Extensive, external conservation to begin at Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion

Beginning Sept. 6, 2022 and continuing until Dec. 31, 2022, conservationists and tradesmen will conduct preservation work on the exterior of Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion.

As a part of the project, preservationists will erect scaffolding around the Mansion to enable the application of a lime wash to the stucco exterior; the painting of shutters and trim; and other exterior conservation work. Mansion staff expect to continue offering tours and conducting programming without interruption. Any disruption to regular operations, should they occur, will be posted on the Mansion’s social media and website.

Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion with scaffolding erected ahead of conservation work.
Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion with scaffolding erected ahead of conservation work.

“All programming will continue, as the interior will not be affected,” said Matt Davis, director of Historic Museums. “We invite the public to view the work as we complete it, and we thank the university administration for their support of this project and their ongoing support of the work of Historic Museums.”

The Mansion’s exterior façade is a lime-based stucco, applied in a manner that creates the illusion of masonry. 70% of the façade is original to the building’s completion in 1839. Every 10 years, weathering contributes to an overall fading and streaky, variable vibrance.

The museum invites all members of the public to witness conservation in action as preservationists work to complete this project. Staff at the museum will answer any and all questions during their tours.

Holiday tours will occur as scheduled, though some exterior displays may be limited this year due to the project.

Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion is open to the public for guided tours, and is fully ADA accessible with elevator access to all levels of the house.

Tours begin on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays. The last tour of the day begins at 4 p.m. The mansion is closed Mondays, holidays, the week before Thanksgiving and the week after Christmas.

Additional information can be found at https://www.gcsu.edu/mansion/tours.