From May 17 to July 4, 1863, Ulysses S. Grant and the Union Army placed the city of Vicksburg, MS under siege to defeat Confederate troops. Hear the play-by-play of this turning point in the Civil War in a talk by best-selling author Jeff Shaara on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Paul Lowry

Tuesday, June 4: On the Water

Over centuries, Africans were traded for goods into slavery and shipped across the Atlantic to the New World. Millions of Africans were forced to endure this overseas journey, and it is estimated that more than two million did not survive it—some succumbing to sickness or killed, others by self-starvation or jumping from the ship in resistance. Learn about these Africans who traveled across the Atlantic and Smithsonian’s efforts to recover their stories at “On the Water,” an all-ages, hands-on cart demonstration. Free. 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. American History Museum.

Wednesday, June 5: Jeff Shaara on the Battle of Vicksburg

Grant vs. Pemberton. Sherman vs. Johnson. The Battle of Vicksburg, one of the Civil War’s most pivotal battles, pitted some of the Union’s and Confederacy’s best commanders against each other after Union troops crossed the Mississippi River and eventually forced the Confederacy’s soldiers into the Mississippi city, which Grant and Sherman besieged for six weeks until the Southerners surrendered. This evening, Jeff Shaara, best-selling author of the Battle-of-Vicksburg-based historical novel A Chain of Thunder, breaks down each commanders’ key actions and decisions in this Civil War turning point. A book signing follows the talk. $42 general admission, $30 member, $28 senior member. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Ripley Center.

Thursday, June 6: Whale Research at the Smithsonian

For more than 150 years, the Smithsonian has assembled one of the world’s best collections of whale-related objects. In addition to fossils, the collection includes, tools used for collecting specimens, scientific illustrations by Sydney Prentice, scientific articles and printing blocks used for creating books on the sea creatures. Today, in an extended panel discussion, scholars R. Ewan Fordyce (University of Otago, New Zealand), D. Graham Burnett (Princeton University), Steven Godfrey (Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, Maryland) and Nick Pyenson (National Museum of Natural History) talk about the Smithsonian whale collection’s legacy and future. Free, registration required (e-mail silrsvp@si.edu or call 202 633-1699). 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Natural History Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Kota Ezawa recreates famous moments in history and pop culture with basic animation software. He is visiting the Hirshhorn on Thursday to talk about his art. Photo by Independent Curators International, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Tuesday, April 30: Did an Emperor Kick-Start the Renaissance?

Most of the art of Emperor Frederick II’s court was destroyed after his death, but there is evidence that the Roman ruler, who directed his artists to recreate the splendor of ancient Rome, sparked the Renaissance during his reign in the 13th century. This evening, art historian Louisa Woodville, a teacher at George Mason University, juxtaposes the surviving works of Frederick’s court with those of the proto-Renaissance to make the case for the emperor’s influence. Tickets $25, with member discounts. 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Ripley Center.

Wednesday, May 1: Hands-On Family Craft Activities

Most Wednesdays and Saturdays this Summer, the American Indian Museum is offering a hands-on experience of Native culture. Stop by the museum this afternoon to learn how to make a Native craft that you can take home with you. Free. 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday and Saturdays through August. American Indian Museum.

Thursday, May 2: Meet Artist Kota Ezawa

Japanese-German artist Kota Ezawa recreates famous moments in television, film and art history with rudimentary digital drawing and animation software. Frame by frame, he has covered the Kennedy assassination and O.J. Simposon’s trial to clips from popular movies. This evening, the artist discusses the method behind his approach with a talk on “A History of ‘Poor Animation.’ ” Free. 7 p.m. Hirshhorn Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Secretary G. Wayne Clough testified before Congress today about the effects of sequestration on the institution. Photo by Ken Rahalm, courtesy of the Smithsonian

On April 16, Smithsonian Institution Secretary G. Wayne Clough testified before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about the impending effects of sequestration. Though the Obama administration had sought a $59 million budget increase for the Institution in fiscal 2014, this year Clough has to contend with a $41 million budget reduction due to sequestration. Gallery closings, fewer exhibitions, reduced educational offerings, loss of funding for research and cuts to the planning process of the under-construction National Museum of African American History and Culture were listed among the impacts of the sequestration.

