1. Parsons Erwin. In decorating Hillwood, Marjorie
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Merriweather Post hired the New York architect
Alexander McIlvaine to redesign and expand
the old mansion completely so that visitors
Hillwood Museum and Gardens exhibits the extraordinary legacy of its founder, could view her by-now extensive collection with
Marjorie Merriweather Post, and her world-class collections of imperial Russian greater ease.
In renovating the mansion and gardens in
and Western European fine and decorative arts.
the 1950s, Mrs. Post was reviving a 40 year old
practice of estate building now known as the
American country house tradition. Architectural
historian Richard Guy Wilson has described this
tradition as one created between 1880 and 1930
by wealthy Americans who, during that period,
commissioned large houses for escape and
relaxation on relatively limited tracts of land near
major urban centers. Such homes were in the Interior of the Mansion, Breakfast Room, Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
country, but remained close enough to cities to
afford an easy commute. Indeed, in the 1920s,
the property would have been a rural suburb of
Washington.
While no one style of building dominated,
these ountry homes had several characteristics
in common. The house at Hillwood, like many
other examples of this tradition, includes many
spacious areas such as a grand entrance, large
libraries, and a pavilion in which guests could
dance or watch movies. The estate also had to
offer many outlets for outdoor pleasures and
sport. So, such houses had to be surrounded by
formal and informal gardens. At Hillwood, guests
could wander among the azaleas or hone their
golfing skills on the putting green. For the owner
and visitors, the estate was to be a site where
they could enjoy sophisticated urban pleasures
within a peaceful and inviting setting.
In September 2000, Hillwood Estate,
Museum and Gardens reopened to the public
after a three-year closure for major renovations.
The estate was brought up to modern museum
standards, featuring state-of-the art lighting,
HVAC and security systems, renewed plantings
and restored sculptures throughout the gardens,
and a new Visitor Center, with a theater for visitor
orientation and education programs, expanded
museum shop, and enhanced visitor services.
Since its reopening, Hillwood has become
a dynamic cultural presence in Washington, D.C. 12
Its commitment to reaching diverse audiences
is evidenced in the programs and partnerships it
shares with the community. In March 2008, for
Mansion front view, Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
example, Hillwood was honored by PEN, Metro
W hen Post cereal heiress, art collector, social figure, and philanthropist DC’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, for the out-
Marjorie Merriweather Post left to the public her northwest Washing- reach it carries out in this community throughout
ton, D.C. estate, she endowed the country with the most comprehensive the year. A lively array of programs, lectures,
Russian collection of Imperial art outside of Russia, a notable 18th-century films, and workshops illustrates Hillwood’s
French decorative art collection, and 25 acres of serene landscaped gar- dedication to engaging thousands of visitors with
dens and natural woodlands for all to enjoy. Opened as a public institution an experience inspired by Mrs. Post’s passion
in 1977, today, Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens offers a gracious for excellence, gracious hospitality and intent to
and immersive experience unlike any other. preserve and share the beauty and history of her
Highlights of the Hillwood Estate include a diamond crown worn by collections, garden and estate.
Empress Alexandra at her marriage to Nicholas II; Beauvais tapestries
designed by François Boucher; two Imperial Easter eggs by Carl Fabergé;
La Nuit by William-Adolphe Bouguereau; and a collection of costumes and
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accessories worn by Mrs. Post or her family. The Georgian-style man-
www.HillwoodMuseum.org
sion, designed by John Deibert in 1926, was originally built for Mrs. Henry
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Mansion entrance, Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens