Attend in person or access the live presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel. A recording of the presentation will be available at the youtube channel for one week after the event.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

The art of Christmas includes a wonderful range of beautiful images, and none are more spectacular than the scenes showing the three kings. With gorgeous clothes, sparkling crowns, and lavish gifts, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar present a striking contrast to the humble shepherds at the manger. In this illustrated lecture, we will see the various ways that artists throughout the centuries have depicted the Magi.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

Hugo van der Goes painted the Portinari Altarpiece in the mid-1470s for Maria and Tomasso Portinari, Italians living in Flanders. With rich colors and abundant detail, the triptych shows many parts of the Christmas story. The presentation will focus on this complex altarpiece in depth, allowing for a full exploration of its many elements.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

The cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris has been famous throughout the centuries as a religious center, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, a place of coronations, and as a tourist attraction, among other things. Sadly, it was heavily damaged in a devastating fire in 2019. This presentation will focus on the building’s site, its importance as an example of the French Gothic style, the restoration plans of the 19th century, and current efforts to bring the building back to life after the 2019 fire.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

Nathaniel Langford was one of the leaders in the 1870s St. Anthony Park project. His name lives on at Langford Park and the streets that surround it. Until the early 1940s, Hillside Avenue was named for Langford, and the early plans for the neighborhood also show that the eastern part of Como Avenue bore his name. For a time, there was even a neighborhood lake—in the park, of course—that was named for Langford. We’ll explore all things Langford in this presentation.

Attend in person or access the live presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel. A recording of the presentation will be available at the youtube channel for one week after the event.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

The Mona Lisa has been described as the world's most famous painting. The numbers don't lie: visits to see this small image approach ten million annually. In this presentation, we will study the painting in depth and consider its place in Leonardo's career. We'll also view it in the context of Italian Renaissance portraiture, and we'll explore its continuing impact in art and popular culture.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

Learn about the origins and changes in the neighborhood’s industrial area south of the Raymond bridge.

Attend in person or access the live presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel. A recording of the presentation will be available at the youtube channel for one week after the event.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

Like many Lutheran churches, Mindekirken Norwegian Memorial Church in Minneapolis has a sanctuary filled with beautiful stained glass. One of the windows is a bit unusual: instead of the usual biblical characters and saints, the balcony window includes images of St. Olaf, Martin Luther, and Hans Nielsen Hauge, each an important figure in Norwegian religious history.

In this presentation, we will have a look at the figures in this window, and we will explore their portrayal in other settings, including paintings, prints, and sculpture made over the centuries in Europe and America.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 6: The Rebirth of a Vibrant Riverfront

The Stone Arch Bridge has been transformed from an old rail bridge to a popular bike and pedestrian route. Old mills have been turned into housing, offices, and a museum. The Guthrie Theater built its new building near the falls. An award-winning restaurant, serving indigenous-inspired cuisine, is a highlight of the area near St. Anthony Falls. In our final session, we’ll have a look at the dramatic new life that now envelops the area around the falls.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

The Minneapolis Club occupied three different spaces in their first three decades. As the 20th century began, they hoped to build a clubhouse that would finally suit the varied needs of their membership. Although facing challenges in fundraising and design, they ultimately succeeded, erecting in quick succession the buildings that still serve the club today, over a century later. In this presentation, we’ll explore the early buildings and final success in creating a clubhouse of “striking beauty and real comfort.”

Ticket information for the talk and lunch can be found here.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 5: Decline and Renewal

The mills nearly closed off access to the riverfront for most people, and when the mills went into decline, the area became largely unknown to—and rarely visited by--many Twin Cities residents. However, beginning in the 1960s, a few pioneers recognized the potential of the river and the falls, planting seeds for a revitalization of the area.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 4: The Milling Capital of the World

Using the waterfall’s power, local entrepreneurs constructed mills—for timber and for grain—along both sides of the river. The flour milling industry came to dominate the area and made Minneapolis an industrial giant. In this session, we’ll learn about the milling companies, nearby supporting industries, and river infrastructure—including bridges, locks, and dams.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

Hundreds of thousands of Scandinavian immigrants flooded into Minneapolis and St. Paul in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As they put down roots, they established scores of congregations and other religious institutions for worship, service, and fellowship. Many of these places have vanished, but a number of the “descendants” survive, even as their Scandinavian origins are now obscured or hidden. In this slide presentation, we’ll look at some of the earliest congregations through the heyday of the late 1800s-early 1900s and at current buildings and places related to the Scandinavian immigrant traditions.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 3: Minneapolis Begins

More than a decade after St. Anthony was established, the west side of the river was available for settlement, and Minneapolis was born. We’ll focus on the city’s early years in this presentation.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

Attend in person or access the live presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel. A recording of the presentation will be available at the youtube channel for one week after the event.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 2: Owamni Becomes St. Anthony Falls

The first Europeans to see the falls were impressed by its size and power. When the land was first opened for Euro-American settlement in the mid-19th century, the Town of St. Anthony grew on the east side of the waterfall. This week, we’ll learn about St. Anthony’s early years.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

Explore one of the most famous Twin Cities landmarks, St. Anthony Falls, where the city of Minneapolis began. From the waterfall's origins millennia ago, through its continuing importance to indigenous people, to its role at the heart of the local economy, and to the current revival of riverfront activity, we'll consider the natural beauty, spiritual meanings, and economic power of the falls and the river at the heart of Minneapolis.

Session 1: The Early History of the Falls

In our first session, we will look at the geology of the falls and its role in the lives and culture of the Dakota and Ojibwe people.

For course information, visit https://www.stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/. Scroll down to find the course title, and then click to open information on the course and registration.

If you are interested in attending a single session, please email the Selim Center (selimcenter@stthomas.edu) to be added to the class list for this day. The single-session fee is $30, payable at the door by cash only/ in exact change.

Get to know the parks in St. Anthony Park! We will be looking at the neighborhood’s parks, from the well-known and relatively large ones (Langford, College, and Hampden) to some that are long gone (Donald Square, anyone?) or never left the drawing board. It’s an interesting and rich history.

Attend in person or access the live presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel. A recording of the presentation will be available at the youtube channel for one week after the event.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

When the St. Anthony Park Company began building homes for their new neighborhood in the mid-1880s, one of the first concentrations of development was at Hampden Park. The area also included a small business district, and it was adjacent to St. Anthony Park’s ‘Manufacturing Suburb,’ the industrial area started in 1885.

Many of the late 19th century houses still stand. On this tour, we will walk circle Hampden Park on Bayless, and we’ll also visit neighboring streets, including Manvel and Cromwell.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the Hampden Park tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

Although often indistinguishable from similar portrayals by their male colleagues, the images of Biblical women by female artists are sometimes distinctly different. In this slide presentation, we will see how the particular vision of women artists created fascinating perspectives on familiar religious characters and stories.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

When the St. Anthony Park Company began building homes for their new neighborhood in the mid-1880s, one of the first concentrations of development was at Hampden Park. The area also included a small business district, and it was adjacent to St. Anthony Park’s ‘Manufacturing Suburb,’ the industrial area started in 1885.

Many of the late 19th century houses still stand. On this tour, we will walk circle Hampden Park on Bayless, and we’ll also visit neighboring streets, including Manvel and Cromwell.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the Hampden Park tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

When the St. Anthony Park Company began building homes for their new neighborhood in the mid-1880s, one of the first concentrations of development was at Hampden Park. The area also included a small business district, and it was adjacent to St. Anthony Park’s ‘Manufacturing Suburb,’ the industrial area started in 1885.

Many of the late 19th century houses still stand. On this tour, we will walk circle Hampden Park on Bayless, and we’ll also visit neighboring streets, including Manvel and Cromwell.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the Hampden Park tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

In the early 1880s, the University of Minnesota gave up on its plans for an agricultural school near its Minneapolis campus. With the purchase of a farm at Larpenteur and Cleveland, the University’s St. Paul campus got its start. Over the next 140 years, the campus has grown alongside the adjacent St. Anthony Park neighborhood, which has provided housing and community for faculty, staff, and students. On this tour, we will walk through the beautiful campus grounds, looking at old and new buildings, and we will consider how the campus has adapted to meet the changing needs of the University.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the St. Paul Campus tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

In the early 1880s, the University of Minnesota gave up on its plans for an agricultural school near its Minneapolis campus. With the purchase of a farm at Larpenteur and Cleveland, the University’s St. Paul campus got its start. Over the next 140 years, the campus has grown alongside the adjacent St. Anthony Park neighborhood, which has provided housing and community for faculty, staff, and students. On this tour, we will walk through the beautiful campus grounds, looking at old and new buildings, and we will consider how the campus has adapted to meet the changing needs of the University.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the St. Paul Campus tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

In the early 1880s, the University of Minnesota gave up on its plans for an agricultural school near its Minneapolis campus. With the purchase of a farm at Larpenteur and Cleveland, the University’s St. Paul campus got its start. Over the next 140 years, the campus has grown alongside the adjacent St. Anthony Park neighborhood, which has provided housing and community for faculty, staff, and students. On this tour, we will walk through the beautiful campus grounds, looking at old and new buildings, and we will consider how the campus has adapted to meet the changing needs of the University.

For more tour details and information on required reservations, visit the St. Paul Campus tour page.

Part of the St. Anthony Park 2024 Summer Walking Tours series.

Famous for fighting, raiding, trading, and exploring, the Vikings also had a lively visual culture. They used wood, precious metals, stone, and textiles to create beautifully intricate objects and decoration on everything from ships to swords. Explore Viking art in this richly illustrated presentation.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

For over a thousand years, this amazing building has been at the intersection of politics, religion, and culture. Known for its remarkable engineering, it has been widely influential in both the Christian and Islamic traditions. This presentation looks closely at Hagia Sophia’s design, construction, materials, decoration, and acoustics—and especially at its changing use over time.

For more information and registration, visit Learning Is ForEver

One of the best-known spaces in the Christian tradition, the Sistine Chapel is recognized for the famous paintings done by Michelangelo. Yet the ceiling and the Last Judgment projects were only two parts of a more complex design, done by multiple artists over a few generations. This presentation looks at the entire plan for the Sistine Chapel’s floor-to-ceiling decoration including Michelangelo’s famous work.

Attend in person or live on zoom, or access the recording for one week after the presentation at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran YouTube channel.

Free and open to the public: presented as a gift to the community by St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church.

The cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris has been famous throughout the centuries as a religious center, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, a place of coronations, and as a tourist attraction, among other things. Sadly, it was heavily damaged in a devastating fire in 2019. This presentation will focus on the building’s site, its importance as an example of the French Gothic style, the restoration plans of the 19th century, and current efforts to bring the building back to life after the 2019 fire.