Located 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli is an historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century. Whether enjoying its beauty or pursuing its educational opportunities, we invite you to explore this cherished community resource.

Designed by Willis Polk and noted for its elegant interiors, the House is an interpretive museum exhibit for an extensive collection of 17th and 18th century English antiques. Special rooms of interest include the Butler's Pantry and Kitchen with the walk-in safe, the wood paneled library and the 1925 Ernest Peixotto paintings in the Ballroom

Exquisitely beautiful and ever-changing, the gardens of Filoli offer visitors the chance to learn about the estate's renowned horticulture practices or to simply enjoy the serenity for which they were designed.

The Filoli Libraries and Florilegium provide valuable resources for the study of horticulture, botany, the arts, local history and more. We are proud to make our collections available to the community.

The Filoli Nature Preserve occupies most of the acreage beyond the House, Garden, orchard and parking area. It is an outstanding area for nature education, offering a variety of ecosystems within a compact area including mixed forests, redwood stands, chaparral, riparian, pond and cultivated grasslands.

Filoli offers a wonderful array of special events and exhibits throughout the year, including our traditional Mother's Day Flower Show, Jazz at Filoli (six Sunday afternoon concerts), Holiday Traditions and our always popular monthly Afternoon Tea at Filoli.

Additionally, the Gallery at Filoli will present an interesting series of art and decorative art exhibits in 2011. Mark your calendar and plan your visits.

Experience this lovely tradition in the relaxing and gracious ambiance of Filoli. Enjoy delicious sandwiches, seasonal salads, scones with fresh lemon curd and pastries presented on linen tablecloths. Tea is served in our beautiful collection of china teacups, donated through the years by Filoli members and volunteers.

Our Mission: Filoli is dedicated to the preservation, interpretation and stewardship of the cultural traditions and natural history of this country estate for public education and enjoyment

Filoli was built for Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn, prominent San Franciscans whose chief source of wealth was the Empire Mine, a hard-rock gold mine in Grass Valley, California. Mr. Bourn was also owner and president of the Spring Valley Water Company whose property comprised Crystal Springs Lake and the surrounding lands, areas that are now part of the San Francisco Water Department. He selected the southern end of Crystal Springs Lake as the site for his estate

Construction of Filoli began in 1915 and the Bourns moved into the House in 1917. Bruce Porter, a talented painter, sculptor, muralist, landscape designer and art critic was enlisted to help the Bourns plan the layout of the extensive formal garden that was built between 1917 and 1929. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bourn died in 1936.

A prime example of the California eclectic style, Filoli provides an inspiring vision of a new Eden, with bountiful land, plentiful resources and an emphasis on self-sufficiency. Built more than sixty years after the California Gold Rush that inspired massive migration to Northern California, and ten years after the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco, Filoli represented a desire to create a magnificent and enduring country estate.