Maryhill Museum of Art

Image of Maryhill Museum from a bridge with two light poles on both sides

The Maryhill Museum of Art is located in a historic mansion overlooking the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. The building was designed by Washington, D.C.-based architectural firm Hornblower & Marshall and first opened to the public in 1940.

ARG provided recommendations for the repair of deteriorating exterior concrete and stucco walls. Conservators conducted a condition assessment of the walls, collected samples of historic stucco, and reviewed original architectural drawings and specifications, in order to identify appropriate materials and methods for repairing historic stucco, concrete walls, and the balustrade.

What You May Not Know

The Maryhill Museum of Art was originally intended to be a rural estate for its founder, eccentric businessman Samuel Hill. Construction began in 1914 but progressed slowly due to the remote location and Hill’s business failings.

The building features two large, paved ramps leading up to building entrances at the second floor level; Hill was an early car aficionado, and the ramps were designed to serve as part of a garage and porte-cochere structure.

Photography by Robert Reynolds

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