A Queen Within

A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess explores power, risk-taking, and the queen's evolving role in chess and society from the Renaissance to today. 

The exhibition tells the story of nine figurative queens on the chess board, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.  In the game of chess, a lowly pawn may be promoted to the rank of regal queen. Magnificent queens from history such as Isabella I of Castile, Catherine II of Russia, and Elizabeth I of England inspired each of the exhibition's queens, and their stories are woven together through dazzlingly intricate displays.  Visitors are encouraged to look closely for hidden royal symbols, dive into the history of the game, and be enveloped in environments that incorporate sculpture, video, illustration, and some of the rarest garments in the world.