Eames Institute Opens Its Collection to the Public for the First Time

As a married couple, Charles and Ray Eames shaped much of America’s mid- to late-20th century design. While they are best known for iconic furniture, their work extended far beyond chairs and tables to include airplane stabilizers, magazine covers, tools and hundreds of other products. Today the Eames Institute preserves a collection of more than 40,000 artifacts, from prototypes and finished products to personal items and ephemera that were kept over the years.

With a new San Francisco Bay Area headquarters, the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is opening this vast collection to the public for the first time. Ticketed tours of the Eames Archives are now available for general visitors.

Located in Richmond, California, the refurbished facility brings much of the Institute’s collection together under one roof for the first time. The centralized space creates new opportunities for curation and exhibition, allowing visitors to view some of the collection’s most significant works in thoughtful, contextual displays.

Founded in March 2022 as a nonprofit, the Eames Institute aims to inspire public engagement with design by sharing the legacy of Ray and Charles Eames through physical installations, digital programming and printed materials. Opening the archives to visitors marks an important milestone for the organization, enabling it to more directly present the Eameses’ work and influence to wider audiences.

The Richmond site functions as a permanent public venue to experience the Eames Collection up close. The holdings span mass-produced furniture and rare prototypes to personal correspondence and everyday objects, offering a comprehensive view of the designers’ process and interests.

“It’s such a pleasure to expand the reach of the Eames Institute and further share the Collection with even more people,” said Llisa Demetrios, chief curator and granddaughter of Ray and Charles Eames. “The Eames Archives is special to me because it holds the things my grandparents loved and cherished. It’s an absolute joy to finally be able to share these pieces in this way.”

The Institute worked with Brooklyn-based designers Standard Issue to develop a distinctive display system that invites visitors to encounter the material in new ways. As a working collection with on-site specialists, the space also provides visitors with behind-the-scenes insight into conservation, cataloging and daily stewardship of the archive.

Each tour concludes in the Institute’s retail shop, where visitors can purchase a curated selection of books, vintage items and design objects inspired by the archive. Guided tours are led by Llisa Demetrios and run for 90 minutes on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday by appointment. Tickets are released monthly and can be purchased through the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity’s visit page. Tours provide an intimate, informed experience of the collection and the stories behind it.

In addition to the Richmond archives, the Eames Institute stewards Eames Ranch in Petaluma, California. Acquired by Lucia Eames, Charles’s daughter, in 1992, the ranch became a site for family life and for housing parts of the collection until 2014. The property, with structures designed by William Turnbull, is undergoing a multiyear renovation to improve accessibility and sustainability. The Institute envisions the Ranch as a future destination for design enthusiasts and a place that nurtures curious problem solvers and experimentation in regenerative agriculture, water conservation and land stewardship.