SALEM — The American presidency, tzarist Russia, the ocean and the Bronte sisters will be among the topics covered during four upcoming courses at the Salem Athenaeum.

The series kicks off Sept. 8 with a six-week course titled "The American Presidency and Presidents through History and Film." It will explore how the office of the president has been portrayed in major motion pictures, documentaries and TV shows, such as the 1939 film "Young Mr. Lincoln," the 1964 satire "Dr. Strangelove" and 2004's "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Maura Henry, associate professor of history at Holyoke Community College, will teach the course. It runs Monday evenings through Oct. 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. and costs $220 for nonmembers or $195 for members.

In the fall, the producer of an award-winning NOVA program on PBS will lecture on "The Sea Life of the World's Oceans and the Effects of Climate Change." The six-week course focuses on the ecology of bays, the deep ocean, coral reefs and seashells of the world, using specimens of sea life and other visuals.

George Buckley from Harvard University's Division of Continuing Education will teach the course Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. from Oct. 16 to Nov. 20.

An eight-week course, called "History and Culture of Tzarist Russia," will focus on the historical development of Russian culture from Ivan the Terrible through Nicholas II, exploring Russian art, music and literature.

The course runs Monday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. from Jan. 26 through March 23 and costs $295 for nonmembers, $270 for members.

Next spring, a senior associate at Harvard University will present "The Bronte Sisters and Their Novels." Students will read and discuss four Bronte novels: "Jane Eyre" and "Villette" by Charlotte Bronte, "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte, and "Wuthering Heights " by Emily Bronte.

Myths about the sisters will also be explored, as well as appearances of their work in pop culture.

The course runs on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. for six weeks from April 9 through May 21.

The Athenaeum is a membership library, chartered in 1810 and located at 337 Essex St.

For more information, visit www.salemathenaeum.net or call 978-744-2540.