Behind the Scenes: Winter work at the Ellwood House

Ellwood House employee preparing a historic item for display

Why does the Ellwood House close for two months of the year? During this period, we work on various projects we may not have time to devote to during the touring season. These projects may also include developing and building new exhibits, minor renovations and updates to buildings, and cleaning. 

Closing for a small portion of the year allows staff to research and build future exhibits.There are hours of research that go into even the smallest exhibits on display. Research includes not only understanding an object’s importance and role within the Ellwood family, but also its greater historical context and the state of the world during its period in history. Exhibit development also requires the building and transport of stands, shelves, and other materials to properly display and protect historic items, plus scanning and printing any documents or text to further describe their importance. 

Automatic door push buttons in the Ellwood House Visitor Center

Small, multi-day updates and renovations are common projects for this season as well. This year, we were able to have ADA automatic doors installed in the Visitor Center in mid-December. Last year, we had new carpets installed in one of the galleries, mezzanine, stairs and offices of the Visitor Center. 

We also take this opportunity to do a lot of cleaning! Cleaning includes taking down and storing holiday decorations, deep cleaning rooms and hallways, and switching out historic items in some rooms as necessary. We also typically host a volunteer cleaning day prior to opening. This opportunity offers our volunteers the unique experience to get up close and personal with some of our historic items and learn proper techniques for maintaining and caring for these historic items and spaces. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, feel free to contact king@ellwoodhouse.org for more information!