Hillwood Museum & Gardens — Historic Renovation and Modernization

Project Details

Owner: Hillwood Museum & Gardens
Contract Amount: $6,552,294
Date of Award: July 1998
Date of Completion: December 1999
Architect: Bowie Gridley, Washington, DC

Photo Photo

The Hillwood Museum and Gardens, located at 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., is the former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post. The Georgian-style Hillwood mansion, originally designed by John Diebert, features 36 rooms. In 1955, Mrs. Post purchased Hillwood and hired architect Alexander McIlvaine to enlarge and redesign the mansion. In the late 1990's, the museum and gardens were renovated and restored at a total cost of $9 million.

The museum features Post's renowned personal collections of fine and decorative arts, including the most comprehensive collection of 18th- and 19th-century Russian imperial art outside of Russia, and one of the world's most important collections of French decorative art.

The scope of work included the complete interior renovation and exterior envelope restoration of this historic house/museum. The restoration work was highly complex and performed in a craftsmanlike manner.

Work included: