The Arts & History   

After closing in 2018 for construction, the Studio Museum in Harlem (SMH) reopened in November 2025 in its glorious new building. Since its modest beginning in 1968 to serve the creative life of the local community, The Studio Museum soon went beyond local, even national boundaries, to serve people of African origin and art of African inspiration across the globe. As we explore the history, art, and the artists of the SMH, we will also answer the question of what happened to the glorious Harlem Renaissance of the 1930s.

This class offers a look at how the National Football League (NFL) works and how teams advance to the sport’s biggest stage. This class explores the NFL’s history, organization, league structure, and season timeline, highlighting the business, strategy, and marketing that fuel its year-round appeal. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the playoff system and the unique, single-elimination path to the Super Bowl, before diving into a focused preview of the 2026 matchup, including teams, key players, strengths and weaknesses, and what to watch for on game day—perfect for long-standing and new fans who want to follow the action with greater insight and confidence.

Eighty years later, we still struggle to comprehend how the Nazi regime could ever have happened. In these two lectures, Jess Velona, who has taught courses on Nazi Germany at Fordham, NYU, and elsewhere, provides key answers, using rarely seen historical film footage, eyewitness interviews, and original documents. Explore how beneath an apparently advanced German society lay traditions of authoritarianism, militarism, and antisemitism. Watch the Nazis exploit Germany's bitter defeat in World War I and its fragile Weimar democracy to gain popularity, and then accept an invitation to take power and consolidate a dictatorial regime. See the Nazis' twin evils - escalating persecution and aggressive warfare - merge during the invasion of the Soviet Union to produce mass killing of European Jews. Throughout, Jess will recount extraordinary stories of resistance, rescue, and survival, by Jews and others, in the face of Nazi repression.

From the fifth-century sack of Rome to that telltale thick black eyeliner, the identity of the “Goth” has run like an undercurrent through history. But who were the members of this lost civilization? Join us as we tour through the texts and artifacts that provide clues to a population that vanished a thousand years ago. What secrets still beg to be uncovered about a group remembered as both destroyers and heroes?

Take a cinematic journey through the lives and legacies of three unforgettable Hollywood greats: Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and Gene Hackman. With curated film clips, behind-the-scenes insights, and lively guided discussions, the classes will explore how each of these icons shaped American film and culture through their groundbreaking performances, creative vision, and lasting influence on the industry.

Sign up for the series and receive a 10% discount. To sign up individually, follow links below:

• Legends of the Silver Screen: Robert Redford, Thursday, 1/29
• Legends of the Silver Screen: Diane Keaton, Thursday, 2/12
• Legends of the Silver Screen: Gene Hackman, Thursday, 3/19

This class explores the all-American icon, Robert Redford. From his golden-era stardom in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting to his deeply personal directing work on Ordinary People, to his portrayal of Bob Woodward in All the President’s Men, Redford helped define an entire generation’s idea of authenticity, charisma, and political consciousness. In this two-hour seminar, we’ll trace Redford’s evolution as an actor, director, activist, and founder of the Sundance Institute. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided class discussion, we’ll explore how Redford’s onscreen image shaped American masculinity and how his behind-the-camera vision reshaped independent filmmaking.

Emily Sargent: Portrait of a Family, running through March 8, 2026, showcases Emily Sargent’s recently rediscovered watercolors alongside the portraits by her older brother John Singer Sargent and the art of their mother Mary Newbold Sargent. Drawn entirely from the Met's extensive collection, the exhibit explores the divergent paths of the sibling artists and reveals the challenges female artists experienced in the late nineteenth century. Intended as a complement to the Met’s Sargent and Paris exhibit that focuses exclusively on John Singer Sargent, this exhibition celebrates the works of his lesser-known sister. The tour will also include works by Sargent in other galleries.

Carnival is an ancient celebration, famous for its music, spectacle, and a touch of joyful chaos. In this unique class, you’ll explore two of the world’s most iconic Carnivals—Venice and Rio—delving into their traditions, music, dance, costumes, and the rich history behind why they’re celebrated so differently in Italy and Brazil. Ines Rodrigues, a writer and Italian teacher who grew up in Brazil and lived in Italy, has experienced Carnival on both sides of the Atlantic. She’ll share her stories, along with music, videos, and photos that bring each celebration to life. Enjoy snacks inspired by each location as you immerse yourself in these vibrant cultural traditions.

Now home to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, this 1906 Beaux Arts beauty was once the nation’s Customs House—a key office for collecting tariffs and revenue. Designed by the renowned architect, Cass Gilbert, the building reflects America’s commercial ambitions through its architecture and iconography. But what was on the site going back to the 17th century? We’ll learn these fun facts and hidden secrets on a tour of the Alexander Hamilton US Customs House, as well as explore some galleries of today’s museum.

