Fourteen Things to Love at The Huntington

Love is a many-splendored thing and can be found in every corner of The Huntington—from the galleries to the gardens. Whether it’s romantic love, the love of family and friends, or even love that didn’t go quite as planned, it’s celebrated here in all its forms.

This Valentine’s Day, use this list to embark on a self-guided tour of 14 expressions of love across The Huntington. Along the way, see 15th-century oil paintings, 19th-century stained glass, plants that hit their peak bloom in winter, and more.

Bring a date, a friend, or just yourself (self-love counts) and discover all the ways love blossoms at The Huntington.

1. Puzzle Purses in the Mapel Orientation Gallery

Start your love voyage at the Mapel Orientation Gallery and learn how to make a puzzle purse. Popular in Victorian times, a puzzle purse is an origami-like love token: a single square of folded paper that reveals a romantic message. Verses employed to convey the message were often borrowed from popular poetry books.

The example above, by an anonymous author, dates to 1835. With his heartsick assertions of love and pleas for engagement, he appears to be an unrequited suitor, reminding us that falling in love and declaring it may be better than never having loved at all. You can make your own puzzle purse at home by following the instructions here. 

2. Aloes in the Desert Garden

Next, head to the Desert Garden to see thousands of aloes at the peak of their bloom. The aloes’ rich red, orange, yellow, and gold colors pop among the succulents and cacti. The plant’s reputation for healing properties has made it a symbol of care. Nothing says “aloe always love you” quite like an aloe.

3. Camellias in the North Vista

Across cultures, camellias have carried meanings of love, adoration, and passion, and are famously linked to romantic ideals in art and literature. The Huntington’s botanical collections include nearly 80 different camellia species and some 1,200 cultivated varieties. February is when the flower, like nature’s love letter to the winter months, is in peak bloom. 

Take a stroll through a secluded path near the North Vista to see countless camellias in an array of colors. If arts and crafts are your vibe, plan to attend the Second Sundays Captivating Camellias event on Feb. 8. Hands-on artmaking, a romantic performance by flautist Maureen Keenan, and conversations with docents about the flower are in store.  

Continue walking toward the Huntington Art Museum (your next stop) and pass by rows of 17th- and 18th-century Italian sculptures in the North Vista, many of which tell their own amorous tales. 

The Huntington Art Gallery, the original residence of Henry E. and Arabella Huntington—The Huntington’s founders—can be viewed as a grand gesture of devotion. Step inside the early 20th-century Beaux-Arts mansion, and you’ll find love tucked into nearly every room.

4. Love of Writing and Storytelling in “From Brontë to Butler”

On view for a limited time, the exhibition “Stories from the Library: From Brontë to Butler” draws on personal writings and objects to reveal the private lives and creative processes of women writers from the early 1800s to today. The exhibition is housed in the mansion’s large library, a stunning space furnished with French antiques and 19th-century tapestries. Highlights of the exhibition include a manuscript entry from Octavia E. Butler, in which she affirms her intention to “speak well and tell a good story.”

5. 15th-Century Oil Paintings and 16th-Century Italian Wedding Chests

Take the stairs or elevator to the mansion’s second floor. When you see Jean-Antoine Houdon’s Diane chasseresse, or Diana the Huntress, turn left into the Arabella D. Huntington Memorial Art Collection. 

In the narrow gallery are two 16th-century wooden cassoni, or wedding chests, that were likely used to store such household goods as books or linens. Wooden chests like these were gifted, often in pairs, to a couple to celebrate their marriage. The front panels of the chests were painted or, in the case of the ones on display at The Huntington, carved. 

Above the chests are two lavishly painted panels from a different pair of cassoni that depict the legendary, dramatic tale of Antiochus and Stratonice. Antiochus I, son of Seleucus I of Syria, fell gravely ill with lovesickness for his stepmother, Stratonice. Discovering the cause of his son’s suffering, Seleucus made the extraordinary sacrifice of giving Stratonice in marriage to Antiochus, saving his life. This story endures as a powerful testament to parental devotion and noble selflessness. Read more about the paintings and the story of Antiochus and Stratonice here. 

6. The Swing (La Balançoire) by Jean-Baptiste Pater, ca. 1730 

Walk past Diana and step into the gallery of Sèvres porcelain, where delicate pastels, gilded accents, and porcelain capture the charm of the Rococo movement.

To your left, mounted above an 18th-century wooden cabinet, hangs The Swing (La Balançoire) by Jean-Baptiste Pater. In 18th-century France, swings in public gardens were more than playful amusements. They offered a socially acceptable stage for adult flirtation, masquerading as innocent play. Pater’s painting captures this moment perfectly, transforming a simple swing into a vehicle of romance and seduction.

