Winter Preservation Work: Dec. 7, 2023 – March 15, 2024
Mill Run, Pa. — December 7, 2023 — As we all know, every house needs a little upkeep from time to time. Fallingwater, being no exception, is getting some much-needed repairs over the winter. This work is part of a larger three-year project, called World Heritage Preserved, which is our most comprehensive restoration effort in the past 20 years to preserve this remarkable work of 20th-century architecture for generations to come. It’s a unique time to visit to see preservation in action and explore how we’re advancing this complex and important conservation work.
Currently, our preservation team is undertaking masonry and waterproofing work on areas of Fallingwater’s Main House and Guest House, and they have constructed temporary enclosures to create appropriate working conditions during the cold weather.
When you visit this winter, you’ll see this preservation work in action. The temporary enclosures will be located over the east terrace of the Main House and on the roof of the Guest House. Constructed of metal scaffolding, light wood framing, plastic sheeting and plywood, these temporary structures allow us to maintain the necessary temperature, protect the work areas and help to keep construction debris and dust contained. To ensure your safety and to protect the preservation team, access to the East Terrace and Pottery Terrace of the Main House will be closed while we complete this work.
While we’re making every effort to limit the impact of the construction on your visit to Fallingwater, you’ll experience a change to the house’s appearance in certain areas and hear intermittent construction noises throughout the landscape when you visit.
While this work is underway, Fallingwater and its grounds will remain open for Grounds Passes through Dec. 31 and for interior tours during weekends in December and the last week of the year. You can visit Fallingwater during a Winter Walk starting Jan. 2-March 15. Although there will be some visual and audible impacts, we still encourage you to visit, as it’s a unique chance to see and learn about how we protect Wright’s masterwork of organic architecture.
We’ll reopen for the 2024 tour season on March 16. For more information and updates on this preservation project and to see preservation in action, visit our preservation blog, call 724-329-8501 or email fallingwater@paconserve.org with your questions or concerns.
Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time. And special thanks to grant funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, Governor Josh Shapiro, and several foundations, along with the generosity of many Fallingwater members, for making this work possible.
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About Fallingwater
Fallingwater is a house designed in 1935 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) for the Kaufmann family, owners of Pittsburgh’s largest department store. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater is one of his most widely acclaimed works and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature. Owned and operated by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy since 1963, Fallingwater is open to the public to tour and is surrounded by the Bear Run Nature Reserve’s 5,100 acres of natural land, streams, and trails. On July 10, 2019, Fallingwater and seven other Frank Lloyd Wright-designed properties were inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List as “The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.” In addition, Fallingwater is designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service and a Commonwealth Treasure by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. For more information, visit Fallingwater.org. Join the conversation with Fallingwater on Facebook or Instagram.