Your support for our virtual lectures is appreciated

The Preservation Society continues to serve its educational mission by hosting a lecture series featuring renowned historians, authors, and curators via online video conference.

These lectures are free and registration is open to the public. In order for us to continue these offerings, your support is critical. Please consider making a donation to the Preservation Society by clicking the donation button above. Any amount is greatly appreciated and we are thankful for your continued support.

Upcoming Lectures

The People’s House: Jacqueline Kennedy’s White House Restoration Project

Katherine Gilliland, Docent Manager, John F. Kennedy Library
Thursday, July 16, 5:30 p.m.
This online lecture will be conducted via Zoom conference call. You can attend by sending an email to ProgramRSVP@newportmansions.org. Please write your full name and be sure the subject line says "Katherine Gilliland lecture."

When Jacqueline Kennedy became first lady in 1961, she began a project to restore the state rooms of the White House to reflect the artistic and architectural history of the presidential mansion. "Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there...It must be restored -- and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship," she told Life magazine. She went on to establish a White House Fine Arts Committee made up of experts in historic preservation and decorative arts, and lobbied Congress to pass a law which granted the White House museum status. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at the first lady's project through archival documents and photographs from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library collections.

Katherine Gilliland has been the docent manager at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for fourteen years. As an educator in the Education and Public Programs Department, she develops docent-led programs for the public and for school groups. She holds an M.A. in art history and museum studies from Tufts University and a B.A. in art history from Carleton College in Minnesota.

The Eaddo H. and Peter D. Kiernan Lecture

Let's Get Digital: Exploring and Sharing the Third Floor of The Breakers Through Technology

Sébastien Dutton, Preservation Society 2020 Research Fellow
Tuesday, July 28, 5:30 p.m.
This online lecture will be conducted via Zoom conference call. You can attend by sending an email to ProgramRSVP@newportmansions.org. Please write your full name and be sure the subject line says "Sébastien Dutton lecture."

With historic houses, accessibility is often an issue. Considerations regarding accessibility can sometimes present what feel like insurmountable challenges; in some houses, spatial and safety concerns limit the number of people permitted to occupy a space, while other sites restrict access to protect valuable historic material or fragile object collections. Through technology it is now possible to create interactive virtual tours of spaces that are scalable, easy to use and content-rich. Several of these can be found at NewportMansions.org/ /exhibitions/virtual-exhibition-tours.

Dutton will discuss the process he used to create these tours, and will guide viewers through his latest creation: a virtual tour of the third floor of The Breakers. Completed in 1895, this space remains largely intact and has never been open to the public. Participants in this online lecture will be able to see these rooms and spaces for the first time.

Sébastien Dutton earned his Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Oklahoma Baptist University. His studies focused on Business Administration and French language. In May 2019, he received his Master of Arts in Historic Preservation from Boston Architectural College, where he focused his studies on Gilded Age America. Dutton has received three consecutive scholarships to attend the Newport Symposium and once remarked that the inspiration for his pursuit of a Master’s degree was the Preservation Society properties. He is currently working on digitally mapping the interiors of these historic properties.