Public programs and events
More public programs are added regularly; check huntington.org for updates
—NOVEMBER—
Conference
First Light: The Astronomy Century in California, 1917-2017
Nov. 17–18 (Friday–Saturday) 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
This conference, jointly presented by The Huntington and Carnegie Observatories, marks the centennial of the completion of the 100-inch Hooker telescope on Mount Wilson, which saw “first light” in November 1917. The world’s largest telescope of the era, the 100-inch heralded the dawn of modern astronomy. Historians, scientists, curators of science collections, and others will explore the influence of big telescopes, the significance of discoveries at Mount Wilson, the gendered nature of astronomy, and other related issues in the history of Southern California as an arena for the exploration of space. $25. Registration: http://huntington.org/firstlight. Rothenberg Hall
The Ecology of Eternity in a Song-Dynasty Buddhist Monastery
Nov. 21 (Tuesday) 7:30 p.m.
In his inaugural Huntington lecture, Phillip Bloom, The Huntington’s new Director of the Center for East Asian Garden Studies and curator of the Chinese Garden, will examine the history of Shizhuanshan, a hilltop Buddhist sanctuary in southwestern China constructed in the late 11th century. Bloom will argue that at Shizhuanshan, architecture, image, and text work together to transform the natural environment itself into a site for the eternal performance of Buddhist ritual. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
—DECEMBER—
The Florentine Codex and the Herbal Tradition: Unknown versus Known?
Dec 5 (Tuesday) 7:30 p.m.
The 16th-century ethnographic study known as the Florentine Codex included a richly detailed account of natural history of the New World. In this lecture, Alain Touwaide, historian of medicine, botany and medicinal plants, will compare the Codex and contemporary European herbal traditions. He suggests that they represent the opposition between unknown and known—a dynamic force that led to many discoveries in medicine through the centuries. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org.
A volume of the Florentine Codex, on loan from the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, is currently on view in The Huntington’s “Visual Voyages” exhibition, part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA.
Crotty Lecture
Christian Origins in Early Modern Europe: The Birth of a New Kind of History
Dec. 7 (Thursday) 7:30 p.m.
In the 16th century, the unified Latin Christianity of the Middle Ages broke apart. New Protestant churches and a reformed Catholic church created new theologies, new liturgies, and new ways of imagining what early Christian life and worship were like. Anthony Grafton, professor of history at Princeton University, discusses how the new histories were ideological in inspiration and controversial in style, but nonetheless represented a vital set of innovations in western ways of thinking about and representing the past. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
Conference
Globalizing the Protestant Reformations
Dec. 8–9 (Friday–Saturday) 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
This conference investigates the nature and significance of the Protestant Reformation as a global phenomenon. Leading scholars from Europe and the United States will offer fresh perspectives on the dynamics of religious change by examining the roles of institutions, interpretative communities, and communications media in advancing the globalization of the Protestant faith. $25. Registration: huntington.org/reformations. Rothenberg Hall. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
Conference (Getty Center)
Indigenous Knowledge and the Making of Colonial Latin America
Dec. 8–9 (Friday–Saturday) 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
This scholarly conference, part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, is related to two current L.A. exhibitions: “Golden Kingdoms” at the Getty Center (through Jan. 28), and “Visual Voyages” at The Huntington (through Jan. 8). Conference details and registration: getty.edu/visit/cal. Getty Center
Cochineal in the History of Art and Global Trade
Dec. 10 (Sunday) 2:30 p.m.
Alejandro de Ávila Blomberg of the Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden and Oaxaca Textile Museum will explore the historical and cultural significance of the crimson dye cochineal. Derived from an insect that lives on the Opuntia cactus, cochineal has been used as a natural dye since ancient times, and it became Mexico’s second-most valued export after silver during the Spanish colonial period. The lecture is presented in conjunction with the current exhibition, “Visual Voyages” (part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA), on view in the Boone Gallery through Jan. 8. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
Garden Talk & Sale
California “Super Bloom” 2017
Dec. 14 (Thursday) 2:30 p.m.
