Once regarded as a traditional craft, quilting has broken through the barriers of art and history to become a voice for women and their concerns. This lecture explores the cultural, economic, and political importance of quilts in women's lives and how quilts have been used as a tool of political expression through the decades. An independent curator, Carolyn Mazloomi, Ph.D., is among the most influential African American quilt historians and quilt artists of the 21st century.

The exhibition American Elegance: Chintz Appliqué Quilts, 1780–1850, will be open until 7 p.m.

Sponsor: Docents of the Taft Museum of Art

Members and students: FREE | Nonmembers: $10 (includes Museum admission)
Reserve online.

Lytle Park Historic District Walking Tour
Friday, September 24, 1–3 p.m.

Put on your walking shoes and join Cate O'Hara, associate curator of public programs, to explore the history and architecture of the Lytle Park neighborhood, anchored at one end by the 1820 Baum-Taft House and at the other by the 21st-century Great American Tower. In between, we'll look at residential and commercial buildings in a multitude of styles, discuss the evolution of the neighborhood over more than 200 years, and meet some of its well-known past and present residents.

$5 members. $10 public.
Reservations are required as participation is limited: (513) 684-4515.
Reserve online.

A Royal Residence: Kensington Palace
Thursday, October 7, 7 p.m.

Built in the 1690s, Kensington Palace has a rich history beyond two of its most famours residents--the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princess Margaret. It has also been the focus of much new research as it undergoes a dramatic restoration. Lucy Worsley, Ph.D., chief curator of historic royal palaces, leads a team of 14 curators who oversee the five historic royal palaces in England and is author of several books, including her most recent, Courtiers: The Secret History of Kensington Palace, which will be available for purchase and signing.

Offered in cooperation with the Royal Oak Foundation

Sponsor: A Friend of the Taft Museum of Art

Members and students: FREE | Nonmembers: $10 (includes Museum admission)
Reserve online.

A Window on the Past: Education for Young Ladies
Thursday, October 21, 7 p.m.

In this lecture/recital, Jewel A. Smith, Ph.D., will describe the education offered for young ladies at the better schools, called seminaries, in American, with a particular focus on the piano repertoire. Dressed in period costume, Smith and Tami Morris, M.M., will also perform examples of the students' piano duets. We'll learn about the curricula, extracurricular activities, teachers' comments regarding students' progress, snippets of letters from parents and guardians, and excerpts from newspaper reviews of school performances.

The exhibition American Elegance: Chintz Appliqué Quilts, 1780–1850, will be open until 7 p.m.

Sponsor: Docents of the Taft Museum of Art

Members and students: FREE | Nonmembers: $10 (includes Museum admission)
Reserve online.

Reservations recommended | (513) 684-4515