Winterthur Museum & Country Estate

Named after a town in Switzerland and pronounced "win-ter-tour," this eight-story mansion and country estate features one of the world's premier collections of American antiques and decorative arts. The estate was the country home of Henry Francis du Pont, a collector of furniture, who in 1951 turned the place into a museum for American decorative arts. The 85,000 objects made or used in America, including Chippendale furniture, silver tankards by Paul Revere, and a dinner service made for George Washington, are displayed in the 175 period rooms. The galleries include exhibits of furniture styles, life at Winterthur, Early American craftsmen, and the Campbell collection of soup tureens.

It takes more than one visit to see all of Winterthur. A variety of 1-hour Discovery Tours focus on everything from entertaining to du Pont collections to seasonal topics. The introductory Elegant Entertaining tour, for instance, covers only one floor, highlighting the dining room, sitting rooms, and other period public rooms. The Winterthur Experience pass, good for 2 consecutive days, includes one Discovery Tour, admission to the galleries, and a tram tour of the 966-acre grounds. Additional hour-long tours can be added for $5 for adults. Reservations are recommended. The popular Yuletide Tour ($22 for adults; $12 for children) is offered from mid-November to December 31. Download iPod tours about the collection from the website.

Children 8 and under are permitted on three of the tours, as well as the Yuletide Tour. Kids (and adults, too) will love the Enchanted Woods, a 3-acre fairy-tale garden filled with places to play, including a Faerie Cottage and Troll Bridge. Other facilities include two restaurants, an expansive museum store, and a bookshop.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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