The Paris Program’s headquarters are located at Reid Hall, a university center shared with other American, French, and English university programs and home to the Columbia University Global Studies Center. Reid Hall houses conferences for international scholars throughout the year. Programs share classroom space, a library, and common rooms. The Sarah Lawrence Program offices include an additional library and a classroom specifically reserved for Sarah Lawrence students. Reid Hall’s grounds include a large inner courtyard and garden.
Built in the 18th century, Reid Hall was originally a private residence. The building was later transformed into a porcelain factory, and subsequently a famous Protestant school for young French and foreign students. In 1893, Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, the wife of an American diplomat, established a residence for American women who came to study music and the arts in Paris. After World War I, Mrs. Reid invited a group of American university women to organize Reid Hall into an academic center. Since July 1964, Reid Hall has been administered by Columbia University and continues to serve as a Franco-American center devoted to intellectual and cultural exchange.