This
hCalendar-compliant page
is optimized for search engines. View this calendar as published at
music.si.edu.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Portrait Gallery Kids
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Children and families are invited to learn, play and create at the Portrait Gallery! Join educators every Monday as we explore a variety of topics and artistic materials. Participants will get a closer look at art with hands-on activities, music and story times. Portrait Gallery Kids is a fun way to engage with art and each other.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-portrait-gallery-kids-tickets-654254040447?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Behind the Science with Research Geologist and Curator Elizabeth Cottrell
One-Time Events
"Expedition to Arctic Volcanoes"
Join NMNH Research Geologist and Curator Liz Cottrell for an in‑depth exploration of the volcanoes on Alaska’s Aleutian Archipelago. Through images, stories, and scientific insights drawn from her field research, Cottrell investigates the Earth’s rocky surface and the internal dynamics that make it unique. Experience a Smithsonian rock‑collecting expedition through the eyes of a curator.
Registration is encouraged. Space is available on a first come, first served basis.
Image credit: Liz Cottrell, Smithsonian
----------------
About the Series: Behind the Science
A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers, Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes…
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/49070005/behind-the-sciencemay-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Deconstructing Frank Gehry: Innovation, Influence, and Legacy
All Programs
Frank Gehry rejected strict Modernism early on, embracing experimentation, unconventional forms, and raw materials to redefine architectural expression. His Santa Monica house signaled this shift, and digital tools later enabled the sculptural complexity seen in the Guggenheim Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Fondation Louis Vuitton. Though often associated with Postmodernism and Deconstructivism, he resisted labels, prioritizing intuitive exploration. Celebrated and criticized, Gehry transformed contemporary architecture and expanded the possibilities of what buildings can communicate. Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture, examines Gehry’s life and work. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit) .
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/frank-gehry?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/frank-gehry?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Monday, May 11, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Animal Spotlight - Bison!
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Tuesday, May 12th, is a special animal spotlight on bison! Families can celebrate our national mammal by making observations of bison specimens from our education collection, learn about ways they help their ecosystem, and explore how bison have been portrayed in art.
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals exhibit on the 1st floor of the museum. Please note that space is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is possible that the program might be at capacity when you arrive. If this happens, please enjoy other areas of the museum and try again later in the program.
Accessibility: Access services such as…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Drawn to Figures
One-Time Events
Join us for a sketching session in our galleries! Create, connect and sketch with fellow artists while drawing inspiration from the Portrait Gallery’s collection. Open to all skill levels, ages 18 and up. All materials will be provided. Participants are also welcome to bring their own sketchbook.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-drawn-to-figures-tickets-1977612892397?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Umbria: The Green Heart of Italy
All Programs
Art historian Sophia D’Addio surveys Umbria, known for hill towns, majestic landscapes, and the legacy of Saint Francis. Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, and Orvieto hold medieval and Renaissance treasures. Umbria’s culinary specialties focus on prized local ingredients such as black truffles, wild boar, lentils, and olive oil. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/italian-regions-umbria?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/italian-regions-umbria?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
The World of "Poldark": Historical Reality and Fantasy in Georgian England
All Programs
In the wildly popular British series “Poldark,” Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after the American War of Independence to find his estate in ruins, his finances exhausted, and his first love engaged to his cousin. Determined to rebuild, he reopens his copper mines, marries his former kitchen servant, and champions the working class, even risking his life in a duel. Historian Julie Taddeo examines the show’s topics—economics, religion, marriage, medicine, social customs, fashions, and the details of daily life in Cornwall and London—and explores what the series portrays accurately about the period and what its creators fictionalized.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/world-of-poldark?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/world-of-poldark?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM.
When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World
All Programs
Forest ecologist and author Suzanne Simard reveals how forests endure through interconnected cycles of renewal and adaptation. She warns that disrupting these delicate systems undermines resilience, especially under human pressures and climate change. By recognizing nature’s regenerative balance and the intricate relationships that sustain ecosystems, Simard argues for ecological stewardship rooted in renewal and long-term resilience.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/when-forest-breathes?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/when-forest-breathes?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Festival Agua, Sol y Sereno: Arte y Comunidad
Smithsonian Sponsored Events
The Agua, Sol y Sereno collective presents the Agua, Sol y Sereno Festival: Art and Community, celebrating thirty-three years of collective creation and cultural work from its Casa Taller in Santurce. That is why this festival invites people to come closer and experience the diversity of artistic processes, community projects, and creative practices developed throughout the year. It’s a space for gathering, learning, and celebration, where culture is affirmed as something that belongs to all of us.
El colectivo presenta el Festival Agua, Sol y Sereno: Arte y Comunidad, celebrando 33 años de creación colectiva y gestión cultural desde su Casa Taller en Santurce. Por eso, este festival invita a acercarse y vivir la diversidad de procesos artísticos, proyectos comunitarios y experiencias creativas que se gestan durante todo el año. Es un espacio de encuentro, aprendizaje y celebración donde la cultura se afirma como algo que nos pertenece a todos.
Categories: Performance. Workshop. Cost: Free. Event Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Agua Sol y Sereno
San Juan, Puerto Rico.
For more info visit www.aguasolysereno.org. Storytime Studio: Go Public Gardens
One time events
ABOUT STORYTIME STUDIO
Storytime Studio is a captivating blend of play, educator-led read-alouds, and art exploration designed for kids from birth to age 6 and their caregivers. Every Wednesday morning at 10 and 11 AM, visitors are welcomed into our studio to enjoy a special Storytime adventure.
Storytime Studio has limited capacity. Entry is first-come, first-served.
THIS WEEK
It’s Go Public Gardens week, and we’ll be joined by friends from the US Botanic Gardens to learn about plants and how they grow! After admiring the plants in Rashid Johnson’s installation The Changes (2025), on view at the Museum, we’ll create our own botanical artworks to take home.
Featured book: Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, Storytime Studio is a one-hour experience.
There are two Storytime sessions each Wednesday, with entry times at 10 and 11 AM. Participation for each adult and child is limited to one hour.
No pre-registration is required.
Entry to Storytime…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Storytime Studio, About Hirshhorn Kids, Visiting with Kids, Art Project: Catch the Sun.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Take your morning break with us in the garden! Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW for a tour of this hidden gem. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: The Enid A. Haupt Garden tour starts at the sign at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW, near the entrance to the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Impressionism Beyond France
All Programs
As the Impressionist movement evolved, it became a symbol of modern art and began to transcend national boundaries. Today, the development and practice of Impressionism is seen less as a uniquely French movement and instead as a major influence on the world’s visual culture. In a 4-session series, art historian Joseph Paul Cassar surveys its influence in Russia, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Great Britain. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/impressionism-beyond-france?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/impressionism-beyond-france?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece
All Programs
At the center of classical Greece stood Athens and Sparta. Together, they defeated the Persians, the era’s only superpower. Yet later, they spread conflict and destruction across the eastern Mediterranean, culminating in the horrors of the Peloponnesian War. Historian Adrian Goldsworthy examines the complex and often volatile relationship between militarized Sparta and radically democratic Athens—opposites in ideology and culture, each driven by the Greek longing to excel and experimenting in radically different ways to govern a state.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/athens-and-sparta?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/athens-and-sparta?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Early Spring
Films
In his first film after the commercial and critical success of Tokyo Story, director Yasujirō Ozu examines life in postwar Japan through the eyes of a young salaryman. Dissatisfied with career and marriage, office worker Shoji Sugiyama begins an affair with a flirtatious co-worker, and he and his wife grow estranged. The film adeptly depicts “the claustrophobia of office life” as “Ozu finds dramatic depths in quiet, ordinary lives” (The New York Times). Description adapted from Janus Films.