Clough began his testimony: “Each year millions of our fellow citizens come to Washington to visit—for free—our great museums and galleries and the National Zoo, all of which are open every day of the year but one. Our visitors come with high aspirations to learn and be inspired by our exhibitions and programs.”

“It is my hope,” Clough told the committee, “that our spring visitors will not notice the impact of the sequestration.” Perhaps most noticeable would be the gallery closures, which, while they would not close entire museums, would restrict access to certain floors or spaces in the museums, unable to pay for sufficient security. Those changes would begin May 1, according to Clough.

Clough warned, however, that while these short-term measures will save in the near future, they might also entail long-term consequences. Unforeseen costs may arise in the form of diminished maintenance capabilities, for example. “Any delays in revitalization or construction projects will certainly result in higher future operating and repair costs,” Clough said.

This also threatens the Institution’s role as steward of thousands of historic and valuable artifacts–”Morse’s telegraph; Edison’s light bulb; the Salk vaccine; the 1865 telescope designed by Maria Mitchell, America’s first woman astronomer who discovered a comet; the Wright Flyer; Amelia Earhart’s plane; Louis Armstrong’s trumpet; the jacket of labor leader Cesar Chavez,” to name a few.

Around the Mall will keep the issue updated and tweet significant closures.

Learn how to knit! Classes run by Smithsonian Associates start on Tuesday. Photo by terribomb, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Tuesday, April 15: Pottery and Knitting Classes

Kick start spring with some beautiful crafts to show off to guests when they visit on sunny days. Smithsonian Associates runs a whole variety of art classes that start this evening. Drawing and photography are sold out (click links to join the wait list), but there’s still space for pottery and knitting. Make some fantastic presents for your friends and family, or something for yourself to satisfy that creative itch. Prices vary, see links. Pottery: Tuesdays from April 15 to June 4, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Knitting: Tuesdays from April 15 to June 4, 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Ripley Center.

Wednesday, April 16: Wash, Wring, Repeat: 19th Century Laundry

If you think loading up your washing machine is a pain, wait until you see all the steps families had to take in the 19th century to keep their clothes clean! Before you run away screaming from this hands-on demonstration, though, think of how much easier your laundry at home will be once you figure out how much of a task it used to be. After the wash, you can learn more about 18th century domestic life in Within These Walls . . ., an exhibit that features a full-size, partially reconstructed Georgian-style house. Free. 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. American History Museum.

Thursday, April: 17: Peacock Room Shutters Open

Want a taste of luxury? The Freer Gallery’s Peacock Room, once an opulent British dining room, now hosts more than 250 ceramics from Egypt, Iran, Japan, China and Korea that museum founder Charles Lang Freer collected on his travels. At noon, the museum opens the room’s shutters to bathe the collection in sunlight, and the room glows blue, green and gold. The shimmering colors won’t fade any time soon, either; special filtering film on the room’s windows prevents the sun’s effects on the ceramics. Free. Noon to 5:30 p.m. Freer Gallery.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

These flowers are always in bloom at the American Art Museum. Courtesy of the museum

Though you might not know it judging from the forecast most places, spring has indeed arrived. And despite the unpredictable D.C. weather, the snow, sleet, cold rain and wind hasn’t kept the tourists away. Crowds are gathering in the nation’s capital for the first glimpses of the cherry blossoms. For those of you interested in making the most of your visit, the editors over here have released two new spring-themed tours to help showcase the seasonal delights both inside and outside along the Mall.

The Gardens tour will take you to our many well-maintained plots around the Mall to see more than just a few pink blooms by the Tidal Basin, including heirloom plants, geometric splendors reminiscent of the grandest of European gardens and even a Victory Garden.

The Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden provides an iconic backdrop for your family vacation photo. Courtesy of Smithsonian Gardens

The courtyard at the Freer Gallery of Art is as beautiful as the museum’s collection inside. Courtesy of Smithsonian Gardens

The winding paths of the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden provide a quiet retreat. Courtesy of Smithsonian Gardens

What would spring be without the crack of bat? Pay homage to some of the game’s greats at the National Portrait Gallery. Courtesy of the museum

In case the sun forgets to show up, head inside for a dose of paradise in the Butterfly Pavilion. Courtesy of the Natural History Museum

Spring in space could mean a few things, but in this instance, we’re talking about a clever spring made of two metals that heat and cool at different points, which was essential to the Lunar Rover Vehicle from the Apollo missions. Courtesy of the Air and Space Museum

The birds and blooms from this Japanese painting were actually borrowed symbols from China, likely to mark an auspicious occasion. Courtesy of the Freer Gallery

Head here to download the visitor’s app and get your step-by-step directions, custom postcard feature and greatest hits from the museums.

Smithsonian in snow, circa 1977. Photo by Smithsonian Institution

Looking for something to do today, while the snowy weather conditions persist? The Smithsonian museums will be open for business today. But the National Zoo will be closed Wednesday, March 6, 2013.

Plan your visit, using our convenient Tours app, a free download is available here.

Syrian landscape. In “Up Close from Afar: Photographic Records of the Middle East,” two curators discuss how Western media’s depictions of the Middle East affect our perception of the region’s culture. Photo by delayed gratification, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Tuesday, February 5: Faster-than-Light Particles

Line anything up against a beam of light in a race and the beam’s always going to win. Light is the fastest thing there is, and much of our modern understanding of the universe is based on this barrier. But what if in fact there is some undetectable thing that is speedier? A tachyon is a hypothetical particle that always moves faster than light. Proposed in the 1960s, the possible existence of this elusive particle has enormous implications for science and the way we view the fabric of our reality. George Mason University professor of physics and astronomy Robert Ehrlich discusses the evidence for the tachyon this evening, and why it would turn our world upside down if discovered. $25 general admission, $18 member, $16 senior member. 6:45 p.m. Ripley Center.

Wednesday, February 6: Up Close from Afar: Photographic Records of the Middle East 

What images come to mind when we think of the Middle East? According to artist Jananne Al-Ani, Americans tend to associate the region with barren land, which suggests low populations and little history or culture. Al-Ani’s exhibit in the Sackler Gallery, “Shadow Sites,” explores how Western media’s depictions of the Middle East’s landscapes have enforced the 19th-century stereotype of the Arab in the desert. In a talk this evening, curators Mitra Abbaspour and Carol Huh use Al-Ani’s work to probe this issue of media and archival documents’ effects on our current perceptions of this often-misunderstood region. Free. 7 p.m. Freer Gallery.

Thursday, February 7: Curator Tour of Ai Weiwei’s Work

Ai Weiwei is a controversial figure in the contemporary art world. Known for his political activism, the Chinese sculptor, photographer and instillation artist often uses his work to criticize political corruption, especially in his home country. In 2011, he was arrested and held for two months without official charges, which prompted protests for his release around the world. Understanding the social and political implications of his works can be difficult, so curators Mika Yoshitake and Carol Huh team up this evening for a tour of his two exhibits at Smithsonian, “According to What?” and “Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads.” They will contextualize the exhibits and interpret his works from multiple perspectives.  Free. 7 p.m. Hirshhorn Museum.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

If you can name these dashing gentlemen, you’re off to a good start for Thursday’s rock-and-roll trivia night at the National Portrait Gallery. Photo by Michael Conen, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Tuesday, January 29: One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection

Some collectors have mansions or basements to store their collections. Paul Singer had a two bedroom apartment in New Jersey. The psychiatrist-by-day, collector of ancient Chinese artifacts-by-night accumulated around 5,000 objects by his death in 1997, and once displayed all of them in his modest home. Smithsonian gives 63 of the objects a bit more room in this exhibit to reflect the vast range of things produced by various ancient Chinese cultures—from artistic masterworks to ceramics to weaponry—as well as the breadth of Singer’s collection. Free. Open until July 7. Sackler Gallery.

