Hosted by the ICAA New England Chapter in Partnership with the Boston Chapter of the French Heritage Society
The New England Chapter of the ICAA and the Co-Chairs of the Boston Chapter of the French Heritage Society invite you to a lecture with Leslie B. Jones, Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator of The Preservation Society of Newport County.
The story of Newport, Rhode Island, is one of influence and imagination. From its earliest days as a British colonial port to its reinvention as an American summer colony, Newport’s built and social environments have turned to the design, style, and tastes of France to achieve a perceived elegance. Many of the addresses that line Bellevue Avenue were built in homage to the great architecture of France. The interiors and those who designed them were likewise imported from Paris. Cuisine and the tastes of Newport came directly from culinary masters trained à la française. Join Leslie B. Jones, Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator of The Preservation Society of Newport County, as she shares some of the preeminent examples of France’s influence in Gilded Age Newport.
While these achievements are of the past, she will shed light upon the special relationships she maintains today to ensure the French touch is never lost.
Speaker:
Leslie B. Jones serves as the Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator for The Preservation Society of Newport County. She joined the Society in 2019 to oversee curatorial research, conservation, collections management, site stewardship, exhibitions, interpretation, and programmatic initiatives such as family programs and lectures. She directs the Research Fellows program, which annually hosts six emerging scholars who focus a year of work on dedicated research opportunities.
Previously, Jones was the Vice President, Museum Affairs & Curator of Decorative Arts at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens, a 55-acre botanical garden, art museum, and historic house in Nashville, Tennessee.
Before joining Cheekwood, she was Curator and Director of Historical Resources & Programming for the White House Historical Association. Both roles included major preservation projects, including the revitalization of the White House Visitor Center (2014) and the restoration of Cheekwood’s c. 1930s domestic spaces (2017). As an independent consultant, Jones has provided advice and leadership in all areas of museum administration to many clients across the country.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Jones received her Bachelor’s degree in the history of art and architecture from Miami University in Ohio, a Master’s degree in the history of decorative arts from the Smithsonian Institution’s joint program with the Corcoran College of Art + Design and later went on to receive a Masters Certificate from New York University in the study of art appraisal and valuation.
Kindly RSVP by April 10, 2026.
This event is hosted by an ICAA Chapter. Please check the Chapter website or contact the Chapter directly for the most up-to-date details including dates, times, and pricing.