Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage Awarded $262,000 Grant from National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded $262,572 to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage as part of its CARES Act Grant. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NEH CARES Act was launched to support essential operations at more than 300 cultural institutions across the country.

“We are grateful to NEH for this grant to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, to the U.S. Congress for making this funding available, and their support for our programs,” said Howard J. Kittell, President and CEO of the Andrew Jackson Foundation. “As has been the case with many historic locations, we have been closed for the past three months due to COVID-19, and our visitor revenue was nonexistent. We are grateful to begin welcoming guests back on the grounds to learn more about our nation’s history.”

With the grant funds, The Hermitage will be able to continue implementing its three-phased reopening approach with proper health and safety guidelines as recommended by the CDC. Additionally, the grant will help The Hermitage digitize its historic records of photographs and postcards into an online catalog for the public. The grant will also allow The Hermitage to research and develop new interpretive tours, including a seasonal garden tour expected to launch this summer.

As part of its phased reopening, The Hermitage is now offering the In Their Footsteps tour, a VIP tour of the mansion, and a Grounds Pass. The 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark will remain open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 4 p.m. Social distancing measures, including caps on the number of guests per tour, will remain in place. Guests will be required to wear masks.