Director: Yasujirō Ozu. Country: Japan. Released: 1956. Length: 145 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Janus Films.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://nmaamatinees.eventive.org/schedule/694972e549fb56a847faf44b. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
Meet the Expert
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Amanda Moniz, Curator of Philanthropy, and learn about how the American Revolution changed giving in America.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Giving in America, 3 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Giving in America.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Why Historic House Museums Matter
All Programs
Historic house museums are more than time capsules of architecture and décor: They are vibrant portals into human experience. Public historian Ken Turino examines how these historic houses serve as unique repositories of personal narrative and cultural and social history—lives lived, decisions made, and cultural shifts textbooks can only describe.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/historic-house-museums?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/historic-house-museums?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Belvidere: The Evolution of a Plantsman’s Garden
All Programs
Follow the 25-year journey of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s vice president of horticulture, Andrew Bunting, as he transforms his suburban Philadelphia property into a private garden featuring a series of distinctive small spaces. Bunting covers his approach to garden design, plant choice, seasonal displays, and his maintenance regime and covers the challenges of creating a personal landscape that provides practical lessons and creative ideas for home gardeners.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/belvidere?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/belvidere?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
How Knitting Changed the World
All Programs
Explore the key role of knitting in American women’s battle to gain the right to vote, the survival of the musk ox, and anthropological understanding of past cultures and the rise and fall of civilizations. In fact, knitting has played a role in world history many times. Learn just how powerful a beloved handicraft can be.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/how-knitting-changed-world?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/how-knitting-changed-world?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
The Ocean Around Us Tour
One-Time Events
Explore the Sant Ocean Hall to learn about some of the exciting animals and habitats featured and how they are connected to your everyday life no matter where you live. This is a 30-minute interactive walking tour where you can meet a North Atlantic Right Whale, find out what is the most productive marine ecosystem, touch coral, and so much more.
Registration is required for this small group tour of up to 10 people. Each visitor may bring up to 3 guests, but the total number of visitors on the tour will be capped at 10.
Photo by Phillip R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall, Under the Large Jellyfish. Cost: Free. Registration is required. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Sketching the Smithsonian: Weekly Lunchtime Daytime Series
All Programs
Pull out your sketchbook and pencil to take an artful break as you explore the Smithsonian while drawing objects from vast and fascinating collections.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/sketching-si-1E0AKJ5?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/sketching-si-1E0AKJ5?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
The Venice Biennale: From 1895 to Today
All Programs
Every two years, the Venice Biennale transforms Venice into a living museum. This cultural extravaganza has grown into one of the world’s most influential exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture, cinema, dance, music, and theater, showcasing groundbreaking work from more than 90 nations. In a 2-session series, art historian Jennie Hirsh explores the biennale’s rich past and its landmark 2026 edition. This session focuses on the history of the Venice Biennale. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/venice-biennale?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/venice-biennale?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
City of Knowledge: Science, Power, and Place
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
City of Knowledge is a four-part, cross-institutional program series that contemplates urban centers as sites of scientific power, specifically how geography, politics, learned societies, and Federal institutions—including the Smithsonian, founded with a bequest from a scientist—shaped American scientific identity. Over the past few months, programs in the series have explored Washington, D.C.’s rich scientific history, and its role as a capital city of science. This final event will turn our attention back to the time of the American Revolution, to a second capital city of science: Philadelphia.
This is a conversation designed to spark dialogue among panelists and with the audience and will include a Q&A as part of the program. Panelists include Susan Brandt, Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Domenic Vitiello, Professor of City Planning and Urban Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. The role of moderator will be shared by Jeffery Applehans, John C…
Event Location: Livestream or in-person at American Philosophical Society, Benjamin Franklin Hall, Philadelphia. Cost: This program is free to attend, but registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.amphilsoc.org/form/registration-for-may-14-lunch-a.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
For more info visit www.amphilsoc.org. SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Meet the Expert: Politics and Fashion
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Joy Kinard, curator of political history, and explore the layers of fashion in politics. Learn what fashion can tell us about power, identity, and style.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: First Ladies, 3 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: First Ladies. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Eye-Popping Art: Tours for People with Colorblindness
One-Time Events
Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a docent-led tour of highlights from the museum’s collection using museum-provided, colorblind correcting glasses that bring the vibrancy of these works to life.
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/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR2wifR.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 5:30 PM.
Faith in Harmony: Soundscapes of American Spirituality: Horn
All Programs
The horn is one of the first instruments to appear in the texts of the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Featuring the music of the Kings of Harmony brass band and the performance choir of Temple Beth El of Suffolk, Virginia, this program celebrates how each faith has forged its place in the American experience, announcing itself in its own way with the horn. Scholars Raynetta Wiggins-Jackson, Aiman Khan, and Rabbi Sholomo Levy illuminate the history behind these traditions and explore how American spiritual communities today use the horn to uplift their faith in harmony.
Venue: African American History and Culture Museum. Event Location: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Oprah Winfrey Theater. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/faith-in-harmony-horn?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Heroes Rise: Comic Books in the Depression and War
All Programs
The superhero burst onto the American scene in the late 1930s, offering readers of comic books a new kind of champion at a moment of profound national struggle. History professor Brian Puaca explores the origins and evolution of the superhero, spotlighting both well-known icons and less remembered crusaders. Puaca discusses how Jewish writers and artists played a foundational role in crafting the genre and how comic books urged the United States toward engagement in World War II.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/heroes-rise-comic-books?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/heroes-rise-comic-books?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Richard III: The Search for the "Real" King
All Programs
Richard III remains one of England’s most contested monarchs, portrayed as both protector and ruthless usurper. Fresh evidence, including letters hinting at the survival of his nephews, fuels debate over his guilt in the Tower mystery. Historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines his legacy as warrior king, Shakespearean villain, and cultural icon. From the 2012 discovery of his remains to disputes over his reburial and a 2025 court case, Richard’s reputation continues to spark controversy about how he is remembered and why his story still matters.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/richard-iii?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/richard-iii?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
Living Traditions Festival
Smithsonian Sponsored Events
Celebrating its fortieth year in 2026, the Living Traditions Festival is a three-day multicultural festival produced by the Salt Lake City Arts Council in partnership with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums. Presenting live music, dance, crafts, and foodways, Living Traditions supports the preservation of diverse traditions and perspectives. The festival highlights the artistic and cultural heritage of the Salt Lake City area and global traditions, and aims to cultivate dialogue and greater understanding among communities. Living Traditions also presents a free concert series, Mondays in the Park, throughout the summer.
Categories: Performance. Foodways. Demonstration. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Event Location: Salt Lake City, Utah.
Friday, May 15, 2026 – Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Downtown Salt Lake City, UT.
