Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT

The Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT, is a National Historic Landmark and truly one of the state's treasures. A unique fusion of Colonial Revival architecture, magnificent gardens and art museum, it is a 152-acre estate with 10 distinct buildings.

The country estate that is now the Hill-Stead Museum was built by Alfred and Ada Pope between 1898 and 1908. The Pope's used the estate as a retirement home for entertaining and displaying their extensive collection of Impressionist art including works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet and Mary Cassatt.

The museum is an in situ exhibition that displays both the preserved mansion interior, the Pope's art Impressionist collection as well as prints, photographs, ceramics and period furniture. There is also an extensive 3,300-volume library and over 16,000 archival documents including original receipts for the purchase of artwork and correspondence from famous artists. Touring the Hill-Stead allows the visitor to view prized French Impressionist paintings as well as an important landmark filled with history.

The 33,000-square-foot house is one of the country's most important examples of Colonial Revival architecture comparable to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. Today, the home is preserved and visitors can view the art and furnishings original to the interior.

The 152-acre property also features a carriage barn and theater, stone garages, woodland trails, a pond and dairy complex, and is famous for its Sunken Garden designed by Beatrix Farrand in 1920. The original Carriage Barn houses two horse-drawn carriages belonging to the original owners. In 1917, an Arts and Crafts theater was added to the back of the Carriage Barn and served as a meeting room for parties and films. The theater is used today for many same purposes and has evolved to include weddings, workshops and performances.

The grounds of the Hill-Stead expand into walking trails that invite naturalist adventures including bird watching and explorations through forests, meadows and gardens. The museum runs guided tours year round for young students and lifetime learners and invites volunteers to assist with gardening, trail and grounds maintenance.

Hill-Stead was a fully operational farm when it was the residence of Alfred and Ada Pope and the agricultural architecture is as beautiful as the homestead. The farm complex was planned and displays a cohesiveness of design throughout adding to the architectural aesthetic of the estate. Throughout its farming history, the Hill-Stead employed dozens of laborers to tend to dairy cows, sheep and the orchards. The farm specialized in Guernsey dairy cattle and raised Dorset Marino sheep for wool. The farm operations continued until mid-century and although many buildings were dismantled visitors today can view the barns, carpenter shop, drive sheds and stone pump house.

The period buildings and rolling landscape of the Hill-Stead reflect visions of the English countryside. The highlight of the estate, its famous Sunken Garden, is no exception with its meticulous flower beds, groomed hedges, rambling stone walls, pathways and gazebos. The flower beds bloom year round with an extraordinary display of flowers and other flora. English primsrose, catmint, daffodils, violets, peonies, columbines, lavender and delphinium are just a small sample of the varieties.

Since 1992, the garden has been the setting of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival which offers poetry workshops and readings by some of the best contemporary poets. Audiences gather throughout the summer amid blooming flower beds. The Hill-Stead's poetry program holds a national competition for adults, a young poets competition, a young musicians competition, talks and lectures. It has been hailed as a cultural phenomenon and is often a highlight of a poet's career.

More than 32,000 people visit the Hill-Stead museum every year to enjoy the art, architecture, landscape, gardens and cultural events. Its unique setting creates a timeless environment to enjoy both culture and nature. It is a National Historic Landmark, an official project of Save America's Treasures, accredited by the American Association of Museums and a member of the Connecticut Art Trail, the Connecticut Women's Heritage Trail and Connecticut's Historic Gardens. It is truly one of the state's treasures.