been absent from the world’s opera stages. In this 150th anniversary year of both Bizet’s death and Carmen’s birth, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin explores how, despite enjoying only modest success during his lifetime, Bizet’s innovative, emotionally compelling style has influenced countless composers and profoundly shaped opera history.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264100?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264100?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 6, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Nuestras Voces: Bringing the Smithsonian to Your Classroom (Kansas City, Missouri)
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and the Charlotte Museum of History for an educator workshop on using primary resources, museum objects, and children’s books in the classroom.
This free workshop will include: An introduction to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. , An overview of five children’s books published by the National Museum of the American Latino and how they correspond to state standards and curriculum in Social Studies, English and Language Arts. , Sample activities for teacher participation, which can also be replicated in the classroom as plug and play stand-alone activities. , An orientation to using the Smithsonian Learning Lab. , Question and Answer Session , A resource kit with copies of all the books outlined as well as reproducible handouts for the classroom. The books featured are: “Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos who have Shaped the United States” , “Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico” , “Nuestras…
Event Location: Latinx Education Collaborative (2301 Lexington Ave Kansas City, MO 64124). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nuestras-voces-bringing-the-smithsonian-to-your-classroom-kansas-city-tickets-1538123491769. Categories: Workshops.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM.
Beyond the Frame: An Inside Look at the Portrait Gallery
One-Time Events
Curious about the inner workings of a museum? Ever wondered how conservators care for centuries-old artworks or how lighting designers illuminate exhibitions? Peek behind the curtain at the National Portrait Gallery and hear from staff who work behind the scenes to bring our collection to life. August will center around art handling.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-frame-an-inside-look-at-the-portrait-gallery-tickets-1334324994979?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. After Five.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Digital Drawing Fundamentals
Resident Associate Program
Learn to use the iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate for illustration and animation. Students get an introductory lecture on the basics of digital art production, demonstrations, and experience drawing in Procreate on an iPad.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263669?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263669?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
The Twilight of the British Empire
Resident Associate Program
For many Britons, possession of a worldwide empire was a source of national pride, though there were already a few, especially in the labor movement, who rejected the idea of dominating other peoples. Historian Patrick Allitt traces how the British Empire reached its zenith during and just after World War I and subsequently entered its decline. He considers influences including critics such as Gandhi; the beginning of the empire’s breakup after World War II under the Labour government of Clement Attlee; and the humiliation of British forces during the Suez Crisis of 1956.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264101?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264101?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Uncovering the Cheapside Hoard: Buried Treasures and Stories of the Past
Resident Associate Program
For nearly 400 years, a treasure lay buried under a London street. Accidentally unearthed in 1912, this dazzling collection of precious jewels and luxury objects, most likely the stock of a goldsmith in Cheapside, is a time capsule that reveals how the rich and powerful of Renaissance England moved through society. Tudor scholar and historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines the discovery—and the mysteries—of what is now known as the Cheapside Hoard.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263896?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263896?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Introduction to Portrait Drawing
Resident Associate Program
In this two-session class, students are introduced to the basic steps of how to create a convincing portrait using charcoal or graphite.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263670?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263670?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM.
Metaphors and Meaning: A Reflective Writing Workshop
Resident Associate Program
In a summer workshop series, discover the power of reflective writing inspired by art guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. Step into an intriguing contemporary painting by the German artist Sigmar Polke to discover how close looking at art can help us navigate challenging times and deepen our self-understanding.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264128?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264128?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
First Thursdays: Come Look with Us
One-Time Events
Need to wind down after work? Let the National Portrait Gallery's educators share their favorite portraits with you. Participants spend time slowing down, conversing and looking at an artwork in the galleries.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-thursdays-come-look-with-us-tickets-1233093649299?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Design on the Water: Washington, DC, Architecture Cruise
Resident Associate Program
Spend a summer evening sailing on the Potomac, taking in Washington, D.C.’s architectural icons and history from a new perspective. Cast off from Georgetown with your architecture guide from DC Design Tours and professional crew from Capitol River Cruises. As you cruise south on the Potomac, soak in sunset views of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and Georgetown waterfront, then sail past Theodore Roosevelt Island, under Arlington Memorial Bridge, and along the National Mall and Tidal Basin.
Event Location: Tour begins at Washington Harbour in Georgetown at west (upriver) end. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264121?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Elizabeth Catlett: Art for the People
Resident Associate Program
Throughout her long career as a sculptor, painter, and printmaker, Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) celebrated and memorialized Black people—especially Black women. Her philosophy was that “art should come from the people and be for the people, ” and she helped to shape the aesthetics of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Michele L. Simms-Burton, a former professor of African American studies, examines why Catlett was among the most formidable artists of the 20th century. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264043?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264043?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
From Guernica to Hiroshima: The Rise of Strategic Bombing in WWII
Resident Associate Program
Among the devastating innovations of World War II was the widespread use of strategic bombing—the deployment of aircraft to strike civilian targets. Though first avoided, by the war's conclusion every belligerent had incorporated some form of strategic bombing against civilian sites as a key element of their military strategy. Historian Christopher Hamner examines the technology, strategy, philosophy, and moral implications of strategic air power as he examines pivotal events, including the German bombing of Guernica, the London Blitz, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264059?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264059?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 7, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Anchors Aweigh: A Day at the United States Naval Academy and Annapolis
Resident Associate Program
Spend a day exploring the rich history and traditions of the Navy with a tour of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The tour includes the domed Naval Academy Chapel, Bancroft Hall with its 1, 639 dorm rooms, and Herndon Monument, the granite obelisk that first-year students work together to scale at the end of their freshman year. You also visit the U.S. Naval Academy Museum on campus and enjoy a scenic afternoon cruise on area waterways.
Event Location: Departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St SW (corner of 6th & C Sts). Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264120?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM.
Conversation Circles
One-Time Events
Calling all English-language learners – Join National Portrait Gallery educators and friends from all over the world to learn about U.S. art, history and culture through portraiture. Meet new friends, learn about different cultures and practice your English. For more information, email Beth Evans at evansb@si.edu.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Story Time
One-Time Events
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, August 8, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. The Contemporary Architecture of Paris
Resident Associate Program
Paris, renowned for its signature landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral, blends rich history with modern innovation. While celebrated for its classical beauty, the city has evolved into a dynamic hub for cutting-edge design. Art historian Jennie Hirsh leads an illustrated walk through the city, highlighting some of the most innovative and visually striking buildings of the modern era. (World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264060?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264060?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:30 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, August 8, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
DC | Closer Look: Making a Statement
One-Time Events
Curator Anya Montiel (Mestiza/Tohono O'odham descent) offers a close look at the museum’s special installation Making a Statement, featuring custom Gucci gowns worn by actress Lily Gladstone (Siksikaitsitapi [Blackfeet]/Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]) at the 96th Academy Awards. Then join Montiel and one of our museum educators to get hands-on and learn more about different types of quillwork in the museum’s Teaching Collection.
Image: Photos by Norwood Photography for the National Museum of the American Indian.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3: "Making a Statement" special installation. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Making a Statement.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
eDNA Detectives: Using Environmental DNA to Read the Story of an Ecosystem
One-Time Events
How do you study an animal that you can’t catch, touch, or even see? You can use environmental DNA (eDNA)! All living things have DNA which they are constantly shedding into their environment. Come learn about how scientists can collect trace amounts of DNA in the environment to detect organisms that are otherwise difficult to study.
Aiman Raza, Biologist, NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow in NOAA Fisheries
Image from Aiman and Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication.
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.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | Behind the Scenes of Delighting Krishna
Lectures & Discussions
How do you safely display massive, centuries-old textiles? Join art conservator Jenifer Bosworth to explore the conservation treatment and mounting of pichwai paintings in the exhibition Delighting Krishna: Paintings of the Child-God. See removed patches and photos from the treatment process and explore the materials Jenifer used to protect these delicate works while on view. Don’t miss this chance to explore the behind-the-scenes work that helped bring Delighting Krishna to life. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Nancy Hacskaylo.
