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President's Series/Lectures
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More in this section

Welcome
President's Series/Lectures
News/Updates
Biography
Messages

A Message from President Karen R. Lawrence

May 21, 2026

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, cultural institutions have an opportunity to invite thoughtful reflection. At The Huntington, we do so through THIS LAND IS …—an initiative that draws on the extraordinary breadth of our Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

For visitors, this is an invitation: to encounter new perspectives, revisit familiar histories, and experience art, history, literature, and the natural world coming together in ways possible only at The Huntington.

Read the Message

Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence poses for a portrait photo, standing outdoors with arms crossed wearing a terracotta-colored blazer.

Consider History as We Eye the Future

June 29, 2026

For the Los Angeles Business Journal, President Karen R. Lawrence reflects on Los Angeles, The Huntington, and the importance of preserving the many histories that shape our understanding of the past and the future.

Two people sit on stage in front of an audience.

Why It Matters: Terry Tempest Williams in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

Terry Tempest Williams and President Karen R. Lawrence on Attention, Revision, and the Open Space of Democracy.

Read “This Land Is Alive” or watch a video of the event.

Two people sit on deep blue fabric chairs on a stage. One listens while the other speaks.

Founders’ Day 2026 | A Mile Apart, A Century Together: The Huntington and Caltech Presidents in Dialogue

As part of Founders’ Day 2026, Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence and Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum discussed the shared history of the two institutions and the role of science and the humanities in a rapidly changing world.

Read “A Mile Apart, A Century Together” or watch a video of the event.

Two people, including famed filmmaker Ava DuVernay, sit in seats on a stage.

Why It Matters: The Courage to Tell the Story

A Conversation Between Ava DuVernay and President Karen R. Lawrence at The Huntington

President Karen R. Lawrence and award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay engage in a conversation about how storytelling influences public understanding of America’s history and its possibilities for the future.

This special program kicks off THIS LAND IS… an institution-wide initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, with a discussion highlighting the essential role of the humanities in interpreting our past.

Read “The Courage to Tell the Story” or watch a video of the event.

Sowing Community: Living with Octavia E. Butler’s “Parables”

As part of Founders’ Day 2025, a panel of community leaders and scholars discussed themes of resilience, community, and social change in science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler’s eerily prescient Parable novels. The discussion continued among guests at a post-program reception featuring offerings from local small businesses. Read “Octavia E. Butler’s Seeds of Change” or watch a video of the Founders’ Day event in its entirety

Two people sit on a stage in front of an audience, with a screen displaying a video of a NASA control room.

Why It Matters: Charles Elachi in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

Charles Elachi, the former director of NASA and Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, talked with Huntington President Karen Lawrence about the importance of daring to take risks, environmental stewardship, and the mutually enriching interactions among the arts, humanities, and sciences. Watch a video of the “Why It Matters” event in its entirety, or read “Daring Mighty Things with Charles Elachi.”

Two people sit in chairs on a stage. A large projection screen reads “Carol T. Christ in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence.”

Highlights from Why It Matters: Carol T. Christ in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

The importance of empathy and the power of language were recurring themes in a wide-ranging conversation between Carol Christ, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and Huntington President Karen Lawrence. Topics addressed included the Pac-12 collegiate athletic conference, the impact of digital technology on education, and free speech. Watch the full recorded program or read “Why It Matters: A Conversation with Carol T. Christ.”

Two people sit in chairs on a stage in front of a large screen.

Highlights from Founders’ Day 2024: Foundations and Futures

On Feb. 22, 2024, Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence sat down with Lori Bettison-Varga, president of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, for a conversation that looked back at The Huntington’s past five years under Lawrence’s leadership and forward at the institution’s strategic aspirations. Watch the full recorded program or read “The Huntington’s Foundations and Futures.”

Three people sit in chairs on a stage in front of a full audience.

Highlights from the 2023 Haaga Program: Ramesh Srinivasan and Todd Presner on Generative AI

On Nov. 20, 2023, digital democracy advocate Ramesh Srinivasan and digital humanities scholar Todd Presner joined Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence in a conversation about the rise of generative AI, focusing on the ethical implications of its aggregation of data at an unprecedented scale. Watch the full recorded program.

Two people in conversation on a stage.

Highlights from Why It Matters: Hilton Als in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

On Sept. 28, Hilton Als joined Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence for a lively conversation about his career, the relationship between visual and textual forms, and the endless inspiration found in The Huntington’s collections as part of the “Why It Matters” series.

An audience watches two people have a conversation on a stage, where a large graphic says, “Why It Matters.”

Highlights from Why It Matters: Darren Walker in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

On May 31, 2023, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker joined Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence in a conversation about the shifting landscape of charitable giving, the role of art in the pursuit of social justice, and the importance of hope to civic engagement.  

guest speakers on stage

Highlights from Stories We Tell: Founders’ Day At The Huntington 2023

In honor of Founders’ Day 2023, The Huntington and The Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West presented a mix of serious and quirky stories—inspired by Eve Babitz’s archive, The Huntington’s Montezuma cypress, portraits by Laura Aguilar, the Horatio Nelson Rust collection, and glass plate photographs of 1890s and 1900s Chinatown—demonstrating the broad range of The Huntington’s collections and the rich history of the institution’s location in the San Gabriel Valley.

