CANCELLED: Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens Private Guided Tour
Wednesday, June 12
In-Person Tour
11:30 AM -1:30 PM
4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Registration Required | Tickets $30 per person | No Refunds
Join OLLI members for a tour of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, one of our country’s premier art collector’s museums. Hillwood, the grand estate of Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, is nestled on 25 acres overlooking Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington DC. Along with a world-renowned collection of Russian and French decorative arts, Hillwood also features extensive gardens and special exhibitions. The museum includes the most comprehensive collections of 18th and 19th century Russian imperial art outside of Russia, focusing heavily on the House of Romanov, including Faberge eggs, as well as one of the world’s most important collections of 18th century French decorative arts. The splendor of Hillwood reflects the beauty, elegance, and graciousness Marjorie Merriweather Post valued in her life, and which she wished to share for all to be inspired by and enjoyed.
Tour Information: Our tour starts at the Motor Court in front of the mansion. A docent will guide us on a private tour of the gardens at 11:30 that will cover the history, design, and the plants and flowers of the thirteen acres of formal gardens, followed by a private tour of the mansion at 12:30 where our docent will offer knowledgeable perspectives on the collections, the interiors, and how this grand estate was used in Marjorie Post’s time living there.
At the conclusion of our tours, members may explore the special exhibitions, enjoy a relaxing lunch, visit the Greenhouse, or stop by the Museum Shop.
Arrival and Check-In: Hillwood has complimentary parking on site. Please plan to arrive at the Visitor Center no later than 11:15 AM and check in at registration desk under the name Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at American University. You can find information on getting to Hillwood here. The visitor’s service team will direct members to the Motor Court for the start of the garden tour.
Special Exhibitions are included for OLLI members and are available for self-guided touring. Exhibitions on view during our visit include:
Marjorie Merriweather Post's Paris (February 17, 2024 - June 16, 2024 | Located in the Dacha)
Fragile Beauty: Art of the Ocean (June 8, 2024 - January 5, 2025 | Located in the Adirondack)
Lunch Options: Merriweather To Go is a self-serve dining option open Tuesday-Friday 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Saturday- Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can view the menu here. Groups can visit Merriweather To Go at their leisure without prior arrangements. Hillwood's Merriweather Cafe is open for full-service dining 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM. The full-service cafe can accept walk-in reservations every 15-20 minutes for groups of 5 or less, for prompt seating, reservations are recommended. You can view the regular cafe menu here.
Mobility Accommodations: Most of the gardens are wheelchair and walker accessible, with the exception of the Japanese-style garden and French Parterre. The second floor of the mansion is accessible via an elevator, but there are a few rooms with a small number of steps leading into them. Volunteers will be happy to provide an iPad with pictures or a photo album of the inaccessible areas of the estate. Hillwood volunteers are happy to discuss these areas with our group members.
Greenhouse - Greenhouse will be open for self-guided touring 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Museum Shop - The shop is open 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
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