Revisit last spring’s spectacular “super bloom” of California wildflowers in an illustrated lecture by Kathy Musial, curator of living collections at The Huntington. Included will be images from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Antelope Valley, and Carrizo Plain National Monument, among other locations. A plant sale follows the talk. Free; no reservations required. Ahmanson Room, Brody Botanical Center. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
Viewing Stones Show
Dec. 26–30 (Tuesday–Saturday) 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The California Aiseki Kai presents its 28th annual show featuring outstanding examples of suiseki and other viewing stones. Practiced in Asia for centuries and gaining popularity around the world, the art of viewing stones invites contemplation of the subtle, often fanciful forms that have been shaped by nature, the elements, and time. General admission. Brody Botanical Center. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
Family Day
Word Play
Dec. 30 (Saturday) 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Explore the power of words in a fun-filled day of activities for the whole family. Children and adults can try their hands at printing on a mobile printing press from the International Printing Museum. They can also write their own poems, enjoy pop-up poetry performances by the Pasadena Rose Poets, and more. The event is inspired by the current Library exhibition “The Reformation: From the Word to the World,” which explores the power of the written word to bring about change. General admission; no reservations required. Rose Hills Garden Court and other locations. Information: 626-405-2100 or www.huntington.org
—JANUARY—
Telling it Like It Is: Painter Frederick Hammersley’s Remarkable Account of his Painting Practice and Materials
Jan. 18 (Thursday) 7:30 p.m.
As part of his painting practice, abstract artist Frederick Hammersley (1919–2009) kept meticulous documentation of his process and materials, and had great concern for the permanence of his work. Hammersley’s Painting Books, compiled over the course of nearly 40 years, describe in minute detail the specifics of the creation of hundreds of individual abstract geometric works. Scientist Alan Phenix of the Getty Conservation Institute will survey the technical content of Hammersley’s Painting Books, with particular focus on matters that have significance for an understanding of the artist’s practice, and for the care and conservation of his works. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Mormon History Lecture
A Mormon Diarist in California, 1850-1858
Jan. 10 (Wednesday) 7:30 p.m.
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, the 300th Anniversary University Professor of History at Harvard University, shares stories from the remarkable diary of Caroline Crosby, who reached California in 1850 on her way to Tubuai, then lived among “saints and strangers” in San Jose, San Francisco, and San Bernardino. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Conference
The Censorship of British Theatre, 1737–1843
Jan. 12–13 (Friday–Saturday) 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Theatre censorship had a profound impact on the British cultural and political life during the Georgian era. Leading experts on 18th and 19th-century theatre will explore the implications of statutory theatre censorship as Britain grappled with issues of modernity, race, gender, and religion during a period of imperial expansion and conflict. $25. Registration: huntington.org/censorship. Rothenberg Hall
Anton Roman: San Francisco’s Pioneering Bookseller and Publisher
Jan. 17 (Wednesday) 7:30 p.m.
John Crichton, proprietor of the Brick Row Book Shop, shares the story of San Francisco bookseller and publisher Anton Roman (1828–1903), who came to California from Bavaria in 1849 to make his fortune in the gold fields. He converted his gold into books and became one of the most important and successful bookseller-publishers in the history of the book trade in California and the West. This lecture is the Book Club of California’s inaugural Kenneth Karmiole Endowed Lecture. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Portland Japanese Garden: The Journey Continues
Jan. 23 (Tuesday) 7:30 p.m.
For more than 50 years, the Portland Japanese Garden has been a haven of serenity and an important center for Japanese culture. Join garden curator Sadafumi Uchiyama as he reflects on the garden’s recent expansion and its newly founded institute for teaching garden history, design, construction, and maintenance. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Zeidberg Lecture in the History of the Book
Decoding the Book: Printing and the Birth of Secrecy
Jan. 24 (Wednesday) 7:30 p.m.
In the inaugural annual lecture in honor of David Zeidberg, recently retired Avery Director of the Library, Bill Sherman, Director of the Warburg Institute in London, traces the modern field of cryptography back to the Renaissance and asks what role the invention of printing played in the keeping of secrets. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Ranch Clinic
Container Gardening
Jan. 27 (Saturday) 9–10 a.m.