Venue: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Event Location: Gallery 24. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Smithsonian Sleepover at the Natural History Museum
Resident Associate Program
In-person Program: Go on an interactive exploration of the Natural History Museum and participate in hands-on crafts projects and games. Then roll out your sleeping bag and dream away in the darkened halls of one of the world’s most famous museums! Geared for children ages 8 to 14 years old, accompanied by an adult.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History 10th St & Constitution Ave NW. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263989?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Kids & Families.
Friday, August 8, 2025, 7:00 PM – Saturday, August 9, 2025, 9:00 AM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Growing Community: Field Trip to Forested
One-Time Events
Join us as we take an interactive, sensory tour of Forested in Bowie, MD to learn about the benefits and risks of food forests and foraging. Participants will tour a 10-acre, 13-year-old Food Forest in Bowie Maryland. A food forest aims to restore a thriving forest ecosystem while producing food for people. Taste what the forest has to offer and maybe get some ideas for your own garden.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-community-field-trip-to-forested-tickets-1248211216349?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Lectures & Discussions. Workshops.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Master Painters of the Venetian Renaissance: Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese
Resident Associate Program
The art of painting in 16th-century Venice was largely transformed by four great artists whose innovative approaches would shape the art of both their contemporaries and generations to come. In a lavishly illustrated seminar, art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University explores the works of Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, highlighting their unique stylistic and compositional approaches, as well as the critical reception of their works. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263897?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263897?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Bali Beats Yoga
One-Time Events
Join us in a 1-hour Yoga Session to the sounds of Bali Beats. Sessions are suitable for all levels, welcoming beginners, and experienced yogis alike. Ideal for those who enjoy the fusion of music and movement.
Participants should wear clothing that allows for the ease of movement and expression. Bring a yoga mat and optionally, water or a towel to stay hydrated and comfortable throughout the class. The workshop is for ages 18 and over. Session facilitated by Khepera Wellness.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bali-beats-yoga-tickets-1375907529459?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
International Cat Day
Special Zoo Events
Have a paw-some time with the cats at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute!
On Saturday, August 9, visitors can prowl to the Great Cats exhibit and celebrate the cats living at the Zoo. Get the inside scoop from animal care staffers about how the Zoo's species of cats spend their daily lives, and learn about conservation programs that are working to save cats in the wild.
Activities include animal enrichment, information tables about cats, and the opportunity to participate in arts, crafts and games that celebrate your favorite felines.
Venue: National Zoo. Event Location: Great Cats exhibit. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://secure.nationalzoo.si.edu/entry22/21554?_gl=1*ep1n06*_gcl_au*MTY4Njk0NjQ1Ni4xNzQ1NTAyODcz*_ga*MTk2Mjc2OTI1NC4xNzQ1MzM3MjQ2*_ga_FZ22Y9JDR2*czE3NTI4NTI2NTgkbzc4JGcxJHQxNzUyODUyOTA4JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..*_ga_2JEVMJZZBX*czE3NTI4NTI2NTgkbzc4JGcxJHQxNzUyODUyOTA4JGo2MCRsMCRoMA.. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
For more info visit nationalzoo.si.edu. Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective Community Day
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino at the Mint Museum for a FREE fun-filled day with activities for families and visitors of all ages. This community day celebrates the special exhibition Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective.
Bring the family for art demonstrations, fun activities, artmaking, music, dancing, and more!
The National Museum of the American Latino is grateful for General Motors’ support of the Molina Family Latino Gallery’s General Motors Learning Lounge and its Learning Program.
https://www.mintmuseum.org/event/collidoscope-a-retro-perspective-community-day/.
Event Location: Mint Museum Uptown (Levine Center for the Arts: 500 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202). Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Performances.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
For more info visit www.mintmuseum.org. In-Gallery Portrait Signs
One-Time Events
Portrait Signs is a Deaf-led tour in American Sign Language. Tours explore portraiture, history and biography through the lens of our special exhibitions and permanent collection. Dates and topics are continually updated.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/national-portrait-gallery-810710525. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Sightlines Saturday Guided Tour and Activity: Back to School
One-Time Events
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: Sightlines Gallery. Cost: Free | Registration encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sightlines-saturday-guided-tour-and-activity-back-to-school-tickets-1537508432109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond, presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, is currently on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum through November 30, 2025.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Community Night at Union Station—Kansas City, MO
American Latino Museum
A "Making History: Building the National Museum of the American Latino" Event, *Note: the event times are Central Time, not Eastern Time. Ongoing Activities & Experiences: 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. CT “Try-It!” Tesoros and Tiliches: Preserving your Family Heritage—Learn how to prevent damage to your precious family heirlooms with the National Museum of the American Latino , Estampas Culturales: Printmaking with Mattie Rhodes Art Center and Gallery , Del Maíz a la Mesa: Tortilla Making with Yoli’s Tortillería , Reimagining Kansas City: Interactive Installation with Place It! , Art Demonstration: Community Art Wall with Vania Soto , Interactive Tables—Meet local community-based organizations to learn about their work and resources, including: Chicano Center for the Arts , El Centro , Guadalupe Centers , Kansas City, KC Public Libraries , Low Rider Bicycle Club of Olathe, Kansas, La Plática: 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. CT Kansas City community leaders will join the National Museum of the American Latino to discuss…
Event Location: Union Station Kansas City (30 West Pershing Road Kansas City, MO 64108). Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-night-at-union-station-kansas-city-mo-tickets-1485135884409. Categories: Kids & Families. Celebrations. After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Demonstrations. Workshops.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Breaking the Line: Contours Inspired by Delacroix and Rembrandt
Resident Associate Program
Contour lines are often where beginners start with drawing, but how can you bring greater depth, volume, and light to your work by varying them? Move beyond rigid, wire-like outlines to discover how broken and varied lines can let the paper participate and add dimension. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263671?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263671?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Sunday, August 10, 2025, 10:15 AM – 1:15 PM.
Marquee: A Performance by Moveius Contemporary Ballet
One-Time Events
Marquee, a world premiere commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery and choreographed by resident artist Diana Movius, peels back the glittering facade of stardom and reveals the sweat, retakes, and chaotic mischief behind every flawless finish. Inspired by the Portrait Gallery’s exhibition Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age by George Hurrell, this bold, contemporary ballet dives into the not-so-effortless art of looking effortless. With playful precision and a wink of vintage sparkle, Marquee fuses vintage allure with modern mischief—because even Hollywood legends need a retake or two.
Event Location: Kogod Courtyard. Cost: Free. Registration Encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moveius-contemporary-ballet-performance-tickets-1343936433049?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Performances.
Sunday, August 10, 2025, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Beyond Earth
Resident Associate Program
Pack your space gear and blast off to outer space! Campers spend the week in Smithsonian museums exploring all the wonders beyond our rocky planet. They plan their own Milky Way journeys by learning about the planets in our solar system, stars and their life cycles, and the structures of galaxies. They make their own space gear, enjoy space ice cream, and explore exhibits for objects that are “out of this world.” A Friday showcase offers a peek into their adventures.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262718?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Books and Botany
Resident Associate Program
Plants make up 82% of all the biomass on our planet! Abundant in the natural world, plants are also everywhere in our stories and culture. In this deep dive into the secret world of plants, campers explore the fascinating connections between plants and stories, from mythical forests to real-life botanical wonders. Through trips to the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Natural History Museum, and the American Art Museum, campers learn the art of botanical illustration, compile field guides, and discover ways plants shape history. At the end of the week, families enter an exhibition of art books, nature writing, fantasy floral sculptures, and anatomy-inspired prints.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262726?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Collection Creations
Resident Associate Program
The Smithsonian is home to some 137 million objects, artworks, and specimens—and that number is climbing all the time. Ruby slippers, dinosaur poop, astronaut’s boots, old advertisements, tribal textiles, and presidential garb are just a few things waiting to be discovered. Campers explore the Smithsonian and its unique collections, including some of the more obscure items on display. With that inspiration, they create their own version of a Smithsonian collection. Viewers are welcomed to its grand unveiling on Friday. Who knows what treasures it will hold?
