Lunch & Learn Series

What Were They Thinking? 150 Years of Bad Taste in America 

Franklin Pierce and a Nation on the Edge

Why more coastal flooding at the Jersey Shore, and the 2026 Hurricane season outlook

New Jersey’s Revolutionary Rivalry, the Untold Story of Col. Tye & Capt. Huddy

New Jersey Historian Rick Geffken returns, bringing us the intriguing and little-known story of the Revolutionary War conflicts between a runaway slave called Col. Tye fighting for the British and his Patriot foe. The extralegal hanging of militia Capt. Joshua Huddy in Highlands, New Jersey created an international incident when George Washington resolved to hang a British POW in retribution. These incidents threatened the success of the Paris Peace Treaty talks.

Grant Street Beach: Nostalgia, Connection and Black Joy

Local artist Chanelle René shares her deeply personal connection to Cape May’s historic Black beach and how those experiences shaped her Grant Street Beach painting series. Through family stories, photographs, and personal accounts, her talk centers on nostalgia, belonging, and the joy of Cape May’s Black community, where intimate beach moments span generations.

Creating Independence: Inside the Congress that Changed History

In the summer of 1776, a divided assembly of delegates faced an unprecedented decision: whether to break from the British Empire. Ben Ridings explores the personalities, debates, and political maneuvering within the Second Continental Congress, tracing the crucial moments that led to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of a new nation.

From Mythical Beasts to Man-eaters: How the Jersey Shore Influenced Sharks in Popular Culture

You’re 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than attacked by a shark, so why are we so terrified of these demons of the deep? Presenter Mary Stewart takes a deep dive into shark legend and lore.

From Hearth & Home to the Battle: Black Colonial Life in the Revolutionary Era in West & East Jersey

Author and historian Ellen Alford explores the lives of Black residents—both enslaved and free—in colonial New Jersey during the Revolutionary era. Through personal stories, historical documents, and accounts of named soldiers, she reveals their roles in the war and the complex, often difficult choices they faced in supporting or opposing the Patriot cause.

Hear, Hear!

Bay Atlantic Symphony Music Director Jed Gaylin explores what conductors hear in rehearsal and what they are listening for in front of the ensemble.  We will discover layers of listening, ways of listening, and how a conductor moves from simple aural recognition to formulating and sculpting an interpretation in real time in rehearsal and performance as well as through score study.  As always, Jed welcomes unabashed, provocative questions. 

A Chain of Rebels: Frank Furness -> Louis Sullivan -> Frank Lloyd Wright 

Cape May MAC’s Director Emeritus, Michael Zuckerman, returns to flesh out the “begat” story of the “Chain of Rebels” that began generations of Physick Estate tours — how its architect, Frank Furness, trained Louis Sullivan who in turn mentored Frank Lloyd Wright.  The lecture contrasts each of their landmarks with the “conventional” architecture they were rebelling against. 

Beyond the Beaches: The Fishing Industry of Cape May

Cape May, NJ is famous for its world-class beaches, Victorian architecture and plethora of fine restaurants. But visitors and locals alike often fail to appreciate the important role that fishing plays in our economy, culture and history. Mark Allen discusses how Cape May is not only home of the second most important commercial fishing port on the east coast, but also home to the famous MidAtlantic Marlin and Tuna tournament.