On a scenic knoll called Puuopelu, close by Mana Hale, an Englishman named Notley had built a fine home. John Parker II bought the estate, with its tall trees, grass meadows and small lake next to the house. Today, visitors enter through large double doors into a great, high-ceilinged living room filled with antiques and objects d’art. Everywhere are European heirloom furniture, crystal chandeliers and delicate figurines, along with one of the finest private art collections in the state.
Mana Hale tour is also included.
You may not expect to find artworks by Degas or Renoir here in the midst of cattle country, but a visit to Puuopelu will prove you wrong. Richard Smart, heir to the Parker Ranch, was a longtime supporter and collector of fine art. He opened this museum before he died in 1992. It features the works of more than one hundred artists, some internationally acclaimed, some local superstars. This ultraclassy establishment is worth a visit.