Motor City Renaissance: Architecture, Innovation, and Creative Transformation Study Tour

EXACT DATE OF STUDY TOUR TBD.

June 2026 Energized by billions of dollars in new investment and a growing population, Detroit is full of remarkable destinations, and we will explore many of them in June, including the recently transformed Michigan Central Station, Belle Isle with its...

Behind the Curtains at Houston Ballet

THREE TUESDAYS

  Join us for three evenings behind the scenes of three captivating ballet works: Rooster, Illuminate, and Vi et Animo. Rooster, set to eight Rolling Stones tracks like “Paint It, Black” and “Ruby Tuesday,” brings the spirit of the ‘60s...

Art on the Fly: New Installations at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 10:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M.

Get ready to take an exciting journey through one of the world’s most celebrated airport art programs. Public Art Curator Alton DuLaney will lead our small group on a tour at the intersection of culture, creativity, and travel as we...

Nationalism, Populism, and Democracy: A Global Perspective

FOUR TUESDAYS, OCTOBER 7, 14, 21, AND 28, 6:00–7:30 P.M.

George Orwell, Notes on Nationalism, 1945: “By ‘patriotism’ I mean devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people.......

Lone Star Legacy: Texas and Global Conservation

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 11:30 A.M.–1:30 P.M., AT KILROY EDUCATION CENTER, BAYOU BEND COLLECTION, 6003 MEMORIAL, 77007.

In Texas, we are already feeling the effects of climate and biodiversity challenges facing our planet. Our cities are developing at some of the fastest rates in the nation, while our freshwater supplies continue to be over-allocated. Droughts and flooding...

A Guide to AI for the Techno Curious

TWO MONDAYS, OCTOBER 20 AND 27, 11:30 A.M.–1:00 P.M

  Learn about the transformative power and the possible implications of artificial intelligence (AI) from a thought leader in AI integration. During the first session of this course, linguist-turned entrepreneur Kathleen Perley will provide a general overview of the current...

Houston’s Future: Leading the Alternative Energy Transition

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 6:00–7:30 P.M., THE ION, 4201 MAIN, 77002.

Join a dynamic conversation with local energy experts Bobby Tudor, Scott Nyquist, and Taylor Chapman as they explore how Houston and Texas can position themselves as leaders in the transition to alternative energy. This panel discussion will focus on the...

Red, White, & Chic

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 10:30 A.M.–NOON.

      Embark on a unique fashion tour through a treasure trove of American-made haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces, as the Houston Seminar revisits the collection of the Houston Community College Fashion Archives. Subscribers will get an in-depth look...

The Two Popes

TWO MONDAYS, NOVEMBER 3 AND 17, 6:00–7:30 P.M.

This year the Catholic Church has seen two rare and historical events that gripped world attention: the funeral of one pope and the election of his successor. Professor Sean Theriault, who teaches a course on the Catholic Church at UT...

How to Read a Short Story

THREE TUESDAYS, NOVEMBER 4, 11, AND 18, 6:30–8:00 P.M.

Anyone can do it, of course. You just have to get to the last page. But how can you read a story artfully? How can you read for literary experience, for aesthetic sensation, for craft, structure, character, and deep meaning?...

Exploring Houston’s First and Sixth Wards

TWO SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 15, 10:00 A.M–4:30 P.M., AND DECEMBER 6, 10:00 A.M–5:30 P.M.

Houston’s First and Sixth Wards offer an engaging study in contrasts. The First Ward dates from 1840, when the city’s initial four wards (city council districts) were delineated. The final ward, the Sixth, was carved out of the Fourth and...

Nurturing the Creative Spark

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 6:00–7:30 P.M.

The quest to increase our creative reservoir has always been central to the human experience. While we recognize how important creativity is in our lives, we might be uncertain about how to nurture it in the minds of young people,...

Slow Looking at Art

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 10:30 A.M.–NOON

  Join Michelle White, senior curator at the Menil Collection, as she leads us through a session that encourages deliberate, mindful engagement with artworks. In a fast-paced world where museum visitors often spend only a few seconds viewing each piece,...