Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is the former Washington, DC home of collector and philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post. The mansion displays her French decorative arts and Russian imperial collection, including Fabergé eggs, alongside portraits, porcelain and furniture. Outside, paths lead through formal gardens, a Japanese garden and a greenhouse with orchids. It’s a good stop if you want to pair a house museum with time outdoors; guided tours add context to the collection.
Marjorie Merriweather Post’s home
Hillwood was the Washington, DC residence of businesswoman, philanthropist and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post. She filled the house with French and Russian art and decorative objects, and intended it to become a museum. The estate opened to the public after her death, giving visitors a chance to see the collections in the rooms of her former home.
The mansion’s displays include Russian imperial art and French decorative arts. Paintings, portraits, porcelain, furniture and jewelry offer different ways into Post’s collecting interests. The rooms also show how the objects sat within a private residence, among its living and entertaining spaces.
Russian and French collections
The Russian collection includes Fabergé eggs, icons, paintings and jewelry. The eggs are among the objects that draw attention, but the collection also includes porcelain and other works connected to imperial Russia. A visit to the dacha, decorated with Russian art, gives another view of the estate’s Russian holdings.
French decorative arts form another major part of the collection. Look for Sèvres porcelain and Louis XVI furniture among the objects associated with 18th-century France. Guided tours can help explain the artworks and furnishings, adding detail to what you see in the galleries and rooms.
Gardens and greenhouse
The grounds cover 25 acres and include formal gardens, woodland, a Japanese garden and a rose garden. Seasonal flowers give the garden paths a different character through the year. Tulips and azaleas are among the blooms to look for in spring.
The greenhouse holds a collection of orchids. It’s a useful stop alongside the outdoor gardens, especially for visitors interested in plants as well as art and history. The estate also has a French parterre garden, bringing a formal garden design into the mix.
Hillwood is at 4155 Linnean Ave NW, in northwest Washington, DC, near Rock Creek Park. The mansion and gardens together make it possible to divide a visit between indoor collections and time outside.
Preguntas frecuentes
What can you see at Hillwood Estate?
The mansion displays French decorative arts and Russian imperial art, including Fabergé eggs, porcelain, paintings and furniture. The grounds include formal gardens, a Japanese garden, a rose garden and a greenhouse with orchids.
Who lived at Hillwood Estate?
Hillwood was the Washington, DC home of collector and philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post. She filled it with French and Russian art and decorative objects.
Where is Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens?
It is at 4155 Linnean Ave NW in northwest Washington, DC, near Rock Creek Park.
When is a good time to see the gardens?
Tulip season and the azalea bloom are good times to visit for seasonal flowers.
