Skilled craftspeople in the traditional trades play a vital role in preserving our nation’s cultural heritage and built environment. Through their artistry and skill, their creativity and care, they help communities preserve historic places that hold memories, meaning, history, and identity. They create new architectural works of beauty and excellence that enrich us all. This crucial body of centuries-old traditional knowledge needs to be preserved and passed on to future generations. 

We invite you to meet extraordinary artisans —stone carvers, decorative painters, preservation carpenters, blacksmiths, ornamental plasterers, stained-glass artisans, and many others—and discover the skills and values that shape and give meaning to their work.

We hope this exhibition inspires a new generation of craftspeople to learn, practice, and preserve the building arts. 

We invite you to meet extraordinary artisans —stone carvers, decorative painters, preservation carpenters, blacksmiths, ornamental plasterers, stained-glass artisans, and many others—and discover the skills and values that shape and give meaning to their work.