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262721?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Funky Physics
Resident Associate Program
Harness the forces of nature and master the science of motion. Campers explore the FUNdamentals of physics alongside the Science Guys of Baltimore through wacky experiments, curious demonstrations, and visits to the American History Museum. They spin, toss, race, and design while exploring magnetism, centripetal force, inertia, momentum, gravity, air pressure, electricity, and explosions. Sir Isaac Newton would be proud!
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262723?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Ocean Mysteries
Resident Associate Program
Dive through the zones of the ocean to reveal secrets deep beneath the waves. How and why do some deep-sea creatures glow? How do whales communicate from hundreds of miles away? Where is the deepest part of the ocean? How important are microscopic plankton? Campers explore these mysteries and more through experiments, crafts, games and visits to the Natural History Museum and National Zoo.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262725?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Perplexing Puzzles
Resident Associate Program
From scrambled dinosaur bones to tangled mysteries, there are plenty of puzzles waiting to be solved around the National Mall. Campers explore the history of puzzles, tackling everything from labyrinths to the Gordian knot to brainteasers. They also create their own puzzles inspired by games and objects in the American History Museum and International Spy Museum. Are you up to the challenge?
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262722?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Powerful Pollinators
Resident Associate Program
It’s Pollinator Week! Pollination by bees, bats, butterflies, and beetles ensures the continued existence of millions of plant species, and in turn, of most animal species, including humans. More than 150 of our common food crops, from avocados to zucchini, rely directly on pollinators. Through visits to Smithsonian gardens and museums as well as art projects, games, and daily challenges, campers learn about (and meet a few of) the many pollinators. They get insights into their habitats and what can be done do to protect them and find out how they can get involved in pollinator conservation.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262719?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Smithsonian Folktales
Resident Associate Program
Campers discover folktales from different world cultures each day as they read stories depicted, reflected, or told through Smithsonian collections. They examine art, cultural artifacts, landscapes, and wildlife during daily field trips that connect to those stories, which inspire crafts including puppets and pop-up books. Throughout the week, songs and games tie together themes that are shared across cultures.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262720?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Super Art Fight
Resident Associate Program
Sign into a masterclass on charisma, character, and cartooning all in one. Inspired by murals, large-scale art, and comics across the Smithsonian’s collections, campers examine the innate human desire to create art. They design their own alter ego inspired by exhibition visits; practice cartoon battle strategies; and learn all the creative and fun problem solving that goes into putting on the greatest live art competitions in the known universe. 3...2...1…Art Fight!
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262727?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Walk Like an Egyptian
Resident Associate Program
Campers travel back in time as they discover the civilization of Ancient Egypt. After exploring exhibits at Natural History and Asian Art museums, they learn about the pyramids, the secrets of the pharaohs, hieroglyphics, mummies, deities, the Rosetta Stone, and more fascinating aspects of the country’s early history. During the week, campers create their own ancient world for family and friends to experience on Friday.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/262724?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Wonderous and Wise Japan
Resident Associate Program
From Momotaro and Miyazaki, the roots of many of Japan’s most popular books and films are hundreds of years old. Campers explore Japanese storytelling and folklore from Bunraku puppetry and contemporary anime. Visits to the Asian Art galleries offer insights into Japanese culture. The week concludes with a display of Japanese-inspired work.
Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263839?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Van Gogh’s Toolbox: Expressive Techniques in Drawing for Self-Taught Artists
Resident Associate Program
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/tickets/263672?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263672?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Garden Play: Plant Care!
Smithsonian Gardens
Join Smithsonian Gardens in the Enid A. Haupt Garden for hands-on activities and a story time exploring this month’s topic, plant care! While you are in the Haupt Garden, be sure to check out plants from our tropical collection on display for the summer.
Location: Find us on the East Terrace of the Enid A. Haupt Garden, near the Spencer Fullerton Baird statue by the Arts and Industries Building, southeast of the Smithsonian Castle.
Garden Play is a drop-in program designed for children ages 2 and up and their caregivers. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but children of all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians must remain with their children.
Please come prepared for an outdoor experience. Wildlife and insects, including bees and mosquitoes, are a part of our gardens. Participants are encouraged to bring water and sun protection.
Activities may be subject to cancellation or modification due to weather conditions. (A little rain won’t keep us away, but we will cancel in the case of a…
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, East Terrace. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Nuestras Voces: Bringing the Smithsonian to Your Classroom (Charlotte, North Carolina)
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and the Charlotte Museum of History for an educator workshop on using primary resources, museum objects, and children’s books in the classroom.
This free workshop will include: An introduction to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. , An overview of five children’s books published by the National Museum of the American Latino and how they correspond to state standards and curriculum in Social Studies, English and Language Arts. , Sample activities for teacher participation, which can also be replicated in the classroom as plug and play stand-alone activities. , An orientation to using the Smithsonian Learning Lab. , Question and Answer Session , A resource kit with copies of all the books outlined as well as reproducible handouts for the classroom. The books featured are: “Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos who have Shaped the United States” , “Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico” , “Nuestras…
Event Location: Charlotte Museum of History (3500 Shamrock Dr. Charlotte, NC 28215). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nuestras-voces-bringing-the-smithsonian-to-your-classroom-charlotte-tickets-1525056859119. Categories: Workshops.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Taking the Wild Out of the Animal: A Story of Siberian Silver Foxes
Resident Associate Program
Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs but foxes. They are the result of one of the most astonishing experiments in breeding ever undertaken, intended to speed up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. Evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin goes inside this groundbreaking experiment.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263341?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263341?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
The Shubert Brothers' Broadway
Resident Associate Program
In the early 20th century, Manhattan’s Times Square was a gritty neighborhood full of horse stables. Today, it’s the vibrant center of Broadway’s Theater District. The transformation has its roots in the vision of three scrappy Lithuanian-born brothers: Lee, J.J. and Sam Shubert. Tim Dolan of Broadway Up Close tours spotlights the remarkable ascent of Broadway’s most powerful theatrical dynasty—founded 125 years ago—and uses a trove of rare photographs and archival videos to bring to life the heart of the Shubert empire: the Theater District between 44th and 46th Streets.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264019?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264019?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 11, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
From Frustration to Flow: Harnessing Wet Techniques in Watercolor
Resident Associate Program
Wet techniques are more than a method—they’re a mindset, inviting you to embrace spontaneity and let go of precision. Through guided practice, learn when and how to use wet techniques to create an array of effects.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263673?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263673?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: World Elephant Day!
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is a special celebration for elephants! World Elephant Day is August 12th! Come explore different elephant teeth, make your own habitat for our elephant toys, and create your own artwork on "elephant-made" paper!
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 Sign Language interpretation,…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 12, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Great Hall Story Time
One-Time Events
Join us in the Portrait Gallery’s picturesque Great Hall for an interactive story time that gets up close and personal with art. Participants will look closely at portraits and read stories as they learn more about the people who have shaped history.
Event Location: Great Hall. Cost: Free. Registration Encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-hall-story-time-tickets-1335479447979?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
How Netflix Disrupted the Entertainment Industry
Resident Associate Program
From its start as a DVD-by-mail rental service, Netflix has systematically changed the rules of the entertainment media business. It introduced streaming in 2007 and began offering its own programming in 2013. Now its original movies are upending the operations of the Hollywood studios. Media historian Brian Rose explores how Netflix is primed to become the dominant source of online entertainment throughout the world.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263876?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263876?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Nuestras Voces: Bringing the Smithsonian to Your Classroom (Charlotte, North Carolina)
American Latino Museum
Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and the Charlotte Museum of History for an educator workshop on using primary resources, museum objects, and children’s books in the classroom.
