Our annual Winter Lecture Series provides introspective insight into the diverse individuals who made the Holley Boarding House a groundbreaking hub of creative expression. Only 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, the Cos Cob area was a true melting pot of people, ideas, and creativity. The unique individuals who found their home in Cos Cob represent the wider cultural diversity of the United States at the turn of the 19th century and their lasting impact on our country’s culture. Explore the people behind the boarding house in this three-part lecture series complementing our newest exhibition in celebration of America 250, The Holley Boarding House: Inspiring American Impressionism, on view through March 8, 2026.
Our first lecture kicks off the series with an exploration into what defines an artist colony. Dr. Lansing of the Florence Griswold Museum brings her perspective on the relationship between local Cos Cob residents and outside visitors who came together to form chosen communities.
