Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens Strategic Plan 2026-2030

The current strategic plan focuses on three major areas: managing success; relevance; and environmental sustainability. The entire plan is informed by a commitment to social sustainability, defined as maintaining a respectful, equitable, and legally compliant workplace. Our efforts related to diversity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability focus on meeting all applicable federal laws and regulations, ensuring that we uphold a fair and accountable organizational culture.

Goal 1: Managing Success

Manage infrastructure, communications, staffing, and technology in a way that continues to welcome a growing audience that reflects our community. 

As a result of having adopted a three-pronged business strategy of engaging and relevant special exhibitions, exciting and diverse public programs, and effective communications, Hillwood has received increasing numbers of visitors over the past fifteen years, intentionally growing visitation from under 50,000 to over 100,000. We have made many infrastructure improvements over that period, adding spaces to accommodate more programs and people. 

In this plan, we concentrate on thoughtfully supporting that growth while maintaining our important emphasis on a culture of welcome. 

• Continue to refine and expand spaces for visitors to interact with the collections and gather, beginning with an exploration of an enlarged second floor gallery in the mansion and continuing with other spaces throughout the campus
• Investigate possibilities for visitors to experience more of the outdoors, including a pathway through the woodlands and more pedestrian walkways
• Focus staff management efforts on workforce planning, talent pipelines, professional development, wellness, and cross-functional knowledge sharing
• Concentrate finance on automation, comprehensive financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management, enhancing financial reporting and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and requirements
• Build and strengthen Hillwood's sustainable donor base through cultivation and identification of new prospects, increasing contributed revenue annually, supporting general operations and capital projects, and maintaining public charity status
• Continue the strategic, integrated communications program that promotes all aspects of Hillwood, while managing growing attendance by communicating that Hillwood is dynamic, engaging, and welcoming to all at all different times, days, and seasons
• For technology management, ensure the network infrastructure can sufficiently sustain the needs of the staff to fulfill Hillwood's mission

Goal 2: Relevance

Honor Hillwood's legacy while continually reimaging our role in the community, creating an inclusive environment where all guests, staff, and volunteers feel a sense of welcome and belonging. 

• Continue to develop Hillwood's exhibition, mansion displays, and publication plans with a variety of contemporary, outdoor, and scholarly projects appealing to our diverse audiences
• Deliver best practices in the care of the mansion, exhibition spaces, collections, archives, and special collections to preserve Marjorie Post's legacy for future generations
• Continue to maintain the gardens, greenhouse, woodlands, and hardscape using sustainable, best practices to retain the spirit of Marjorie Post's original intent while delighting visitors
• Hillwood's strong social media and digital presence will share the Hillwood experience and connect with the community
• Continue to deliver high-quality public interpretive programs and learning resources virtually and onsite that draw on the museum's content, so diverse audiences can make inspiring and relevant personal connections to deepen their engagement with the museum, expanding partnerships in various ways across campus, from curatorial and interpretation programs to offerings in the museum shop
• Champion accessibility and inclusion through comprehensive strategy and implementation

Goal 3: Environmental Sustainability

Advance sustainable practices that inspire, educate, and contribute to the reversal of nature decline.

Our efforts in environmental sustainability reach across the campus and are highlighted by the Hillwood Environmental Action Team (HEAT), a cross-divisional group who establish yearly internal priorities and action items. We will implement a two-pronged strategic approach to 1) evaluate and source all materials brought onto campus, reducing environmental impact, promoting resource efficiency, and supporting responsible supply chains, and 2) develop and implement a comprehensive end-of-life material management strategy that maximizes resource recovery and minimizes environmental impact

• Explore the impact and costs of replacing the windows in the mansion to provide better thermal insulation while balancing historic aesthetics with the safety of the collection
• Continue to maintain all collections and workspaces within accepted guidelines for temperature and humidity
• Work with Constellation Culinary and event vendors to implement measurable practices to ensure the cafe and events are environmentally responsible and support biodiversity 
• To foster a culture of environmental stewardship, train staff and volunteers, driving behavioral changes that result in measurable waste reduction outcomes, allowing them to model conduct that inspires visitors to adopt more sustainable practices
• Be a supportive and knowledgeable voice on sustainability initiatives