This free workshop will include: An introduction to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. , An overview of five children’s books published by the National Museum of the American Latino and how they correspond to state standards and curriculum in Social Studies, English and Language Arts. , Sample activities for teacher participation, which can also be replicated in the classroom as plug and play stand-alone activities. , An orientation to using the Smithsonian Learning Lab. , Question and Answer Session , A resource kit with copies of all the books outlined as well as reproducible handouts for the classroom. The books featured are: “Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos who have Shaped the United States” , “Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico” , “Nuestras…
Event Location: Charlotte Museum of History (3500 Shamrock Dr. Charlotte, NC 28215). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nuestras-voces-bringing-the-smithsonian-to-your-classroom-charlotte-tickets-1525056859119. Categories: Workshops.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Recent Discoveries in the Deep: Dark Oxygen, the Rare Biosphere, and a $17 Billion Shipwreck
Resident Associate Program
Using an extraordinary suite of 21st-century tools, marine scientists and explorers are gathering stunning new knowledge about the universe beneath the waves. They have uncovered fantastical new species; astonishing insights into how Earth’s life-support systems work; and high-resolution seafloor maps that reveal hidden landscapes and buried treasures that even Jules Verne could never have imagined. Journalist and author Susan Casey dives into the latest discoveries in the deep ocean, offering a glimpse of the tantalizing mysteries that still lie on its floor.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264131?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264131?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Painting in the Key of Color: A Streamlined Approach to Color in Painting
Resident Associate Program
Much like a musical composition follows a specific key, this watercolor-based workshop—also adaptable to oil and pastel—aims to simplify the painting process using color harmony.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263674?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263674?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 13, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Cool Science: remote sensing and adaptation to temperature extremes at the ends of the earth
One-Time Events
The Arctic and Antarctic remain the most remote and least understood regions on Earth. The harsh environment tests the limits of our most intrepid explorers, while other species have found extraordinary ways to thrive. Come learn about the ways we study a region so uninhabitable to people, the amazing animals that call it home, and how we’re more closely linked than we may realize.
Presented by: Dr. Angela Liang and Evelyn Strombom, Glaciologist & Knauss Marine Policy Fellow and Fisheries ecologist & Arctic scientist, NOAA and NOAA NMFS; University of Minnesota
Image credit: Andreas Wolden.
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.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
An Actor's Revenge
Films
A uniquely prolific and chameleonic figure of world cinema, director Kon Ichikawa delivered a burst of stylistic bravado with this intricate tale of betrayal and retribution. Set in the cloistered world of nineteenth-century Kabuki theater, the film charts a female impersonator’s attempts to avenge the deaths of his parents, who were driven to insanity and suicide by a trio of corrupt men.
Ichikawa takes the conventions of melodrama and turns them on their head, bringing the hero’s fractured psyche to life in boldly experimental widescreen compositions infused with kaleidoscopic color, pop-art influences, and meticulous choreography. Anchored by a magnificently androgynous performance by Kazuo Hasegawa, reprising a role he had played on-screen three decades earlier, An Actor’s Revenge is an eye-popping examination of how the illusions of art intersect with life. (Description courtesy of Janus Films)
Directed by: Kon Ichikawa. Country: Japan. Released: 1963. Length: 113 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese…
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://nmaamatinees.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible. Captioning.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Churchill the Artist
Resident Associate Program
Winston Churchill, who began painting in 1915 at the age of 40, completed more than 500 canvases over the course of his life, describing the pastime as "a joyride in a paintbox." The largest selection of his works is displayed at his former home at Chartwell in Kent. Katherine Carter, Chartwell’s curator, approaches the paintings as a visual diary, depicting the places Churchill visited and the people he met, all using the brightest colors his oil paints could create.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264102?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264102?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM.
Q?rius After Hours - August
One-Time Events
Q?rius After Hours is back! You have one more chance to hang out in the Coralyn W. Whitney Q?rius Science Education Center after hours this summer. The evening will feature NMNH collections specimens, crafts, puzzles, and games, and these featured experts: Dune-esque Ancient Worms NMNH Deep Time Peter Buck postdoctoral fellow Kat Turk , Mass Extinctions in Ancient Oceans with NMNH paleobiology postdoctoal fellow Sarah Leventhal , Putting Plant-damaging Insects of the Past to Work: The History of Insect Herbivory with NMNH paleoecologist Conrad Labanderia , The Art of Preserving Plants featuring hands-on botany specimen preparation with NMNH museum specialist Erika Gardner , Fossil hunting and sorting
Last chance this summer: Register here for Q?rius After Hours on August 13
About the series:
If you think back to a time when you were having fun as a kid, what were you doing that made you so happy? Odds are it included some of the universal elements of play – a concept we know is critical for…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (Ground Floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/54009825/qrius-after-hours-august-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. It Don’t Mean a Thing: The Off-key History of Jazz Movies
Resident Associate Program
Jazz has consistently defied efforts to capture its essence, milieu, dynamics, and quicksilver magic effectively in the mainstream medium of movies. Although cinema and jazz were born at roughly the same time, they have often appeared to be two art forms at odds with one another. In his exploration of jazz on screen, Tim A. Ryan, a professor at Northern Illinois University, surveys the genre’s film history and examines the inherent challenges filmmakers face when trying to dramatize the world of jazz.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264103?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264103?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Angelica Schuyler Church: A Revolutionary Woman
Resident Associate Program
Angelica Schuyler Church, Alexander Hamilton’s sister-in-law, witnessed American history at its birth. A woman of great influence in a time of influential women, she developed a transatlantic network of important friends that spanned the political spectrum of her era. Biographer Molly Beer explores Church’s life and legacy, revealing how American women wielded their power to shape history and shedding new light on the early political and social fabric of the United States.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264061?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264061?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Looking at Fashion
Resident Associate Program
Writer Virginia Woolf dismissed clothes as “vain trifles” but acknowledged that “they wear us and not we them.” The way we dress reflects our times, our sense of self, and our aspirations, says author Debra N. Mancoff. Mancoff reveals how clothing and fashion tell stories over time and across cultures.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264104?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264104?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Winds of Change: A Reflective Writing Workshop
Resident Associate Program
In a summer workshop series, discover the power of reflective writing inspired by art guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. Inspired by the masterful prints of one of Japan’s most innovative artists, Katsushika Hokusai, and by poetry across time, slow down, look closely, and reflect to explore the metaphor of wind in our world and in our lives.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264129?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264129?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Virtual Portrait Signs
One-Time Events
Portrait Signs is a Deaf-led tour in American Sign Language. Tours explore portraiture, history and biography through the lens of our special exhibitions and permanent collection. Dates and topics are continually updated.
Event Location: Online via Zoom. Online Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/national-portrait-gallery-810710525. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/national-portrait-gallery-810710525. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Art Signs: Artful Conversations in ASL
One-Time Events
Curious about American art? Join us for a 30-minute in-person conversation about selected works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. This program is presented in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation for hearing participants.
Image credit: Photo by Mary Tait.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: Meet in the F Street Lobby. Cost: Free | Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR1j9Zd. Categories: After Five. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM.
Wine & Design
One-Time Events
Join the National Postal Museum for a happy hour combined with crafting fun! Decoupage a postcard with Guest Artist Erin Robinson. Light snacks, crafting materials, and drinks are included in the price of the ticket.
Attendees must be 21+ to attend and show a valid ID at the door. Please note space is limited and registration is required. Tickets are $20.
Tickets on sale now!
