Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum

A slice of Italy perched on a bluff above of Lake Michigan, Villa Terrace was originally the home of Lloyd Smith, leader of A.O. Smith Corporation, and his family. Designed and built in 1923 by architect David Adler, the home truly is an Italian Renaissance-style villa, complete with acres of formal gardens over looking the (sometimes) blue waters of the lake.

Today, Villa Terrace features fine and decorative arts dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries, wrought-iron masterpieces by Cyril Colnik, and a formal garden. Changing exhibitions emphasize the Villa’s architecture, plus craft, decorative arts, and design by both Wisconsin and non-Wisconsin artists, and drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture by artists with architectural, decorative arts, European and garden-themed subject matter.