Sustaining the Legacy

Established in 1985, The Foundation at Hearst Castle (formerly called Friends of Hearst Castle) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperating association affiliated with Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument® and the San Luis Obispo Coast District of California State Parks.

Through membership and fundraising, The Foundation supports educational, interpretive, and preservation programs for Hearst Castle and California State Parks. Through the Foundation, businesses, philanthropic organizations, and individuals can provide support and engagement with Hearst Castle.

We provide membership opportunities, educational programs, and special events with the goal of enhancing understanding and appreciation, thereby enriching the visitor experience.

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Expand Educational Programs

Illuminating and inspiring our next generation of visionaries and builders through science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

The Foundation strives to give California middle school students from underrepresented communities an inspirational environment in which they can imagine the opportunity to realize their own dreams through the knowledge of STEAM and first-hand experience of jobs associated with the curriculum. Hearst Castle provides such and environment.

Pioneering architect Julia Morgan—born January 20, 1872 in San Francisco, California, U.S. and died February 2, 1957—built Hearst Castle with the most advanced construction methods of her time. In spite of its Old World sensibility, the variety of disciplines required to construct this great treasure of California proves contemporary even in today’s world.

The goal of the Foundation is to enlighten and challenge each student to assess his or her strengths, and to open their eyes to new possibilities, opportunities, and careers.

The pilot program provides participating schools and organizations with tools to sharpen and refine each student’s unique aptitudes through the tangible applications of STEAM subjects, sparking interest and connection to Hearst Castle forever.

Learn more about STEAM education

Fund Full-Time Conservation Staff

The lack of a full-time conservation staff hinders a coherent strategy to address the critical and immediate restoration needs of Hearst Castle.

The Castle’s 25,000 works of fine and decorative art need attention so that they can continue to inspire, educate, and delight more than 700,000 visitors expected each year at Hearst Castle. The Foundation at Hearst Castle has undertaken a number of conservation projects since its inception to treat some of the most important works of art, such as the 15th-century ceiling from Barbastro (northeastern Spain) in the Billiard Room of Casa Grande to the massive restoration and completion of the iconic Neptune Pool.

The collections have been enjoyed by millions of visitors, who have marveled at their beauty and historical importance; however, many of these works of art need extensive conservation so their original significance will continue to be appreciated. A major challenge is that all conservators for Hearst Castle’s collection work on contracts. Given San Simeon’s remote location, the cost of lodging and other associated expenses escalate the cost of each treatment. Consequently, planning and prioritizing the work depends more on which conservator is available, instead of what the Museum Director deems most important.

The Foundation at Hearst Castle and California State Parks believe that full-time conservators would provide Hearst Castle with more stable programming and long-term talent. Much like artists-in-residence, the conservators would provide year-round service to the Castle, assist with training technical staff and guides, and encourage local students to consider careers in conservation.

The museum would benefit from a team of full-time conservators, working continuously, to allow long-term planning, increase the efficiency of work, and achieve greater efficacy of funds provided by donors and partners, thereby ensuring the completion of treatments in a timely and consistent way.