Dr. A.C. Barnes made his fortune marketing patent medicine in “Mainline” Philadelphia. In establishing the Barnes Foundation, he sought to use art as a tool to teach students how to think critically. To that end, from 1912 until his death in 1951, Barnes purchased hundreds of works of art – from Impressionists to African masks – which he arranged into “ensembles” at his purpose-built gallery in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania.

When Rock'n'Roll became the latest craze, many Country and Western artists coming from a Hillbilly music background began trying to cash in on the latest trend. This hybrid that melded the two genres became known as Rockabilly. We'll learn about some of the great ones who popularized this sound.

As we get older, we all notice changes in our memory or thinking ability. Learn answers to common questions like: - What if when I go into the kitchen, I “forget” why I went there? - Why do I sometimes say things that I previously would have kept to myself? - What is classified as normal aging? - How do you identify when it is important to see the doctor?

When Rock'n'Roll became the latest craze, many Country and Western artists coming from a Hillbilly music background began trying to cash in on the latest trend. This hybrid that melded the two genres became known as Rockabilly. We'll learn about some of the great ones who popularized this sound.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less).  This month, we will watch and discuss Choice, Happiness and Spaghetti Sauce.  "Tipping Point" author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce -- and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.  Refreshments will be served!   Sign up for one, two, three or all four meeting dates (see class #317, 364, 395).  Limit: 20  

Is your home aging gracefully with you? This educational discussion introduces what is a home modification, how home modifications can play an important role in improving one's safety and independence as one grows older, why planning ahead before a fall or health condition can be beneficial, what are simple and low-cost home modifications, and which home modification funding options are available.

Is your home aging gracefully with you? This educational discussion introduces what is a home modification, how home modifications can play an important role in improving one's safety and independence as one grows older, why planning ahead before a fall or health condition can be beneficial, what are simple and low-cost home modifications, and which home modification funding options are available.

Their salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus was the incubator of a thousand intellectual developments. They hosted the likes of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Juan Gris, Ernest Hemingway, Archibald MacLeish, and Thornton Wilder. They were the parents of modernism, and their relationship so close that Stein wrote Toklas' autobiography. This lecture will examine their life, love, and work.  (See related classes #365 and 396.)

Are there thoughts we cannot think and if so, how can we think about them? What are the limits of thoughts? Are they indicative of aspects of the world or simply arbitrary boundaries of our neurological wiring? We can surely think of thinks that are false, but can we imagine that which is impossible? Could there be truths that we cannot know and if so, how would we know this without knowing them?

Although some might think classical music is removed from the world of politics, there has long been a political overtone to how classical music is presented and its performers received. This (non-political!) class will discuss fascinating history of how classical music has interacted with larger political history in the two world wars and in particular the Cold War. The course will cover roughly 100 years from the First World War, and include material related to the current situation in the Ukraine.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with one of the greatest collections of Western (European) art in the world, is impossible to appreciate in one visit, or even two or three. In this two-part virtual tour, we’ll skip effortlessly from gallery to gallery to highlight some of the masterpieces of painting and sculpture in the Met. Moving chronologically, we’ll consider how each master work expresses a distinctive interpretation of nature and the human form and what makes it a stand-out among its contemporaries.  For this class, we will explore Renaissance to early modern painting, including the 45 galleries reorganized for the new exhibition “Look Again: European Paintings 1300-1800.”

To promote the success of the Allied landings on D-Day, British and American planners organized an enormous array of deceptions to distract the Germans and draw their attention away from the real landings. This presentation looks at those plans, how they were conceived and the many ruses, plants, and false information used to protect the plans' security.

Yes, you’ve seen St. Vitus Cathedral and the John Lennon wall, BUT have you been to a beer spa? The Cold War Museum? The second-most famous castle in Prague with a church decorated in both Gothic and Art Nouveau styles? A museum dedicated to the history of garnet mining in the Czech lands? Artifacts from early Czech astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler? European Travel Specialist Barbara Paulson offers alternatives to the oft-visited sites of Prague.  (See related classes #319, 357, and 387.)

To promote the success of the Allied landings on D-Day, British and American planners organized an enormous array of deceptions to distract the Germans and draw their attention away from the real landings. This presentation looks at those plans, how they were conceived and the many ruses, plants, and false information used to protect the plans' security.

Isaac Newton created the most important scientific theory in history. This theory not only accounted for the falling of apples and the motion of planets, but gave rise to a scientific worldview that many thought could explain everything. But that result bothered Newton, who thought it squeezed God out of the picture. We will explore Newton's life, science, and beliefs to see the genius behind the science.

Level of Difficulty: 2.5 out of 5 This natural trail includes a beautiful waterfall and plenty of trees to keep you in the shade.  Its namesake, Rachel Carson, was an outstanding American writer, environmental activist, and Montgomery County resident. Burnt Mills West Special Park, 10700 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD.  Poles are optional.    There are no restrooms, but the park is across the street from a Trader Joe's and a Starbuck's.  Walkers will leave promptly at 10:00 am, so plan to arrive and park before then. (See additional walks: #248, 349, 396)

Headache is among the most common medical complaints. An overview of different headache types, what to watch out for and common treatments options.