For more info visit saltlakearts.org. 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.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Due to inclement weather, Wonderplace will open at 12 noon on Friday, January 19, pending staff availability. We will update this entry if the operating status for Wonderplace changes. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis.At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Take your morning break with us in the garden! Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW for a tour of this hidden gem. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: The Enid A. Haupt Garden tour starts at the sign at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW, near the entrance to the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios in Waimānalo, Hawaiʻi. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
The Washington Color School: A Time, a Place, a Legacy
All Programs
By the end of the 1950s, New York Abstract Expressionism had begun to wane. Painters adopted the large scale and rich palette of artists like Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko but with new processes and goals in mind. Many of these painters lived in Washington, D.C. where their originality earned them the name Washington Color School. Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Gene Davis, and Paul Reed, among others, were important innovators in new working methods based on staining unprimed canvas. Art historian David Gariff examines this golden age in the history of modern American art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/washington-color-school?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/washington-color-school?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Art Bites Gallery Talk
One-Time Events
Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks, each focused on one compelling artwork. Discover the stories behind these objects and the insights they offer into the United States’ ever‑evolving cultural landscape. Gabrielle Christiansen, Douglass Foundation Predoctoral Fellow, discusses Purvis Young’s The Struggle.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: In-person | Smithsonian American Art Museum. Cost: Free | Meet in G Street Lobby.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Watch Them Grow: Understanding our Forests for a Greener Future
One-Time Events
How do trees grow, and why should we care? Trees play a vital role in fighting climate change by storing carbon in their wood. By monitoring tree growth and learning about the environmental conditions they need, we can predict how they’ll react in the future. This helps us understand how trees will handle changes in their surroundings.
Presented by Dr. Eugenie Mas, forest ecologist, ForestGEO, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Image courtesy of Eugenie Mas.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Fossil Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Meet the Expert: Politics and Fashion
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Joy Kinard, curator of political history, and explore the layers of fashion in politics. Learn what fashion can tell us about power, identity, and style.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: First Ladies, 3 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: First Ladies. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Smithsonian Sleepover at the American History Museum for Girl Scouts
All Programs
Girl Scouts-Only In-person Program: Salute the country’s 250th birthday with your troop by taking an all-American road trip at the American History Museum. Unfold your map, turn on the engine, and follow the road through the museum’s galleries in a memorable overnight adventure made just for you. Geared for children in 3rd–8th grade, accompanied by an adult.
Event Location: National Museum of American History 14th St & Constitution Ave NW. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/ah-sleepover-1P0906?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Friday, May 15, 2026, 7:00 PM – Saturday, May 16, 2026, 9:00 AM.
“A Nation of Artists” in Philadelphia
All Programs
Join art historian Bonita Billman for a special celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, commemorated through the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in a collaborative exhibition. “A Nation of Artists” features more than 1,000 works, including more than 120 paintings and decorative arts from the private Middleton Family Collection. Together, these works offer fresh perspectives on the evolving story of American art and experience. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit).
Event Location: Departs from the Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St SW (corner of 6th & C Sts). Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/a-nation-of-artists-philadelphia?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 7:00 AM – 7:30 PM.
FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand
One-Time Events
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for another farm stand season in 2026. This farm stand is direct-to-consumer located East of the River in Ward 8.
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand takes place on the outdoor plaza of the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Place, SE Washington, DC 20020) every Saturday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) from April 18 - November 21, 2026.*
You can learn more about what is happening at the farm stand from our friends over at FRESHFARM Markets.
The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand is generously supported by The Hillside Foundation - Allan and Shelley Holt.
*Weather permitting. Be sure to follow the Anacostia Community Museum for updated information.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Plaza. Cost: Free to Attend. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshfarm-acm-farm-stand-tickets-1985418954539?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Growing Community: From Garden to Table
One-Time Events
Join us for a practical exploration of how engaging in our garden spaces can improve our quality of life. Join our guest host who will guide us in preparing easy, tasty, and healthy meals—bringing the garden to the table for individuals and families alike.
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Community Garden. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-community-from-garden-to-table-tickets-1984627013823?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Open Studio: Art, Plant, Grow
One time events
Get inspired by all things Washington, DC, every Saturday in May at Open Studio! Each week, we’ll look at artworks created or inspired by our neighborhood of artists, including Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, architect Gordon Bunshaft, and more.
Join us this Saturday as we draw inspiration from the live plants featured in Rashid Johnson’s installation The Changes (2025), on view at the Museum. We’ll be joined by educators from Smithsonian Gardens to learn about native DC plants and how to care for them. Then we’ll decorate our own terracotta pots to take home!
Meet in Art School on the Museum’s Lower Level. ABOUT OPEN STUDIO
Let your creativity run wild at Open Studio! Drop in to explore modern and contemporary art through interactive hands-on activities inspired by the Hirshhorn collection and artworks on view. Open Studio helps you transform your ideas into reality.
Every session introduces a new theme and a fresh perspective on art-making. Activities are designed to captivate everyone—from budding young…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Open Studio, Hirshhorn Art School, Art School Everywhere, Art Project: Pumpkin Pinch Pots.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
The Bible as Literature: From Genesis to Paradise Lost and East of Eden
All Programs
Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, explores the literary elements of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and then considers its afterlife in two major literary works: John Milton’s brilliant epic, Paradise Lost, and John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, a modern-day classic. Luzzi explains the rhetorical structures of the Bible and provides a sense of how its brilliant storytelling techniques shaped the development of modern literature.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/bible-as-literature?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/bible-as-literature?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Breaking the 1870 Wall - Genealogy Workshop
One-Time Events
One of the major challenges in African American genealogy is "breaking the 1870 brick wall" for enslaved ancestors. This lecture will use case studies to highlight techniques for finding enslaved families using slave schedules and wills, researching local history, analyzing migration patterns, and showcase the interface between internet sources, genealogy databases and historic records.
Event Location: Eva M. Doyle Auditorium, Merriweather Branch Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://tickets.si.edu/nmaahc/events/3386d58a-5570-1a48-4900-0401e2c687e0.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit tickets.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios in Waimānalo, Hawaiʻi. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Hoʻolauleʻa: Welcoming Kānepō Ka Lua
One-Time Events
Join the museum to welcome Kānepō Ka Lua (meaning Kānepō the Second) to Washington, DC with a hoʻolauleʻa (Hawaiian celebration). Kānepō Ka Lua, a volcanic stone from the famed area of Kaʻauea that overlooks the caldera of Halemaʻumaʻu, hails from the district of Kaʻū on the island of Hawaiʻi. Kānepō was loaned to the museum for a 20-year period by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in consultation with their Kūpuna (Elders) Consultation Group. The group of elders recognized the importance of sending a new stone to serve as the museum’s Western cardinal marker and as an ambassador for Kānaka Maoli in DC. Bring the family to celebrate Kānepō Ka Lua with curator tours, music by The Aloha Boys, hula performances by Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai'i, and hands on activities. *Please Note: For visitors who may leave hoʻokupu (offerings) or gifts for Kānepō Ka Lua, please do not leave anything made of synthetic materials. Appropriate gifts include lei made of organic materials and paʻakai (salt) from Hawaiʻi.…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Outdoors, Level 1: Potomac Atrium, Level 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
NY | "Clearly Indigenous": Family Art Day
One-Time Events
Bring the whole family to enjoy games, hands-on activities, storytelling, and music that celebrate and investigate Indigenous glass art in the Clearly Indigenous exhibition.
