Free, no registration required

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the newly restored Peacock Room, a masterpiece of aesthetic decoration, with Lunder Curator of American Art Diana Greenwold. Before the Peacock Room became a work of art by James McNeill Whistler, it was the dining room in the London mansion of Frederick Leyland. Its shelves were designed to showcase the British shipping magnate’s collection of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Whistler completely redecorated the room in 1876 and 1877 as a “harmony in blue and gold.” This extravagant interior has been on permanent display since the Freer Gallery of Art opened in 1923 and is one of the most beloved artworks in the Smithsonian. After the talk, stay to hear performances of music inspired by the Peacock Room at 1 and 2 p.m.