Hill-Stead Museum Reviews

Reviews

Awards

16

• Lauren Sent on 10/02/2018
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  Simply could not have had a more beautiful venue for our wedding, or an easier team to work with. We had our ceremony in the Sunken Garden with the reception in the Makeshift Theatre, and it was perfect.
  
  Jennifer at the Hill-Stead was a dream to work with and helped us so much. I never felt like anything other than her top priority. We were also happy that our venue rental money went to a non-profit museum which is truly special, historic, and unique versus a more corporate, for-profit location.

  Simply could not have had a more beautiful venue for our wedding, or an easier team to work with. We had our ceremony in the Sunken Garden with the reception in the Makeshift Theatre, and it was perfect.
  
  Jennifer at the Hill-Stead was a dream to work with and helped us so much. I never felt like anything other than her top priority. We were also happy that our venue rental money went to a non-profit museum which is truly special, historic, and unique versus a more corporate, for-profit location.
• Debbie Sent on 06/24/2015
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  We held my daughter's wedding ceremony on the West Lawn with light refreshments served in the Sunken Garden before heading to The Society Room for the reception this past Saturday. We could not have chosen a more beautiful venue. The setting was without compare as the views of the meadow, the garden and hills were amazing. To be able to share this treasured Museum and grounds with our family and friends was a gift for all. Pre-wedding communications with Sarah at Hill-Stead was so easy and fluid. She made every effort to help make the planning and execution as simple as possible. No request was too big or too small and was met with such a pleasant response. When rain threatened, the on-sight manager said that she could easily move the refreshments to the Makeshift Theater, which took the stress off my shoulders. We did not need to move but that she offered so easily was sincerely appreciated. The day was magical with The Hill-Stead leading the way.

  We held my daughter's wedding ceremony on the West Lawn with light refreshments served in the Sunken Garden before heading to The Society Room for the reception this past Saturday. We could not have chosen a more beautiful venue. The setting was without compare as the views of the meadow, the garden and hills were amazing. To be able to share this treasured Museum and grounds with our family and friends was a gift for all. Pre-wedding communications with Sarah at Hill-Stead was so easy and fluid. She made every effort to help make the planning and execution as simple as possible. No request was too big or too small and was met with such a pleasant response. When rain threatened, the on-sight manager said that she could easily move the refreshments to the Makeshift Theater, which took the stress off my shoulders. We did not need to move but that she offered so easily was sincerely appreciated. The day was magical with The Hill-Stead leading the way.
• Lawrence Sent on 11/21/2014
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  My husband and I were completely and truly above and beyond pleased with the Hill-Stead's Make Shift Theater location for the Rehearsal Dinner for our son's & new daughter-in-law's wedding last Friday night! The combined wonderful tour of the beautiful historic Main House main floor & guides, as well as all of the Hill-Stead crew were so very helpful every step of the way. And with the complimenting combination of the friendly folks and outstanding food & beverage service from local Kane's Market, everyone went the extra mile for us! We felt very cared for, valued and respected as customers, and every one of our guests, especially the Bride & Groom were blessed! The romantic setting and comfortable, accessible location, and delicious & plentiful food, combined with friendly service & knowledgeable tour guides, was truly all perfect, we don’t know how our evening could have been improved upon, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Additional thanks goes to Taylor Rentals for the wooden chairs & linens and the Simsbury Inn & 1820 House-where we and most of our family stayed and were very well cared for!
  With over whelming gratitude for all of you, and your teamwork to support us,
  Very Sincerely,
  Larry & Maureen Burt
  Annapolis, Maryland
  PS We only wish we had thought to hire a photographer (a recommendation if within your budget). But the happy memories experienced will truly be forever engraved in our heart’s and mind's!
  

  
  
  My husband and I were completely and truly above and beyond pleased with the Hill-Stead's Make Shift Theater location for the Rehearsal Dinner for our son's & new daughter-in-law's wedding last Friday night! The combined wonderful tour of the beautiful historic Main House main floor & guides, as well as all of the Hill-Stead crew were so very helpful every step of the way. And with the complimenting combination of the friendly folks and outstanding food & beverage service from local Kane's Market, everyone went the extra mile for us! We felt very cared for, valued and respected as customers, and every one of our guests, especially the Bride & Groom were blessed! The romantic setting and comfortable, accessible location, and delicious & plentiful food, combined with friendly service & knowledgeable tour guides, was truly all perfect, we don’t know how our evening could have been improved upon, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Additional thanks goes to Taylor Rentals for the wooden chairs & linens and the Simsbury Inn & 1820 House-where we and most of our family stayed and were very well cared for!
  With over whelming gratitude for all of you, and your teamwork to support us,
  Very Sincerely,
  Larry & Maureen Burt
  Annapolis, Maryland
  PS We only wish we had thought to hire a photographer (a recommendation if within your budget). But the happy memories experienced will truly be forever engraved in our heart’s and mind's!
  
