Fallingwater Reopens for 57th Tour Season March 7
Mill Run, Pa. – March 5, 2020 – Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List last year, will reopen for the 57th tour season on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Since opening to the public for its first house tour in 1964, Fallingwater has welcomed a diverse range of visitors from around the world.
Fallingwater, designed by Wright in 1935, is open to the public as a house museum and is also designated as a National Historic Landmark and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Treasure.
To tour Fallingwater, advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged to schedule your tour. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Fallingwater.org or call visitor services at 724-329-8501.
Traditional and Specialty Tours
Fallingwater's traditional hour-long guided house tours provide visitors with insights into Wright's architecture and design philosophy while providing opportunities to view the major rooms of the house. Tours are offered daily – except on Wednesdays – from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Dec. 1, 2020.
A variety of specialty tours are also offered, including the two-hour In-Depth Tour, during which photography for personal use is permitted. Starting in May, Fallingwater offers Focus, Brunch, Kaufmann Collection and Sunset tours that include a light meal on a private terrace at Fallingwater.
Along with guided house tours, Fallingwater visitors have additional opportunities to learn about Fallingwater's history and collections through a temporary exhibition in the visitor center's Speyer Gallery.
Opening April 1, the 2020 exhibition will examine Frank Lloyd Wright's influence on modern architecture and the development of architects through his exhibitions, publications, teachings and, of course, his buildings. The exhibition will also highlight the 20-year process to consider, create and write the dossier for the World Heritage serial nomination, The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. In July 2019, Fallingwater and seven other Wright-designed buildings were inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List, representing the first modern architecture designations in the United States.
The Fallingwater Institute
A variety of residencies, workshops and classes are available to high school and college students, teachers, design professionals and other professional learners through the Fallingwater Institute. Participants gain a deeper knowledge, understanding and analysis of Fallingwater and Frank Lloyd Wright's ideas of organic architecture by exploring sustainable design practices through hands-on exercises and immersive experiences. Working independently and as teams, participants are challenged to think creatively to solve design challenges.
Fallingwater Institute programs are held at various times throughout the year at Fallingwater, which provides a stimulating setting for learning and collaborating. Advance registration is required and more information is available at Fallingwater.org or by contacting Marie Woof, Fallingwater Institute program manager, at mwoof@paconserve.org.
Fayette County Appreciation Days
Fallingwater will again offer free admission to Fayette County residents during three Fayette County Appreciation Days in 2020. The appreciation days will be held on March 15, November 15 and December 5.
Each year, more than 1,000 Fayette County residents visit Fallingwater during Fayette County Appreciation Days. Fallingwater is located in the Laurel Highlands in Mill Run, Pa., Fayette County. County residents had an important role in Fallingwater's history and remain actively involved as staff or volunteers in its ongoing preservation, interpretation and stewardship.
Advance reservations for tours are essential to guarantee admission. Tours are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents are encouraged to call 724-329-8501 for information and reservations. Funding for December's appreciation day is generously provided by the Jack Buncher Foundation.
Fallingwater is also accepting applications for volunteer opportunities for the 2020 season. Residents from nearby communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Fallingwater volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of two days per month from May through October.
Interested volunteers may apply by contacting Ann Talarek, volunteer coordinator, at 724-329-7827 or atalarek@paconserve.org and are encouraged to apply by mid-April.
Wright at Polymath Park
Fallingwater also takes tour reservations for Wright at Polymath Park, a collection of two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses and two from Peter Berndtson, a Wright apprentice. These homes, while not owned or operated by Fallingwater, provide examples of Wright's Usonian-style architecture and his visionary design techniques. Polymath Park is located in Acme, Pa., which is approximately 22 miles from Fallingwater.
Tour tickets and more information for Fallingwater and Wright at Polymath Park are available at Fallingwater.org or by calling visitor services at 724-329-8501.
About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Fallingwater:
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater, which was donated to WPC in 1963 and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region's cities and towns through 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of about 11,000 volunteers. The work of the Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 9,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.
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Clinton Piper
Senior Administrator of Special Projects, Fallingwater
cpiper@paconserve.org
Carmen Bray
Director of Communications, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
cbray@paconserve.org