The Gardens
In 1920, after a long and careful search, Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss found their ideal country house and garden within Washington, DC. They purchased a fifty-three-acre property, described as an old-fashioned house standing in rather neglected grounds,
at the highest point of Georgetown. Within a year the Blisses hired landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand to design the gardens. Working in happy and close collaboration for almost thirty years, Mildred Bliss and Beatrix Farrand planned every garden detail, each terrace, bench, urn, and border.
Since that time, other architects working with Mildred Bliss, most notably Ruth Havey and Alden Hopkins, changed certain elements of the Farrand design. The gardens have also changed in function. In 1940, Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss gave the upper sixteen acres to Harvard University to establish a research institute for Byzantine studies, Pre-Columbian studies, and studies in the history of gardens and landscape architecture. They gave the lower, more naturalistic twenty-seven acres to the United States government to be made into a public park. An additional ten acres was sold to build the Danish Embassy.
In 1941, anticipating the inevitable changes that would accompany the gardens' different function, Farrand began to write a Plant Book, to define her design intentions and suggest appropriate maintenance practices. Her suggestions for stewardship still prove useful today, more than sixty years later.
Further Information
Hours & Admission
The Museum and Gardens will be open on Friday, July 3rd, and closed Saturday, July 4th.
The gardens are closed during inclement weather and federal holidays. Gates are locked at closing time.
Regular Season
From March 15th to October 31st, the gardens are open daily, except Mondays, from 2–6 p.m.
$8.00 general admission;
$5.00 seniors (ages 60 +), students, and children (ages 2–12);
Free admission for Harvard students, faculty, & staff.
Garden season passes are also available. Please return the season pass order form by mail. For more information, please send us an email.
Admission may be paid for with cash, debit card, or any major credit card.
Winter Season
From November 1st to March 14th, the gardens are open daily, except Mondays, from 2–5 p.m.
Admission is free.
Please note:
- The facilities are not available for the activities of outside groups or individuals.
- Commercial photography is not allowed.
- Pets are not permitted in the gardens.
- Prices, open hours, and holiday closings are subject to change without notice.
- The spring season (March–May) and fall season (Sep–Oct) are our busiest months. Dumbarton Oaks does not cap admission but visitors should expect lines on the weekends, especially at 2 pm. Please plan accordingly.
Accessibility
The hillside gardens may present challenges for some visitors. For information on accessibility, please call 202-339-6410 during business hours.
Additional information
Call 202-339-6401 or send us an email.
Directions
Metrobus routes 30, 32, 34, 36, D2, D4, M12 come within two blocks of the garden entrance. On-street parking is available for up to two hours on weekdays and is unlimited on Sundays.
See details…
Docent Tours
Guided tours for the gardens are available and must be arranged in advance. See details…