The 250th anniversary of the completion of the construction of Mount Pleasant in 2015 turned out not to be auspicious. Previously open for tours the entire year, these days Mount Pleasant closes in January and reopens for tours of the interiors April 1st. This year that will not happen. According to the Philadelphia Museum of Art website Mount Pleasant will be closed for the foreseeable future with no planned date for a reopening. A systems failure in December will need to be assessed and a plan for repair determined. This spring, it will still be worthwhile to visit the site if you are in the area. There is much to think about and discover walking the site, too often we move into the house without contemplating the exteriors of the buildings and their placement in the landscape. Thomas Nevell left nothing to chance and the structures and their relationships to each other are well supplied with subtle hierarchies. Historic houses nearby will be open for tours, Lemon Hill, Laurel Hill, Woodford so you can make a day of it.
Because of the closing I will begin uploading my images that document the exteriors and interiors of Mount Pleasant made 2009-2010 when Mount Pleasant was largely unfurnished. In a nod the current weather conditions, a few images made during the last “storm of the century”.
And better days.
In Proportion to the Trouble 
sad r
Yes r, and you can just imagine the miracle it will take. Good to hear from you.
Chris
Interesting perspectives of the buildings and clever [Photoshop] rendition to the antique print.
Right, playing with Photoshop when I used to have time to do that. Thanks,
Chris
Any detail as to why? You allude to something major, but I wasn’t able to find any good news source about it.
There hasn’t been an official announcement made, just the fact that it is closed without an opening date set. The current HVAC system was installed in 1975 and has been difficult to maintain in recent years. The process for determining the best way to proceed is under way.
I have waited for years to come see Mount Pleasant and now it’s closed. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am. We planned to drive from New Hampshire to see it. Greatly saddened. At age 71, not sure I’ll be around when the place opens up again.
I wrote this post in 2016. It is unconscionable that Mount Pleasant is still closed after seven years. There is no good reason for this except the Philadelphia Museum of Art are not good stewards of the property. Is there a budget to take care of and maintain Mount Pleasant? Doubtful, or it would have reopened in the second year of the pandemic as every other historic site in Philadelphia did. Other historic sites are administered by non-profits that work hard to nurture and sustain the public’s interest. Unfortunately this is not the case at Mount Pleasant. Museum resources are limited and many voices contest for those resources. Without an advocate, there is no saying when Mount Pleasant will open for visitation.
You have every right to be disappointed. It is a monument to the artists that created it and a great loss for Philadelphia and architectural aficionados that it has been closed to the public for over seven years.
There are many other historic sites to visit here, including several houses quite nearby. If you are in the area, it is worth going to Mount Pleasant to at least walk around get a sense of its scale and see and feel how it sits in the environment. It is stupendous.