What's On

Performances and programs celebrating the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz.

It’s the 80s as you’ve never seen it before. 

Once a month, we turn up the heat on food history at the museum’s demonstration kitchen on the Coulter Performance Plaza. Cooking Up History showcases a guest chef and our resident food historian, Dr. Ashley Rose Young, preparing a recipe and talking about the history and traditions behind its ingredients, culinary techniques, and enjoyment. 

Relax and Take 5! with free, live jazz in the Kogod Courtyard every third Thursday. Stop by the Courtyard Café for refreshments. For added fun, borrow a board game to play during the concert.

Bring your young people to Discovery Theater to experience heritage, science, and culture in a memorable way. Discovery Theater is your source for live performances that celebrate the rich diversity of our region and our world. Each season we tap into the vast resources of the Smithsonian Institution to present relevant, culturally accurate entertaining programs.