Course Schedules

Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) 2026 Summer Intersession Class Schedule

Most programs (except trips) will be available via Zoom. For classes listed as hybrid, the presenter will be in person in room 106 University Suites (view a map of University Suites (pdf)) and the class will also be on Zoom. For all programs listed as “Zoom with remote presenter,” LIRA members will have the option of viewing it from University Suites, and if University Suites is closed, the program will be listed as “Zoom only.” Please check your email for the weekly program announcement, and for any last-minute changes or additions.

LIRA 2026 Summer Intersession Course Descriptions

Wednesday

Mythology

Wednesdays June 3 and 10: 10 a.m. - noon
Note: June 3 is Zoom Only, June 10 is Hybrid

Presenter: Alan Friedman*

The Greek word mythos means speech, tale, or story. It was only long after the time of the ancient Greeks that the word took on the connotation of ?false or imaginary story.? Originally, the tales (myths) that were passed down from generation to generation provided accepted models of the behavior of gods and mortals. They supplied an explanation of the human condition, with its harsh demands, its certainty of death, and its seeming randomness.

No one alive today practices the religion of the Greeks, yet our culture still contains abundant allusions to Greek myths in literature, music, visual arts, and idiom. These myths are still reread and retold with enjoyment.

In this class, we will explore some of the best-known and some of the lesser-known Greek (and Roman) myths.

Coordinator: Lisa Hertel*

LIRA Travel Experiences

Wednesday June 17 10 a. m. - noon (Hybrid)

Presenters: Bob Stevens*, Becky Bronson* and David Penfield*

The Many Ways to Plan and Take an International Trip

There are as many ways to plan and take an international trip as there are travelers. Bob Stevens is using the 50 years of international travel to 27 countries on 7 continents that he and his wife Carolyn have taken to explain the pros and cons of using tour companies and also planning trips yourself. He will talk about general guidelines for planning a trip then how to pick the right tour company and the right trip to make your trip a success. He will also discuss the details of how he has planned the fourteen international trips that they have planned and taken. As a demonstration of planning, he will show the work that has gone into the three week trip they are going on to France in September. Finally he will give the lessons learned from his extensive worldwide travels.

Travel in Peru

Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the seven wonders of the modern world. In 2017, LIRA members Becky Bronson and Dave Penfield spent 10 days traveling from Cusco to Machu Picchu, visiting small towns, ancient ruins, an animal sanctuary, a textile center and more along the way. Join them for a photographic tour of the spectacular scenery of this country!

Coordinator: Jim Rutter*

Understanding Artificial Intelligence - Introduction

Wednesday June 24 10 a.m. - noon (Hybrid) Great Courses Topic

This Great Courses presentation about Artificial Intelligence is new this year. It is given by Professor Patrick Grim. Patrick Grim is Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Stony Brook University and Philosopher in Residence with the Center for the Study of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan. We will offer the complete course in the Fall, but this one day overview will introduce the presenter, give an overview of the complete course on Understanding Artificial Intelligence and leave you with a classic AI thought experiment to ponder until the next time we meet.

Facilitator: Peter Sebelius*

Newburyport, Massachusetts Custom House Maritime Museum

Wednesday July 8 10 a.m. - noon (Trip)

Join us for a docent-led tour of the Custom House Maritime Museum and explore Newburyport?s long maritime history as a center for shipbuilding and trade in early America. Located in the historic 1835 Custom House, the museum houses numerous galleries that feature Newburyport?s historic role in shipbuilding, maritime trade, clipper ships, development of the U.S. Coast Guard, and the American Revolution, as well as the early history of the lower Merrimack River Valley. The galleries feature a diverse collection of maritime art, ship models, artifacts and exhibits. Following the tour, we will enjoy lunch in Newburyport. The cost for the tour is $8 per person. Details for travel and carpooling will be available at a later date.

Coordinator: David Troughton*

Great Brook Trails

Wednesday July 15 10 a.m. - noon (Trip)

Join LIRA members at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle for a fun and relatively easy hike through the heart of 909 acres of conservation land maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), just south of the southern border of Chelmsford. For those familiar with Great Brook, we will be walking the Pine Point Loop trail, which is roughly 2 miles. Parking in the North Road parking lot is $3. We will be meeting a short walk from the parking lot at the designated meeting area near the farm animal area and ice cream stand. If you bring some quarters you can feed the cows, goats, and alpacas onsite. We will finish up at the Great Brook Ice Cream stand and by all means feel free to reward yourself with some ice cream!

Coordinator: Chris Geggis*

Harvard Art Museums - Celtic Art Across the Ages

Wednesday July 22 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (Trip)
NOTE: Nonstandard time

When you think of the word "Celtic", what comes to mind? The native languages of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales before the arrival of the Romans? Intricate knotwork designs, legendary warriors, or mystical spirituality? Perhaps even a certain NBA team?

Celtic Art Across the Ages will introduce visitors to the worlds of the various peoples who were historically labeled ?Celts??through the objects they created, the interactions they had across the European continent, and the myths that shaped their legacy, then as now. The exhibition stretches from 800 BCE through today, showcasing the craftsmanship, innovation, cultural connections, and multilayered reception that characterized Celtic art in Europe and beyond.

The first major exhibition on this topic to take place in the United States, Celtic Art Across the Ages offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore masterful metalwork of the first millennium BCE Iron Age and early medieval times, all brought to light through archaeological discoveries of the last 200 years. See how imagery transformed under Roman rule. Trace the revival of Celtic art and identities in the modern era. The objects in this exhibition reveal rich and complex artistic traditions that defy stereotypes of what constitutes Celtic art.?

The museum is open from 10 to 5, and there is no charge for admission. We will solicit carpool drivers and meet at Hannaford parking lot for departure at 11:30 AM.

Coordinator: Alan Friedman*

Baseball at the Spinners!

Wednesday July 29 11 a.m. (Trip)

LeLacheur Park in Lowell

The Lowell Spinners are back -- now as a collegiate summer team. Join us in LIRA's last outing of the summer as the Spinners face off against the Westfield Starfires at 11am on July 29. Bring the grandkids, it's camp game day! Tickets are $14 each, and we're between home plate and first base.