Becoming Vanderbilt: An Exhibition at Rosecliff

September 10, 2020 - December, 2020

Discover the Women of the Vanderbilt Dynasty

Alice Vanderbilt, Matriarch • Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, Suffragist • Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan, Duchess • Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Artist

In a year celebrating women, Becoming Vanderbilt shines a bright light on four of our own. The Vanderbilt men are well known for their dominance of 19th-century American industry and the staggering fortunes they amassed during the Gilded Age; meanwhile, their wives and daughters turned their talents and formidable influence to causes outside the expected domestic realm. From Alice Vanderbilt’s philanthropy and her daughter Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s work as patron, artist and museum founder, to Alva Vanderbilt Belmont’s tireless efforts on behalf of women’s suffrage and her daughter Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan’s benevolence, we honor the legacy of these extraordinary women. This exhibition draws upon holdings in the Preservation Society’s collections as well as key loans from other institutions and private collections. Through the sharing of personal effects, clothing and memorabilia, we aim to introduce deeper narratives about each woman. 

Enjoy a virtual visit of Becoming Vanderbilt

Watch the video from the online preview of Becoming Vanderbilt