Learn how to maximize your garden by using containers in a one-hour clinic led by Master Gardener Yvonne Savio. Drawing on more than 60 years of experience, Savio will talk about the different types and sizes of containers to use when planting vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, and ornamental trees. She will also offer guidelines for the use of seeds or transplants, watering, soil mixes, and sun exposure for greater success. Free; no reservations required. Ahmanson Room, Brody Botanical Center
—FEBRUARY—
Wark Lecture
Louis C. Tiffany’s Glass Mosaics
Feb. 1 (Thursday) 7:30 p.m.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Louis Comfort Tiffany directed an artistic empire in the design and creation of stained glass lamps and windows, blown glass vases, and other objects of luxury. But his innovations in glass mosaics represented perhaps his most expressive mastery of the medium. Kelly Conway, curator of American glass at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, will discuss this this understudied aspect of Tiffany’s virtuosity. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Chinese New Year Festival
Feb. 17–18 (Saturday–Sunday) 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at The Huntington as the Year of the Dog begins. The festivities will include lion dancers, mask changing performances, martial arts, Chinese music, and more. General admission. www.huntington.org
Camellia Show and Sale
Feb . 10–11
Saturday: 1–5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Hundreds of gorgeous blooms will compete for top honors at The Huntington’s 46th annual Camellia Show, co-sponsored by the Southern California Camellia Society. View the exhibits, shop for camellia plants to grow at home, and get some expert tips on care and cultivation. Make a day of it by exploring acres of blooming camellias in the gardens. General admission. Brody Botanical Center
East Asian Gardens Lecture Series
The Introduction of Japanese Plants into North America
Feb. 20 (Tuesday) 7:30 p.m.
Through the pioneering work of collectors and nurserymen, many new species of Japanese plants were introduced to the American gardening public in the late 19th century. Peter Del Tredici, senior research scientist, emeritus, of the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, will examine the history behind these early introductions, some of which had a profound impact on both cultivated and wild landscapes across America. Free; no reservations required. Rothenberg Hall
Bonsai-a-Thon
Feb. 24–25 (Saturday–Sunday) 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Southern California bonsai masters will share their passion for the art form in this annual event that includes exhibits, demonstrations, prize drawings, a “bonsai bazaar,” and a live auction at 3 p.m. each day. Proceeds from the event support the Golden State Bonsai Collection at The Huntington. General admission. Brody Botanical Center
EXHIBITIONS
Collections: WCCW five at The Huntington
Nov. 18, 2017–Feb. 12, 2018
Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art
The culmination of the second year of a five-year initiative called “/five,” which this year is based on the theme of “collecting” and “collections,” this focused exhibition features new work with related programming by seven artists who conducted research in The Huntington’s collections.
Pursuit of Flora
Oct 28, 2017 - Feb 19, 2018
Huntington Art Gallery – Works on Paper Room
From lusciously detailed drawings of fruit and flowers by Georg Dionysius Ehret, a collaborator of Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, to depictions of more exotic examples by Matilda Conyers, the exhibition reveals 18th-century European appreciation for the beauty of the natural world.
The Reformation
Oct 28, 2017–Feb 26, 2018
Library, West Hall
On the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, The Huntington presents an exhibition of about 50 rare manuscripts, books, and prints made between the 1400s and 1648 to address the power of the written word and the relationship between it and radical change within a specific historical moment and geographical region.
Frederick Hammersley
Oct 21, 2017–Jan 22, 2018
Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art, Susan and Stephen Chandler Wing
This exhibition on American abstract artist Frederick Hammersley showcases his sketchbooks, notebooks, inventories, and vibrant color swatches to illuminate the painstaking process the artist used to create his hard-edge geometric paintings.
Tiffany Favrile Glass
Oct 7, 2017–Feb 26, 2018
Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art
The exhibition will survey the full range of Tiffany’s Favrile glass vase production, from experimental pieces made in the 1890s to the widely-admired peacock vases produced in the early years of the 20th century.
Sonic Botany
Sep 16, 2017 - Jan 08, 2018
Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art
A mix of audio and visuals created by experimental composer, sonic architect, and performance artist Guillermo Galindo, this installation features a series of graphic representations of musical scores inspired by The Huntington's exhibition, Visual Voyages: Images of Latin American Nature from Columbus to Darwin.
Visual Voyages
Sep 16, 2017–Jan 8, 2018
Boone Gallery
As part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, The Huntington will present an extensive exhibition surveying the connections among art, science, and the environment in Latin America, from the voyages of Columbus to the publications of Charles Darwin in the mid-19th century.
Nuestro Mundo
Sep 16, 2017 - Jan 08, 2018
Brody Botanical Center (weekends only)
The two dozen paintings in this installation are the work of young adults ages 18 to 26 who are mentored by Art Division, a non-profit organization that trains and supports Los Angeles youth from underserved communities who are pursuing careers in the visual arts.
Orbit Pavilion
Oct. 29, 2016–Sept. 3, 2018
Celebration Lawn
The outdoor installation is the brainchild of Dan Goods and David Delgado, visual strategists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who conceived an innovative “soundscape” representing the movement of the International Space Station and 19 Earth satellites.
Visitor information
The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, Calif., 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles. It is open to the public every day except Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and major holidays.
