“We’re Pulling for You” grant from SBM Charitable Foundation offers field trips and outreach for East Hartford, Manchester, and Vernon/Rockville students 

 Hill-Stead Museum is pleased to announce that SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc. had awarded Hill-Stead a “We’re Pulling for You” grant in the amount of $33,125 in support of its “Art, Poetry and History at Hill-Stead Museum” program offered to East Hartford, Manchester, and Vernon/Rockville students. This program, in partnership with the SBM Charitable Foundation, has provided valuable Fine Arts, Language Arts, and World Languages themed educational programs for thousands of underserved students since 2006.

“We are delighted to be able to continue this important and valuable program,” said Dr. Anna Swinbourne, Interim Executive Director & CEO of Hill-Stead Museum. “Working together as partners, the schools’ educators and Hill-Stead Museum staff provide these students with an incomparable experience beyond the classroom, where they can learn about art and the humanities first-hand. Our unique setting is authentic and historically rich, and filled with the inspiring real-life stories of its founders and their ideals, as well as a world-class collection of decorative arts and French Impressionist masterpieces. The generous support of SBM Charitable Foundation makes this learning possible, and for that we are deeply grateful.”

“Hill-Stead Museum’s ‘Art, Poetry and History’ program is tied to the school curriculum and benefits so many school children in our area communities,” said Doreen Downham, Executive Director of SBM Charitable Foundation.  “The SBMCF is delighted to continue our funding support of the Museum to provide such a wonderfully successful education enrichment program for East of the River students.”

About the SBM Charitable Foundation
The SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc., perpetuating the vision of the former Savings Bank of Manchester, is committed to bettering the lives of those who live and work predominantly East of the River in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties. Priorities established for the Foundation’s giving are Health, Human Services, Education, Housing, and the Arts.

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, State Rep. Mike Demicco, Hill-Stead’s Executive Director Susan Ballek, Governor Dannel P. Malloy and President of Hill-Stead’s Board of Governors Bill Watson.

Hill-Stead is thrilled to receive $1.75 million in State of Connecticut DECD bond funding to support the adaptive reuse of the museum’s Carriage Barn (adjacent to the historic house) to create a more welcoming visitor reception area, a new rotating exhibition gallery, an interactive interpretive space, a relocated and enlarged Museum Shop, an improved space for education programs and new ADA compliant restrooms.

This is the largest amount of state funding the museum has ever received and supports Hill-Stead’s $6.5 million capital and endowment campaign, which includes a $3.5 million capital renovation project.

Register

Play Like the Popes!

Hill‐Stead was once home to a private, six‐hole golf course, which is highlighted in a special exhibition this summer. Children will visit the new exhibition Diamonds in the Rough: Golfing at Hill-Stead and then they’ll get to put with “hickory sticks” like the ones that were used in the early 1900’s. They will also play croquet, lawn tennis, board games and other fun pastimes that children enjoyed when Hill‐Stead was home to the Pope family.

Experience Art!

Paintings, pastels, sculpture, prints and more adorn the walls at Hill‐Stead. Each day includes an exploration of the techniques and creativity needed to produce art in the style of Hill‐Stead’s collections. In addition to daily projects, each child will use oil pastels to create an Impressionist‐style work of art over the course of the week.

Registration

$200 members/ $250 nonmembers
An early drop‐off at 8:30 a.m. is available for an additional $10 per day.

Dates

WEEK #1 – Summer on the Hill (Ages 7 – 11)

July 23rd – July 27th
9:00 a.m. ‐ 12:00 noon

WEEK #2 ‐ Summer on the Hill (Ages 7 – 11)

July 30th – August 3rd
9:00 a.m. ‐ 12:00 noon

WEEK #3 – Summer on the Hill (Ages 7– 11)

August 6th – August 10th
9:00 a.m. ‐ 12:00 noon

Hill-Stead Museum Receives Highest National Recognition

Hill-Stead Museum has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.
Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 45 years, the Alliance’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public.

Susan Ballek, the museum’s Executive Director and CEO, remarked: “Hill-Stead is abundantly proud to be counted among the elite group of museums who meet the rigorous standards for best practices set forth by the American Alliance of Museums. The museum’s Trustees, Board of Governors and staff are dedicated to preserving and sharing Hill-Stead’s rich collection of French Impressionist paintings and decorative arts objects with the public in perpetuity. The guidelines set forth by the Alliance ensure we are taking the right measures to care for our collection and engage our members, donors and community, ensuring this National Historic Landmark will remain a place for learning, reflection and enjoyment for people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, over 1,070 are currently accredited. Hill-Stead is one of only 19 museums accredited in Connecticut.

Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation a museum first must conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” said Laura L. Lott, Alliance president and CEO. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”

About the American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

Hill-Stead will close at 1pm on Wednesday, March 21.  Please visit us another time.

Donate Now
The beautiful landscape of Farmington’s Hill-Stead is defined by its iconic stone walls. The walls were built from area basalt and trap rock, as well as stones from the farms that had previously been on the property.

A part of the stone wall surrounding the Sunken Garden will soon be in need of some critical care and must be rebuilt.

We are looking for $50 from 300 heroes to meet a $15,000 goal to help fund this essential repair.

• Every donation will be used to support the stone wall restoration.
• Please make a gift today, and thank you for helping to preserve the stone walls of Hill-Stead.