Hours, Admission, Accessibility & Visitor Information

Hours

  • The 1901 Pope Riddle house and its period rooms are open for guided tours only.
  • Guided tours of the Pope Riddle House are offered Wednesday through Sunday, every hour on the hour from 10 am to 4 pm with the last tour at 3 pm.
  • Tickets may be purchased at the museum on a first-come, first-serve basis; with no more than 16 people per tour.
  • Hill-Stead also offers Exclusive private tours on select Saturdays.
  • The museum is closed Mondays & Tuesdays and major holidays (Easter Sunday, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day).
  • Hill-Stead’s new Museum Shop is now open during museum hours, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
  • Hill-Stead’s grounds are open to the public daily from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. For groups of eight or more please contact Karen Hudkins to make an advance reservation. Dogs are welcome at Hill-Stead. Please note: They must wear a leash and stay under their owner’s control at all times.
  • Hill-Stead welcomes groups of 10 or more people with advance reservations.  For more information see Group Tours.
  • Please review our reopening plan.

Admission

To keep our Museum accessible to all, Hill-Stead Museum offers AAA, Blue Star Museums, Museums for All, and Connecticut Art Trail benefits. Hill-Stead’s grounds and hiking trails are free to the public.

Museum Members are always free.  Not a Member?  JOIN NOW

Members  | FREE
Adults
 | $18
AAA & Seniors (62+) | $16
Students | $12
Children 6-12 | $10
Children under 6 | FREE

Special Admission Programs

As a Blue Star Museum, Hill-Stead offers active-duty military families FREE admission from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America.

Hill-Stead is a part of the Museums for All program and offers FREE admission for up to four people with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Museums for All is a cooperative initiative between the Association of Children’s Museums and Institute of Museum and Library Services to offer a signature access program that encourages families of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits.


Hill-Stead is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail.  Discover Connecticut’s artistic treasures with the Connecticut Art Trail Art Passport. The $25 Art Passport includes one admission to each of the 20 member museums per year. Explore diverse, quality collections rich in history and heritage, including European masterpieces, American Impressionism, ancient art, and contemporary culture.

Accessibility

Hill-Stead offers designated parking and wheelchair accessibility to the first floor of the Pope Riddle House, Museum Shop, Orientation Gallery, and the Sunken Garden. We keep one wheelchair for visitor usage.

Visitor Information

Archives

The Museum Archives are open by appointment only. Please contact Melanie Bourbeau at 860.677.4787 ext 122 or bourbeaum@hillstead.org.

Art classes, Plein air painting groups, and other groups

Clubs, classes, or workshops must make a reservation at least 7 days in advance. Location fees and restrictions apply. To make a reservation contact Margaret Vaughan, Director of Education (860-677-4787 ext. 140 or vaughanm@hillstead.org)

Please consider bringing your group indoors for a tour of the museum’s renowned collection. Monet’s fine landscapes can be a great source of inspiration. To arrange for a group visit, contact the Education Department (860-677-4787 ext. 136 or education@hillstead.org).

Photographers

Please review our Photography and Filming Policy

Pets at Hill-Stead

Hill-Stead welcomes pets of all kinds on the property, as long as they are accompanied by owners at all times and properly leashed or restrained. The museum asks that owners clean up after their pets; there is a receptacle in the Orientation area for garbage.

Guidelines for Visitors

We ask that you “Leave only footprints, take only photographs.” (Photographs allowed outside the museum only). Please help us preserve this unique setting by observing the following guidelines:

  • Please restrict your use of permanent materials, such as acrylic and oil paints, to grassy surfaces and stay away from all stone walls, bluestone paths, porches, and walkways.
  • The grounds are open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm; please plan your visits accordingly. We ask that you park in designated parking areas only and not on the grass.
  • Picnicking is allowed only in designated areas where we have placed picnic tables. Please do not eat in the Sunken Garden.
  • During public hours, you are welcome to use our restrooms. There are beverages available for sale in our vending area. There is also a wonderful array of original en plein air paintings by Connecticut artists, art books for children and adults, and many wonderful gift items available for sale in our Museum Shop.
  • Please remember to keep away from poison ivy, which grows in abundance on the grounds of Hill-Stead. In addition, after you have finished working, remember to check yourself for ticks that may carry Lyme disease.
  • Hill-Stead Museum is a not-for-profit organization and relies on support from people like you to keep its doors and grounds open. Consider making a donation to the museum or becoming a member.  Stop by our Museum Shop for more information.

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