NEW ORLEANS – The annual Beautiful Spaces Symposium will return to the BK House Museum & Gardens on Sept. 19 with a program focused on the preservation, legacy and stewardship of historic properties.
The symposium brings together architects, preservation professionals, historians and craftspeople to examine the challenges and techniques involved in preserving one of the French Quarter’s historic landmarks.
BK House Bicentennial Celebration
Held during the bicentennial year of the historic French Quarter property, the symposium will explore the 200-year history of BK House through presentations examining its design, construction, restoration and evolving role in the neighborhood.
According to BK House, the property was the first historic house saved from demolition in New Orleans. Built in 1826, it was purchased by author Frances Parkinson Keyes in 1948 and restored under her direction. The symposium will examine how the property evolved through multiple owners and changing residents while exploring its shifting role in the French Quarter community.
“We are excited to focus this year’s symposium on our special Beautiful Space at the BK House. Since its construction two hundred years ago, this house has been a landmark in the neighborhood, not only for its design and craftsmanship but also for the stories it has held,” said Lydia Blackmore, chair of the Beautiful Spaces Symposium and secretary of the BK House Board of Trustees. “BK House, like the French Quarter, has stood the test of time and remains beautiful with all its shades of history.”
Featured speakers include architect Robert Cangelosi of Koch & Wilson, master craftsman Jeff Poreé, architectural historian and preservationist Ann Masson, and Friends of the Cabildo tour guide and researcher Joanna Caprera. Each presenter will offer a different perspective on BK House’s history, including its design, construction, division and restoration.
Beautiful Spaces 2026 will take place in the BK Ballroom, 1113 Chartres St., beginning with coffee and pastries at 9:30 a.m., followed by lunch and a closing cocktail reception at 3 p.m. Reservations are required by Sept. 15. Tickets are $65 for BK House members and $75 for non-members and are available at bkhouse.org.
The symposium is part of BK House’s yearlong bicentennial celebration, which will continue with the Soirée in the Vieux Carré on Oct. 11.