Wednesday, January 30: Verdi and Wagner at 200: A Double Celebration of Genius

Italian Giuseppe Verdi and German Richard Wagner rocked the world’s opera stages so hard in the 19th-century that the genre has not been the same since. The two genius composers, born just months apart, embodied disparate national cultures and styles, but were united in developing the techniques that ushered opera into modern times. Music historian Saul Lilienstein begins a course this evening that uses recorded performances of the masters’ most iconic pieces to explore their lives and influence. $200 for six monthly sessions (members discounted; tickets here). 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on selected Wednesdays from January 30 to June 19. Ripley Center.

Thursday, January 31: Rock and Roll is Here to Stay!

Can’t brush your teeth without reciting every line to “Blue Suede Shoes“? Do you actually have moves like Jagger because you spend your free time watching clips of the Stones? Well, here’s a chance to impress rather than annoy your co-workers with your encyclopedic knowledge, rock nerds: rock-and-roll trivia happy hour. Prizes for the winners, good music for all. Free. 6:30 p.m. National Portrait Gallery.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Let your horse sleep in today. Smithsonian museums don’t open until noon due to weather. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian museums in the Washington, D.C. area as well as the National Zoo will open at noon Monday, due to inclement weather.

An early morning round of freezing rain left roads slick with ice as federal workers and schools around the area got off to a slow start. Canada would like to remind us, via Huffington Post, that cold weather has some perks too, eh? Like making it more difficult for some viruses and bacteria to live. Plus you can effectively “wash” your bed linens by hanging them out in the cold. We’d recommend waiting for the rain to stop, though, before you give that a try.

Tile art in Iran. Learn how to make ornate designs like this — from carving to installation — in Tuesday night lessons at the Ripley Center. Photo by Amy Stempel, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Tuesday, January 22: Persian Tile Art Lessons

Looking for something creative to do after work? Smithsonian Associates launches the Tuesday edition of its 8-week night art lesson series this evening, and you can still reserve a spot in “Handmade Tiles in the Traditional Persian Style.” Ceramic tile art adorns public spaces, palaces and places of worship in Iran, and its styles are incorporated into many contemporary Western designs. The class offers a unique glimpse of Persian culture by teaching the technical aspects of tile-making, from carving methods to glazing and installation. No previous art experience required! $336, $290 for members (supplies included). 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays from January 22 to March 12. Ripley Center.

Wednesday, January 23: Handi-hour

If you don’t want to commit to an 8-week art course (or even if you do but just can’t wait until next week for more art), you can still get creative at Handi-hour, the craftiest happy hour in town. The evening event provides craft supplies and instructions, and plays up art’s social side by serving craft beers, featuring live music and organizing a scavenger hunt through Renwick Gallery’s permanent collection. “Crafty” prizes promised. $20 cash (includes two beers and art supplies). 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Renwick Gallery.

Thursday, January 24: I Have a Dream book signing

Cap off your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrations this week with I Have a Dream, a children’s book that illustrates King’s famous speech on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. The book’s illustrator  Kadir Nelson, an award-winning artist, is on site today to sign copies, and to encourage young readers to connect with the speech’s perennially important message. The book is available at the museum’s store. Free. 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. American History Museum.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Japanese taiko drumming, one of a panoply of performances from cultures around the world at this weekend’s Multicultural Festival. Photo by Indaia Cultural, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Friday, January 18: Out of Many: A Multicultural Festival of Music, Dance, and Story

“Getting cultured” is on a new level at the museum this weekend at Smithsonian’s pre-Inauguration Day Multicultural Festival. From Japanese taiko drummers to Native Alaskan dancers to a jazz trio, performers from across the globe will convene at the American Indian Museum for three days of song, dance and storytelling. (Don’t miss out on Mayan mask-making workshops held throughout the celebration.) If you can’t make it out to the party, you can also watch the festivities online via a live webcast – though dancing around your living room probably won’t be quite the same.  Free. 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. American Indian Museum.