SCHEDULE, Level 2, Rotunda, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM | Performances by Swil Kanim Storyteller Swil Kanim (Lummi) will perform, sharing stories from the Pacific Northwest Coast. Throughout the day, catch Swil Kanim playing the violin. Swil Kanim is a U.S. Army veteran, storyteller, actor, and classically trained violinist from Washington State. He blends original compositions with powerful stories drawn from his life and heritage, inspiring audiences nationwide. He is the recipient of the Woodring College Professional Excellence Award, the Bellingham Mayor’s Arts Award, and has been recognized as a Certified Virtuoso Violinist by the Whatcom Chapter of the Washington Music Educators Association. Through performances at schools, community events, and stages across the country, Swil Kanim invites people of all backgrounds to honor…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 1, Diker Pavilion, Level 2, Rotunda and galleries. Cost: FREE. Related Exhibition: Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Move Your Mood: How Emotions Live in the Body
One-Time Events
Join Dr. Madea Allen, for a participatory workshop exploring how stress and emotions are stored in the body and how intentional movement, and breath can support emotional regulation and collective wellbeing. Blending accessible movement, rhythm, breathwork, and guided reflection, participants will experience how physical activation can release tension, improve mood, and restore balance. This workshop is family-friendly for ages 10 and up and transforms the museum space into an embodied wellness environment where participants move, reflect, and connect across generations.
This workshop transforms the museum space into an embodied wellness environment where participants move, reflect, and connect across generations.
Participants will: Learn where common emotions (anger, grief, anxiety) are stored physically , Understand how stress impacts the nervous system , Experience guided, accessible movement sequences to release tension , Practice a simple breathwork technique for emotional regulation , Reflect…
Venue: Anacostia Community Museum. Event Location: Program Room. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/move-your-mood-how-emotions-live-in-the-body-tickets-1984630340774?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Art Studio
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Calling all artists! Join the Portrait Gallery for a free, drop-in art program, where creativity knows no bounds. Every weekend, visitors of all ages are invited to explore a different artistic medium while drawing inspiration from the Portrait Gallery’s collections and exhibitions. On select weekends, learn from a featured guest artist, who will lead specialized workshops and share their expertise. To stay informed about upcoming guest artist workshops, please check the Portrait Gallery’s Eventbrite page.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-art-studio-tickets-1112707681629?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout
All Programs
In an afternoon of artistic experimentation designed to strengthen creative muscles and deepen skills in visual expression, explore five distinct modes of visual thinking—memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimentation—to complete eight expressive journaling exercises using the marking and mapping approach.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/visual-journaling-creativity-workout-1E0AJN?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/visual-journaling-creativity-workout-1E0AJN?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Star Power Saturday Movie Matinee: “The Adventures of Robin Hood”
One-Time Events
Join the Portrait Gallery for another round of movie screenings inspired by the exhibition “Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age by George Hurrell (A Sequel).” Enjoy the glamour of the Golden Age and watch some of Hollywood’s most iconic stars in “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” in vivid Technicolor. This 1938 swashbuckler film stars Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, the legendary English knight who stole from the rich to give to the poor. Joined by a merry band of outlaws, Robin Hood wages an epic battle against the scheming Prince John (Claude Rains) while striving to win over the beautiful Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: McEvoy Auditorium. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/star-power-saturday-movie-matinee-tickets-1980578448455?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:45 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
DC | Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang
One-Time Events
Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the bast, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the bast fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome. *Visitors age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. .
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM.
Teen Studio: Rest Is Restorative
One time events
Teens: Ready to level up your art? Join us for Teen Studio, a free art-making program exclusively for teens ages 13–19. Push your artistic boundaries using materials and techniques inspired by artists whose work is now on view at the Hirshhorn.
Explore the big ideas in the Hirshhorn’s newest exhibition: Big Things for Big Rooms. The show focuses on installation art, meaning large-scale artworks that wrap the viewer in a multisensory experience. This Saturday, we’ll experience Rashid Johnson’s The Changes (2025). Then we’ll DIY our own shea butter lotion in Art School!
Drop in to Teen Studio every Saturday between 2:30 and 4 PM. Register for the entire school year here (one-time registration covers all sessions). Join one session or join them all! Meet in Art School on the Museum’s Lower Level.
Looking for more? Explore Art School Everywhere, wherever you are, to learn about artists in the Hirshhorn collection and get creative any time.
Do this at home! Create a light sculpture inspired by artist Olafur…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Teen Studio, Hirshhorn Art School, Art School Everywhere, Olafur Eliasson: Rainbow Reflections.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Van Gogh’s Toolbox: Expressive Drawing Techniques from a Self-Taught Artist
All Programs
Although Vincent van Gogh was self-taught, his imaginative drawings and instantly recognizable touch reveal a deep understanding of principles like line weight, spacing, and value. Through hands-on exercises prompted by van Gogh’s drawings and his global influences, discover how to make your marks more imaginative and expressive. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/van-goghs-toolbox-expressive-drawing-techniques?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/van-goghs-toolbox-expressive-drawing-techniques?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Art Studio
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Calling all artists! Join the Portrait Gallery for a free, drop-in art program, where creativity knows no bounds. Every weekend, visitors of all ages are invited to explore a different artistic medium while drawing inspiration from the Portrait Gallery’s collections and exhibitions. On select weekends, learn from a featured guest artist, who will lead specialized workshops and share their expertise. To stay informed about upcoming guest artist workshops, please check the Portrait Gallery’s Eventbrite page.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-art-studio-tickets-1112707681629?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Curator Tours
One-Time Events
Join the National Portrait Gallery for gallery talks and tours with our wonderful curators! Experience current and newly opened exhibitions and learn more about works from our permanent collection. These Sunday afternoon tours will focus on “The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today.”.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curator-tours-tickets-1984500920675?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Smithsonian Chamber Music Society: Schubert Arpeggione Sonata, D821; Quintet, D956 (Masterworks of Three Centuries)
All Programs
The 49th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the early 17th century to the middle of the 20th, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in an 8-concert series.
This concert features Franz Schubert's Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata, D821 and Quintet, D956 performed by the Smithsonian Chamber Players:
Edwin Huizinga & Natalie Kress, violin;
Kyle Miller, viola; Rebecca Landell, violoncello;
Kenneth Slowik, fortepiano & violoncello.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of American History Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music. Cost: Click here to view prices. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/264864?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2025FY-Trumba-SA-ev&utm_content=SA-Trumba-event&promo=276223.
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM.
Garden Play: Seeds!
Smithsonian Gardens
Join Smithsonian Gardens in the Garden and Woodlands at the National Museum of American History for story time, play, a planting activity, and garden exploration inspired by this month’s topic, seeds! While you are in the garden, be sure to check out Smithsonian Gardens' new campus-wide exhibition, Growing Tomorrow.
Location:
Find us in the Garden and Woodlands on the east side of the National Museum of American History. Use the paths at the corner of 12th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW to enter the garden.
About Garden Play: Garden Play is a drop-in program for young learners and their caregivers to learn and play in a Smithsonian Garden. Each program is designed to foster appreciation and connection to the natural world through hands-on activities, story time, and a garden walk. Join Smithsonian Gardens as we explore a different garden topic each month!
