Through gorgeous original photos, traveler and educator Brian Michalski will share his firsthand experiences of navigating his most challenging region to date. Brian will discuss the difficulties facing the people of Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone as well as the stunning natural beauty, accessible wildlife, and genuine hospitality he encountered during his months in West Africa. Registration required.

Vikings are best known for being fearsome raiders. But they were also adventurous traders who traveled from Byzantium to Dublin to Newfoundland to Greenland. London-based archaeologist Ellen Green returns for a look at the evidence the Vikings left in their far-reaching voyages of plunder and trade. Sponsored by the Friends of the Glencoe Public Library. Registration required.

Remember the show-stopping holiday windows on State Street? Amy Meadows, longtime director of windows and marketing events for Marshall Field’s, will provide an insider’s view into the design and execution of the famed animated windows, main aisle décor, and the Great Tree. Presented in partnership with the Highland Park Public Library. Registration required.