Every Collection has a Story. The Archives holds records that document the Smithsonian’s people, events, buildings, and research. The history of the Smithsonian is a vital part of the history of American experience, scientific exploration, and international cultural understanding.  

Whistler's Peacock Room

April 9, 2011

The Peacock Room Comes to America opens at the Freer Gallery of Art. The exhibit highlights the room's restoration back to its 1908 appearance, when Charles Lang Freer used it to display over 250 Asian ceramics. The exhibit highlights the points of contact between American and Asian Art. The Peacock Room was once the dining room in the London home of Frederick R. Leyland, a wealthy ship owner from Liverpool, England.  It was originally designed by a gifted interior architect Thomas Jeckyll.  In 1876, James McNeill Whistler redecorated the room to be a “harmony in blue and gold."  The room was purchased by Charles Lang Freer in 1904 and brought to America.

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