Since 1808, visitors have admired the grand Federal townhouse of Charleston merchant Nathaniel Russell. Set amid spacious formal gardens, the house is a National Historic Landmark and is widely recognized as one of America’s most important neoclassical dwellings. The interior with elaborate plasterwork ornamentation, geometric rooms, and a magnificent, three-story, free-flying staircase is among the most exuberant ever created in early America. Located in the heart of Charleston's Old and Historic District, the house is furnished with period antiques and works of art that evoke the lifestyle of the city’s early 19th-century merchant elite. The 18 enslaved Africans that lived on and maintained the property during the Russell occupancy are an integral part of the history of this one-of-a-kind house. Restored to its original splendor using forensic analysis and cutting-edge conservation technology by our curatorial staff, we ensure the highest standards of old-world expertise to replicate the finishes, fixtures, and textiles appropriate for this 200-year-old townhouse.