Take a guided tour of the historic house museum and gardens focusing on life in a 16th century manor. Then stay for a garden distilling demonstration. This tour is offered twice; please register for only one. Note: The new refund policy applies.

---

Friday, Aug 21, Agecroft Hall (6 seats (15%) remaining)

This is the story of New Jersey Mayor Frank 'I Am the Law' Hague, one of the 20th century's most powerful politicians. Hague built his organization on kickbacks and gambling, but also on his voters' appreciation for safe streets and free healthcare. Hague gained FDR's protection through remarkable election pluralities, but his successors, though equally canny and corrupt, were unable to avoid federal prosecution.

---

Wed, Aug 19, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156 ( No seats currently available )

This interactive class will use case study methodology to study history via the book 'Democracy: A Case Study' by David Moss (2017). You will role-play the decision makers of the day as you analyze problems that eventually led to momentous decisions in our nation's history. Experience history in a more immersive way.

---

Thursdays, July 23, 30, Aug 6, 13, 20, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

Join Bill Leighty, former chief of staff to two Virginia governors, as he leads a panel discussion on the November 2026 Virginia elections. A panel of seasoned political analysts will examine the key questions of 'What happened?' and 'Why?'. The discussion will also offer insights into Virginia's pivotal role in potentially shaping the broader political landscape for the national 2028 elections.

---

No session is currently available for registration

This class is for individuals who have Family Tree Maker (FTM) and want a better understanding of the software and to build skills. The following will be covered: overview of features (including the 2024 version); techniques on navigating and using FTM to create, edit and manage trees; interfacing with Ancestry.com for hints; importing data; and syncing trees. Students should bring their laptops with FTM installed for use in class.

---

Tues and Thurs, Aug 4 and 6, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156 (4 seats (17%) remaining)

This exhibition explores the many people who, over centuries, have made Virginia the unique place it is in America and in the world, and discusses the dramatic impact of the immigrant experience throughout Virginia's history as people arrived from the four corners of the globe. Note: The new refund policy applies.

---

Friday, Aug 21, Virginia Museum of History and Culture

Are you curious about Mahjong? Mahjong is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world. Join us to learn how to play this game of skill, strategy, and luck.

---

Tuesdays, Aug 4, 11, 18, 25, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Aug 26 (Wed), Aug 28 (Fri), Aug 31 (Mon), and Sept 2 (Wed), TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )

The Osher Institute at Dartmouth is offering its summer lecture via livestream to Osher colleagues across the nation. Lecture 5: 'Is AI Leading Us Toward a More Dangerous World Disorder?' The session begins with the lecture, is followed by a half-hour break, then resumes with Q&A.

---

Wed, Aug 5, Synchronous Online (21 seats (16%) remaining)

Do you want to learn ways that you can take care of your family treasures? Join this conservator whose 29-year career has involved taking care of decorative arts, cultural heritage, and archaeological artifacts. She will use her wealth of experience to teach you some basic ways that you can care for your own treasures at home and give you advice on how to find the right archival materials and information for your family treasures.

---

Thurs, Aug 20, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156 (5 seats (13%) remaining)

The End of WWII and Origins of the Cold War program will provide an overview of key WWII dates and events including the Tehran Conference, Yalta Conference, Potsdam Conference, VE Day, VJ Day, and related activities followed by a general discussion of the Berlin Airlift, US propaganda cartoons, Duck and Cover drills, the Korean War, the election of president Eisenhower, and the Hungarian Revolution. A book signing will follow.

---

Monday, Aug 10, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162 (13 seats (13%) remaining)

While we celebrate our nation's 250th year, learn about a critical and fascinating figure. Benjamin Franklin's prot?g?, he was an inventor, from a new quill for the harpsichord to a national identity. He designed the images printed on our currency and the Stars and Stripes itself. He initiated an art music tradition, was the de facto first Secretary of the Navy, a federal judge, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Meet Francis Hopkinson.

---

No session is currently available for registration

From 1500 to 1850 the Americas channeled wealth through the Caribbean to Europe. This wealth enriched the elite of Europe and built imperial empires, but it hollowed out the Caribbean. For the past 200 years it has been the hopeful resilience of the Caribbean people that has kept them looking for a solution to this paradox.

---

Mondays, Aug 3 and 10, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (12 seats (20%) remaining)

This course will survey the elements of the strategic nuclear triad used by both the US and USSR during the Cold War to maintain peace through deterrence. The course will examine respective triad concepts, organization, benefits, and limitations, along with a survey of the systems (aircraft, missiles, and ballistic missile submarines) used by the US during the Cold War. The course will also survey US defenses deployed to counter elements of the Soviet nuclear triad.

---

Thursday, Aug 13, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (5 seats (8%) remaining)

Prior to his death, Thomas Jefferson left behind specific instructions for the monument that was to mark his grave. He requested the following epitaph: 'Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia.' These contributions were, in his words, the 'testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered.' Historian Michael Aubrecht tells the remarkable tale of the creation of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the impact it continues to have today.

---

No session is currently available for registration

First offered in 2017, Washington in our Wallets returns, with new material examining the Trump tax changes. After examining Britain's attempts to tax the colonists and 19th century attempts at taxation, we'll trace the development of the income tax from essentially a supplementary tax on a relatively few high income taxpayers to a more broadly based tax that accounts for the bulk of federal tax revenue, concluding with the 2017 and 2025 legislation.

---

Wednesdays, July 29, Aug 5 and 12, Synchronous Online

Join Valentine museum staff for a guided tour of West by Water: Richmond's James River and Kanawha Canal. Featuring photographs from Richmond photographer John Henley and descriptions from writer Harry Kollatz, Jr., the exhibit explores the city's historic canal system, which even after two centuries remains elusive and mysterious to resident and visitor alike. This tour is offered twice; please register for only one. Note: The new refund policy applies.

---

Friday, Aug 7, Valentine Museum ( No seats currently available )
Friday, Aug 7, Valentine Museum ( No seats currently available )