Garden Play is designed for children ages two and up and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind,…
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: The Garden and Woodlands on the east side of the National Museum of American History. Use the paths at the corner of 12th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW to enter the garden. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Growing Tomorrow. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Portrait Gallery Kids
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Children and families are invited to learn, play and create at the Portrait Gallery! Join educators every Monday as we explore a variety of topics and artistic materials. Participants will get a closer look at art with hands-on activities, music and story times. Portrait Gallery Kids is a fun way to engage with art and each other.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: Education Center, E151. Cost: Free. No Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-portrait-gallery-kids-tickets-654254040447?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-share-source=organizer-profile&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Wildlife Gardening: Restoring Natural Landscapes
All Programs
Designing a garden, whether small or large, means considering many factors. Ecologist Shaun McCoshum offers innovative conservation and ecological ideas to create a garden in a way that he says can help restore broken natural processes and build resilient ecosystems. While native plants are essential, McCoshum believes it’s also important to understand the needs of animals, their habitats, and how natural systems work together.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/wildlife-gardening?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/wildlife-gardening?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Monday, May 18, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Webinar: Introducing "Innovation! How can we create new solutions for the changing climate?"
Smithsonian Sponsored Events
Join the Smithsonian Science Education Center on Tuesday, May 19, at 8:30 AM EST/3:30 PM AST for a free one-hour webinar to learn about our newest guide from the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project: Innovation! How can we create new solutions for the changing climate? These guides support youth in turning their ideas into action for a sustainable future through activities that allow them to discover, understand, and act on solutions to complex global issues.
This one-hour webinar is open to all teachers, educators, community members, and leaders interested in learning how to support young people in making a positive change in their communities!
During this 60-minute webinar, we will: Introduce the Innovation! Guide, explore the structure, and the teacher planner , Highlight selected activities from the guide to showcase how students will follow an innovation process to move from identifying a problem to eventually launching an innovation , Discuss the motivation and philosophy behind the guide…
Online Location: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/045ZQRJLRGCE5ejFrvnSNw#/registration. Event Type: Educational. Talks & Lectures. Cost: Free. Contact Name: Katherine Blanchard. Contact Email: BlanchardKP@si.edu.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM.
For more info visit ssec.si.edu. Estudio de Cuentos: Colores de la Ciudad
One time events
Estudio de Cuentos is held the third Tuesday of every month. Facilitation is entirely in Spanish. We recommend that at least one person in your group (child or caregiver) speaks Spanish. This program’s English-language version, Storytime Studio: City Colors, will be held Wednesday, May 19. SOBRE ESTUDIO DE CUENTOS
Estudio de Cuentos ocurre el tercer martes de cada mes, a las 10 y 11 de la mañana, y está diseñado para niños desde recién nacidos hasta los 6 años y sus cuidadores. Los participantes son bienvenidos a nuestro estudio de arte para disfrutar de una hora especial de juego, lecturas en voz alta, y exploración artística. El programa es completamente en español, y se recomienda que por lo menos un miembro de su grupo (niño o cuidador) hable español.
Estudio de Cuentos tiene cupo limitado. La entrada es por orden de llegada. ESTA SEMANA
Nos acompañará una artista docente de Inspired Child, Melissa Strova-Valencia, para compartir un proyecto de arte y lectura especial. Exploraremos todos los colores…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Storytime Studio, About Hirshhorn Kids, Visiting with Kids, Art Project: Colorful Coffee Filter Sculpture.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Marvelous Meteorites
One-Time Events
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Tuesday, May 19th, is all about exploring the colors, shapes, and textures of objects from space! Families can learn about and make close observations of meteorites from our collection, explore different colors of planets, and create your own play telescope. Come and join us for a fun time learning through play and exploration!
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 Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum. Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the enormous garrison flag that inspired the lyrics to America’s national anthem and later became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. What was it like to live in a nation defending its sovereignty? Learn about the War of 1812, considered America’s Second War of Independence, and about ways that widows like Mary expressed patriotism and resourcefulness through acquired skills and family connections.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Flag Hall, 2 Center. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Exploring Portrait Mode: The Divine Selfie
One-Time Events
Join the Portrait Gallery and Poetry Camera for a new kind of poetry workshop. Created by Kelin Carolyn Zhang and Ryan Mather, Poetry Camera is a camera that writes poems about what it sees. Using this unique technology as a platform for discussion, we will invite participants to explore portraits in the museum's collection through a new lens. In the second half of the workshop, participants will turn the camera inward to create poetic portraits of themselves. Explore questions about selfhood, bias and authorship in the age of AI through the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exploring-portrait-mode-the-divine-selfie-tickets-1981959629605?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. It Takes a Village: Caring for the Memories of Mothering in the Community
One-Time Events
Every May, we pause to celebrate the mothers and mother figures who shape our lives. This year, we invite you to move beyond a single day and transform celebration into preservation. Honor the mother figures in your life in a lasting way by recording oral histories and digitizing materials that tell their stories. Join the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in safeguarding the legacies of maternal figures who raised families, mentored generations, and nurtured communities.
This event will be held offsite at Lipsey Auditorium, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, 1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222‑1096.
Event Location: Lipsey Auditorium, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, 1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222-1096. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://tickets.si.edu/nmaahc/events/019db06d-7356-6e3b-f5ed-790b0c2a8ad8.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
For more info visit tickets.si.edu. Along the Coast of Many Cultures: Croatia From Pula to Dubrovnik
All Programs
Standing at the geographic intersection of several cultures, Croatia has been coveted by various foreign powers for centuries, with Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans all leaving their mark. Aneta Georgievska-Shine, a scholar of Renaissance and Baroque art, examines the artistic legacy of this long and tangled history by exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Dubrovnik and other significant sites. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/along-coast-of-many-cultures-croatia?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/along-coast-of-many-cultures-croatia?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Ernest Hemingway: Journeys in the Written Word
All Programs
From preserving his father’s family photographs and his own teenage documentaries of outdoor adventures through his youth in Paris to his physical breakdown in Africa and Cuba, Ernest Hemingway’s process served as his magnetic north throughout his eventful life. Drawing on his personal papers and private photograph collection, Hemingway biographer Hilary Justice recreates how Hemingway worked, illustrating the writer’s process: Experience sparks inspiration, and creativity meets craft in service of “one true sentence.”.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/ernest-hemingway?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/ernest-hemingway?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
The Hidden Social Lives of Giraffes
All Programs
Giraffes maintain complex social systems: They form lifelong friendships, establish babysitting crèches, and follow matriarchal leaders. In the past 30 years, however, giraffe populations have declined by roughly 40 percent, placing them at risk of extinction. Wildlife conservation biologist Fred Bercovitch explores the hidden social lives of giraffes.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/giraffes?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/giraffes?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
Private and Public Gardens of the Philadelphia Region: A Springtime Extravaganza
All Programs
Celebrate the height of spring blooms with two full days devoted to the artistry of garden design. The highlight of this program: visits to three private gardens, offering meticulously curated collections, outdoor living spaces, and rare opportunities to engage with visionary gardeners. Led by horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey, the tour also explores stunning public gardens including Chanticleer, a vibrant garden masterpiece of bold color and inventive design; Stoneleigh, a reimagined Gilded Age estate showcasing native plants, historic trees, and stonework; and the Jenkins Arboretum’s 48-acre woodland sanctuary of seasonal blooms.
