A new exhibit entitled, Tropical Luxuriance: The Mansion’s Conservatory, 1868 to 1880 will open on April 8, 2015 at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT. This Gilded Age Conservatory, with its ribbed half glass dome and Minton tiles, is a great example of early domestic conservatory architecture in the United States. Accessed directly from the Library, this small yet distinctive glass room has been brought to life with a rich installation of silk plants designed by Danna DiElsi of the Silk Touch, and pots and furnishings of the era.

The Conservatory provides a glimpse into the beauty and diversity of, and passion for, the plant world as seen through the vision of the original owners of the Mansion. Visitors can also take guided tours that showcase the decorative botanical details of architect Detlef Lienau’s original mansion design and view displays of selected artifacts throughout the museum from LMMM collections of–dresses, fashion accessories, silver, ceramics, books and more– with motifs inspired by flora and fauna.

The refurbishing of the Conservatory was made possible in part by the Norwalk Historical Commission and the City of Norwalk. The Conservatory exhibit curated by Kathie Bennewitz is sponsored in part by Paul and Hadley Veeder and the LMMM Foundation. The Conservatory exhibit opens on April 8th and runs through January 6th. General Admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6, 8-18.

The Museum’s 2015 cultural and educational programs are made possible in part by generous funding from LMMM’s Founding Patrons: The Estate of Mrs. Cynthia Clark Brown, and the Museum’s Distinguished Benefactors: Klaff’s, Xerox Foundation, and The Maurice Goodman Foundation.