Wander the wooded paths and discover the surprise of a Russian country house amid this classic American estate.

Marjorie Merriweather Post was charmed by the Russian country houses she saw and visited during her time in Moscow in the 1930s and built a version of one at Hillwood to perfectly suit a portion of her Russian collection. Built in 1969 during the Cold War, the dacha represents a nostalgic view of Russian culture. Featuring some architectural elements of authentic Russian dachas, such as the whole-log construction and the intricate carvings, other details are American adaptations of Russian motifs—like the multiple bright colors or the onion-shaped domes on the roof, which are typical of Russian churches but not rustic homes.

The dacha originally housed the Russian nineteenth- and twentieth-century decorative arts collection that Madame Frances Rosso, the American wife of the Italian ambassador to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, gave to Marjorie Post in the 1960s. Today, the space allows visitors to enjoy an immersive Hillwood experience by hosting special exhibitions.