Event Location: Detailed information for overnight tours is emailed approximately FOUR WEEKS. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/public-private-gardens-philadelphia-region?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 7:15 AM – Thursday, May 21, 2026, 7:00 PM.
Wellness Wednesdays
One-Time Events
Join the Portrait Gallery and wellness expert Aparna Sadananda for mindfulness programs inspired by the Portrait Gallery’s collection. On the first Wednesday of each month, join us for an artful meditation, where we will practice slow looking and experience portraiture through breath and slow movement. On the third Wednesday of each month, join us for a wellness program that inspires the senses and includes sound baths and musical meditation. These programs are for ages 18+ and are suitable for all skill levels. No experience is necessary.
Venue: Portrait Gallery. Event Location: G Street Lobby. Cost: Free. Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-gallery-wellness-wednesdays-tickets-1982011714392?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Storytime Studio: City Colors
One time events
ABOUT STORYTIME STUDIO
Storytime Studio is a captivating blend of play, educator-led read-alouds, and art exploration designed for kids from birth to age 6 and their caregivers. Every Wednesday morning at 10 and 11 AM, visitors are welcomed into our studio to enjoy a special Storytime adventure.
Storytime Studio has limited capacity. Entry is first-come, first-served. THIS WEEK
Join us for a special Storytime outdoors on the Plaza with guests from the Anacostia Community Museum! We’ll hunt for colors in the city around us and make art inspired by artist Sam Gilliam’s vibrant installation Light Depth (1969), on view at the Museum. Gilliam lived and worked in Washington, DC, and was a founder of the Washington Color School—a group of DC artists whose work focused on color itself. Featured book: Say Zoop! by Hervé Tullet
Featured book: Amor de colores by Melanie Romero, illustrated by Citlali Reyes, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, Storytime Studio is a one-hour experience.
There are two Storytime sessions each…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Storytime Studio, About Hirshhorn Kids, Visiting with Kids, Art Project: Colorful Coffee Filter Sculpture.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. CANCELLED - Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Take your morning break with us in the garden! Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW for a tour of this hidden gem. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: The Enid A. Haupt Garden tour starts at the sign at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW, near the entrance to the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Storytime Studio: City Colors
One time events
ABOUT STORYTIME STUDIO
Storytime Studio is a captivating blend of play, educator-led read-alouds, and art exploration designed for kids from birth to age 6 and their caregivers. Every Wednesday morning at 10 and 11 AM, visitors are welcomed into our studio to enjoy a special Storytime adventure.
Storytime Studio has limited capacity. Entry is first-come, first-served. THIS WEEK
Join us for a special Storytime outdoors on the Plaza with guests from the Anacostia Community Museum! We’ll hunt for colors in the city around us and make art inspired by artist Sam Gilliam’s vibrant installation Light Depth (1969), on view at the Museum. Gilliam lived and worked in Washington, DC, and was a founder of the Washington Color School—a group of DC artists whose work focused on color itself. Featured book: Say Zoop! by Hervé Tullet
Featured book: Amor de colores by Melanie Romero, illustrated by Citlali Reyes, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, Storytime Studio is a one-hour experience.
There are two Storytime sessions each…
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum. Event Location: Art School on the Lower Level. Cost: Free. Related Events: Storytime Studio, About Hirshhorn Kids, Visiting with Kids, Art Project: Colorful Coffee Filter Sculpture.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit hirshhorn.si.edu. SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Annual Fellows Lectures
One-Time Events
Join the 2025–2026 SAAM Fellows for a thought-providing series of talks that span a range of topics, time periods, media, and messages. This multi-afternoon program is an opportunity to hear from a new generation of scholars who are delving into the Smithsonian’s collections and archives to uncover fresh perspectives on American art. View the schedule.
Image/Credit: SAAM 2025–2026 Fellows, courtesy of subjects.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: McEvoy Auditorium, Online via YouTube. Cost: Free | Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR2rdq5. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Promoting STEAM Innovation and Invention in the Classroom | Cultivating Learning
Smithsonian Sponsored Events
Join Nyssa Buning of the National Museum of American History’s Spark!Lab and Carol O’Donnell and Hannah Osborn of the Smithsonian Science Education Center to explore strategies for cultivating an inventive mindset in your students. We’ll discuss the history of STEAM innovation in America and try an open-ended invention challenge that uses object-based learning techniques to encourage creative problem solving and support curiosity and perseverance, skills essential to inventors throughout history. You’ll leave with a set of facilitation tools to support students as they develop their own inventive identity and become future problem-solvers. You’ll also receive access to a newly released e-book from the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Stories of Women in STEAM Innovation: Celebrating America's 250th.
Program Details:
This is a Zoom webinar with automatic captioning. You’ll be able to participate using the chat and Q&A, and your camera and mic will be disabled. We’ll record and post the webinar on the …
Event Location: Online. Cost: Free. Related Events: In this special 2025-2026 Cultivating Learning series, "Celebrating America at 250," Smithsonian educators share teaching techniques and resources that help tell the story of America's 250th. The series celebrates well-known people, events, and accomplishments of our nation and also provides opportunities to discuss lesser-told histories that together form our national narrative. Join us to explore strategies for using digital museum resources to support student learning at this milestone moment in American… Accessibility: Captioning.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Casa Buonarroti
All Programs
Casa Buonarroti in Florence offers an intimate perspective on Michelangelo’s life and legacy, distinct from his monumental public works. The house museum is a carefully constructed site of family memory, shaped by Michelangelo’s descendants in the 17th century. Through Casa Buonarroti’s architecture, decorative programs, and collection of early works, Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero reveals how examples of artistic genius were curated within a domestic setting. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/casa-buonarroti?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/casa-buonarroti?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Rachel Carson: Wonder and Wisdom in the Living World
All Programs
Rachel Carson rose to prominence through poetic nonfiction celebrating the natural world, especially the oceans, drawing on her marine zoology background and years with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Her articles in major magazines and bestselling books earned her the title “Biographer of the Sea.” Her final work, Silent Spring, reshaped public understanding of environmental harm and came to define her legacy. Environmental educator Rebecca Henson examines Carson’s writing process, the book’s cultural impact, and the ecological vision that guided her career.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/rachel-carson?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/rachel-carson?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM.
Chasing Storms with the Hurricane Hunters (Amelia Earhart Lecture in Aviation History)
One-Time Events
Get excited about hurricane hunting with servicemembers of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, this year's panelists for the annual Amelia Earhart Lecture in Aviation History on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
Visit the Museum's galleries from 7-8 pm then hear from our guests about their roles as members of the 53rd's "Hurricane Hunters" squadron from 8-9 pm.
Your registration includes: A ticket to this talk from 8-9 pm. , Concessions available for purchase prior to 8 pm. , Access to select Museum galleries from 7-8 pm. Check the event website for a list of open galleries as we get closer to the program. , Opportunities to learn about Principles of Flight and plane spotting from Museum staff at Discovery Stations from 7-8 pm.
Venue: Air and Space Museum. Event Location: Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater. Cost: Free with registration.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
ONLINE: Chasing Storms with the Hurricane Hunters (Amelia Earhart Lecture in Aviation History)
One-Time Events
Get excited about hurricane hunting with servicemembers of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, this year's panelists for the annual Amelia Earhart Lecture in Aviation History on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 on the Museum's YouTube channel.
