Zoom Talk: Alice Austen and the Great Chain

What stories are revealed in the images we leave behind? Join us for a conversation with Victoria Munro, Executive Director of the Alice Austen House, as she brings to life the extraordinary story of pioneering photographer, Alice Austen, whose keen observations of everyday life and the people who inhabit it continue to reshape our understanding of the early 20th century. Munro will share insights into Austen’s life and artistic legacy, as well as the ongoing efforts to preserve, interpret, and expand access to her archive, deepening our connection to Austen’s world.

Central to this conversation are Austen and Boscobel’s shared connection to a link of the Great Chain, which once stretch across the Hudson during the American Revolution. Together with Boscobel’s Executive Director, Jennifer Carlquist, Munro will explore the Chain’s layered provenance, how objects carry powerful meaning across generations, and how institutions like Boscobel and the Alice Austen House can work in tandem to uncover and share these stories.

This talk is part of our larger summer 2026 Revolutionary Salon Series, exploring the stories of Patriots, Loyalists, and the ideas that have shaped our nation. 

Photo by Taurat Hossain for Alice Austen House.

Victoria Munro (b. 1975, Wellington, New Zealand) is an artist, curator, writer, educator, and cultural leader whose work spans public art, archives, and queer ecological practice. She serves as Executive Director and Curator of the Alice Austen House Museum, advancing LGBTQ+ history and visibility through exhibitions, programming, and preservation. Munro is also Board President of the Museums Council of New York City and serves on the leadership committees of the NYC Parks and Open Spaces Coalition and the National Trust’s Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program.