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• Jenny Sent on 11/05/2014
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  We loved every minute of our wedding at the Hill-Stead Museum! This is such a gem of a place, I really can't believe how amazing the ambience is there. From the moment you drive onto the estate, you are overtaken by the magic of the Hill-Stead. The property is really incredible - the perfect New England landscape complete with barns, stone walls and sheep. The museum itself is gorgeous! A museum tour for your guests is included in the rental cost - our family and friends loved the tour! My husband and I made several spontaneous trips to the museum over the course of our wedding planning, and were always greeted with such kindness and enthusiasm from the museum staff.
  As a wedding photographer who photographs weddings at lovely locations all over the US, I really haven't seen a more beautiful wedding venue than the Hill-Stead!

  We loved every minute of our wedding at the Hill-Stead Museum! This is such a gem of a place, I really can't believe how amazing the ambience is there. From the moment you drive onto the estate, you are overtaken by the magic of the Hill-Stead. The property is really incredible - the perfect New England landscape complete with barns, stone walls and sheep. The museum itself is gorgeous! A museum tour for your guests is included in the rental cost - our family and friends loved the tour! My husband and I made several spontaneous trips to the museum over the course of our wedding planning, and were always greeted with such kindness and enthusiasm from the museum staff.
  As a wedding photographer who photographs weddings at lovely locations all over the US, I really haven't seen a more beautiful wedding venue than the Hill-Stead!
• Erica Sent on 10/08/2013
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  We had our wedding ceremony on the west lawn at Hill-Stead and it was perfect. We didn't want to go all out with decorations or setup, we just wanted a beautiful place to exchange our vows and entertain our guests. The staff at Hill-Stead made sure we had everything we needed, and were able to meet with us to discuss details. I think the best part was that the museum was open to guests after the ceremony so they were able to view some outstanding art and learn about it from docents while we were taking pictures. Many of our guests were floored at the caliber of art in the museum.

  We had our wedding ceremony on the west lawn at Hill-Stead and it was perfect. We didn't want to go all out with decorations or setup, we just wanted a beautiful place to exchange our vows and entertain our guests. The staff at Hill-Stead made sure we had everything we needed, and were able to meet with us to discuss details. I think the best part was that the museum was open to guests after the ceremony so they were able to view some outstanding art and learn about it from docents while we were taking pictures. Many of our guests were floored at the caliber of art in the museum.
• Liz Sent on 02/22/2013
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  The Hill-Stead is such a beautiful place. Our ceremony was in the sunken garden and the grounds provided the perfect backdrop for our photos. Everything went smoothly and we are so thankful to the Hill-Stead staff who helped make the day unforgettable.

  The Hill-Stead is such a beautiful place. Our ceremony was in the sunken garden and the grounds provided the perfect backdrop for our photos. Everything went smoothly and we are so thankful to the Hill-Stead staff who helped make the day unforgettable.
• Nancy Sent on 03/03/2013
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  We had a reception at the Hill-Stead for my son and his wife. They had a very small, private, destination wedding. We had this reception to celebrate with friends and family. It was important for us to have a venue that offered variety - the ability for our guests to tour the museum and the Hill-Stead grounds was important. We used the make-shift theater for the actual dinner and dancing; appetizers were served in the courtyard. This venue could not have been more perfect. The staff at the Hill-stead were wonderful to work with. We thank them for a perfect evening.

  We had a reception at the Hill-Stead for my son and his wife. They had a very small, private, destination wedding. We had this reception to celebrate with friends and family. It was important for us to have a venue that offered variety - the ability for our guests to tour the museum and the Hill-Stead grounds was important. We used the make-shift theater for the actual dinner and dancing; appetizers were served in the courtyard. This venue could not have been more perfect. The staff at the Hill-stead were wonderful to work with. We thank them for a perfect evening.
• Jane Sent on 06/24/2013
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  The Hill-Stead provides a beautiful setting with its sunken gardens, a grass court to host parties ,and a historical home full of impressionist art.
  Our guests raved about the setting!
  It truly was the perfect location to have our rehearsal dinner.
  Jane and Sam Booker

  The Hill-Stead provides a beautiful setting with its sunken gardens, a grass court to host parties ,and a historical home full of impressionist art.
  Our guests raved about the setting!
  It truly was the perfect location to have our rehearsal dinner.
  Jane and Sam Booker
• Caitlin D. Sent on 12/04/2020
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  Beautiful Unique Venue

  We had to quickly pivot our plans once Covid hit and found Hill-Stead for our elopement was perfect for a covid-friendly event. We worked with Jen and she was so helpful and accommodating. we couldn’t have asked for a better venue for our day - the fall foliage was beautiful.
  
