Elizabeth Lay

Bio

Elizabeth Lay is a Textile Historian and the Curator at Montgomery History’s Beall Dawson House and Stonestreet Museum in Rockville. In addition to 9 years as Executive Director for city and county art organizations, she was a textile designer holding a license for design with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. As a contractor she has worked with the collections at the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, The U.S. State Department Diplomatic Reception Rooms, and the Fashion Museum in Bath.  She is a regular instructor at Smithsonian Associates on the topics of textiles, fashion, and American furniture.

Current Outside Position

Curator, Montgomery History, Beall Dawson Museum and Stonestreet Museum.

Current Research & Projects

Lay is currently working on exhibition research with guest curator William Allman, for Montgomery History: 75 Objects, 75 Stories.

Education

BA in Art History and Business Administration, University of Kentucky

MA in History of Decorative Arts, Smithsonian-George Mason University

Professional Organizations

• American Alliance of Museums
• American Association of State and Local History
• Small Museum Association