Saturday, January 19: To the Mountaintop: Voices of Emancipation

Let freedom ring! Actors London Edgerton and Xavier Carnegie celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a multi-media theater performance this weekend. The performance incorporates songs, images and the words of prominent African American leaders to convey the monumental importance of emancipation in our nation’s history. What better way to kick off Inauguration weekend than with a reminder of one of America’s most fundamental values? Free. Saturday  1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. American History Museum.

Sunday, January 20: Inside Insights: Photographs by the Smithsonian Community

Smithsonian’s staff does more than organize great exhibits. Some of us take cool pictures, too. The 36 winning entries from the institution’s 2012 Staff Photo Contest (not to be confused with the magazine’s own photo contest) are on display this weekend in an exhibit devoted exclusively to the staff’s work. Witness the diverse and often surprising perspectives of the people who keep the Mall running. Free. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily through April 30, 2013. Ripley Center.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

Be in the know with our free visitors app, specially made for the inauguration.

The votes have been cast and counted, the campaign offices have been packed up. But things are just getting started in D.C. as the city prepares for a rush of excitement for Barack Obama’s second inauguration, January 21. More than a million people sought a spot near the Capitol to witness his first inauguration in 2009. For his second, Obama is sure to bring out the crowds again and all of D.C. is gearing up for inauguration day, from hotels to restaurants, including Ben’s Chili, which expects to serve 1,000 gallons of its famous chili the week of Obama’s swearing in, according to NBC.

You might not be running for office any time soon, but you can still win big this weekend with the help of our editors.

Conveniently situated around the Mall, the Smithsonian offers a wealth of presidential pomp and history to help get you up to speed for the big day, from Bill Clinton’s saxophone to Thomas Jefferson’s desk. Since this is the land of the free after all, we’ll be offering our custom inauguration-themed app for most smartphones for free with step-by-step tours to the best of the collections and exhibits. The tour includes stately highlights at the American History Museum, Natural History Museum, American Indian Museum, National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. From the gowns of inaugural balls past to the hall of presidential portraits, the tour will get you geared up for the festivities.

Info, tours and artifacts, all at your fingertips.

Try on some truly presidential duds with our digital postcard featuring George Washington’s uniform.

Museum by museum, step by step, you can’t take a wrong turn here.

A must-see stop on the tour: Shepard Fairey’s iconic portrait of Barack Obama at the National Portrait Gallery.

On Jan. 21, all Smithsonian museums will operate on their normal schedules, with the following exceptions:
•             The Renwick will be closed.
•             The National Museum of the American Indian will be closed because of its proximity to the swearing-in ceremony.
•             The Castle will open at 7:30 a.m.
•             The Hirshhorn, the Ripley Center, the National Museum of African Art, and the Freer and Sackler Galleries will open at 8 a.m.

The museums on the south side of the National Mall will be accessible from Independence Avenue only. The museums on the north side of the National Mall will be accessible from both Madison Drive and Constitution Avenue.

More good news, the bathrooms will be available. And if you’re feeling peckish, you can get food at the Air and Space Museum (McDonald’s McCafe, Boston Market and Donato’s Pizza), Natural History Museum (Atrium Cafe, Cafe Natural and Fossil Cafe), American History (Stars and Stripes Cafe and Constitution Cafe) and the Smithsonian Castle’s Cafe and Coffee Bar.

For more information on the when, where and how to get there, view our inauguration at the Smithsonian page.

