First time visitors to the National Historic Landmark Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT are in for a delightful treat. You realize you are headed someplace special as soon as you turn down the long and winding driveway on to the 152-acre property.
Stone walls and rows of trees border the drive, and as you come around the bend at the end the Hill-Stead estate comes into full view. Although beautiful in every season, its glorious in the fall with brilliant foliage accenting its bright white exterior.
The Hill-Stead is a unique combination of historic home, fine art museum, formally designed gardens, and pastoral views. There is truly something for everyone, with a calendar full of tours, lectures, and a number of events for the entire family.
Visitors from out-of-state can spend an afternoon here, and local residents can come back time and again and find something different to appreciate and enjoy. Here are just a few of the ways to take in the Hill-Stead:
- Tour the Historic Home: A variety of tours are offered, from the tour of the first floor only to the Platinum Tour which is an in-depth tour of the entire home and a visit to the museum archives to see special collections. Learn about architect and resident Theodate Pope Riddle, one of the first licensed female architects in American history and see fine art from artists such as Monet, Degas, and Cassatt displayed exactly as it was when the Pope family resided there.
The home is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture. - Visit the Gardens: The formal Sunken Garden and rustic and overgrown Walking Garden were important features of the Hill-Stead landscape and remain so today. Theodate enlisted her contemporary Beatrix Jones Farrand, considered by some to be the finest female landscape designer of her generation, to design the landscape after having worked together on the Westover School in Middlebury, CT. The museum hosts the nationally renowned Sunken Garden Poetry Festival every summer, which is a series of readings and music concerts.
The Sunken Garden in the fall will transform to a riot of color in the spring. 3. Take a Hike: The property includes over three miles of walking trails which are a “nature enthusiast’s and bird watcher’s paradise” according to their site. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis walked the trails herself when she was a student at Miss Porter’s, a local girls private school.
Pack a picnic lunch and use one of the many tables sprinkled throughout the property, spread out a blanket or perch on a stone wall.
View of the Litchfield Hills from the estate ablaze with fall color. 
View of the estate from the far end of the property. 4. Attend a Special Event: The Museum hosts a number of seasonal events, including May Market in the spring, Hay Day in the fall, and the Holidays at Hill-Stead in December. Each is an opportunity to see the museum at a different time of year.
The May Market features an arts & crafts show, a selection of perennials for sale, and speakers on lifestyle and gardening. Hay Day is perfect for children with a hayride, face painting, music, and hearty food. Of course the Holidays at Hill-Stead feature the rooms of the home decorated for Christmas as well as a holiday boutique.
The side view of the sprawling estate. 5. Practice Your Painting or Photography: The grounds of the Hill-Stead provide a never-ending supply of material for the artist or photographer. Different times of day and each season bring changes allowing the landscape and stunning architecture to be captured according to your vision.
Traditional gate is a reminder of the Hill-Stead’s past as a country home. Whatever way you choose to enjoy the Hill-Stead Museum, wether it be touring the home, walking the grounds, or listening to poetry on a warm summer’s evening, you won’t soon forget your experience. It is truly a place you can visit again and again.
For another perspective on the Hill-Stead Museum, take a look at this article by the New York Times. For more things to do in Farmington, CT, take a peek at A New England Village in Fall.
What would you choose to do if you visited the Hill-Stead? I would love to hear from you!
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Interested in other Connecticut historic museums? Check out The Noah Webster House and Connecticut’s Old State House.
My name is Deb Cohen, and I am a lifelong resident of Connecticut, a lover of all things historic and New England, and a realtor who helps buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals and dreams. When I’m not working, I enjoy life with my husband, our two adult children, and our two rescue pups. Renovating and decorating our historic home, dating to 1800, is another favorite pastime.
Hmmm… That view is not of the Litchfield Hills, which are miles and miles away to the west. That view shows the Metacomet-Monadanock ridge, looking north.
Thank you for clarifying that! I honestly wasn’t sure what I was looking at but some material on-line indicated it was Litchfield. Should check my sources 🙂
I am always amazed at what I find to do and learn about in my own backyard of CT! We truly are lucky to live here!
We really are Bonnie! Just have to take some time to look 🙂
It’s been a long time since I toured one of the many historic homes on display in CT. thanks for the reminder Deb, beautiful post.
Thanks, Dan! When I visited last week I didn’t go inside (closed on Mondays) but the grounds were open and it was so gorgeous out I just took in the scenery. I have been inside before though and its hard to believe the famous works of art on display, and that they are hung exactly as their owners hung them.