Interview focuses on the Hillwood Museum, donated to the Smithsonian by Marjorie Merriweather Post, including Ripley's relations with Mrs. Post from Palm Beach, her decorative arts collection from Russia in the 1930s, relationship of Secretary Carmichael and the Board of Regents with Mrs. Post, discussions of transfer of Hillwood to Smithsonian before Ripley arrived, role of Richard Howland with the museum and Marvin Ross as curator; focus of the museum as a window on how American aristocracy lived; James C. Bradley and Richard Ault concerns over high cost of maintaining the museum in accordance with Mrs. Post's gift; return of the museum to the Post family, including role of Mrs. Riggs; Ripley's memories of Mrs. Post's house at Saranac Lake, New York, and retention of her gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History, 1960-1980.

Object Details

Collection Creator:: Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon), 1913-2001, interviewee

See more items in: S. Dillon Ripley Oral History Interviews; S. Dillon Ripley Oral History Interviews / Interviews

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9591, S. Dillon Ripley Oral History Interviews

Collection Rights: Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.