FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2026
New York, NY — Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation is pleased to announce Amy Orner, a doctoral candidate in art history at Penn State University, as the recipient of the 2026 Richard T. Sharp Graduate Fellowship, supporting a research residency at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. Through the Fellowship, Orner will examine the influence of Robert Adam on eighteenth-century British architecture and interiors, and the impact of his work on Sir John Soane’s architectural imagination and collecting practices, with particular attention to the Soane Museum’s collection of Adam drawings, widely regarded as one of the most important collections of eighteenth-century architectural drawings in the world.
Announcing the Fellowship, Paul L. Whalen, Chairman of the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation, said: “The Foundation is delighted to name Amy Orner as this year’s Sharp Fellow and deeply grateful to Rick for his generous support. The Fellowship reflects our commitment to advancing new scholarship in architectural history.”
Richard T. Sharp added: “One of the great rewards of the program is seeing scholars engage directly with the Soane Museum’s extraordinary collections and archives. Amy’s research on Adam promises to bring fresh insight to a pivotal figure in British architecture and design.”
On behalf of Sir John Soane’s Museum, Sue Palmer, Archivist and Head of Library Services, said: “The Museum is delighted to welcome Amy Orner as this year’s Fellow. Her focus on Robert Adam is especially timely as we prepare for the celebration of his tercentenary in 2028. We are deeply grateful to Richard Sharp and the Soane Museum Foundation for their continuedsupport of this important initiative.”
About Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation
Founded in 1991, Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation is a New York–based 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit that supports Sir John Soane’s Museum in London through exhibitions, public programs, academic scholarships, and grants to support the Museum. Preserved as it was at Soane’s death in 1837, Sir John Soane’s Museum is one of the world’s most distinctive and evocative house museums. It is an architectural masterpiece filled with art, antiquities, and architectural models and drawings that reflect Soane’s visionary genius. To learn more, visit the Foundation website at www.soanefoundation.org.
Media Contact:
Bill Appleton
Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation
info@soanefoundatoin.org
(212) 655-7626