Originally from the word meaning a tale written in the vernacular, as a genre romances incorporate key aspects of medieval culture, including courtly behavior, questing, magic, and, of course, love & devotion. In honor of Valentine's Day, we will explore the writing style of the medieval romance, and dive headfirst into some of the most enduring romance tales--Arthur & Guinevere, Tristan & Isolde, Pyramus & Thisbe, and more! Join us as we untangle the adventures of these star-cross'd lovers to get at the heart of medieval romance!

Art thefts create sensational stories and celebrity status around thieves and artworks alike, and result in the continuous loss, destruction, and damage of scores of masterpieces. Although some are recovered, restored, and placed back on public view, many more are permanently lost to us, while increasing security measures can severely limit our viewing experience and access to art. We will explore these and other questions as we experience some of the most important stolen artworks.

In this class, we will explore and pay homage to one of the pioneering actresses of New Hollywood, Diane Keaton. From her Oscar-winning performance in Annie Hall to her portrayal of Kay Adams in The Godfather, Keaton has spent decades reinventing herself across drama, comedy, and romance. This course celebrates her as an actress, cultural trendsetter (those scarves!), and creative force, examining her collaborations with Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, and Nancy Meyers, as well as her work as a director, author, and photographer. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided class discussion, we’ll explore how Keaton’s singular blend of vulnerability, eccentricity, and strength made her a legend of the silver screen.

In these two lectures, Jess Velona explores how Putin's autocracy and invasion of Ukraine have strong parallels in modern Russian history. Examine how Tsarist and Soviet Communist regimes, for all of their differences, exhibited a common penchant for imperial expansion, suppression of ethnic and national traditions, scorn for democracy and individual rights and, at times, military defeat. Then, through interviews of survivors, see how this culminated in the Gulag, the Great Terror, and deliberate famine in Ukraine. Finally, learn how, following the Soviet collapse, Russia's embrace of pro-Western and democratic values proved fleeting, and it failed to come to terms with the crimes of Stalin and others. The result under Putin has been a renewed autocracy fighting to restore Russia's imperial glory, and yet accomplishing little beyond causing widespread human suffering.

By the end of 1966, the world of music was undergoing a dramatic transformation. What had once been known as "rock and roll" was now simply called "rock," and the genre was branching out in exciting new directions. Bands were experimenting with sound, giving rise to subgenres like folk-rock, psychedelic rock, blues-rock, and hard rock. Supergroups such as Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Crosby, Stills & Nash began to dominate the scene, captivating audiences with their innovative styles. The years that followed, from 1967 to 1971, marked an era of extraordinary creativity. Artists like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan pushed the boundaries of what rock music could be, introducing listeners to progressive rock, funk rock, and country rock. Each new sound reflected the spirit of the times—restless, imaginative, and eager to break free from tradition. This class invites you to step into the pivotal year of 1967, a turning point in rock history. Together, we’ll explore how the innovations and experiments of these years set the stage for what many consider to be the greatest moment in rock: the legendary year of 1971.

Spring skies were full of birds in the Middle Ages just as now, and each had symbolic properties recorded in lavishly illustrated bestiaries. But the medieval mind also pondered hosts of angels and skyborne demons populating the ether. Beginning with a look at the relationship between the earth and heavens in the Middle Ages, we will tour through the bestiaries to learn why the "anthus" bird mimicked a horse's whinny, why the mythical harpy was so treacherous, and how falconry was bound inextricably to courtly culture. Join us as we fly through history alongside these winged creatures of all varieties!

This class will explore the complexity and genius of Gene Hackman. Whether playing morally gray policemen, quiet outsiders, or explosive villains, he brought an unmatched intensity to every role. This session explores Hackman’s extraordinary body of work, from The French Connection and The Conversation to Hoosiers, Unforgiven, and even his unexpected comedic roles. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided class discussion, we’ll unpack how Hackman broke leading-man conventions, how his performances reflect the anxieties of 1970s American cinema, and why he remains one of the industry’s most respected actors.

Join Ginny, art museum docent, as she curates a two-hour tour of the best art exhibitions featured at the international Chelsea galleries. While touring, Ginny will provide insight on historical context, the art techniques used, and the importance to the current art market. Past tours looked at works by Picasso, Frank Stella, Mark Bradford, and Richard Avedon.

Come explore the evolution of the styles of two of the most famous and influential artists of the 20th century. Matisse was the colorist; Picasso, the master of form and line. Fauvism (“Wild Beast”) or Cubism—two groundbreaking artistic movements--how did each play out? Both of these extraordinary creators made their homes in Paris first, then the South of France. Which one do you relate to? There is no wrong answer!