450 Jane Stanford Way
Margaret Jacks Hall (Building 460), Room 020
The Stanford family and its memory are enigmatic and omnipresent entities for most who come to Leland Stanford Junior University. People may revere the Stanfords or critique them for their wealth and how they acquired it, but it is evident that they used a part of their wealth to collect all kinds of materials and technologies—things that were expensive, erratic, latest on the market, or hard to procure. This exhibit, curated by Shubhangni Gupta (Anthropology, Archaeology Track, PhD Candidate), reflects some of the aspects of the Stanfords’ material lives that speak to their use of their wealth and the aesthetic tastes that emerged from it. The objects were recovered as a part of the excavation of the Stanford Mansion site undertaken by University Archaeologist Laura Jones and her team between 1998 and 2003. The site was the private family residence of the Stanfords and was acquired by Leland Stanford Sr. in 1876. It sustained heavy damage in the earthquake of 1906, and the remaining structure was subsequently renovated for the Stanford Convalescent Home for Children in 1916 until its complete demolition in 1965.
Please note that this exhibit is not open to the public. Faculty, students, researchers, and campus guests may schedule a viewing by contacting us.