Get a behind-the-scenes look at the unique artifacts featured in the collection of the King Manor Museum with Executive Director Kelsey Brow in Untapped New York’s upcoming virtual talk on the museum’s latest exhibition, Queens of King Manor. King Manor is one of the oldest buildings in Queens, and to celebrate Women’s History Month, the museum’s new exhibit focuses on the ladies who preserved and cared for the home. In our upcoming talk, Brow will share some of the most surprising artifacts and behind-the-scenes stories of the women who reigned over King Manor throughout its more thn 250 year history!
Inside the King Manor Collection
In this talk:
- See a mourning painting—made with hair?!
- View a shaving kit that supposedly belonged to an officer who served with America’s favorite fighting Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette
- Learn about a really old porcelain saucer that pretends to be much older than it is
- Get up close to the obligatory portraits of George and Martha Washington
Tickets to this talk on Wednesday, March 30th are just $10 and half of the proceeds will go directly to the museum! You can gain access to unlimited free virtual events per month and unlock a video archive of 100+ past virtual experiences as an Untapped New York Insider starting at $10/month. Already an Insider? Register here! If you can’t make it live, register for this event and we will send you a link to the recording once it airs!
The Queens of King Manor exhibition takes a critical look at the history and legacy of women in historic preservation using the King Manor museum’s founding as a case study. This early 19th-century home to antislavery Founding Father Rufus King celebrates its 120th anniversary as a public museum at the same time as the nation looks back at the passing of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote and was ratified on August 18th, 1920 –while acknowledging that these rights did not include all women. The confluence of these two historic anniversaries and recent social activism movements like #metoo or activism against voter suppression provides an incredibly unique opportunity to reach audiences and use history to make a difference today.
Brow’s talk about the Queens of King Manor will delve into the history of the women who founded King Manor, their world, and the impact work like theirs still has on “pink collar” jobs today. You will explore how material culture aligns with issues of early feminism, preservation, domestic practices, race, and class while getting a behind-the-scenes look at special items in the exhibit.
Executive Director Kelsey Brow fell in love with King Manor on her first visit in 2013 and started volunteering. She is beyond honored to now lead this venerable organization. Trained in the study of decorative arts and material culture at the Bard Graduate Center, Brow’s academic work focuses on the intersection of consumption and ethics with material culture and the decorative arts. She has given talks at museums, universities, and conferences across the country. She is particularly proud to have spoken at the International Council of Museums conference in Kyoto on the importance of professionalization in small museums in September 2019.
Inside the King Manor Collection
Next, check out The 8 Oldest Buildings in Queens and Meet the “Queens” of King Manor in a New Women’s History Exhibit
