Over 1,000 Pieces of History.

Dumbarton House Museum’s collection of more than 1,000 pieces includes furniture, paintings, textiles, silver, and ceramics primarily from the Federal period, 1789 to 1825. In addition, the museum houses a manuscript and document collection including journals, account books, and letters that together document nearly 300 years of Nourse family life.

In the early years of the new nation, the idealized classical ages of Greece and Rome provided inspiration in forging the identity of the American Republic. This neoclassical influence manifested itself in the style of Federal period buildings and furnishings, as seen in the design of Dumbarton House and its collection.

Our collection is maintained online by the NSCDA’s Portal to Historic Collections.

Explore our Collections from the comfort of your home.

Our collections are all available online! Explore material culture from the colonial era or glean insights from a journal from more than two-hundred years ago.