Venue: Postal Museum. Event Location: Byrne Classroom (Mezzanine level). Cost: $20. Get Tickets/Register: https://npmprograms.ticketspice.com/wine-design. Categories: After Five.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Experimental Archaeology: Recreating the Experiences of Lost Civilizations
Resident Associate Program
From the tang of Roman fish sauce to the boom of medieval cannons to the clash of Viking swords, history often neglects the vivid sensory elements that were an intimate part of our ancestors’ lives. Sam Kean draws on his book Dinner with King Tut to reveal how a new generation of researchers are resurrecting these hidden details and pioneering the new discipline of experimental archaeology.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264001?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264001?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Florence: Where the Renaissance Began
Resident Associate Program
The cradle of the Renaissance, Florence is replete with frescoes, paintings, sculpture, and architecture created in an era in which art was the cornerstone of cultural activity. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo makes a stateside visit to trace the art and history of this jewel of a city, from the dawn of the Renaissance to the era of the Medici dukes. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: In-person Registrants: Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264488?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264488?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Conversation Circles
One-Time Events
Calling all English-language learners – Join National Portrait Gallery educators and friends from all over the world. Together, we’ll use portraiture to learn about U.S. art, history and culture. This program takes place every other week. Meet new friends, learn about different cultures and practice your English. For more information, email Beth Evans at evansb@si.edu.
Event Location: Online via Zoom. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions.
Friday, August 15, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Story Time
One-Time Events
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, August 15, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, August 15, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Orchids: Sex and Lies
Resident Associate Program
Beyond their beauty and romance, there’s a dark side to orchids: a world of trickery and deception used to entice the insects that are essential for their pollination. Steve Nicholls, a wildlife filmmaker with a lifelong interest in botany and horticulture, provides insights into the intricate dynamics of this botanical seduction.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264105?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264105?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Friday, August 15, 2025, 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, August 15, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
DC | Curator Tour: "InSight"
One-Time Events
Curated by the museum’s archivists, this exhibition features images from the Archives Center at the National Museum of the American Indian. The photos were selected from more than a half million images stewarded by the museum. They give an intimate view of Indigenous lives across the Western Hemisphere and across time. They show everyday moments of joy and quiet reflection. In these images, people attend social gatherings, pose for family photos, and learn from relatives. Each photo has a story to tell. It is the rich insight shared by Native people that brings these stories to life. Join archivists Emily Moazami and Nathan Sowry for a guided tour of the exhibition and learn more about their work.
Image: Eva Curtis (Iñupiaq) and Sadie Vestal (Iñupiaq) picking wildflowers, Kotzebue, Alaska, June 23, 1951. Lindell and Ethel Bagley Alaska collection. 379_001.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 2, exhibition gallery (between elevator bank and Roanoke Museum Store). Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives.
Friday, August 15, 2025, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Sensational Sicily
Resident Associate Program
Sicily’s reputation as a food and wine paradise has remained intact for more than 3, 000 years—and most of its indigenous grape varieties and time-honored winegrowing traditions continue to play an important role. Whether robust flavors from the slopes of the still-active Mount Etna or bright, fresh wines from coastal and inland vineyards, Sicily has something for everyone.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263857?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263857?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Friday, August 15, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 16, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Zip & Paint with Rain Young
One-Time Events
Join artist Rain Young in a fun workshop that allows artists to express their creativity on wearable art. This class will teach various techniques for painting on denim, including fabric paint application, color blending, and design transfer. Learn how to create a design and mix primary colors to create a one of kind piece of art ready for wear or display.
Painting supplies, stencils, etc. will be provided. Participants should bring their own jeans or jean jackets, patches, or any other fabric design items they would like to apply.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zip-paint-with-rain-young-tickets-1375918291649?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, August 16, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Sounds of Africa Concert Series
One-Time Events
Grab a drink, enjoy the lively beats, and dance the night away!
The National Museum of African Art’s Sounds of Africa concert series features music from the African diaspora. This ongoing series, which runs through November 15, brings together a stellar lineup of artists who are pushing the boundaries of music from Africa while honoring its roots. Enjoy drinks for purchase!
Don’t miss Sugarlane as they bring their high-energy experience to the Haupt Garden! Led by Grammy award-winning artist Chioma, a UN Peace Ambassador, Sugarlane is a conglomeration of talented musicians who travel the world with their electrifying performances.
Sounds of Africa Concert Series
• Saturday, August 16, 2025 7pm-10pm
• Saturday, September 27, 2025, 4pm-7pm (Part of Community Day)
• Saturday, October 18, 2025, 7pm-10pm
• Saturday, November 15, 2025, 7pm-10pm, Sounds of Africa concerts are standing room only (with accessibility seating available upon request). The rain location for any concert scheduled for outdoors will be…
Venue: African Art Museum. Event Location: Haupt Garden (rain location: Sylvia Williams Gallery, Sublevel 1). Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sounds-of-africa-concert-series-tickets-1497195765839?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Celebrations. Performances. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, August 16, 2025, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
For more info visit africa.si.edu. The Age of World's Fairs: Spectacles of Innovation
Resident Associate Program
World’s fairs have long served as global showcases for innovation, culture, and progress. These international expositions brought together nations to display a myriad of advancements, often reflecting the aspirations and challenges of their times. Art historian Jennie Hirsh delves into three pivotal exhibitions examining how these landmark events showcased each era’s groundbreaking achievements in technology, culture, science, art, and architecture. This session highlights the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263980?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263980?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Workshops.
Monday, August 18, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
The Geology of the Channel Islands
Resident Associate Program
Geologist Kirt Kempter explores the tectonic origin and geology of the four main islands of southern California’s Channel Island National Park. Part of the western Transverse Ranges, this unusual mountain range rotated more than 90 degrees clockwise during the development of the San Andreas fault system. Kempter traces the history of this tectonic oddity and the fate of the mammoths who lived on the islands as the sea level rose 18, 000 years ago.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264020?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264020?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 18, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Play Date at NMNH: World Orangutan Day!
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is a special celebration for orangutans! World Orangutan Day is August 19th! Come learn through play about these animals, about make your own habitat for our orangutan and other primate toys, and create your own orangutan with arms built for climbing and hanging!
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…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 19, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
CANCELLED - 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 20, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
?The Little Mermaid?
Resident Associate Program
Today, the popular 1989 Disney film ensures that most people think of “The Little Mermaid” as a tale of triumph. But in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” fairy tale, which loosely inspired the movie, the mermaid fails to meet the terms of the sea witch’s bargain and dies. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman do a deep dive into “The Little Mermaid” fairy tale to discuss folkloric and literary tales that inspired it. They also explore how the story has been retold in contemporary times.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264044?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264044?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:45 PM.
Disney's Design DNA: Creating Place
Resident Associate Program
Walt Disney built a cultural empire rooted in imagination, optimism, and storytelling. Guided by this outlook, he and his Imagineers conceived something special: an architecture of reassurance in Disney theme parks. Former urban planner Sam Gennawey, author of Walt Disney and the Promise of Progress City, decodes Disney’s design DNA and reveals the techniques his team employed at Disneyland: eight design principles that usher guests on a journey through places that delight. Take a peek behind the curtain.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264021?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264021?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Give Sorrow Words: A Reflective Writing Workshop
Resident Associate Program
Guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface, discover how reflective writing can offer a creative buoy for engaging with loss. Inspired by works of visual art and poetry, experience a process in which reflection and writing become a place of comfort and a space for holding sorrow as well as remembrance. This is part of a summer workshop series.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264130?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264130?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Art & Memory: Telling Your Story Through Creativity
One-Time Events
Celebrate the power of storytelling through artistic expression. In A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, D.C. 1900–2000, discover how DC’s most influential artists and educators wove their family, community, and personal experiences into their work. Then, create your own meaningful piece incorporating portraits or photos from your life, connecting your story to the legacy of Black arts education.
Recommended Audience: Lifelong Learners
Time and Schedule: 10:15 a.m. on July 24, August 21, and September 18, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTour…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-memory-telling-your-story-through-creativity-tickets-1397015664459?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM.
