Alexander Jackson Davis Symposium 2025

Symposium: Sunday, June 22nd, 2025, 10 am to 6 pm.
The morning tour begins at 9 am. A separate ticket is required.

This year, Lyndhurst curates a special exhibit exploring the life and work of the architect who designed the influential Gothic Revival-style mansion. Alexander Jackson Davis: Designer of Dreams will open to the public on the 23^rd of May and run through September 23rd, 2025. This exhibition will explore Davis’s career as an architect and designer through his commission and building of Lyndhurst, his extant Gothic revival masterpiece. It will also explore other residences in the region and will reunite Davis’s archive with his fully realized designs. This exhibit will be comprised of rarely seen paintings, drawings, and furniture.

In honor of this exhibition, our Davis Symposium on June 22nd will explore Alexander Jackson Davis’s work and his influential style. The Symposium will consist of a full day of talks on topics surrounding Alexander Jackson Davis, including who he was and how his work impacted architecture, decorative arts, and landscapes, including Lyndhurst, which was one of his most important architectural achievements.

Speakers:
Howard Zar, Executive Director of Lyndhurst.
David Scott Parker, FAIA, Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Kerry Dean Carso, Professor of Art History at SUNY New Paltz
Steven Baltsas, Historian, Curator, and Winterthur Graduate
Emma Gencarelli, Collections & Curatorial Coordinator at Lyndhurst
Benjamin Prosky, President of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation

Schedule:
9:00 am: Early tour of the mansion with the Executive Director, focusing on special Davis pieces being exhibited. A separate ticket will be required for this tour.
10:30 am: First Presentations
12:30 pm: Included Lunch & Tour of the Exhibition Gallery
2:00 pm: Presentations Resume
4:45 pm: Closing remarks by Benjamin Prosky
5:00 pm: Closing Reception

Your ticket includes all of the lectures, exhibition gallery access, lunch, and a closing reception with drinks and light bites. Tickets for the morning Symposium tour given by Howard Zar must be bought separately to attend.

Important Event Information:

• Please be advised that the tour of the mansion requires periods of standing and flights of stairs. 
• A limited number of tickets are available for events, and they do sell out. 
• Some tickets may be available for purchase on-site, but these are not guaranteed. 
• Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the morning tour. 
• Check-in at the Welcome Center.
• All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
• A Grounds Pass is not needed if you already have a Tour or Event Ticket. 
• Not recommended for children under 16 years of age.
• To best accommodate groups, including special needs, please contact us in advance to make reservations at 914-303-6844. 

The Alexander Jackson Davis symposium is made possible with support from:

Lee Anderson Memorial Foundation
Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation

Season presented by:

Watercolor of Lyndhurst, courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York.