Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
- Keats and eternityCourse start date: Sun 18 May 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Laurie SmithIn the house where many of them were written, we will explore why Keats’s poems are regarded as exceptionally beautiful. How did he achieve this? We will see that it wasn’t luck or simply inspiration, but the result of choices which reflect important aspects of Keats’ personality. Includes ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, Ode to a Grecian Urn’ and ‘To Autumn’.
This course will take place at Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, Hampstead, London NW3 2RR. - A day at the V&A: an introduction to the collections
Course start date: Mon 19 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresSpend a fascinating day at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum exploring a range of galleries. We shall be looking at the decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and design from across the world and across the centuries in this remarkable museum.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Private portraits: European miniatures at the V&ACourse start date: Wed 21 May 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresPortrait miniatures are some of the most exquisite likenesses ever produced, initially gaining favour in the court of Henry VIII as love tokens and tiny pieces of propaganda. This session in the V&A’s collection of portrait miniatures can be taken as a single stand-alone visit (no previous knowledge required, all welcome) or as a final lesson for the three-week online VB776 Private Portraits course.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Mews, monuments and museumsCourse start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneThis circular walk explores the alleys lanes, squares and delightful mews houses and passes a disused tube station in the mainly in the Knightsbridge conservation area and contrasts with the grand museums, institutions and monuments built in South Kensington (Albertopolis) developed with profits of the Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - A sense of place: Constable’s HampsteadCourse start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneExplore Georgian and Regency Hampstead walking in the footsteps of John Constable and seeing places he painted and quotes about his thoughts and feelings on Hampstead and his art. - Constable and the British landscape traditionCourse start date: Mon 16 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneDiscover the development of the British Landscape tradition from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Victoria and Albert Museum has the largest collection of John Constable sketches in the world, and we will discuss the works on display in detail and compare with works by J.W.M Turner and other artists on display.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - London's smaller galleries: Apsley House Course start date: Wed 11 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowExplore the home and art collection of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Sanctuary in the city – public art by refugees and immigrantsCourse start date: Wed 18 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneCome on a walking tour of public art through the City of London created by Refugees and Immigrants. We will explore artworks such as the 17th century carvings on the Monument and a Victorian plaques relocated on to the post Modern Number One Poultry by economic immigrants to the country as well as looking at mainly works by 20th century artists from refugee backgrounds who were either commissioned to make art works for site specific places or their works have been bought or moved to their locations.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Streets of Horror, Streets of Hope: The East End, 1888Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah WiseBecause of the ‘Jack the Ripper’ killings, the late-Victorian East End can be read as a cityscape of poverty and fear. But there is another Whitechapel – a magnet for a variety of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who sought to grapple with the problems of the modern city and to create a better life.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Late Victorian Soho: From Sex and Shopping to Police & Radical PoliticsCourse start date: Tue 15 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah WiseThe West End was a heady mix of glamorous shopping emporia, political refugees from Europe, street-based and brothel-based prostitution, and the general public just enjoying a day or evening ‘Up West’. Join Dr. Sarah Wise to learn more on this 2 hour guided walk of Soho.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Modernist Hampstead Course start date: Sun 28 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneA tour considering the history of the city which is largely under our feet, we will discuss the tube and post office tunnels, water conduits, hidden rivers, and archaeological remains from burials and buildings found in the city. - Art and Refugees in HampsteadCourse start date: Sun 2 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneCome on a walking tour of Hampstead discovering where refugee artists from the Second World War lived and the people and institutions which made great efforts to save and support them.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - The meaning of light: symbolism and religious objects in world faiths Course start date: Sun 16 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneJoin this museum tour to explore world religions and the objects associated with light, from different faiths and festivals. NB: This course will take place at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The meeting point is the V&A grand entrance. - Textiles at the V&ACourse start date: Tue 2 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresThis session takes place in the V&A’s remarkable collection. It can be taken as a stand-alone visit (no previous knowledge required, all welcome) or a final lesson for the seven-week online course VB699 Textiles: An International History. You will see a wide range of woven, printed and embroidered cloth from around the globe and explore the roles these have played in the world’s material culture.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Demystifying Tate ModernCourse start date: Sat 6 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayGet an overview of Tate Modern with this straightforward and lively insight into the gallery’s current displays and the role of the gallery in the contemporary art world. #arthistory #tatemodern.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
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