And if the inauguration tour leaves you curious about what else the Smithsonian has to offer, upgrade to our full visitors guide for just 99 cents. The app includes interactive postcards (starring you wearing the Hope Diamond or Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, or other fun items from the collections) as well as custom tours for history buffs, art lovers and even a three-hour tour for the brave of heart and swift of feet. One of our own former interns tried to conquer the tall task:

A view of 1930s New York. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Saul Lilienstein was just your average kid growing up in the Bronx. He rode the train to the dazzling Times Square and music classes in Manhattan and watched Joe DiMaggio from his rooftop overlooking Yankee Stadium. If this sounds like the same sort of nostalgic yarn Woody Allen spins in Annie Hall when his character Alvy tells the audience that he grew up underneath the rollercoaster at Coney Island, Lilienstein is here to tell you it’s all true.

“He might have been born in Brooklyn but you’d be surprised how close the character was of kids from either Brooklyn or the Bronx and their utter attachment both to their boroughs and to New York as the center of their world.”

A not uncommon scene after the 1929 crash, a breadline gathers near the Brooklyn Bridge. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

While it may not be surprising today that New Yorkers don’t suffer any insecurities about their town, the city’s fate as a global capital seemed uncertain after the stock market crash of 1929. That’s where Saul Lilienstein, a music historian, plans to pick up when he presents “New York in the Thirties: From Hard-Times Town to the World of Tomorrow” with colleague George Scheper for Smithsonian Associates. His Saturday seminar will touch on everything from Broadway to Harlem, Mayor LaGuardia to city planner Robert Moses, and explore how the city rose from the crash.

“I’ll always be a New Yorker, there’s no question about it. That’s my neighborhood,” says Lilienstein. Born in 1932 in the Bronx, Lilienstein takes what has become a familiar story of a city’s triumph–demographics, government support, new art forms and platforms–and tells it from a unique point of view, reveling in the seemingly endless potential available to any kid with a nickel.

The Works Progress Administration helped promote the arts and access across the country, including an amateur musical contest for children in Central Park in 1936. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

The familiar players will all be in attendance Saturday: the New Deal, Works Progress Administration, Tin Pan Alley, Radio City Music Hall, the Cotton Club. But Lilienstein weaves personal memories into the narrative to bring New York in the 30s and 40s to life.

Like when he won an award in 1943 for selling more war bonds than any other Boy Scout in the Bronx. “I was chosen to lay the wreath at the opening of the Lou Gehrig memorial outside of Yankee Stadium,” remembers Lilienstein. “And the New York Daily News had a picture of me and it said, boy scout Saul Lilienstein lays the wreath at the Lou Gehrig memorial and then it mentioned the people standing around me: Mrs. Babe Ruth, Mrs. Lou Gehrig.” For a boy whose life revolved around riding the subway to any and every baseball game he could, the memory stands out as a favorite. “And then we all went out to lunch together to the Concourse Plaza Hotel.”

Now an opera expert, Lilienstein has a musical background that stretches back to his high school days. “I went to a high school that had six full symphony orchestras in it. I’m not exaggerating,” he says. Manhattan’s High School of Music & Art is a public school, but was the project of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, who founded the school in 1936 as part of a trend of government support for artists and the arts. Factors like these seem almost impossible to imagine today, says Lilienstein, when rhetoric often villainizes anyone who benefits from the government. “But, it was  a marvelous thing that generated theater and music in the city.”

He remembers taking the subway to music lessons in Manhattan where he trained with the first trombone from the New York Philharmonic, for free. Density created audiences large enough to support world renowned cultural institutions. A public transportation system open to anyone helped democratize access to those institutions. And Lilienstein’s story is just one of many from a city built to embrace the arts.

Times Square, for example, served as a sort of theater lobby for the entire city, according to Lilienstein. “It’s this place where a huge, milling crowd of people are getting something to eat and talking about what they’ve seen,” he says. “It’s not just a place where people are passing through.”

