San Francisco: Golden City by the Bay

Join us as we explore the magnificent fusion of art, architecture, and innovation that defines San Francisco and the Bay Area. The city reveals its character through layers of architectural and cultural heritage, where innovative spirit meets diverse influences across rolling hills and along the Pacific coastline. From Victorian streets to the Golden Gate Bridge, the city tells a story shaped by Asian, European, Latin American, and Native American traditions, transforming dramatically since the 1849 Gold Rush. The 1906 earthquake became a catalyst for architectural renewal, with Gilded Age mansions in Nob Hill and Spanish Colonial details in the Mission District showing how the city rebuilt and reimagined itself. Cultural institutions and historic homes preserve extraordinary collections that span continents and centuries, offering glimpses into the private worlds of notable San Franciscans and illustrating how art, architecture, and design have defined this remarkable urban landscape.

Thursday, October 23, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm

Welcoming Remarks and Opening Program at the Fairmont Hotel

The Jonathan L. Fairbanks Lecture
San Francisco: Disaster, Recovery, & Resilience
Bridget Maley, Architectural Historian and Preservation Specialist

Following our opening lecture, join us for a welcome reception in the magnificent Crystal Room, a fitting introduction to the grandeur and cultural richness that await us in San Francisco.

Sponsored in part by

Friday, October 24, 8:45 am–5:30 pm

50 Years of Preserving and Sharing Victorian Architecture
Stephen “Woody” LaBounty, President and CEO, San Francisco Heritage

The John A.H. Sweeney Emerging Scholar Lecture
A Palace of Art and Memory: Founding Gifts for the Legion of Honor
Dr. Isabella Lores-Chavez, Associate Curator of European Paintings, Legion of Honor

We devote our morning to exploring San Francisco’s cultural gems, beginning with Grace Cathedral‘s soaring Gothic spires, intricate bronze doors, and ethereal stained-glass windows. Next, an expert curator guides us through the grand Beaux Arts City Hall, revealing the stories behind its gleaming 24-karat gold dome and sweeping marble staircase that has witnessed decades of civic history. We complete our journey at the renowned Asian Art Museum, where 6,000 years of artistic mastery unfolds through thousands of treasures—from delicate Chinese jade carvings to dramatic Japanese samurai armor—all housed in the historic former Main Library in the vibrant Civic Center district.

After lunch at the historic Francisca Club, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive private women’s clubs, we embark on an afternoon showcasing private collections. In the colorful Alamo Square district, we admire the exquisite “Painted Ladies” Victorian homes, with special focus on the extraordinary Brune Reutlinger House and the eclectic collection within and an 1870 townhouse containing exquisite American Renaissance Revival furniture throughout, complemented by authentic working gas lighting and magnificent Bradbury & Bradbury wallpapers. Finally, we will explore an 1873 Italianate townhouse with an impressive collection of early-19th-century American Classical furniture and an extensive collection of Paris porcelain specifically crafted for the American market.

Saturday, October 25, 9:00 am–5:00 pm

Our morning is devoted to three distinctive sites. At the Presidio Officers Club, we are treated to a special welcome by Federal Preservation Officer Rob Thomson before exploring this Spanish Colonial structure, which has witnessed California history from its earliest days as a military outpost to its current role as a cultural center. The Swedenborgian Church provides a remarkable example of Arts and Crafts design, featuring natural materials, handcrafted details, and an atmosphere of meditative simplicity. At the meticulously preserved Octagon House, we discover a museum of Colonial and Neoclassical decorative arts housed in an unusual eight-sided structure built in 1861.

After lunch amid the city’s scenic beauty, we visit two world-class museums. At the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, we focus on their extraordinary collection and the sculpture garden, where modern and contemporary works are presented in a serene outdoor setting. At the Legion of Honor, perched dramatically above the Pacific, we explore both the decorative arts collection and the special exhibition celebrating the museum’s centennial.

Sunday, October 26, 8:45 am–11:00 am

Becoming Anges Bourn: Rebuilding an Early-20th-Century Collection in the 21st Century
Kevin Wisney, Museum Director of Collections/Curator of Decorative Arts, Filoli

Material Engineering: From Liebes to the Tech Textiles of Silicon Valley
Sarah Mills, Assistant Professor of Art History, San Jose State University

Tradition Meets Modernity: The San Francisco Bay Area Interiors of Frances Adler Elkins
Scott Powell, Design Historian

PALO ALTO: Stanford’s Cultural Legacy and Gilded Age Estates

Wednesday, October 22, 8:45 am–6:30 pm

Discover the intellectual and artistic treasures of one of America’s premier universities. Our journey begins at the Cantor Arts Center, where we focus on Jane Stanford’s vision and the museum’s remarkable Japanese collection, offering insight into the cultural exchange between East and West at the turn of the 20th century. After lunch, we explore the David Rumsey Map Collection at Stanford Libraries, one of the largest private map collections in the United States, featuring rare cartographic treasures spanning five centuries.

The afternoon continues with an exclusive tour of the historic Gamble Estate, a rare architectural gem that offers a glimpse into early-20th-century Palo Alto. This remarkable property stands as a testament to the region’s architectural heritage, featuring a grand three-story residence and a charming carriage house that together span over 6,300 square feet. Our tour explores the property’s architectural significance, its place in local history, and the remarkable gardens that have been carefully preserved alongside the historic dwelling. Our day concludes with a champagne reception amid the tranquil beauty of Gamble Garden in Crescent Park, where seasonal blooms create a fitting end to our Stanford experience.

Thursday, October 23, 8:45 am–5:15 pm

Step into the opulent world of California’s Gilded Age with visits to two extraordinary country estates. Our day begins at Carolands, the magnificent 98-room Beaux Arts château built between 1914 and 1916 for Harriett Pullman Carolan, heiress to the Pullman railway fortune. This architectural masterpiece, designed by Ernest Sanson with gardens by Achille Duchêne, represents one of the finest examples of French Classical architecture in the United States.

Following lunch, we explore the splendid Filoli estate, a Georgian country house set amid 16 acres of formal gardens. Built for gold mine owner William Bowers Bourn II between 1915 and 1917, Filoli exemplifies the vision of creating a grand country estate in the English tradition. As we tour the 54,000-square-foot mansion and its spectacular gardens, we discover how successive owners enhanced this remarkable property now preserved by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Sonoma: Heritage, History, and Viticulture

Sunday, October 26, 11:00 am–6:00 pm

Following the morning presentations, our post-symposium adventure takes us to historic Sonoma, where California’s rich cultural tapestry comes alive. After lunch at the charming El Dorado Kitchen in downtown Sonoma, we explore two extraordinary historic sites: Mission San Francisco Solano, the northernmost of California’s 21 Spanish missions and the last to be built (1823); and the home of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, military commander and director of colonization of the northern frontier during Mexican rule.

Our day concludes with a fascinating tour among the vines at Buena Vista Winery, where an expert viticulturist reveals the secrets of the area’s unique terroir and sustainable growing practices. We end our day with an elegant reception on the panoramic terrace, overlooking rolling vineyards that stretch to the horizon, raising a glass with newfound friends as the setting sun paints the sky in breathtaking hues—the perfect conclusion to our week of exploration in the Bay Area.