Since 2005, the Geschke Series has brought some of the most distinguished voices in journalism, science, literature, education, and culture to the Nantucket Atheneum, continuing its legacy of thoughtful dialogue dating back to 1834.
More than just a series of talks, the Geschke Series is a carefully curated intellectual experience. Each season, Atheneum staff invites speakers whose work shapes how we think about the world we live in now: its ideas, its challenges, and its possibilities. These evenings offer conversations that challenge assumptions, spark insight, and illuminate new perspectives.
Over nearly two decades, the series has opened the door to discussions on climate, culture, democracy, health, technology, and global affairs, all in the intimate setting of Nantucket. Every lecture is chosen for its depth and resonance, the kind of talk that gives shape to a summer evening and stays with you long after the lights dim.
Featured speakers for the 2026 Geschke Series are Danielle Allen, an American political theorist and James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University; Dr. Randall Davis, a Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at MIT and a Research Director at the Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory; Dr. Jeremy Nobel, a primary care physician, public health practitioner, and award-winning poet on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Dr. Paul Starr, professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University and co-founder of The American Prospect magazine; and Dr. Richard Haass, an American diplomat and foreign policy expert
This year, the Geschke Series talks will be held at the Great Harbor Yacht Club. Tickets to these lectures and thoughtful exchanges are available starting on June 1 at NantucketAtheneum.org.