Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

Lecture Classes Chicago

Discover a wide range of lecture classes in Chicago, covering topics such as history, science, literature, and more, where participants can expand their knowledge and engage in thought-provoking discussions.

Unfortunately, no classes in-person in Chicago have spots left, but 6 classes live online are available.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty: Philosophy, Phenomenology, and the Body

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Explore the profound philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and his groundbreaking ideas on perception, embodiment, and the nature of existence. Delve into the world of phenomenology and discover how this influential 20th-century movement continues to shape contemporary thought.

(29) Beginner 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!

Bioengineering: from Terraforming to Designer Babies

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

In this thought-provoking course from the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, you'll explore the core principles of biotechnology and the ethical, political, and economic implications of manipulating biological matter. Uncover the exciting possibilities and real constraints that shape the future of bioengineering today!

(29) All levels 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!

The Weimar Republic: Politics, Culture, and Catastrophe

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Unveil the rise and fall of Germany's Weimar Republic and its impact on contemporary politics, culture, and catastrophic authoritarianism in this provocative course. Explore the complex international politics and economic crises that shaped this politically fragile yet culturally dazzling era. Dive into primary sources and reflections to dissect the untold lessons for our modern world.

(29) All levels 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!
Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

Lecture Classes Gift Card

Thousands of classes & experiences. No expiration. Gift an experience this holiday season and make it a memorable one. Lock in a price with the Inflation Buster Gift Card Price Adjuster™

Buy a Gift Card

Solarpunk: Theory, Fiction, and Radical Futures

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Explore a radical vision of the future where nature and technology align, challenging the pessimistic outlook on climate change. Immerse yourself in the art, theory, and speculative fiction of solarpunk to reimagine a world of decommodified energy and human liberation. Join us on this intellectual journey towards a harmonious coexistence of technology, nature, and human life.

(29) All levels 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!

Melanie Klein: Love, Guilt, and Psychoanalysis

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Delve into the depths of human emotions and the complexities of the mind with a comprehensive exploration of psychoanalysis. Gain insights into the intricate workings of the psyche through this captivating course.

(29) All levels 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!

The Soviet Avant-Garde: Culture, Politics, Aesthetics

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Explore Russian and Soviet avant-gardes during the first three decades of the 20th century. Discover how artists grappled with finding "communistic expression of material structures" and the shifting status of the arts in the early Soviet state. Dive into the works of Kazimir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Sergei Eisenstein, and more.

(29) All levels 21 and older
$335

4 sessions

Gift it!
14 lecture classes that have ended
Add to your wish list to find out about new dates

Impressionism to 1920:4 Painters & Their Influence(16+)

Evanston Art Center @ 1717 Central St, Evanston, IL

Connect or rediscover with the influences of contemporary art, focusing on four major painters: Monet, van Gogh, Picasso and Matisse, and their influences. View their work, and we’ll discuss ideas related to how their focus on light, color and space transformed art from realism to abstraction.

(83) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$140

4 sessions

Gift it!

Literary Capital of the West

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Literary Capital of the West: Chicago Writing before 1890 This course explores the evolving relationship between Western and urban identities in Chicago writing from the 1840s through the 1880s. Histories of Chicago literature often start around 1890, with the urban sketches of writers like Finley Peter Dunne. Chicago’s antebellum literature, however, was very different, aimed at rural readers in the city’s railroad empire. After the Civil...

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$247

6 sessions

Gift it!

Seeing Race Before Race - Exhibition Series

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Delve into the historical context of recent Supreme Court decisions on abortion and school prayer, and explore the evolving relationship between church and state in this thought-provoking class. Discover how ideas about freedom of conscience have been challenged and reevaluated throughout American history, leading to a recent acceptance of religious influence on law.

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$195

3 sessions

Gift it!

African American Genealogy: Mixing Online & Offline

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Using the Newberry’s collections as a starting point, this class will provide an introduction to African American genealogy research. Not sure where you should begin with researching your genealogy? In this introductory class, discover your family’s journey by creating a solid foundation, working from the known to the unknown. This session will cover oral history, interviewing techniques, and a virtual guided tour of Ancestry’s Library Edition...

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$100
Gift it!

A United Kingdom? Britain after Elizabeth

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Following Brexit and the death of Elizabeth II, will the United Kingdom stay united? This one-session class will examine the United Kingdom since Brexit and the death of Elizabeth II by exploring the centuries-old origin of the UK with a particular emphasis on the island of Great Britain. Britain is an invented nation but one with a long history of interdependence between its various parts. With Elizabeth gone, will the union hold? Was the United...

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$85.50
Gift it!

Fermentation 101: Homemade Vinegar

Peterson Garden Project @ 5917 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL

Homemade vinegar is a fun and easy way to get started with fermentation! In this demo class, instructor Greg Tefs will walk you through making your own vinegars at home using two different techniques (whole fruit method and mother starter method).  He’ll demonstrate three different flavors of vinegar pineapple, black currant, and apple cider and demonstrate creative condiment recipes using each of those vinegars. We’ll also...

(10) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Timewave

Infinity Foundation @ 1280 Old Skokie Valley Rd, Highland Park, IL

During this fascinating expedition into the nature of time itself, many of the world’s experts on mythology, alchemy, astrology, anthropology, and ancient history; Jose Arguelles, Gregg Braden, Riane Eisler, Terence McKenna, Alberto Villoldo, and Jay Weidner are interviewed. They discuss topics such as the shift of the ages, the galactic alignment, global warming, the pervasive role of the media in our lives, and much more.

(33) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

This is a one time FREE course. Our former fellow Christina Gerhardt, in conversation with climate and environment journalist Indira Khera, discuss the disproportionate impact that climate change has on island communities. Low-lying islands are least responsible for global warming, but they are suffering the brunt of it. Atlases are being redrawn as islands disappear. What does an island see when the sea rises? Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands...

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
Free
Gift it!

Chicago Storytelling in Bughouse Square 2023

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Chicago Storytelling in Bughouse Square 2023: Chicago Forward Celebrate the power of storytelling and the future of our city at this free event. The festivities will include the presentation of The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. Chicago Storytelling in Bughouse Square 2023: Chicago Forward will focus on Chicago’s future and feature speakers whose work in the city strives to change our communities for the better. The festivities...

(4) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
Free
Gift it!

Lecture in Photography: Mark Sealy

Museum of Contemporary Photography Colum

Since 1991, Mark Sealy has served as director of Autograph ABP, the Association of Black Photographers, based in Shoreditch, London. He has written for a number of international photography publications, including Foam Magazine (Amsterdam), Aperture (New York), and in 2002, published Different, a book project focused on photography and identity. Sealy is currently a PhD candidate at Durham University, England. His research and curatorial...

(3) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Workshop and Discussion: Mapping Petroleum Lives

Museum of Contemporary Photography Colum

Led by exhibiting artist Rozalinda Borcilă, this mapping-from-below workshop uses prompts and facilitated exercises to develop a discussion of the various ways petroleum shapes our daily lives as an economy, a source of energy, and as a specific way of organizing the social world. Participants will work together to produce a number of mind maps and diagrams of the various systems that mediate our relationships...

(3) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Petcoke: Tracing Dirty Energy

Museum of Contemporary Photography Colum

Petcoke: Tracing Dirty Energy features MoCP commissioned works by artists in response to the environmental and public health impact of petcoke, a dust-like waste product containing carbon, toxic heavy metals, and other dangerous compounds resulting from oil refining processes in the Chicago region and beyond.  In addition to photography, the exhibiting artists use multi-channel video installations, sculptural objects and interactive...

(3) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Lecture in Photography: Jennifer Blessing

Museum of Contemporary Photography Colum @ 600 S Michigan Ave, Illinois City, IL

Jennifer Blessing is senior curator of photography at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Throughout her career, she has curated many photography-based exhibitions, including Carrie Mae Weems: Three Decades of Photography and Video (2014), Rineke Dijkstra: A Retrospective (2012), and Francesca Woodman (2012).  Most recently Blessing curated Photo-Poetics: An Anthology (2016), a group exhibition...

(3) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
Free
Gift it!

Scan ‘N Cut Club

Linda Z's Sewing Center @ 1216 E Central Rd, Chicago, IL

Join us monthly for these fabulous lecture/demo presentations to learn the ins and outs of the Scan and Cut. You'll learn about the different kinds of materials & processes you can work with - vinyl, heat transferring, paper, fabric, glass etching, rhinestones, etc. More than just a cutting machine, it has a place in all your creative endeavors!  Also, discover how to use Brother's ScanNCut Canvas to edit & transfer cut files. There's...

(8) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
Reset all filters.

No results found

Try removing some filters.

Lecture Classes in Chicago are rated 4.5 stars based on 170 verified reviews from actual CourseHorse.com purchasers.

CourseHorse Gift Cards

  • Creative & unique gift for any occasion
  • Thousands of classes & experiences
  • No expiration date
  • Instant e-delivery (or choose a date)
  • Add a personalized message
  • Lock in a price with the Inflation Buster Gift Card Price Adjuster™
Buy a Gift Card
gift card with the CourseHorse logo gift card with the CourseHorse logo
Loading...