NATCHEZ — The 37th Annual Antiques Forum is hoping to expose visitors and residents to all of Natchez’s great and small things.

The Pilgrimage Garden Club is hosting the antiques forum, which has adopted this theme.

As the forum explores objects and themes that are sometimes overlooked in the study of Southern material culture, director and curator of historic properties and committee member Katie Wood Kirchhoff encouraged those who seek great information to attend the forum.

“Whether it’s houses, decorative arts or landscaping, Natchez is known for its historic resources,” Kirchhoff said. “So as Natchezians, a forum like this can teach us more about the community that we live in and how we can use our knowledge of its past to inform the future.”

Kirchhoff thinks the forum is a special place where researchers can gather and talk about new things that have to do with this region, especially those things that may have gone unnoticed over the years.

Friday’s forum, which was hosted at the Eola Hotel, highlighted speaker Walter G. Ritchie, as he discussed the New Orleans residence of Isaac H. Stauffer.

Ritchie is a decorative arts consultant and independent scholar, specializing in 19th century American furniture and interior decoration.

“New Orleans decorative arts are really relevant to understanding Natchez decorative arts,” Kirchhoff said. “There are a lot of things in common between the two cities.”

Many of those in attendance found enjoyment in this newfound knowledge, but an Atlanta author came seeking inspiration.

“It all talks about architecture and all forms of lifestyle,” John Grady Burns said.

The Natchez native is fascinated by Natchez antiques, and uses it to inspire his work today.

“Growing up here and being exposed to the beauty has opened my eyes to things a lot of people would not be aware of,” Burns said.

Burns came to the forum to not only promote his works, but to take in more knowledge.

“It’s just about consuming beauty in all forms,” Burns said. “Each book is a little bit different, so it’s just different fields that I have a passion for.”

The forum began Thursday, and was well attended, Kirchhoff said. The first day of the forum featured a tour of area homes from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The forum will continue at 9 a.m. today with lectures at the Eola Hotel and end with a lunch and Chairmen’s Farewell Tour, featuring a tour of five rarely seen houses at 11:45 a.m.

To sign up or for more information, visit natchezantiquesforum.org.