  They have tables and chairs to use, so many beautiful photo spots, and really flexible indoor and outdoor spaces. They even have a room that can be used to get ready.

  We had to quickly pivot our plans once Covid hit and found Hill-Stead for our elopement was perfect for a covid-friendly event. We worked with Jen and she was so helpful and accommodating. we couldn’t have asked for a better venue for our day - the fall foliage was beautiful.
  
  They have tables and chairs to use, so many beautiful photo spots, and really flexible indoor and outdoor spaces. They even have a room that can be used to get ready.

  • +2 photos

  Hill-Stead Museum's reply:

  Thank you Caitlin! You were a breeze to work with and am so glad you were able to celebrate your day in a safe and enjoyable way for everyone involved. We love to be the spot where memories are made and cherished- I hope to see you on the grounds again- Jennifer
• Kristy Sent on 10/05/2014
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  The venue was perfect. We had the ceremony in the Sunken Garden, which was beautiful! Our reception was in the Makeshift Theatre Room, an old style barn perfect for our rustic fall wedding.
  
  I think the best part was how we had the whole place to ourselves. Our guests were able to enjoy the beautiful grounds throughout the event, and they all LOVED it. The venue also did an open house of the museum during the cocktail hour (they offer this to anyone having a wedding here). The grounds were picture perfect and gave us some stunning photos (we did all our photos on-site). The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. Pricing was inexpensive for what you are getting.
  
  Advice: The Makeshift Room is best for smaller weddings less than 100, or it gets pretty tight (we had about 87 guests), which was the perfect amount for that room. You can do a tented wedding on the lawn for larger events. You have to bring in all your own vendors and do a lot of the coordinating, so you may want to hire a wedding planner (I hired one for the week of the event).
  
  All in all it was a great day. The venue is perfect for weddings and we could not be happier!
  

  The venue was perfect. We had the ceremony in the Sunken Garden, which was beautiful! Our reception was in the Makeshift Theatre Room, an old style barn perfect for our rustic fall wedding.
  
  I think the best part was how we had the whole place to ourselves. Our guests were able to enjoy the beautiful grounds throughout the event, and they all LOVED it. The venue also did an open house of the museum during the cocktail hour (they offer this to anyone having a wedding here). The grounds were picture perfect and gave us some stunning photos (we did all our photos on-site). The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. Pricing was inexpensive for what you are getting.
  
  Advice: The Makeshift Room is best for smaller weddings less than 100, or it gets pretty tight (we had about 87 guests), which was the perfect amount for that room. You can do a tented wedding on the lawn for larger events. You have to bring in all your own vendors and do a lot of the coordinating, so you may want to hire a wedding planner (I hired one for the week of the event).
  
  All in all it was a great day. The venue is perfect for weddings and we could not be happier!
  
• Joy Sent on 08/09/2013
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  The Hill-stead Museum was the perfect choice for the rehearsal dinner for our son's wedding. Dinner was served in the elegant (and air conditioned) Pope Board Room. Cocktails were served on the patio so our guests had access to the museum and sunken gardens. The Museum exhibits and knowledgable docents were a special treat for our guests. The Museum staff were available all evening and were most helpful to us and the caterer.
  It may be possible to find a less expensive venue, but it would be hard to find one as beautiful with a staff as well versed in event planning.

  The Hill-stead Museum was the perfect choice for the rehearsal dinner for our son's wedding. Dinner was served in the elegant (and air conditioned) Pope Board Room. Cocktails were served on the patio so our guests had access to the museum and sunken gardens. The Museum exhibits and knowledgable docents were a special treat for our guests. The Museum staff were available all evening and were most helpful to us and the caterer.
  It may be possible to find a less expensive venue, but it would be hard to find one as beautiful with a staff as well versed in event planning.
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  User1887961 Sent on 10/27/2014
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  We just had our wedding reception on the grounds of the Hill-Stead Museum, under a 40x80 tent on the West Lawn. For the most stunning scenic views of CT, along with uniqueness and some great history, we could not have asked for a better venue location for us. In terms of outdoor venues, they were pretty flexible when it came to timing, noise, and use of the grounds, and they also allow your guests to take a tour of the museum during cocktail hour which is a nice bonus. Keep in mind, planning a wedding here is a lot of work and added expenses because you're essentially building a reception venue from scratch with the beautiful Hill-Stead as a backdrop (if using a tent on the lawm) but it was all 100% worth it for us because it's just such a beautiful estate and the staff is very friendly.

