Vision

Victoria Mansion is considered one of the most important historic house museums in the nation. The building, designed by Henry Austin, is one of the greatest examples of pre-Civil War architecture. The interiors by Gustave Herter are unmatched for their quality and completeness and also include the last surviving decoratively painted interiors by Italian artist Giuseppe Guidicini. Among the finest designs created in mid-nineteenth century America, the building and its interiors are without parallel. We intend to harness its enormous potential to create powerful and perspective-changing encounters with the past. It is a museum of architecture, decorative art, and social history, providing endless points of departure for exploring the significance of the past and its bearing on the present. As we devote ongoing energy and resources to the renewal of the physical building, we must also return to the well of inspiration for constructing fresh and meaningful insights into America’s past.

Goals

1. 1.Victoria Mansion will continue to broadly expand knowledge of the Mansion while furthering its stature as a premier example of American design prior to the Civil War. We are working hard to augment our interpretation of the house to include the broader social historical context of the time and seek to depict the Mansion as an expression of the full story of American history in all its complexity.
2. 2.Victoria Mansion will create a stronger Board, with deeper connections to the community that results in more effective leadership and enhanced community connections. The goal is to create a Board with greater diversity and vitality, deeper roots in the community, a broader range of backgrounds and expertise, and increased strength in fundraising.
3. 3.Victoria Mansion will proactively review its people and talent policies to achieve appropriate staffing levels while remaining an attractive place to work. Professional development and retention will become critically important as we seek to undertake complex, long-term projects requiring specialized expertise while continuing to provide a top-notch visitor experience for our guests.