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Explore American decorative arts and architecture in the former du Pont home, then use the same admission to visit Winterthur’s garden and exhibitions.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
A private home and a museum collection meet in An American Legacy, Winterthur’s self-paced house tour. Its subject is not only the objects on display, but also the influence of colonial American architecture and the estate’s transformation into a museum.
Collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont opened Winterthur, his childhood home, to the public. The tour’s focus on that transition gives visitors a way to consider the building alongside the decorative arts it contains.
The wider collection includes approximately 85,000 objects made or used in America between about 1640 and 1860. They are displayed in the 175-room house and in exhibition galleries; that collection-wide figure is context for the visit, not a count of what appears on this tour.
Further reading: Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library - IN Wilmington ↗
General admission also covers the garden, walking trails, Enchanted Woods and exhibitions, and is valid for two consecutive days. Winterthur’s 60-acre naturalistic garden was designed by du Pont and sits within a larger preserve.
That makes the house tour one part of a broader visit rather than a commitment to see the whole estate at once. The Visitor Center Café offers food, and visitors may also bring a picnic.
Further reading: Admission Packages - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library - IN Wilmington ↗ · Plan Your Visit - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
The tour runs 10 a.m.–4 p.m. through November 8, 2026.
Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · An American Legacy Self-Paced House Tour - IN Wilmington ↗
No tour reservation is required, but capacity is limited. Members enter free.
General admission is $29 for adults, $27 for seniors 62 and older and students 13 and older, $26 per person for groups of 15 or more, and $12 for children ages 3–12. Children 2 and under are free; college students need valid ID.
Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · Admission Packages - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
While elevators are being upgraded, Winterthur can adapt this tour for visitors unable to use stairs. Some areas may remain inaccessible, though the museum says most tour spaces can still be experienced. Call 800-448-3883 with questions.
Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · Admission Packages - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
Winterthur offers $2 admission for up to four people with a SNAP EBT card. Delaware residents with a qualifying Delaware EBT card or Art-Reach ACCESS card may also qualify for the $2 rate with photo ID; restrictions apply.
The tour is at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52), Wilmington, DE 19807. In-person tickets are sold at the Visitor Center.
Use the map links to calculate directions from your starting point. For questions about accessibility during the elevator work, call Winterthur at 800-448-3883.
An American Legacy Self-Paced House Tour - IN Wilmington ↗ · Admission Packages - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗ · Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
No reservation is required for An American Legacy, but tour capacity is limited.
Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
Winterthur says the tour can be adapted while its elevators are being upgraded. Some areas may remain inaccessible, but most tour spaces can still be experienced.
Self-Paced House Tour: An American Legacy - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library ↗
It includes the garden, walking trails, Enchanted Woods and exhibitions. General admission tickets are valid for two consecutive days.
Yes. Winterthur says visitors may bring a picnic; the Visitor Center Café also sells food.
5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52), Wilmington, DE 19807
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-29 against the linked sources.