World Heritage Nominee, Fallingwater Opens for 2015 Season

Internationally acclaimed and an official U.S. nominee to the United States to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater will officially reopen for its regular 2015 tour season hours on Saturday, March 14.

“One of the characteristics of a great work of art is that its power is often revealed slowly; each encounter offers the opportunity to discover something new or unexpected and know it better,” said Lynda Waggoner, vice president of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and director of Fallingwater. “This is especially true of Fallingwater where the experience of the house is closely tied to nature – the seasons, time of day, even the weather. However, one thing is always certain: Fallingwater never disappoints.”

Tours
Fallingwater Guided House Tours are offered daily – except Wednesdays – from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Thanksgiving weekend.

Visitors may participate in special tours, such as the In-Depth tour, which provides a detailed view of the house. This two-hour tour offers access to secondary spaces not available on the regular tour. The number of visitors on this tour is limited and interior still photography is permitted for personal use only.

The Focus Tour offers groups of up to six people a private extended tour led by a senior staff member. The visit begins with a walk down the original drive to the house and ends with a private luncheon prepared by Fallingwater’s on-site chef. Interior still photography is permitted for personal use only.

A Brunch Tour is available on most Saturdays and Sundays from May through September. On this tour, participants spend nearly two hours in the house with an experienced guide, followed by brunch on Fallingwater’s covered terrace as Bear Run flows beneath the house.

Tickets and Reservations
Advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. For more information or to purchase Fallingwater tour tickets, visit Fallingwater.org or call Visitor Services at 724-329-8501. Visitor Services can offer more information about various tours’ age restrictions.

Student Education
This summer Fallingwater will offer four new creative writing and career exploration programs for local students. The summer series, called “Expressions and Explorations,” features activities led by Fallingwater educators working in collaboration with professional writers, artists, preservationists and museum professionals, on-site at Fallingwater.

In the first three workshops of the series, fourth, fifth and ninth-grade students can join three workshops dedicated to writing poetry, composing short stories or creating graphic novels. These workshops will meet twice over two consecutive weeks for half a day beginning July 7th, culminating in a portfolio of written and visual artwork. During the first week of August, tenth and eleventh-grade students can join the weeklong job shadowing and apprenticeship workshop, which is dedicated to career exploration.

For more information regarding admission, cost and scheduling, please contact Amy Humbert, education programs coordinator, at 724-329-7829.

Volunteering
Fallingwater is also accepting applications for volunteer opportunities for the 2015 season. Residents from nearby communities such as Chalk Hill, Connellsville, Farmington, Mill Run, Normalville, Ohiopyle and Uniontown are strongly encouraged to apply. Fallingwater volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of two days per month from May through October.

Interested volunteers may apply by contacting the Volunteer Coordinator at 724-329-7826 and are encouraged to apply by mid-April.

Lectures and Book Signings
Fallingwater visitors may register to attend lectures and book signings presented by architectural experts and authors. Details about these periodic special events will be posted on Fallingwater.org.

Directions
Fallingwater is located in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands about 90 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. The house is located along PA Route 381 between the villages of Mill Run and Ohiopyle. It is approximately 19 miles south of the Donegal exit (Exit #91) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) or 10 miles north of US Route 40. For more information, visit Fallingwater.org.

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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region’s quality of life by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish ten state parks, conserved more than 235,000 acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 1,500 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Fallingwater, which symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 130 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of about 12,500 volunteers. The work of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is accomplished through the support of nearly 10,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org.

Media contact:
Kristen Blevins
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
412-586-2328 (office)
kblevins@paconserve.org