Helen Edison Lecture Series

The Helen Edison Lecture Series

The Helen Edison Lecture Series is the result of a major gift from the late Helen Edison, a San Diego philanthropist who supported numerous local educational, cultural and arts efforts. In accordance with the gift, since 1985 the series has presented free public lectures on issues that advance humanitarian purposes and objectives.

Helen Edison was a San Diego philanthropist with a great love for the arts and humanities. She spent much of her life in St. Louis with her husband, Simon, who founded the successful Edison Shoe chain.

Following the fire that destroyed the treasured Old Globe Theatre, Helen stepped forward to make a leadership gift in honor of her husband. This gift, by stock, was, at the time, the single largest gift ever made to a local institution.

Again, in 1994, Helen made another tremendous gift to support The Old Globe's gift shop that now bears her name. In addition, Helen was a supporter of UC San Diego and other worthwhile arts organizations.

Realizing the value of endowed giving, Helen endowed UC San Diego's Helen Edison Lecture Series, which hosts noted speakers from all fields of the humanities to share their thoughts with the university and wider community.

Helen Edison loved to entertain, bringing friends together around a piano or a dinner table. It is no surprise, then, that her largest gifts were made to a treasured theater and a lecture series, two forums that bring the public together for an entertaining and enlightening evening.

Past Helen Edison Lectures available online

Enjoy a wide variety of lectures on issues that advance humanitarian purposes and objectives.

Watch Now on UCSD-TV

San Diego Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common

From Interstate 5:

Take exit 16 from I-5 South toward 10th Ave/Tenth Ave. Continue on 10th Ave/Tenth Ave.
Turn left onto G St.
Turn right on Park Blvd.
The Library is at the corner of 11th Avenue.
Parking is underneath the library or in surrounding structures, or take the Trolley to the Imperial Transit Center.

UC San Diego Faculty Club

From I-5, take the La Jolla Village Drive exit. Proceed west.
La Jolla Village Drive turns into North Torrey Pines Road.
Turn right on Muir College Drive.
Proceed on Muir College Drive.
At the second stop sign, turn right onto Muir Lane.
At the next stop sign, turn left. (This is still Muir Lane.)
Turn right into parking lot #206.
The Faculty Club will be on your left.

Directions to the UC San Diego Faculty Club

UC San Diego Mandeville Theater

From I-5 take the La Jolla Village Drive Exit. Proceed west.
La Jolla Village Drive turns into North Torrey Pines Road.
Turn Right on Muir College Drive.
Parking will be the second lot on the right P-207.

Directions to UC San Diego Mandeville Theater

Scripps Seaside Forum

From Interstate 5:

Take the La Jolla Village Drive exit. Proceed west.
Turn right on Expedition Way.
Stop at the stop sign just before the Aquarium. Turn right on Downwind Way.
Follow the curve of the road to the end.
Turn left onto La Jolla Shores Drive.
Turn right onto El Paseo Grande.
Turn right into the parking lot on Kennel Way.

From Highway 52:

Take Highway 52 west onto La Jolla Parkway.
La Jolla Parkway continues downhill into La Jolla. Turn right onto La Jolla Shores Drive.
Turn left onto El Paseo Grande.
Turn right into the parking lot on Kennel Way.

Directions to Scripps Seaside Forum

UC San Diego Price Center Ballroom

To the Gilman Visitor Information Booth:

Take Interstate 5 and exit on La Jolla Village Dr and head west.
Drive past the Villa La Jolla Drive traffic light and take the Gilman Drive off ramp, on the right.
At the stop sign, make a right turn and the Gilman Visitor Information Booth will be on the right side designated with flagpoles.

To the Gilman Parking Structure: