Julia Morgan Legacy Day

Join us as the Santa Monica Conservancy co-hosts the annual Julia Morgan Legacy Day at the Annenberg Community Beach House, honoring the legendary architect and engineer whose work helped shape the historic heart of our site.

Best known as the architect of Hearst Castle, Julia Morgan left a legacy of more than 700 projects over nearly five decades of practice, and was posthumously awarded the AIA’s highest honor, the Gold Medal—a reflection of the lasting impact of her brilliant and pioneering career.

From 11:00AM to 12:30PM, Morgan expert Dr. Karen McNeill will present “Eclectic by Design”, followed by a Q&A (RSVP required). Legendary California writer Joan Didion once lamented that Julia Morgan’s body of work is “immensely eclectic—adaptable to a fault.” Was Didion right? Did Morgan sacrifice developing a signature style and lasting architectural legacy simply to appease the whims of her clients? Dr. McNeill will tackle this question as we explore Morgan’s approach to design—and the resulting landscape of brown shingle bungalows, Tudor country houses, Italianate palazzos, and castles in the air.

From 12:30PM to 2:00PM, guests are invited to tour the Marion Davies Guest House and visit the pool deck for a close-up look at the Julia Morgan–designed Beach House pool (no RSVP required for touring). Please note that the pool will be open for viewing only, with no lounging or swimming.