Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens  |  View in browser

September 2026 Schedule

The September 2026 schedule is now open to all interpretation volunteers in Volgistics, complete with private tours and special events. Please log in to your Volgistics account to schedule your shifts. If you have any changes or questions regarding the volunteer schedule, please continue to contact volunteers@hillwoodmuseum.org or 202.686.8528. Thank you!

Log into Volgistics

A Warm Welcome to Our New Volunteers

2026 has been a year of growth at Hillwood, with new volunteers starting across various roles around the estate. Whether they’re leading tours, assisting with public programs, welcoming visitors to the museum, supporting the maintenance of our beautiful gardens and greenhouse, or working with our archives and special collections, every one of our volunteers plays an important role in supporting Hillwood’s mission. We’ve been very lucky to have the opportunity to welcome a number of new volunteers to our program, and to see some of our existing volunteers add additional roles to their service.

Click on the link below to learn more about how Hillwood’s fabulous volunteer program has grown this year in this article by Lisa Leyh, head of volunteer and employee engagement, and Erin Allen, volunteer programs manager.

Meet new volunteers, reconnect with familiar faces, and enjoy a welcoming space to connect in the volunteer lounge at Butler’s House.

Meet new volunteers, reconnect with familiar faces, and enjoy a welcoming space to connect in the volunteer lounge at Butler’s House.

Save the Date: Volunteer Appreciation Reception


With Hillwood’s beautiful autumn gardens as our backdrop, volunteers and Hillwood staff will gather on Monday, October 5, from 5-7 p.m. under the C.W. Post Tent for a special fall reception celebrating our amazing volunteer community.

Moving the reception from the busy spring calendar to the fall offers a chance to embrace a season that evokes warmth, abundance, and gratitude. It also creates a wonderful opportunity to pause, come together, and celebrate all that our volunteers make possible at Hillwood.

Be on the lookout for an online invitation coming in September. We can’t wait to celebrate our volunteers and thank you for making Hillwood such a magical place!

The fall cutting garden in full bloom. Photo courtesy of Erik Kvalsvik.

The fall cutting garden in full bloom. Photo courtesy of Erik Kvalsvik.

Museum Shop Pop-Up | Sidewalk Sale

Celebrate the end of summer and join the museum shop for a summer sidewalk sale from Tuesday, August 18 through Wednesday, August 19 in the visitor center conservatory. Don't miss this opportunity to shop for incredible deals on a wide variety of merchandise, including jewelry, apparel, home goods, and other fun finds. Everything will be offered at sizzling sale prices you won't want to miss!

Special Preview for Hillwood Staff and Volunteers

Join us for a private shopping experience on Monday, August 17 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., before the sale opens to the public.

Public Sale Hours

The sale will be open to the public on Tuesday, August 18 and Wednesday, August 19 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Don't miss the chance to shop 'til you drop!

Please note: No additional discounts may be applied during the sale.

The Fashion and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post

Hillwood is very excited to announce the upcoming publication, The Fashion and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post, by Megan Martinelli, curator of textiles, apparel, jewelry, and accessories. Through her research, Megan connects Marjorie Merriweather Post’s impressive wardrobe maintained at Hillwood with the broader chronology of fashion history during the twentieth century. Highlights include a focus on heirloom garments and accessories that belonged to Marjorie Post’s relatives, new revelations on Post’s 1930s and 1940s couture dresses, and a discussion of obscure, Estonian-born, mid-century fashion designer Eleanora Garnett (active ca. 1930s-1960s), whose work is represented in the later garments in Hillwood’s collection.

Mark your calendars—the book will be available for purchase in the museum shop beginning on Tuesday, September 1, and join us for a public program book launch at Hillwood later this fall. More information will be shared as we get closer to the event.

In the meantime, check out Megan’s article, linked below, to take a sneak peek at some of the beautiful garments, jewelry, and accessories that she discusses in the book. Congratulations to Megan on her new publication!

Hillwood’s latest publication will be available in the shop beginning September 1.

Hillwood’s latest publication will be available in the shop beginning September 1.

Read the Article

School Programs Recap: Inspiring Young Learners at Hillwood

This past school year, Hillwood welcomed thousands of students for engaging experiences that connected art, history, gardens, and storytelling. From curious kindergarteners exploring nature to upper elementary students discovering powerful portraits, School Programs continue to inspire the next generation of museum visitors.

In this article by Lindsey Woods, school programs coordinator, look back at another exciting year of learning at Hillwood and the important role the Interpretation department plays in making these experiences possible.

DCPS students create their own bouquet, following the Garden Journeys field trip.

DCPS students create their own bouquet, following the Garden Journeys field trip.

Reflecting on Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival

Earlier this summer, Hillwood hosted our annual celebration of Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival. Read on to learn more about the event in this post by Claire Fuller, public programs manager:

On Thursday, July 9, Hillwood held our annual Tanabata celebration. Tanabata is the Japanese Star Festival, which celebrates the legend of Orihime, the weaver princess, and Hikoboshi, the herder. According to this myth inspired by the summer stars Vega and Altair, they meet just once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month.

This program, which connects audiences with Hillwood's Japanese-style garden, was an evening of summer festivities that included lantern-making, calligraphy, origami, and more. We partnered again with the Japan-America Society of Washington DC for art-making, the Washington Toho Koto Society for musical performances, and the National Air and Space Museum—who helped connect guests with the myth of Tanabata by exploring the celestial summer triangle—to provide a fun, educational, and joyful night for attendees. Despite the thunderstorms, we saw 271 guests throughout the evening. Thank you to everyone who helped make this program possible!

Attendees took part in a number of art projects, including trying their hand at Japanese calligraphy (left) and paper lantern decorating (right).

Behind the Scenes: Textile Conservation for Interwoven

Have you ever wondered how conservators care for and prepare textiles for display? For our current exhibition, Interwoven: A Tradition of Textiles, Hillwood partnered with Caring for Textiles, a contract textile conservation team.

Take a peek behind the scenes at the textile conservation process and learn what goes into preserving historical textiles and readying them for display in this blogpost by conservator Julia Brennan. Make sure to stop by Interwoven to see these beautifully preserved pieces, on view in the Adirondack building until January 3, 2027.

Read the Blog Post

Upcoming Volunteer Education

Due to expected high temperatures for the remainder of August, staff-led garden tours for volunteers will be taking a pause until September. In the meantime, we encourage you to check out Hillwood’s YouTube channel for recordings of recent public programs, virtual floral design workshops, and lectures from curators, artists, and more!

Don’t forget to also check out the 2026 Lecture Videos page of the volunteer website for volunteer lectures and trainings from earlier this year. We hope you enjoy these videos while you beat the heat this summer, and we’ll be back with additional volunteer education programming in the fall.

Staff Help and Resources 

Thank you for being a part of the Hillwood community! Our doors are always open. Feel free to reach us at volunteers@hillwoodmuseum.org. 


-The Volunteer Support Team

Erin Allen, Holly Scanlon, Matt Boyle, and Lisa Leyh

Explore Hillwood Online

Stay connected with Hillwood anytime through our website! Discover treasures in the collection database, see what’s blooming in the gardens, and sign up for upcoming programs. Planning a visit? Head to our Plan Your Visit page for the latest offerings and to book your next visit.

Explore >

Visit the Volunteer Website

Stay informed and inspired by visiting Hillwood’s volunteer website. Revisit past newsletters and updates, watch recordings of volunteer programs, and review the latest guidelines. Dive deeper into your Hillwood journey with a wide array of educational resources designed just for volunteers.

Learn >