Greater Williamsburg residents can gain historic perspective on early American material culture at the 70th annual Colonial Williamsburg Antiques Forum.
The forum, scheduled to convene from Feb. 23 to 27, will show attendees an array of programs and lectures on furniture, ceramics, textiles, architecture, and “a host of related topics,” according to a Colonial Williamsburg Foundation news release.
“This year’s Colonial Williamsburg Antiques Forum is a special one as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the nation’s oldest decorative arts program,” said Ronald L. Hurst, Colonial Williamsburg’s Carlisle H. Humelsine chief curator and vice president of collections, conservations and museums. “Guests will gain fresh insights on early American material culture from presenters including Colonial Williamsburg’s own experts and other premier museum and antiques professionals.”
Presentations by speakers such as Alexandra Kirtley of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Mul Buchanan from the New Orleans Museum of Art, and Dennis Carr from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston will touch on the theme of this year’s forum: celebrating the American spirit.
Keynote speaker, historian and author Gordon S. Wood and Alva O. Way professor emeritus of history at Brown University will offer a lecture on John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the arts.
Attendees also have the opportunity to register for private tours of historic homes throughout Greater Williamsburg and post-forum workshops with the foundation’s collections staff.
There are a limited number of registrations available.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Antiques Forum information information and registration can be found here or by calling 1-800-603-0948 Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Conference registration costs $650 and $325 for museum professionals. Pre-forum day trips and post-forum workshops cost $175 to register. Tickets for the forum’s opening reception cost $50 while tickets for the closing reception and dinner cost $85.
More information on Colonial Williamsburg Foundation conferences can be found here or by calling 855-296-6627.