  We just had our wedding reception on the grounds of the Hill-Stead Museum, under a 40x80 tent on the West Lawn. For the most stunning scenic views of CT, along with uniqueness and some great history, we could not have asked for a better venue location for us. In terms of outdoor venues, they were pretty flexible when it came to timing, noise, and use of the grounds, and they also allow your guests to take a tour of the museum during cocktail hour which is a nice bonus. Keep in mind, planning a wedding here is a lot of work and added expenses because you're essentially building a reception venue from scratch with the beautiful Hill-Stead as a backdrop (if using a tent on the lawm) but it was all 100% worth it for us because it's just such a beautiful estate and the staff is very friendly.
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  User1205520 Sent on 06/18/2013
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  We recently had our wedding at the Hill-Stead. It's a truly beautiful venue with multiple sites for the ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour. The museum is open during the cocktail hour, which our guests loved. It was the perfect site for our rustic elegant wedding!

  We recently had our wedding at the Hill-Stead. It's a truly beautiful venue with multiple sites for the ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour. The museum is open during the cocktail hour, which our guests loved. It was the perfect site for our rustic elegant wedding!
• Kelly Sent on 02/21/2013
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  Our wedding at the Hill Stead was truly amazing. It was the most beautiful setting and was perfect for our intimate wedding. The weather was cooperative and we were able to have our ceremony in the sunken garden.
  
  I would highly recommend this venue. The people were extremely nice, the setting was perfect, and our guests had a great time touring the museum and dancing in the Makeshift Theater. It was perfect.

  Our wedding at the Hill Stead was truly amazing. It was the most beautiful setting and was perfect for our intimate wedding. The weather was cooperative and we were able to have our ceremony in the sunken garden.
  
  I would highly recommend this venue. The people were extremely nice, the setting was perfect, and our guests had a great time touring the museum and dancing in the Makeshift Theater. It was perfect.
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  User1098249 Sent on 02/26/2013
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  The team at Hill-Stead were great.
  
  They worked seamlessly with our other vendors to coordinate everything providing us with the customization that we were looking for with almost the ease of a one-stop-shop. Without a planner and the other things we had on our minds this was great for us. Understandably due to the nature of the venue, they were not flexible on some details that I wouldn't have expected to be a big deal, but they were small details. All in all, it is a great venue for a small to mid-size wedding, with beautiful gardens, a quaint and rustic event space, and fabulous art, and the staff were excellent. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

  The team at Hill-Stead were great.
  
  They worked seamlessly with our other vendors to coordinate everything providing us with the customization that we were looking for with almost the ease of a one-stop-shop. Without a planner and the other things we had on our minds this was great for us. Understandably due to the nature of the venue, they were not flexible on some details that I wouldn't have expected to be a big deal, but they were small details. All in all, it is a great venue for a small to mid-size wedding, with beautiful gardens, a quaint and rustic event space, and fabulous art, and the staff were excellent. I would definitely recommend checking it out.
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  User1674196 Sent on 06/23/2014
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  We used the Hill-Stead Museum for a wedding ceremony and it went very well. Not badly priced and we got the entire place to ourselves. We had the ceremony outside on the West Lawn with a 30 x 60 tent provided by Taylor Rental of Manchester. (Taylor Rental has provided tents to the Hill-Stead quite often, so this works well). The staff at the Hill-Stead was great and facilitated our securing insurance, and fire watch (required). We did not use the MakeShift theater due to its fire code limitations of 120 people and I recommend that those that want to use the MakeShift theater do so knowing that they will not exceed the 120 person capacity.
  
  The view from the West Lawn is great. Part of the fee for the use of the place is a donation to the museum so this is tax deductable. Security/cleaning deposit required. Patrons get access to the museum beforehand and our wedding guests took advantage of this - they all said it was great.
  
  Our 57 passenger shuttle bus came in through the bus entrance from Farmington Avenue. Parking was fine.
  
  I would recommend the Hill-Stead to anyone.

  We used the Hill-Stead Museum for a wedding ceremony and it went very well. Not badly priced and we got the entire place to ourselves. We had the ceremony outside on the West Lawn with a 30 x 60 tent provided by Taylor Rental of Manchester. (Taylor Rental has provided tents to the Hill-Stead quite often, so this works well). The staff at the Hill-Stead was great and facilitated our securing insurance, and fire watch (required). We did not use the MakeShift theater due to its fire code limitations of 120 people and I recommend that those that want to use the MakeShift theater do so knowing that they will not exceed the 120 person capacity.
  
  The view from the West Lawn is great. Part of the fee for the use of the place is a donation to the museum so this is tax deductable. Security/cleaning deposit required. Patrons get access to the museum beforehand and our wedding guests took advantage of this - they all said it was great.
  
  Our 57 passenger shuttle bus came in through the bus entrance from Farmington Avenue. Parking was fine.
  
  I would recommend the Hill-Stead to anyone.

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