Lecture at Cast Hall: The Forgotten Legacy of The Met’s Plaster Casts

Long before The Met became a showcase for original masterpieces, its galleries were filled with exacting plaster replicas of classical sculptures. But why were these casts once considered essential to artistic education — and how did many of them end up inside a hidden gallery in Midtown? Get ready to discover the forgotten legacy of plaster casts and the timeless stories they continue to tell.

Join New York Adventure Club for a captivating in-person lecture inside Cast Hall at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the practice and appreciation of classical design in architecture, urbanism, and the allied arts.

Led by Mollie Wohlforth — Senior Manager of Education and Gallery at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art — our unique experience will include:

• A look at plaster casting’s role in art history, exploring how artists and institutions used casts to study classical form
• An overview of The Met’s early educational mission, and how plaster casts anchored its galleries
• Insights into what these casts reveal about both the ancient world and 19th‑century artistic values
• Free time afterward to explore Cast Hall up close, featuring more than 200 works originally from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 19th‑century holdings
• Light snacks and refreshments served throughout the evening

Whether you’re an art lover, history enthusiast, or curious explorer of New York’s cultural treasures, this special evening inside ICAA’s Cast Hall promises fresh perspectives on art from one of the city’s most storied institutions.

See you there!

*After taking the elevator to the 6th floor, follow signs to Cast Hall

**This experience is mostly a seated lecture followed by a walk around the gallery space

Schedule of Events

6:30pm: Doors Open

6:45-7:30pm: Lecture

7:30-7:45pm: Walk Around Cast Hall

About Mollie

Mollie Wohlforth is an art historian and educator with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, where she is Senior Manager, Education and Gallery and manages a gallery of 19th century plaster sculptures gifted to the ICAA by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the ICAA she leads educational programs for youth and adult audiences about the role plaster sculpture has played in art history, spanning from the sixteenth through twenty first centuries. She has a master's in the History of Art, Theory, and Display from the University of Edinburgh, and a BA in Art History and Museum Studies from Mount Holyoke College.

About the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art

The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) is a nonprofit membership organization committed to promoting and preserving the practice, understanding, and appreciation of classical design. To do so, the ICAA offers a broad range of educational programs. These include intensives for architecture and design students, introductory programs for middle school students, lectures and walking tours for the public, continuing education courses for professionals and enthusiasts, travel programs to visit classical masterpieces, the publishing of original and reprinted books, and an annual journal entitled the Classicist. Through the annual Arthur Ross Awards, as well as other national and regional award programs, the ICAA also honors contemporary leaders of classical design and the related fields.

The ICAA is a national organization, with 15 Chapters across the country and headquarters in New York City. Each chapter organizes its own local programming to reflect the unique members and architectural traditions in its region. The ICAA’s membership represents the diverse and dynamic cross-section of all those involved with the building arts, from architects and designers, to patrons and artisans. These members benefit from the robust network of local and national programs and networking opportunities. Likewise, the organization is continually enriched and inspired by responding to the needs, interests, and passions of its growing membership base.

Disclaimer

By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.

Ticket price is for an educational lecture with complimentary snacks & beverages.

Categories: In-Person, Entertainment