Art Appreciation   

A $20 million jewel displayed in plain sight? Secret platforms for Presidents? An embarrassing error on the Terminal’s ceiling for all to see? There are so many stories about the 110-year-old Grand Central Terminal. Which are true? Which are myths? Get to the bottom of it on this virtual tour of this magnificent Beaux Arts building. Learn about the tales and secrets of Grand Central history, construction, ceiling, hidden bar and tennis court, and more on this one-hour webinar.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!