Hear from the panelists and ask questions in real time through our live broadcast via YouTube.
For more information about this event, you can always check out our event page.
ASL interpretation will be available to view via YouTube.
Event Location: National Air and Space Museum, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater. Cost: Free with registration.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis. At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
16th Street and Adams Morgan
All Programs
Join Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, for a walk through some of Northwest Washington, D.C.’s most vibrant communities and hear stories of movers and shakers, protests, disasters, and social scandals. Explore the oasis of Meridian Hill Park, visit the site of a former castle, learn about the “Empress of 16th Street,” and see what used to be the largest fire station in the city.
Event Location: Tour meets outside Meridian Hill Park at the corner of the 16th St and W St. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/16th-street-and-adams-morgan?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. How Do Paleoanthropologists Identify Our Evolutionary Relatives?
One-Time Events
While some of us today enjoy exploring our own family genealogy, paleoanthropologists study fossils of our evolutionary family members and try to identify our relatives in the deep past. How do they determine these evolutionary relationships, which now-extinct ancient species are more closely related to us, and which fossils belong to which species? Dr. Bernard Wood, University Professor of Human Origins at the George Washington University, will explain how paleoanthropologists attempt to answer these questions. Moderator: Dr. Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
This program is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics series and will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants.
Image caption: Bronze sculpture of a Paranthropus boisei created by paleoartist John Gurche in the Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins. Image credit: Smithsonian Institution.
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/99966992/how-do-paleoanthropologists-identify-our-evolutionary-relatives-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Accessibility: Captioning.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Northern Europe's Classical Music Masterpieces
All Programs
Composers from the countries situated around the Baltic, North, and Norwegian seas have long held a cherished place in concert halls. Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, Carl Nielsen, and Arvo Pärt are among those who shaped the understanding of their varied cultures. Their music explores mysterious folklores, vast frozen land and seascapes, spiritual beliefs, and turbulent histories. In a 4-session series, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses live piano demonstrations and film clips to explore both well- and lesser-known masterpieces from the North.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/north-europes-classical-music-masterpieces?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/north-europes-classical-music-masterpieces?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Sketching the Smithsonian: Weekly Lunchtime Daytime Series
All Programs
Pull out your sketchbook and pencil to take an artful break as you explore the Smithsonian while drawing objects from vast and fascinating collections.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/sketching-si-1E0AKJ6?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/sketching-si-1E0AKJ6?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Annual Fellows Lectures
One-Time Events
Join the 2025–2026 SAAM Fellows for a thought-providing series of talks that span a range of topics, time periods, media, and messages. This multi-afternoon program is an opportunity to hear from a new generation of scholars who are delving into the Smithsonian’s collections and archives to uncover fresh perspectives on American art. View the schedule.
Image/Credit: SAAM 2025–2026 Fellows, courtesy of subjects.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: McEvoy Auditorium, Online via YouTube. Cost: Free | Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR2reB3. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
DC | Closer Look: "Water's Edge"
One-Time Events
Join Rebecca Trautmann, curator of Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, for an in-gallery conversation with interdisciplinary artist and carver, Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich (Koyukan Dené/Iñupiaq), the museum’s 2025-2026 Native Arts Fellow. Together, they’ll offer visitors a closer look at artworks in the exhibition and discuss the connections between Ivalu and Lowe’s art practices. Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich (she/her) is a Koyukon Dené and Iñupiaq carver, interdisciplinary artist and educator working and subsisting in South-Central Alaska on Denaʼina homelands. Honoring her arctic and subarctic ancestral homelands, Gingrich's work represents what has tied her and her ancestors to the North. Gingrich received her BFA in Native Art from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, her MFA in Studio Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts and is currently a Term Instructor of Art for the University of Alaska Anchorage. Awarded with the Native Arts Fellowship at the National Museum of the American Indian…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Event Location: Level 3, exhibition gallery. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Masters and Mediums: Wildlife Artists
All Programs
Learn about the history of master wildlife artists such as John Audubon, Albrecht Dürer, Carel Fabritius, Maria Sibylla Merian, Károly Lotz, and Diego Velazquez. Work in a variety of mediums to capture the wildlife of your choice. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/masters-and-mediums-wildlife-artists?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/masters-and-mediums-wildlife-artists?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. NY | Hands On: Celebrate Hawaiian Culture
One-Time Events
In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, join museum educators in the imagiNATIONS Activity Center for hands-on activities related to Hawaiian culture. Stop by the imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom to learn about the process used by Native Hawaiians to create kapa, cloth made from paper mulberry tree bark, or wauke. Chat with educators, learn about the tools used to create kapa, and as a keepsake, stamp a bookmark with kapa designs to take home.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: FREE.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Take 5: Jazz at SAAM with Clara Campbell
One-Time Events
Celebrate a uniquely American art form with Take 5: Jazz at SAAM, a series of free, live performances. Clara Campbell, a jazz vocalist based in Washington, DC, is known for her rich tone and expressive style, bringing fresh life to jazz standards while staying rooted in the tradition. Campbell and her quintet will perform selections from the Great American Songbook, featuring original arrangements by Campbell.
Borrow a board game to play during the concert and stop by the Courtyard Café to purchase refreshments.
Image credit: Kaitlyn Numbers.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: Kogod Courtyard. Cost: Free | Registration encouraged. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR3Hec1.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Watercolor Journeys: Quick-Sketch Your Travels
All Programs
Spend the day learning to capture your travels with flowing lines and painterly colors. Discover how to simplify a scene and to compose and draw more organically and confidently. This technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/watercolor-journeys-quick-sketch-your-travels?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/watercolor-journeys-quick-sketch-your-travels?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
The Ganges: River and Goddess
All Programs
Since ancient times, the Ganges has been embodied as the goddess Ganga, and her reach stretches well beyond the riverbanks. Art historian Robert DeCaroli traces the Ganges from its origins in the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, exploring historic and sacred locations along the way. He also examines the art and architecture used to enhance and replicate access to Ganga’s sacred waters. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/ganges?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/ganges?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
The American Revolution, Part 1
All Programs
The American War of Independence freed the 13 British colonies in North America from Crown rule and set the stage for the United States’ bold experiment in self-government. Drawing on primary sources, historian Christopher Hamner traces the war from its roots in the crises of the 1770s through the opening campaigns of the conflict, culminating in the American victories at Trenton and Princeton and an examination of British strategy in a springtime series. This session focuses on American Revolution events around Christmas 1776.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/american-revolution-part1-1D0142C?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/american-revolution-part1-1D0142C?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM.
Northwest Folklife Festival
Smithsonian Sponsored Events
For over fifty years, Northwest Folklife Festival has served the Pacific Northwest as a beacon of its regional arts and culture in Seattle during Memorial Day weekend. Now in its fifty-fifth year, the annual festival celebrates Ubuntu, I am because we are, emphasizing our belonging to each other and to our shared humanity. As one of the largest and most cherished cultural celebrations in the Pacific Northwest, the festival attracts more than 200,000 attendees each year. This family-friendly, free event provides a creative outlet for local artists and communities and invites visitors to connect in-depth with these communities and cultural practices.
Categories: Performance. Foodways. Demonstration. Narrative Session. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. ASL-interpreted program. Event Location: Seattle, Washington.