7. Love of Education in “Looking to Learn”

On the same floor is the exhibition “Stories from the Library: Looking to Learn,” which displays diverse instructional and educational materials for children from the late 18th through the early 20th centuries. 

8. David Healy Memorial Window from the Unitarian Chapel, Heywood, Lancashire by Edward Burne-Jones and John Henry Dearle, 1898

Exit the gallery and cross the landing to the opposite side of the floor. Walk through additional galleries until you reach Diego Rivera’s Portrait of Señor Hermenegildo Alsina—the entryway is just to the left. From this spot, you’ll find one of the best vantage points to view the monumental stained-glass window ahead.

Manufactured by William Morris, the 15-foot-high window is composed of panels depicting 10 allegorical figures, each embodying a human virtue: Humility, Mercy, Generosity, Charity, Justice, Liberty, Truth, Courage, Faith, and, of course, Love. The rich colors and intricate patterns are meant to be appreciated from a distance. Take a moment to observe the composition from this location.

Proceed downstairs to experience its full scale and impact. From this angle, the height and brilliance of the glass become more apparent. Love stands quite literally among the highest of human ideals.

9. Bonsai Collection in the Japanese Garden

Now say au revoir to the Huntington Art Gallery and its collection of European art. Exit the building and proceed into the Shakespeare Garden, then continue through the historic Rose Garden toward The Huntington’s Japanese Garden. Before entering, pause briefly to take in the full view of this iconic landscape.

Once inside, walk past the famous moon bridge and continue beyond the Japanese House. Follow the bamboo-lined path ahead. A tranquil Zen garden will appear first; continue onward to view the Bonsai Collection. The collection is separated into two parts: the lower Bonsai Court and the upper area, where there is a pond surrounded by additional bonsai. 

The Huntington’s Bonsai Collection includes hundreds of trees representing a wide range of species, from twisted, centuries-old junipers to stately pines and a miniature forest of elms. Some of these living works are estimated to be more than 1,000 years old. Bonsai is often misunderstood as an art of control, but at its core, it is an act of devotion and sustained care. This is love expressed as stewardship.

10. Pavilion of the Three Friends (San You Ge 三友閣) in the Chinese Garden

To reach the Chinese Garden from the Japanese Garden, follow the trail and stream that link the two. At the northeastern corner of the central lake, love and friendship are inscribed in wood and stone.

The Pavilion of the Three Friends (San You Ge 三友閣) is adorned with carvings of bamboo, pine, and plum blossoms—plants known as the “three friends of the cold season.” Each embodies resilience and loyalty: pine is evergreen, bamboo never breaks, and plum trees flower in winter when most plants are dormant. Together, they offer a powerful metaphor for perseverance and the support that can be found in friendship.

After exploring the Chinese Garden, walk uphill to the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art and enter through the glass doors on the northwest side of the building. Once inside, walk into “Borderlands” and continue right, passing Mercedes Dorame’s  photographs on your left and Cara Romero’s striking portrait Hermosa to your right before arriving at the gallery devoted to “Americans Abroad.”

11. Breakfast in Bed, by Mary Cassatt, 1897

This intimate scene presents a tender vision of maternal love rooted in closeness, care, and everyday rituals. Cassatt’s soft palette and loose brushwork further reinforce the mood, dissolving hard edges and allowing the figures to merge gently with their surroundings. 

12. The Birds of America, by John James Audubon, 1827-1838

Walk back the way you came to Gallery 12, where you will encounter the book,The Birds of America, by naturalist and painter John James Audubon. At its heart, this monumental work celebrates both admiration for and the careful study of nature. Audubon presents life-size depictions of the birds, not as static specimens but as they appeared in their habitats, fostering curiosity and awe. 

13. Scrimshaw Busks, ca. 1800s

In the Jonathan and Karin Fielding Wing of the Scott Galleries of American Art, you might need to look closely to spot the scrimshaw busks. These flat, carved whalebone or baleen pieces were used to stiffen a lady’s corset, but they were much more than functional objects. Whalers would engrave the busks for their wife or sweetheart, serving as an intimate gift for a loved one back home while they were on long sea voyages.

14. Cattleya Orchids in the Conservatory

Curious minds love The Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science, home to interactive exhibitions that invite children and families to explore the wonders of the plant world. 

Inside the conservatory, you’ll find Cattleya orchids, often called the “corsage orchid.” True to its name, this flower was once a favorite for corsages, held close to the heart at proms, weddings, and other special occasions. Though it’s less commonly worn today, the Cattleya still symbolizes admiration, celebration, and love.

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