Cultivate Curiosity
When Ray and Charles Eames were asked “What are the boundaries of design?” they responded by turning the question on its head: “What are the boundaries of problems?” It is in this spirit that we welcome you to the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, where the lessons Ray and Charles left us through their body of work, and more importantly, how they approached that work, are brought to life for a new generation willing to explore the “boundaries of problems.”
Containing thousands of artifacts the Eames Collection is a one-of-a-kind record of the Eameses’ extraordinary partnership that encapsulates their unique methodologies and diverse interests. It offers countless examples of Ray and Charles's process, and illustrates the lessons we can take from their approach to design. The Eames Institute is responsible for stewarding this remarkable body of work, while also making it accessible to other institutions and the public at large.
As we bring the Eameses’ lessons to life through our programming and properties like the Ranch, we invite you to join our community of curious problem-solvers and make design a critical tool in your world.
The Eames Institute acknowledges the property currently identified as the Eames Ranch to be a part of the traditional territory of the Meleya and Amayelle tribes of the Coast Miwok people. We honor the Coast Miwok—past, present, and future—as the original stewards of this special place, and appreciate the enduring legacy, connections, and relationships they have to their ancestral homeland. We humbly aim to create a safe place that welcomes everyone in an atmosphere of trust and knowledge-sharing.
As a cultural institute with a focus on progressive agricultural practices and the preservation and public display of artifacts that include many items from non-Euro-American cultures, we recognize that our knowledge systems are often biased, incomplete, and exclusionary. We aim to foster a culture of continuous learning that honors ancestries and traditions that are not our own, and builds relationships of mutual respect and understanding.
We recognize that this work is a continual work in progress, and our goal is to make it as inclusive, collaborative, accurate, and deferential as possible. If you have feedback, questions, or comments, we welcome your voice and contribution.
What’s an Institute for Anyway?
John Cary, president and CEO of the Eames Institute, offers a vision of why we do what we do.
Image © Eames Office, LLC
A Legacy Preserved
As great as Ray and Charles were as designers, they were even better grandparents, according to Llisa Demetrios. While we look forward to sharing more Eames family perspectives, here we join Llisa as she takes a personal look back at their memorable interactions and lasting influence—the myriad lessons passed along from Ray and Charles through her mother Lucia Eames that help sustain and advance the Eames legacy today.
Image top left © Eames Office, LLC. Image top right by Eliza Gregory, October, 2003.
A World of Eames
Since 1988, three generations of the Eames family have contributed to the project of upholding and promoting Ray and Charles’s vital cultural and commercial legacy. We are honored to work alongside the Eames Office in their effort to communicate, preserve, and extend the Eameses’ work, and the Eames Foundation as it preserves and protects Ray and Charles’s historic home, Case Study House #8 in Los Angeles, California.
Meet Our Team
Get to know our team of dreamers and builders who believe design has the power to change the world for the better.
Emily CM Anderson
Senior Creative Director
Ask me about: Boston terriers, homemade pasta, Venetian glassware, and kerning
Emily Bahret
Communications & Creative Operations Manager
Ask me about: sporks, soups, true crime documentaries, and what I’m currently crocheting
John Cary
President & CEO
Ask me about: my kids, running, VW Buses, banana seat bikes, EVs, Craigslist hijinks, and the color orange
Kiman Chheng
Controller
Ask me about: accounting, sports, running, and the 80s
Michelle D’Agrosa Dakin
Chief People Officer
Ask me about: why I think HR needs a rebrand, island life, perfect banana pancakes, and I-O Psychology
Llisa Demetrios
Chief Curator
Ask me about: my grandparents, the Collection, life on the Ranch, and the Petaluma Arts Center
Sydnor Elkins
Senior Director of Design & Construction
Ask me about: the built environment (in particular NC modern architecture and sustainable building), model making, picture books, and Marin day trips
David Evershed
Farm Manager
Ask me about: all things farming and gardening, Southern Utah and desert ecology, interesting rocks I have found, mantis shrimp, and why I love poison oak!
Joanna Gold
Digital Assets Coordinator
Ask me about: earthquakes, embroidery, X-Files, permaculture, and hiking in the Bay Area
Kaylah Greenwell
HR Coordinator
Ask me about: R&B music, anime, sports, and the newest make-up trends
Erik Heywood
Senior Director of Retail
Ask me about: British poetry, Danish design, American art, French cinema, and Mexican drive-thrus
Angelika Ingham
Senior Bookstore Manager
Ask me about: mid-century American poetry, the language of flowers, and folk ballads
Joni Joseph
Senior Collections Manager and Registrar
Ask me about: museums, IPM, and quilting
Lulu
Llama in Residence
Ask me about: where the grass is greenest, heterochromia, the few times I’ve made a run for it
Sara McBeen
Senior Experience Operations Manager
Ask me about: vintage office supplies, The Fixers' Collective, my kids, and my Petaluma joke
Abby McBeth
Social Media & Community Manager
Ask me about: leisure as a basis for culture, crabbing, Harry Potter, baking, and New Zealand
lauren c. molina
Digital Collections Manager
Ask me about: extraterrestrials, the Sonoran desert, intertidal zones, driving to/from LAX
Ellie Ohara
Collections Specialist
Ask me about: conservation of artwork and preservation of cultural heritage, community acupuncture, and my dog Friday
Daniel Ostroff
Head of Acquisitions & Research
Ask me about: movies, museums, Asian art, unself-conscious design, and tacos
Kyla Searle
Senior Director of Operations
Ask me about: dramaturgy, documentary filmmaking, California history, and raising a puppy
Austin Smith
Assistant Bookstore Manager
Ask me about: my favorite books this season, the best places in California to do karaoke, and Nicolas Cage's best movies by decade
Lauren Smith
Chief Experience Officer
Ask me about: live storytelling, event planning, bread baking, playing banjo, and crafting with kids
Ann Spradlin
Editorial Director
Ask me about: sidewalk gardening, the serial comma, Little Free Libraries, and the least use of freeways
Emily Vigor
Senior Director of Collections
Ask me about: the archives, Northern California design, baking, and stained glass projects
Lizzie Wallack
Senior Director of Planning & Community Investment
Ask me about: architecture, Petaluma, what I am currently thrifting, and using my domestic space as a testing ground
William Wells
Facilities Director
Ask me about: fostering and adopting, Christo's Running Fence, telephone tables and secretary desks, and my first visit to the Eames Ranch
Work at the Institute
Are you a curious problem-solver? Do you love to learn continuously? Do you take your play as seriously as you take your work? Are you interested in being part of a team that believes in making a more beautiful and sustainable world? If so, you could be a perfect fit to join us at the Eames Institute.
Help Us Cultivate Curiosity
By donating to the Eames Institute, you’re supporting our organization as we help advance the Eames legacy and connect people to the problem-solving power of design.