Mary Cassatt: An American Among the Impressionists
Resident Associate Program
Mary Cassatt was the only American to exhibit with the Impressionist group of independent French painters. Invited into their circle by Edgar Degas, Cassatt and her sister Lydia became muses for his intimate portrayals of a feminine Parisian world. Art historian Bonita Billman delves into the breadth of Cassatt’s diverse body of work, her influential role within the Impressionist movement, and her focus on scenes of women and children—subjects that became increasingly significant as her own family life evolved. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264002?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264002?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Express Yourself: Art & Identity in Your Community
One-Time Events
Unleash your creativity and explore the impact of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC! In A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, D.C. 1900–2000, see how local artists and educators reflected their identity, community, and experiences in their work. Then, express yourself by creating a unique artwork using portraits or photos from your own life, connecting your story to the legacy of Black artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: Teens 13+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. on July 24, August 21, and September 18, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at A…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/express-yourself-art-identity-in-your-community-tickets-1397043517769?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Preservation Station: Exploring the Family Treasures Toolkit
One-Time Events
Join us as we explore the Family Treasures Toolkit. Learn how to preserve your family treasures so they are available for generations to come.
This interactive session will be led by museum professionals highlighting general tips, strategies, and fun preservation activities. Individuals interested in incorporating preservation activities at their next family gathering or reunion are also encouraged to attend.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Target Learning Classrooms. Cost: Free. Categories: Workshops. Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Take 5: Jazz at SAAM with Jen Krupa
One-Time Events
Celebrate a uniquely American art form with Take 5: Jazz at SAAM, a series of free, live performances in the Kogod Courtyard. Trombonist Jen Krupa and her quintet will perform original compositions and timeless standards from the American songbook. She is a member of the faculty at The Juilliard School and is the lead trombonist of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.
Borrow a board game to play during the concert and stop by the Courtyard Café to purchase refreshments.
Image credit: Adam Grimm.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: Kogod Courtyard. Cost: Free | Registration encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR1iYOn. Categories: After Five. Performances.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Design on the Water: Washington, DC, Architecture Cruise
Resident Associate Program
Spend a summer evening sailing on the Potomac, taking in Washington, D.C.’s architectural icons and history from a new perspective. Cast off from Georgetown with your architecture guide from DC Design Tours and professional crew from Capitol River Cruises. As you cruise south on the Potomac, soak in sunset views of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and Georgetown waterfront, then sail past Theodore Roosevelt Island, under Arlington Memorial Bridge, and along the National Mall and Tidal Basin.
Event Location: Tour begins at Washington Harbour in Georgetown at west (upriver) end. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263965?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Wonders by Wright: Buffalo and Beyond
Resident Associate Program
At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was a prosperous industrial city, drawing worldwide attention as the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The city’s wealth and prominence attracted well-known architects for high-profile projects, including H. H. Richardson, Louis Sullivan, and Daniel Burnham—as well as upstarts like Frank Lloyd Wright, who looked to make his name with his first major office building. Bill Keene, a lecturer in architecture and urban studies, leads a 4-day tour that highlights significant works by Wright and his contemporaries.
Event Location: Detailed information for overnight tours is emailed approximately FOUR WEEKS. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263616?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 6:00 PM – Sunday, August 24, 2025, 3:00 PM.
One Border, Two Nations: U.S.–Canadian Relations, 1774–1816
Resident Associate Program
Even before the United States gained independence, colonial leaders hoped Canadians would join in resisting what they considered British abuses. Repeated diplomatic and military efforts aimed at winning over the French-speaking population to the American revolutionary cause ultimately failed. Historian Ralph Nurnberger explores the reasons why Canadians in the late 18th and early-19th centuries remained fervently nationalistic and how their connection to Britain helped define the country’s distinctive path in North American history.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264062?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264062?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, August 21, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Conversation Circles
One-Time Events
Calling all English-language learners – Join National Portrait Gallery educators and friends from all over the world to learn about U.S. art, history and culture through portraiture. Meet new friends, learn about different cultures and practice your English. For more information, email Beth Evans at evansb@si.edu.
Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions.
Friday, August 22, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Story Time
One-Time Events
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, August 22, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, August 22, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. CANCELLED - 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, August 22, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Art Bites Gallery Talk
One-Time Events
Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and what each one tells us about the ever-changing cultural landscape of the United States. Joseph Mizhakiiyaasige Zordan, Terra Foundation for American Art Predoctoral Fellow, discusses Edmonia Lewis' Old Arrow Maker (modeled 1866).
Image credit: Edmonia Lewis, Old Arrow Maker, modeled 1866, carved 1872, carved marble, 21 1/2 x 13 5/8 x 13 3/8 in. (54.5 x 34.5 x 34.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Joseph S. Sinclair, 1983.95.182.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: In-person | Smithsonian American Art Museum. Cost: Free | Meet in G Street Lobby. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Friday, August 22, 2025, 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM.
An Artful Weekend in New York: The Frick Collection, Neue Galerie New York, and Morgan Library & Museum
Resident Associate Program
Discover three of New York City's most renowned cultural treasures. Led by art historian Judy Pomeranz, spend an immersive afternoon at the Frick Collection with artwork spanning from the Renaissance to the early 20th century; get a private tour of the Neue Galerie New York before opening hours to see the main collection and a special exhibition of German masterworks from 1890 to 1940; and take a guided tour of the Morgan Library & Museum, followed by time to explore its 350, 000-plus illuminated manuscripts, rare books, literary and historical manuscripts, music manuscripts, and drawings on your own. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit).
Event Location: Detailed information for overnight tours is emailed approximately FOUR WEEKS. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264113?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 8:00 AM – Sunday, August 24, 2025, 10:30 PM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Growing Community: Preparing for the Fall
One-Time Events
In this workshop, we will make a plan that we will implement in our garden over the next two months to ensure a good harvest and a successful early spring garden.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place Se. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-community-preparing-for-the-fall-tickets-1248212289559?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Lectures & Discussions. Workshops.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
The Civilizations of the Andes: A Cultural Exploration
Resident Associate Program
During an extraordinary 4, 000-year history, the pre-Columbian civilizations of the Andean world created the earliest cities of the Western hemisphere, stupendous monumental architecture, magnificently crafted artifacts—and one of the most extensive empires the world has ever known, the Inca. In a full-day seminar, George L. Scheper, a senior lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, provides a cultural overview of these achievements.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264003?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264003?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Folding Fan workshop
One-Time Events
Join Artist Tamara Thomas as she leads an art workshop on how to create beautifully designed hand-held folding fans. Participants will design their own usable fans with lace, fabric, sequins, gems, and other materials provided. The program is best suited for ages 8 and up.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1375936385769?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra - Jazz Rides the Rails
Resident Associate Program
All aboard! To celebrate the centennial of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters—a history-making union of African American workers—SJMO highlights railroads across America in works including "Last Train from Overbrook, ” Blues in the Night, " "9:20 Special” and more.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of American History Warner Bros. Theater. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/261952?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Workshops.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM.
Church of the Frari
Resident Associate Program
The Church of Santa Maria Glorioso dei Frari, commonly known as Frari’s Church or the Church of the Frari, is a minor basilica in Venice, Italy. It has an unassuming façade, but don’t let that fool you: The church contains splendors from over 500 years of Venetian history, including works by Titian, Donatello, and Bellini. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero delves into the church and the treasures inside. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263877?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263877?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 25, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Roots to Pop: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell on the Craft of Country Music
One-Time Events
The fifth installment of the “Roots to Pop” series focuses on Country music, digging into its development and intersections with Folk and Americana. Featuring singer-songwriter and record producer Rodney Crowell and singer-songwriter and bandleader Emmylou Harris in conversation with curator Krystal Klingenberg, the discussion will explore their work and influences as it places their songcraft in the context of Country music history.
Reservations are required; a maximum of two tickets can be reserved per reservation.
The National Museum of American History welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities. This event is wheelchair accessible. ASL services, real-time captioning in English and in Spanish, and assistive listening devices will be provided. Additional accommodations are available upon request; please email nmahprograms@si.edu.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Hall of Music, 3 West. Cost: Free, registration required.
a maximum of two tickets can be reserved per reservation. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/roots-to-pop-emmylou-harris-and-rodney-crowell-tickets-1489633898089?aff=tr. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Performances. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible. Captioning.
