Restoring Filoli's Historic Ballroom

Our favorite Director of Museum Collections & Curator Kevin Wisney walks us through the restoration process of the historic Ballroom.

The historic grand Ballroom at Filoli has hosted actors, singers, musicians, and even a sitting President of the United States. Agnes Bourn referred to the room as the “Music Room” and often relaxed there in an armchair listening to a phonograph. Lurline Roth hosted lush, elegant parties that went down in history. Weddings, cotillions, celebrations of life, and dinners of all sorts have graced the Ballroom’s floor.

Last year, the floors were restored to a rich tonal finish that highlights their elegant pattern – but it was clear that the Ballroom needed a comprehensive makeover. The wall color seemed off. The wooden baseboards looked like an afterthought. The gilt was glorious on the upper portion, but dingy and dull on the lower. And the canvases of Muckross by Ernest Peixotto were in dire need of cleaning.

What a tremendous amount of history has happened in that magnificent room! Join us on a room tour and see what awaits in September 2024!

Thank you to our local Bay Area partners:
Architectural Resource Group (ARG): argcreate.com
Absolute Flooring: absolutefloors.com
Matthew Shields Lighting: mshieldsltd.com/about_us
Meiswinkle Plaster: rfjmeiswinkel.com
Foley Electric: foleyelectric.com
Rossi Painting: rossipainting.com
Preservation Arts: preservation-arts.com