Lilienstein even goes so far as to defend the billboard funhouse that is Times Square today, saying, “Well it’s not quite the same. There are some differences: you can sit down in the middle of it now. I’m not one of those people who thinks everything gets worse, a lot of things get better.” But, Lilienstein pauses for a bit before adding, “Nothing gets better than New York in the 30s and the early 40s!”

“New York in the Thirties: From Hard Times Town to the World of Tomorrow” takes place December 1, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Ripley Center. Purchase tickets here. 

The Natural History Museum’s collection of gems sets the stage for a seminar on the enduring and changing fashions of jewelry. Courtesy the Natural History Museum

Friday, October 12: Design Craft: DreamHome

For everyone who loves art, design and endlessly watching HGTV: Design Craft at the Renwick brings together the Washington Design Center and the Gallery’s “40 Under 40″ exhibition of craft artists. Eight designers took specific pieces from the show to help inspire individual rooms in this year’s DreamHome. Two of the designers will be paired with the artist who inspired them in this discussion of inspiration and design. More than just an illuminating look at how the two fields often intersect, the insight into the creative process will allow the audience to watch how one object can create an entire room. So turn off the House Hunters for one night and head to the Renwick for a real-life dissection of a DreamHome. Free. 12 p.m. Renwick Gallery.

Saturday, October 13: All That Glitters: The Allure of Classic Jewelry

Emeralds, rubies and diamonds: in short, something for everyone. Royalty and commoners alike will enjoy this all-day discussion of the ways in which our preference for precious stones have changed over time. From the Victorian Age to the Art Nouveau era up into the Modern glamour of Art Deco and beyond. Stefanie Walker, a lecturer for the Smithsonian-Mason MA Program in the History of Decorative Arts, will lead the audience through a dazzling history. Wear your best gems and jewels and prepare for an educational day of eye candy. Tickets $85-$120. Ripley Center.

Sunday, October 14: Printmaking workshop with artist Jorge Porrata

Cuban poet and artist Jorge Luis Porrata has illustrated six books for the Miami-based publisher Homago. Sunday he joins the American Indian Museum to help the whole family craft a work of art. Though his work, both as an illustrator and widely published poet, emphasizes the interconnected nature of man across cultural traditions, Sunday’s workshop will focus on the Taino people. The Taino are native to the Caribbean islands including the Bahamas, and words from their language permeate the Spanish spoken in Cuba, as well as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Educational and arty, the workshop is open to all ages. Free. 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Repeats at 2 p.m. American Indian Museum.

Twitter users will have the chance to chat live with artist Barbara Kruger. Photo by Cathy Carver; installation by Barbara Kruger; courtesy of the Hirshhorn.

Tuesday September 11, When the Season is Good: Artists of Arctic Alaska

This 2005 film features four contemporary Alaska Native artisans, a sculptor, a painter, a skin sewer and an ivory carver, who tell their personal stories of inspiration and cultural heritage. In a land where survival often depends on hunting and gathering, artistic production has a complicated relationship with culture and economics, which the film explores. Learn about both the history and future of artists practicing at the edge of the Earth. Free. 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. American Indian Museum, Rasmuson Theater.

Wednesday September 12, Online Discussion with Barbara Kruger

The artist behind such slogans as “I shop therefore I am” and “Belief+Doubt=Sanity” will be available for questions on Twitter. Kruger’s new installation at the Hirshhorn opened August 20, covering the lower lobby and bookstore with giant phrases and provocative words. Use hashtag “AskKruger” to join the discussion. Free. 2 p.m.

Thursday September 13, Edvard Munch, The Scream Heard Round the World

Join art historian and National Gallery of Art senior lecturer David Gariff to discuss Edvard Munch’s most famous painting. The work recently sold at auction for a cool $120 million, begging the question: wait…why? Gariff will explore the artist’s participation in the Expressionist movement, which challenged the conventions of subject matter, and also explore what makes this particular image so popular—even ranking a mention on The Simpsons. $40, general admission. Buy tickets online. 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. S. Dillon Ripley Center.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. And download our new Visitors Guide & Tours App for both iPhone and Android. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.