Monday, August 25, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. La Brea Tar Pits: Peril and Promise
Resident Associate Program
In the heart of Los Angeles, geologic processes have conspired to create the richest Ice Age fossil site on Earth. For more than 50, 000 years, underground crude oil has seeped to the surface, trapping plants and animals in the La Brea Tar Pits—and painting a picture of a lost world that may help plan for a climate-resilient future for the city. Emily Lindsey, associate curator of the site, leads a virtual program spanning 20 million years from ancient seabed to LA’s modern car culture.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264022?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264022?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Monday, August 25, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Play Date at NMNH: Dive into the Deep Sea
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday will be all about taking a closer look at what life is like in the deep sea at the bottom of the ocean! Even though it is very dark (except for the bioluminescent animals), the deepest parts of the ocean are still full of life. Together we will learn about some of the unique animals that have adapted to live in the deep sea, make artwork inspired by the deep sea, and have the chance to see specimens that once lived at the bottom of the ocean!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (ages 0-5) 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 Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Ocean Hall is on the 1st floor. Please note that space is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 26, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
CANCELLED - 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Nazi Art Plunder in Postwar Western Europe
Resident Associate Program
Art looting was a central feature of Nazi expropriation throughout Europe during World War II. After the war, hundreds of thousands of artworks were recovered, but not all looted art was returned to its rightful owners. Following cultural property norms of the time, several European governments created custodianships over unclaimed pieces without using their archives to help determine ownership. This policy has extended the dispossession of Jewish owners well into the 21st century. Historian Elizabeth Campbell provides an overview of Nazi art looting and the continuing recovery and restitution process. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264106?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264106?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
One-Time Events
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, August 27, 2025, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
Angkor Wat
Resident Associate Program
The magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia marks the rise of the Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia and its incorporation of Indic cultural influences into the architecture of one of the largest religious monuments in the world. Historian Justin M. Jacobs also explores how it became a center of Buddhist worship, a symbol of French imperial pretensions, and finally an icon of the modern Cambodian nation and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263878?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263878?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, August 28, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Thursday, August 28, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Conversation Circles
One-Time Events
Calling all English-language learners – Join National Portrait Gallery educators and friends from all over the world. Together, we’ll use portraiture to learn about U.S. art, history and culture. This program takes place every other week. Meet new friends, learn about different cultures and practice your English. For more information, email Beth Evans at evansb@si.edu.
Event Location: Online via Zoom. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions.
Friday, August 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Story Time
One-Time Events
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, August 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, August 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. CANCELLED - 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: Hishikawa Sori / Landscape: two of the four seasons; autumn and winter, Japan, late 18th–early 19th century, color, ink, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1906.234.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/NeVySe_xTkGKsbcKbl_syQ. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, August 29, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
DC | Curator Tour: "Unbound"
One-Time Events
Curated by Emil Her Many Horses (Oglala Lakota), this exhibition juxtaposes historical hides, muslins, and ledger books with more than 50 contemporary works commissioned by the museum. Illustrating everything from war deeds and ceremonial events to family life, Native identity, and pop culture, the artworks are as diverse as the individuals who created them. Join the curator for a guided tour of an exhibition that celebrates the full expression of narrative art among Native nations of the Great Plains.
Image: Hunkpapa Lakota dress (back), ca. 1880. North Dakota or South Dakota. Muslin, wool cloth, silk ribbon, thread, paint; 141.5 x 128.4 cm. (21/3665).
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 4, exhibition gallery. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains.
Friday, August 29, 2025, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, August 30, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Crochet Creations with the Crochet Kingpin
One-Time Events
Join artist Dwayne Lawson-Brown aka “Crochet Kingpin” as he leads us in a workshop on the art of crocheting wearable art. The workshop is appropriate for ages 8 and up. Participants will learn the basics of Crocheting and have an opportunity to practice chains, single crochet, and double crochet.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Pl SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crochet-creations-with-the-crochet-kingpin-tickets-1375941902269?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops.
Saturday, August 30, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Write Into Art: Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art
Resident Associate Program
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon, leads three online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through a diverse range of artworks chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels. This writing session is inspired by John Singer Sargent's Breakfast in the Loggia.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264489?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264489?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Play Date at NMNH: Little Beasts
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is all about exploring artful connections to nature as we celebrate our collaboration with the National Gallery of Art! Check out "little beasts" inspired specimens from education collection and create artwork inspired by artworks on display at the National Gallery of Art!
Extend the fun and explore the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building. This exhibit features specimens from the National Museum of Natural History’s collection and artworks from the National Gallery of Art. Interested in exploring more “Little Beasts” in Natural History’s collections? Head on over to the Natural History Museum and check out the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals on the 1st floor, Bone Hall on the 2nd floor, and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo on the 2nd floor!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early…
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.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Expressionism: The Art of Emotions
Resident Associate Program
Sparked by new and influential explorations of psychology and human behavior in the early 20th century, the work of pioneering Expressionist artists still holds the power to move and challenge viewers. Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar traces the movement’s roots, meaning, influences, and most notable practitioners, including artists of the Die Brücke collective and the Der Blaue Reiter group. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264107?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264107?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Paris Noir: Black Musicians in the City of Lights
Resident Associate Program
When the 369th infantry regiment eventually known as the “Harlem Hellfighters” arrived in France in December 1917, none of them could have imagined that they would initiate a trend of African Americans moving to Paris, says Michele L. Simms-Burton, a former professor of African American studies. The unit’s band helped Parisians chase away their wartime blues by introducing them to jazz. Simms-Burton explores how jazz took Paris by storm and why Paris continues to be a place where African American musicians work, create, and live.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264045?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264045?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Little Artists, Big Stories
One-Time Events
Discover the magic of creativity with our storybook reading program for early learners! Through engaging stories, vibrant exhibits, and hands-on art activities, children will explore the legacy of Black arts education in Washington, D.C. building curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for artistic expression.
Recommended Audience: 18 months – 7 years
Time and Schedule: 10: 15 a.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 1 hour
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.
Questions? Email the ACM Education team at ACMTours@si.edu.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-artists-big-stories-tickets-1396883820109?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Gallery Talks & Tours.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM.
Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil
Resident Associate Program
Bob Dylan arrived in New York City one winter morning in 1961. His music and spirit would go on to have a huge impact on popular music for decades. What hardly anyone knew then was that—like so many before him—Dylan was concealing his Jewish origins. He had been born Robert Allen Zimmerman to Jewish parents in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1941. Dylan’s instincts for escape and reinvention have helped shape his long career, says author Harry Freedman, who explores how Dylan’s musical decisions, genius for reinvention, and Jewish roots go hand in hand.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264492?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264492?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM.
Exploring Ancient Egypt: Culture, Commerce, and Daily Life
Resident Associate Program
Discover the fascinating world of ancient Egypt in a 4-session series that explores the daily life, culture, and innovations of one of the world’s most influential civilizations. Scholar Shelby Justl of the Penn Museum in Philadelphia draws on the discoveries of ongoing archaeological explorations and experimental archaeology to bring to life the rich history of Egypt and its expanding role on the global stage. This session explores ancient Egyptian food and drink.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264023?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264023?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Visionaries in Art: Exploring Black Creativity & Expression
One-Time Events
Explore the rich legacy of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC through an immersive experience designed for youth audiences. Engage in close-looking activities featuring works by influential local artists and art educators, then bring your own creativity to life through hands-on artmaking. Through inquiry-based discussions and artistic exploration, young learners will deepen their understanding of self-expression and connect their observations to their own creative process.
Recommended Audience: Youth 8+
Time and Schedule: 1:00 p.m. Select Tuesdays and Thursdays through September 25, 2025
Duration: About 75 minutes
For all guided experiences, advanced registration for groups of 10 or more is required at least one week prior to your visit. When registering for groups of 10 more, groups may request free bus transportation. Bus transportation is available on a first come, first served basis. Please fill out the guided student tour form available here at least one week prior to your group's arrival.…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visionaries-in-art-exploring-black-creativity-expression-tickets-1396981753029?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Gallery Talks & Tours. Workshops.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM.
Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Song
Resident Associate Program
Looking for a choral program that celebrates memorable music across the decades? This is the one for you. Choral conductor and music educator Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the hits you know and love—including songs from the 1960s in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Smithsonian Associates. No audition is required, and rehearsals culminate in a free performance for invited guests.
Venue: S. Dillon Ripley Center. Event Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Dr SW. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264546?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Workshops.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
The Story of CO2
Resident Associate Program
Every year, the climate is impacted by gigantic amounts of carbon dioxide that enter the air. But CO2 isn’t merely the dangerous byproduct of burning fossil fuels—it is also fundamental to how the Earth works. Drawing on his book The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World, science journalist Peter Brannen examines how CO2 has been responsible for the planet’s many deaths and rebirths, for shaping the evolution of life, and for the development of modern human society.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264108?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264108?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Building the Home Front: The U.S. Housing Crisis of World War II
Resident Associate Program
Following the fall of France in 1940 during World War II, the United States rapidly ramped up production for the war effort, prompting massive conversions of existing factories, the construction of enormous new plants, and the recruitment of a vast workforce. With 20% of the U.S. population moving due to job demands and private home construction stifled by the war, a housing crisis of unprecedented scale emerged. Bill Keene, lecturer in urban studies and architecture, explores the development of the crisis, examining the wide range of the federal government’s housing solutions—permanent, temporary, dormitories, and trailers.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264109?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264109?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: After Five. Webcasts & Online.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Story Time
One-Time Events
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, September 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. from April 30 through September 26, 2025, weather permitting.
Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the tour sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, Meet at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. The Invention of Charlotte Brontë
Resident Associate Program
Ever since the death of Charlotte Brontë in 1855, her tragic life story–entwined with those of her novelist sisters Emily and Anne–has been a cultural legend. Much of this legend originates in Elizabeth Gaskell’s controversial 1857 biography, The Life of Charlotte Brontë which created a furor on publication. As a result, a censored edition was issued that remained the standard until the middle of the 20th century. The question of how much of it is true has persisted. Author Graham Watson discusses his research in the manuscript archives of the Brontë and Gaskell families and their friends and publishing associates and shares why he believes his findings challenge many long-held assumptions about Brontë and her family.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264493?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264493?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | Conserving a Japanese Folding Screen
Lectures & Discussions
Get a rare glimpse into a current conservation project: our remounting of a unique Japanese folding screen by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, which features six fan-shaped paintings attached to a painted background.
Our Japanese painting conservators will talk about the process of remounting folding screens. In this traditional conservation technique, a conservator removes the painting from its old screen, constructs a new screen, and carefully mounts the painting to the new surface. Explore models and materials from our conservation studio to see what this process entails, and learn why we do it.
Learn more about how we mount Japanese paintings. Image: Department of Conservation and Scientific Research.
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: Gallery 5. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Kung Fu Hustle
Films
This anarchic homage to—and parody of—classic martial arts movies is nonstop action fueled by outrageous special effects. Featuring a cast of legendary Hong Kong action stars, Kung Fu Hustle pits the ragtag denizens of a rundown slum against the dapper and ruthless Axe Gang. With this breakthrough film, director Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, The Mermaid) catapulted from clown prince of Hong Kong to worldwide sensation.
Director: Stephen Chow (Hong Kong, China). Released: 2004. Length: 98 min. Format: DCP. Language: Cantonese with English subtitles. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://anniversaries.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:45 PM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2025. It is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind 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 19 - November 22, 2025.*
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: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1307850759829?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Growing Community: The Garden Then and Now
One-Time Events
In this workshop, we will explore some of the challenges faced by early city gardeners during the fall and prepare for the final harvest of the season.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-community-the-garden-then-and-now-tickets-1248213192259?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Webcasts & Online. Workshops.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Little Beasts at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
One-Time Events
The World & Me team is traveling outside of Natural History this month!
Pack a picnic blanket and snacks for activities in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden! Educators from the National Museum of Natural History will be in the garden in celebration of the National Gallery of Art's monthly family program, First Saturdays (held concurrently in the East Building Atrium of the National Gallery of Art from 10am - 3pm). Come explore artful connections with the flora and fauna around you, paint your own little beast, make observations of specimens from the National Museum of Natural History's education collection, and more!
Extend the fun and explore the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building. This exhibit features specimens from the National Museum of Natural History’s collection and artworks from the National Gallery of Art. Interested in exploring more “Little Beasts” in Natural History’s collections? Head on over to the Natural…
Event Location: National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
The Art of Gandhara: Where India Met Greece
Resident Associate Program
Situated between India, Persia, and the Greco-Roman world, the region of greater Gandhara (stretching through parts of modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan) produced artwork that blended influences and ideas from many cultures. Art historian Robert DeCaroli examines the origins of the region’s material culture, explores the ways imperial and religious power were displayed, and traces the role of trade in the exchange of ideas. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263879?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/263879?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223. Categories: Webcasts & Online.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
WILD Nature Play Club
One-Time Events
Dig in the dirt! Stomp in puddles!
Presented as a pilot program by the National Zoological Park’s Little Critters: Nature Play, our WILD Nature Play Club will meet on the first Saturday of every month at the Anacostia Community Museum where we will explore the half-mile loop trail right next to the museum. Join us for unstructured play time in nature as well as a child-directed hike through the George Washington Carver Nature Trail. At the end of the hike, we will gather together for a story and nature activity then head back to the museum. Come prepared for our time together by dressing for the weather, bringing an extra pair of clothes, closed-toe shoes, water, and a snack!
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-nature-play-club-tickets-1376192311249?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Coffee & Collections: Brothers on Ice
One-Time Events
Since 1978, the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club has trained young people in Ward 7 to skate and play hockey. The oldest minority hockey program on the continent, the club’s DC Cannons have won multiple Purple Pucks over the years. Players credit founder and leader Coach Neal Henderson for their success.
Join us for a screening of the film Brothers on Ice, which documents a season in the life of the Cannons, followed by a conversation with Coach Neal Henderson. Fort Dupont Ice Hockey memorabilia will be on view.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: 1901 Fort Place SE. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/coffee-collections-brothers-on-ice-tickets-1376254958629?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Lectures & Discussions.
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Beyond the Studio Workshop: Moss Art with Daphne Lee of Potahto
One-Time Events
Create a hanging wall art piece with local artist and entrepreneur Daphne Lee of Potahto. Attendees will choose from several types of preserved moss and other materials, including tree bark and cork, to construct their own artwork. Perfect for those with or without a green thumb, this craft requires zero watering. Space is limited. Participants must register by 7 p.m. ET on August 24.
Image credit: Photo courtesy of the artist.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: MacMillan Education Center. Cost: $20 | Registration required . Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR1zNrx. Categories: Workshops.
Sunday, September 7, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
In the Mood for Love + In the Mood for Love 2001
Films
Watch the trailer
4K Restorations!
It’s 1962 in Hong Kong: Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) move into neighboring apartments on the same day. Their encounters are formal and polite—until a discovery about their spouses creates an intimate bond between them. At once delicately mannered and visually extravagant, Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love is a masterful evocation of romantic longing and fleeting moments. The last 25 years of cinema owe much to the stylistic influence of this film, from its aching musical soundtrack to the exquisitely abstract cinematography by Christopher Doyle and Mark Lee Ping-bin. (Description adapted from Janus Films.)
Director: Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong). Released: 2000. Length: 98 min. Format: DCP. Language: Cantonese with English subtitles.
Followed by In the Mood for Love 2001
This short film precursor similarly evokes the mystery of transient, unexpected connections in the modern city. Even on a miniature canvas, Wong Kar-wai…
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://anniversaries.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Captioning. Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, September 7, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM.