Programs

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All Programs start at 7 p.m. at The Olde Colonial Courthouse 3046 Main St, Barnstable, MA

Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.

Memberships available at the door or online.

We regret to inform you that advanced ticket sales are not available. Please arrive by 6:30 to secure your seat.

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2026 Programs

May 11: The Rembrandt Heist: The Story of a Criminal Genius, a Stolen Masterpiece and an Enigmatic

Art theft expert, investigator, and security practitioner, currently Director of Security at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, relates the true crime tale of unbelievable friendship, loyalty, criminal genius, and a staggeringly audacious plot to steal one of the world’s most valuable paintings – and return it. Wine reception and book signing to follow.

May 18: Noble Volunteers, the British Soldiers Who Fought the American Revolution. DON HAGIST

Advisor for Ken Burns The American Revolution on PBS and winner of the 2020 American Revolution Roundtable of Philadelphia Book of the Year, talks about the combatants on the other side of the American Revolution.

May 25: MEMORIAL DAY-No Program

TUESDAY, May 26: Snowy Owls, Visitors from The North. Wild Care Executive Director STEPHANIE ELLIS

Recount the journey of Snowy Owls from the Arctic to the shores of Cape Cod and how the Cape community can contribute to the safety and survival of these incredible animals.

June 1 (Bitter)sweet History: Exploring 18th Century Chocolate from Bean to Beverage.

Join historian and educator MICHELE GABRIELSON for an interactive, delectable journey through taste, tradition, and transformation in the world of 18th-century chocolate. We will sample the chocolate that would have been enjoyed by colonial Bostonians, along with a glass of Prosecco.

Sponsored by Town of Barnstable Tourism Grant; Dianne Mahoney

June 8: The Lost Lighthouses of the Cape & Islands.

The Cape & Islands have been home to more than 30 lighthouses over the years, and many have become cherished landmarks, community symbols, and iconic logos. When no one steps in to care for these silent sentinels of the sea, they grow obsolete or slip into disrepair, and their stories risk being forgotten. Cape Cod Maritime Museum’s Collections and Exhibits Manager, SAMANTHA NOTICK, explores the stories of five lost lighthouses on Cape Cod.

June 15: Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Ma

Discover the fascinating story behind Tales of Cape Cod's Lost City, a hidden gem that was rediscovered by our society after decades of being lost to history. Join us for a tour and learn about the people who once called this place home.

June 22: Reflections of My Time. SAM BARBER

Cape Cod Artist relates the story of his life through his paintings. Joined by his wife Janie and Barnstable resident Julie Tirrell, Sam reflects on how the Cape has shaped his perspective. www.sambarber.com .

Dessert reception and book signing by the author.

June 29: Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass, Leading in Uncharted Waters

Vice Admiral (Retired) SANDY STOSZ spent 36 years serving our Nation as a Coast Guard cutterman and 12 years at sea, including deployment on icebreakers in the Arctic and Antarctic. She commanded two ships. Her talk will spotlight the US Coast Guard and lessons learned.

Sponsored by the Town of Barnstable Tourism Grant.

July 6: A Sticky Piece of Massachusetts History

Retired Elementary Educator and Author NANCY FRANKSturns back the clock to 1919 Boston, before, during, and after two million gallons of molasses were poured into the North End.

Presentation followed by a molasses-themed raffle.

July 13: The Wreck of the Mentor, A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of S

Best-selling author ERIC JAY DOLIN tells the powerful story of survival during a time when maritime ambition collided with local sovereignty and when the outcome of one voyage rippled across oceans and empires. Followed by a book signing and dessert reception.

Sponsored by The Town of Barnstable Tourism Grant.

July 20: The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright, The True Story of Mass Murder in Paradise

Best-selling author CASEY SHERMAN recounts the murder of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s lover. Wright’s turbulent private life captivated a nation – a stormy marriage and an infamous affair which ended in tragic horror. Sherman’s book is soon to be a major motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Wine reception, book signing to follow.

July 27: Paul Revere- The Midnight Ride and More

In the spirit of the anniversary of the American Revolution, actor MICHAEL LePAGE portrays Paul Revere, reflecting on his very active life, culminating in his Midnight Ride.

August 3: The Lady in the Dunes

Emmy and Murrow award-winning investigative journalist KATHY CURRAN details how a formerly unidentified murder victim found in July 1974 in the Race Point Dunes was identified through DNA as Ruth Marie Terry and the clues linking the death to her murderer. Terry’s son Richard Hanchett will join Curran in this talk. Dessert reception to follow.

August 10: Greetings From Bunker Hill.

Emmy award-winning Chronicle reporter TED REINSTEIN returns with facts and folklore for the 250th. Book signing and dessert reception follow.

August 17: Long Before the Titanic

Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society VINCENT MILES explains that the first transatlantic steamships were experimental and suffered many losses. Two of the ships lost were owned by Cape Codder, and two of the captains involved hailed from the Cape

August 24: In Deep Water, A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage

Best-selling author MICHAEL TOUGIAS, known for his riveting, character-driven accounts of survival and rescue, returns with another true tale that will put the audience on the edge of their seats. When the boat sinks 12 miles out in the Gulf of America, three friends must survive 28 hours in open water, facing eight-foot waves, jellyfish stings, hypothermia, and circling sharks. Tougias chronicles one of the most improbable rescues in Coast Guard history and the extraordinary resilience of the men who survived to tell about it.

Book signing and dessert reception to follow. Sponsored by Town of Barnstable Tourism Grant.

August 31: From Sea to Shining Sea, Katharine Lee Bates and the Story of America the Beautiful

This is a documentary film, directed by John deGraaf. It narrates the life of Cape Cod native Katharine Lee Bates, composer of the patriotic standard America the Beautiful, by exploring pivotal historical moments such as women’s suffrage, the Civil War, and the Gilded Age. LENNY MIELE, featured speaker in the documentary and the author of Voice of the Tide, and KAREN OLCOTT, co-producer of the film, discuss.

September 7: LABOR DAY

Tuesday, September 8: John Adams, Moments from My Life

STEVE FLACK stars in a highly entertaining, interactive depiction of the persona of John Adams, with a modern slant, comparing his trials and tribulations to those of modern-day Americans.

September 14: Photographing the Kennedys

Retired Cape Cod photographer STEVE HEASLIP describes 40 years of photographing the Cape’s most famous political family,

September 21: First Ladies

Retired educator NANCY FRANKS introduces the audience to nine of America’s first ladies with ties to Massachusetts -Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Louisa Adams, Frances Cleveland, Florence Harding, Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Clinton.

Followed by a patriotic-themed raffle.

September 28: The Faces of the American Revolution, Portraits by John Singleton Copley

Local art historian MARY WOODWARD will present an illustrated talk about the finest portrait painter in Colonial America. Because of Copley’s work, important patriots such as Paul Revere, Mercy Otis Warren, and John Hancock are readily recognized.