TOUR: Hillwood Mansion in Holiday Splendor

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Thursday, December 10, 2026
10:15 – 11:30 AM
Registration Required | Tickets $35/person | No Refunds

Experience Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens at one of the most beautiful times of the year. During the holiday season, Marjorie Merriweather Post's magnificent mansion takes on an added brightness and warmth, with festive seasonal decorations enhancing its elegant rooms and extraordinary collections.

Our private docent-led tour of the mansion will introduce us to Post's remarkable home and collections, including Russian imperial treasures, Fabergé, French decorative arts, porcelain, furnishings, and tapestries. The seasonal setting makes this an especially inviting time to experience the beauty, history, and artistry of Hillwood.

After the tour, members are welcome to remain at Hillwood to explore the grounds and gardens and visit current exhibitions including Interwoven: A Tradition of Textiles, the special exhibition on view through January 3, 2027. The exhibition celebrates the artistry, technical mastery, and cultural importance of textiles across centuries, drawing from Hillwood's rich collection.

Dining at Hillwood
Members who would like to extend their visit may dine at the Merriweather Café, open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended. You can view the regular cafe menu here.

Merriweather To Go is a self-serve dining option open Tuesday- Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday- Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can view the menu here. Groups can visit Merriweather To Go at their leisure without prior arrangements.

Meeting the Group
Meet OLLI's Tour Coordinator, Elena Vejarano, at the Hillwood Visitor Center by 10:15 a.m. Please allow enough time to arrive, park, and check in before meeting the group.

Getting There
By car: Hillwood is reached from Tilden Street NW. From Connecticut Avenue, turn onto Tilden Street NW, then turn onto Linnean Avenue NW and continue uphill about one-quarter mile to Hillwood's gated entrance on the right. Do not approach Linnean Avenue from Albemarle Street; Linnean is divided and Hillwood is not accessible from that direction.

Parking: On-site parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Because parking is limited and cannot be guaranteed, members may also wish to carpool or use a rideshare service.

Metro: Hillwood is approximately a one-mile walk from the Van Ness-UDC station on Metro's Red Line