California State Parks strives to preserve and protect valuable cultural resources throughout the state—which includes both the historic structures and the priceless art collections within this historic Californian estate.
Hearst Castle Art Treasures
The curatorial staff works with expert conservators to preserve countless works of art, by using state-of-the-art methods and meticulous attention to detail. In addition to state funds, both Friends of Hearst Castle and Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation help protect Mr. Hearst’s vast art collection.
Historical Structures
From tile mosaics in the Roman Pool to the tile roof of Casa Grande, Hearst Castle’s Historic Services Department is preserving the historic structures of this legendary Hilltop estate for years to come, while conforming to the National Park Service’s “Standards for Rehabilitation.”
Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation
See how the The Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation is helping to preserve and restore the Castle’s twenty five thousand artifacts, and discover how you can get involved, too.
More about Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation »
Hearst Castle currently has several projects under restoration, which you will see on your tour of The Enchanted Hill:
Restoration of the Doge’s Balcony Ceiling
Doge’s Balcony ceiling was created by Hearst-era craftsmen as part of the Doge’s Suite – two bedrooms and two bathrooms that flank a central sitting room. Located on the mezzanine level of the mansion between Casa Grande’s first and second floors, the suite was completed in 1926. As part of an exterior balcony exposed to the elements, the ceiling suffered damage over time. Hearst Castle’s Historic Restoration staff removed it and restored damaged elements using techniques [...]
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Door in Gothic Suite
The Gothic Suite of Casa Grande showcases beautiful ceilings. Visitors on the Upstairs Suites Tour will enjoy the 14th Century ceiling in Mr. Hearst’s bedroom with its panels of medieval figures. Originally in the “House of Jews” at Teruel in the province of Aragon, Spain, the ceiling, frieze, and doors have benefited from the skill of conservators. The elaborate door required mold fabrication to replace deteriorated and missing parts. Painstaking analysis determined the colors to be [...]
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1930s Greenhouse
One of the restoration projects was the rehabilitation of the historic estate’s two 1930s greenhouse structures. These Lord & Burnham steel “kits” were shipped from New York to San Simeon for the purpose of propagating plantings for Hearst’s formal gardens. Greenhouse “B” was completely disassembled and steel frames accurately repositioned, while staff laboriously restored the bald cypress siding. This restoration project provided an impressive addition to the historic structures at the monument.
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Neptune Pool Restoration Project
Originally constructed in the 1920s, the Neptune Pool was designed and enlarged twice by William Randolph Hearst and the architect Julia Morgan into the pool that is seen on tour today. The Neptune Pool is composed of beautiful marble and serpentine tiles, antique elements and fine art. The Neptune Pool was drained in order to perform maintenance projects on the plumbing and the tilework, as well as conservation work on the marble statuary. The historic maintenance and curatorial staff and [...]
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