Billie Tsien and Erin Chase

The Soul of a Building: In the Archives with Billie Tsien

Architect Billie Tsien joins Erin Chase, assistant curator of architecture at The Huntington, for a behind-the-scenes visit to see some of the architectural materials in the library archives. This video was produced as part of the Why It Matters program, sponsored by the Office of the President.

Karen R. Lawrence and Billie Tsien in conversation on a stage.

Why It Matters: Billie Tsien in Conversation with Karen R. Lawrence

Nov. 7, 2022 - Architect and educator Billie Tsien joins Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence to discuss how the built environment shapes individual and communal experiences, the interplay between design and purpose, and how architecture can empower future generations. Read Making a Better World through Architecture, or watch the recorded event.

Huntington president Karen R. Lawrence in front of Octavia E. Butler image

Octavia E. Butler inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame

Hear President Karen R. Lawrence speak about Butler’s literary collection at The Huntington in this clip from the recorded ceremony. Additional inductees honored this year include Judy Chicago, Rebecca Halstead, Joy Harjo, Emily Howland, Katherine Johnson, Indra Nooyi, and Michelle Obama. View the full program.

closeup of book page

President Karen Lawrence Joins U22 The Centenary Ulysses Podcast

In the first episode of U22 The Centenary Ulysses Podcast, we talk about how Ulysses begins. We’re joined by Karen Lawrence, President of the Huntington Library, John Higgins of the University of Cape Town, and Jamie Salomon, leader of the Bloomsday Ulysses Reading Group for the Montreal Literary Festival. We hear their thoughts on everything from style to playing amateur archeologists.

Group of people standing outdoors with palm trees in the background.

President Karen Lawrence (far right) with participants in Octavia Butler’s Parables: A Music Talk with Toshi Reagon. (L-R): Sophie Kim, Phil Allen, Shelley De Leon, Juliette Jones, Toshi Reagon, Claudia L. Peña, Melodie Yashar, and Tamisha A. Tyler.

Huntington staff celebrating The Huntington’s Centennial in August 2019

A group of people in business attire stand near plants under a glass dome.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about the importance of libraries and archives.

The Huntington's 2020 Rose Parade® Float on the theme of "Cultivating Curiosity," winner of the Golden State Award

President Karen Lawrence and Dr. Peter Lawrence with Chinese Cultural Consul Wang and Consul Gu and performers at The Huntington's 2019 Chinese New Year Festival

 Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and Huntington Governor Robert C. Davidson Jr. with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about why museums and collecting institutions matter.

Architect Billie Tsien with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about architecture and community

Go to image 1: Group of people standing outdoors with palm trees in the background..

Go to image 2: President Karen Lawrence (far right) with participants in Octavia Butler’s Parables: A Music Talk with Toshi Reagon. (L-R): Sophie Kim, Phil Allen, Shelley De Leon, Juliette Jones, Toshi Reagon, Claudia L. Peña, Melodie Yashar, and Tamisha A. Tyler..

Go to image 3: Huntington staff celebrating The Huntington’s Centennial in August 2019.

Go to image 4: A group of people in business attire stand near plants under a glass dome..

Go to image 5: Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about the importance of libraries and archives..

Go to image 6: The Huntington's 2020 Rose Parade® Float on the theme of "Cultivating Curiosity," winner of the Golden State Award.

Go to image 7: President Karen Lawrence and Dr. Peter Lawrence with Chinese Cultural Consul Wang and Consul Gu and performers at The Huntington's 2019 Chinese New Year Festival.

Go to image 8:  Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and Huntington Governor Robert C. Davidson Jr. with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about why museums and collecting institutions matter. .

Go to image 9: Architect Billie Tsien with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about architecture and community.

1 of 9

The Huntington's senior leadership team. (L-R): Christina Nielsen, Nenette Luarca-Shoaf, Nicole Cavender, Jean-Pascal Coutelen, Sandra Brooke Gordon, Annabel Adams, Karen R. Lawrence, Misty Bennett, Janet Alberti, Randy Shulman, Heather Hart, Susan Juster.

President Karen Lawrence (far right) with participants in Octavia Butler's Parables: A Music Talk with Toshi Reagon. (L-R): Sophie Kim, Phil Allen, Shelley De Leon, Juliette Jones, Toshi Reagon, Claudia L. Peña, Melodie Yashar, and Tamisha A. Tyler.

Huntington staff celebrating The Huntington's Centennial in August 2019.

The Huntington's Board of Trustees: (L-R) Gregory A. Pieschala (Chair), Mei-Lee Ney, Simon K.C. Li, Scott Jordan, Christine W. Bender, Mario Molina, M.D., and Allen E. Shay.

| The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about the importance of libraries and archives.

The Huntington's 2020 Rose Parade® Float on the theme of "Cultivating Curiosity," winner of the Golden State Award.

President Karen Lawrence and Dr. Peter Lawrence with Chinese Cultural Consul Wang and Consul Gu and performers at The Huntington's 2019 Chinese New Year Festival.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and Huntington Governor Robert C. Davidson Jr. with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about why museums and collecting institutions matter.

Architect Billie Tsien with President Karen Lawrence in conversation about architecture and community.

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