Hillwood Museum & Gardens

The Hillwood Museum and Gardens is a decorative arts museum and was the former residence of Marjorie Merriweather Post who was a businesswoman, diplomat and collector. A Curatorial and Conservation Department runs at the museum to pursue scholarships relating to art collection, there is over 16,000 items in the collection at the museum.

The home was acquired by Marjorie after she divorced her third husband. The stately home had 36 rooms and was built in the 1920s. Renovations were completed on the home by Marjorie such as moving the doors to the library to frame a view of the Washington Monument. The library housed her collections which included French, Asian and her most famous collections Russian art and religious objects.

The estate was left to the Smithsonian Institution along with a $10 million endowment to maintain the home and gardens as a museum. The museum is now maintained by the Marjorie Merriweather Post Foundation as the Smithsonian declined to make changes in the agreement to convert the home to a museum and due to insufficient funds to maintain upkeep.

Collections in the museum include a portrait of Catherine the Great, tapestries from the 1730s, Russian Orthodox Church objects and jewelry by Harry Winston and Cartier. Access to the Art Research Library is by appointment only to view the collection of Russian and European decorative art books and documents.

The gardens around the grounds of the home include Motor Court; this area is an elliptical shape that allowed easy access for the cars that were constantly flowing in and out of the property. A statue of a young Eros stands in the center of the court. The formal French Parterre stands as a tribute to 18th Century French aristocracy. There is also a Rose Garden where Posts ashes are located in the base of a pink granite monument. Visitors to the house can enjoy a European inspired menu at the Hillwood Café which is open for lunch daily and Sunday afternoon tea. The café also provides picnic blankets for visitors to use around the garden grounds.