Hill-Stead Museum
Hill-Stead Museum is the result of a bequest by Theodate Pope Riddle, a pioneering female architect and one of the first licensed in the U.S. The Museum, itself, is a Colonial Revival house, designed by Mrs. Riddle, and sits on 152-acres of land. Most experts consider the house to be the seminal example of Colonial Revivalism. There is also a unique sunken garden designed by Beatrix Farrand that is home to the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival.
Mrs. Riddle's bequest also entailed a modest endowment and governing body for the museum, as well as a stellar collection of French Impressionist paintings, including such artists as Manet, Monet and Degas. There were also extensive archives and interdisciplinary resources left as part of her estate.
Today, the Museum is considered an invaluable resource for teachers and students across the state. It is also a primary resource for scholars, historians, and academicians in interdisciplinary studies. The Museum is maintained through Mrs. Riddle's foresight and the participation of thousands of members and donors from across Connecticut. The Museum is located at 35 Mountain Rd. in Farmington.