Friday, May 22, 2026 – Monday, May 25, 2026.
Seattle Center
Seattle, WA.
For more info visit nwfolklife.org. 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.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.
Spark!Lab
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment and invent. Activities for children and families incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with art, history and creativity.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Spark!Lab, First Floor, West Wing. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Related Exhibition: Places of Invention, Inventive Minds, Landmark Object: Ralph Baer's Workshop, Inventing in America.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
For more info visit invention.si.edu. Wonderplace
Ongoing Tours & Activities
This learning space designed especially for children ages six and under combines age appropriate activities with museum collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place to exercise curiosity for the youngest historians.
Due to inclement weather, Wonderplace will open at 12 noon on Friday, January 19, pending staff availability. We will update this entry if the operating status for Wonderplace changes. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Admission to Wonderplace is on a first come, first-served basis.At busy times, we may use FREE, timed tickets to minimize wait time if needed. Tickets are available for 30-minute visits on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required for the first session from 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. To visit during a later half-hour session, visitors may pick up a ticket at Wonderplace in 1 West. The last entry using timed tickets is at 3:30 p.m.
Hours are subject to change.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wonderplace, 1 West. Cost: Free; first come, first served. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
16th Street and Adams Morgan
All Programs
Join Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, for a walk through some of Northwest Washington, D.C.’s most vibrant communities and hear stories of movers and shakers, protests, disasters, and social scandals. Explore the oasis of Meridian Hill Park, visit the site of a former castle, learn about the “Empress of 16th Street,” and see what used to be the largest fire station in the city.
Event Location: Tour meets outside Meridian Hill Park at the corner of the 16th St and W St. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/16th-street-and-adams-morgan-1CWB07?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour
Smithsonian Gardens
Take your morning break with us in the garden! Meet one of our knowledgeable volunteers by the sign near the northwest entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Jefferson Drive, SW for a tour of this hidden gem. No reservation is required.
Venue: Smithsonian Gardens. Event Location: The Enid A. Haupt Garden tour starts at the sign at the northwest entrance to the garden on Jefferson Drive, SW, near the entrance to the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Cost: Free
Tours may be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM.
For more info visit gardens.si.edu. Interactive Programs
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Docents offer interactive programming throughout the museum, in the form of Highlights tours of the museum, gallery spotlight talks, and hands-on cart programs.
Tours of the museum’s highlights generally take place daily at 10:15 AM and 1 PM. Additional tours may be offered on the hour between 11 AM and 3 PM as docents are available. Please check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Gallery spotlight talks take place throughout the day. Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object. Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Carts are located throughout the museum, and you can check either Welcome Desk for today’s schedule.
Year-Round:
Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
Notes:
Programs are subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Multiple floors. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:15 AM – 3:15 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Cooking Up History: Giuliano Hazan and a Legacy of Cooking Italian
One-Time Events
Join us for a Cooking Up History demonstration with award-winning author and Italian cooking teacher Giuliano Hazan, whose mother, Marcella, is considered the godmother of Italian cooking in America. During this cooking demonstration, Hazan will prepare Zabaglione, an Italian custard dessert made by whipping egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine over heat. The recipe has deep roots in the Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna regions—where his parents, Victor and Marcella, lived before moving to New York in 1955. Marcella’s own copper Zabaglione pot, donated to the museum last spring, is a featured object in the museum’s upcoming In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness exhibition, which highlights 250 objects for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
-----
“Cocinando Historia: Giuliano Hazan y un legado de cocina italiana” Viernes 22 de mayo, de mediodía a 1 p.m. Plaza Wallace H. Coulter; primer piso, oeste, Acompáñanos en una demostración de Cocinando Historia con el galardonado…
Venue: American History Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Plaza; First Floor, West. Cost: Free. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cooking-up-history-giuliano-hazan-and-a-legacy-of-cooking-italian-tickets-1988494412316?aff=trumba. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
For more info visit www.eventbrite.com. Raphael: The Prince of Painters
All Programs
Raphael, one of the High Renaissance’s great masters alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo, rose from Perugino’s apprentice in Urbino to the favored artist of popes and princes. In just two decades, he synthesized influences into serene compositions and ideal beauty, leaving a legacy of harmony and grace before his death at 37. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo explores his extraordinary ascent—from early apprenticeships under Perugino to encounters with Michelangelo and Leonardo in Florence, and finally to his crowning achievements in Rome. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit).
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/raphael?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/raphael?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Annual Fellows Lectures
One-Time Events
Join the 2025–2026 SAAM Fellows for a thought-providing series of talks that span a range of topics, time periods, media, and messages. This multi-afternoon program is an opportunity to hear from a new generation of scholars who are delving into the Smithsonian’s collections and archives to uncover fresh perspectives on American art. View the schedule.
Image/Credit: SAAM 2025–2026 Fellows, courtesy of subjects.
Venue: American Art Museum. Event Location: McEvoy Auditorium, Online via YouTube. Cost: Free | Registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://events.blackthorn.io/5f4ZMUx7/5a2bVR2reML. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.
Guided Tour: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
American Latino Museum
Step into the rhythm of salsa on a guided tour of the Smithsonian exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Experience the rhythm, history, and energy of salsa music through a guided tour of "¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa," a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and on view in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
This vibrant exhibition traces salsa’s journey from its Afro-Cuban roots to its rise as a defining sound in American music. Featuring nearly 300 artifacts—including instruments, performance attire, album covers, and rare memorabilia—the exhibition highlights legendary artists like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente alongside the musicians, dancers, and communities who shaped this global tradition.
During this 45-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the music, stories, and cultural movements that brought salsa from Caribbean rhythms to dance floors across the United States.…
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Molina Family Latino Gallery Entrance, 1st Floor East. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-tour-puro-ritmo-the-musical-journey-of-salsa-tickets-1984186244470?aff=oddtdtcreator. Related Exhibition: ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM.
For more info visit latino.si.edu. NY | Hands On: Celebrate Hawaiian Culture
One-Time Events
In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, join museum educators in the imagiNATIONS Activity Center for hands-on activities related to Hawaiian culture. Stop by the imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom to learn about the process used by Native Hawaiians to create kapa, cloth made from paper mulberry tree bark, or wauke. Chat with educators, learn about the tools used to create kapa, and as a keepsake, stamp a bookmark with kapa designs to take home.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: FREE.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
SHOUT
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Join our ensemble of performers as they sing, dance, and teach through storytelling. Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American. Connect their syncopated musical rhythms from the past to the present and learn how music can be a form of joyful resistance in times of oppression.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West. Cost: Free. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Meet the Wheelwoman
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Meet a cyclist pursuing Life, Liberty, and Happiness in the rapidly changing world of the 1890s. The explosive popularity of the safety bicycle at the turn of the century led to more personal mobility and independence for women, empowering them to advocate for change—whether it be less restrictive clothing, improved infrastructure, or even woman suffrage.
Venue: American History Museum. Event Location: 1 West. Cost: Free. Related Exhibition: Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
The Coolest Wines from the Hottest Regions
All Programs
Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. He explores wines that are literally and figuratively cool and hot in an immersive program that includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
Event Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/coolest-wines-hottest-regions?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223. Cost: View registration price. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/coolest-wines-hottest-regions?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223.
Friday, May 22, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.