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Dr. Kenneth Price explores Walt Whitman's life in Washington during the Civil War. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Tuesday, March 20 Walt Whitman and the Civil War

Leaves of Grass devotees, explore another side of Walt Whitman in this seminar led by Dr. Kenneth Price of the Walt Whitman Archive and Civil War Washington. As he wrote his seminal collection of Civil War poetry, Drum-Taps, Whitman was also caring for thousands of soldiers in Washington hospitals and working as a low-level government clerk. Dr. Price will unpack Whitman’s experience of Washington and its influence on the American icon. $35 for general admission, $25 for members, $22 for senior members. 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. S. Dillon Ripley Center.

Wednesday, March 21 Pray the Devil Back to Hell

This award-winning documentary tells what the Los Angeles Times called “one of the truly heartening international political stories of recent years,” about a group of revolutionary women in Liberia who came together in 2003 to stage a silent protest demanding the end of a bloody civil war that had shattered the country. After the film, Emira Woods of the Institute for Policy Studies will lead a discussion about the conditions in Liberia. Free, reserve a spot at 202-633-4844. 7:00 p.m. Anacostia Community Museum.

Thursday, March 22 Big Bang for the Buck

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy (WMAP) Explorer space mission measured the age, history and contents of the universe by mapping the vestiges of the Big Bang. Join Dr. Charles L. Bennett, who led the WMAP mission, for a lecture on the largest scale of the universe. Following the lecture, head to the observatory and take a new look at the night sky. Free tickets required; request tickets here. 8:00 p.m. Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, Air and Space Museum.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.