Bearing a secondary relationship to the site’s main house—a National Historic Landmark built by Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence—the new Morven Museum & Garden interpretive center has a welcoming character and strong relationship to the surrounding gardens. The design breaks down the center’s massing into connecting parts with varying heights related to the site’s existing outbuildings, while maintaining a maximum building height to further minimize the impact on the site.
Entering through the garden gate, visitors follow a path to the building in a gracious sequence that allows for views of the main house and gardens. A clear and welcoming destination, the new center houses all practical necessities, allowing the main house to be used purely as a museum and preserving the site’s most important element.
