Winterthur

Almost 60 years ago, collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont

(1880-1969) opened his childhood home, Winterthur, to the public. Today, Winterthur (pronounced "winter-tour") is the premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America between about 1640 and 1860. The collection is displayed in the magnificent 175-room house, much as it was when the du Pont family lived here, as well as in permanent and changing exhibition galleries.

Winterthur is set amidst a 1,000-acre preserve of rolling meadows and woodlands. Designed by du Pont, its 60-acre naturalistic garden is among America's best, with magnificent specimen plantings and massed displays of color. Graduate programs and a preeminent research library make Winterthur an important center for the study of American art and culture.

In his later years, du Pont wrote:

I sincerely hope that the Museum will be a continuing source of inspiration and education for all time, and that the gardens and grounds will of themselves be a country place museum where visitors may enjoy as I have, not only the flowers, trees and shrubs, but also the sunlit meadows, shady wood paths, and the peace and great calm of a country place which has been loved and taken care of for three generations.

We invite you to visit and explore this exceptional place of beauty, history, and learning.

The Museum

Tour the house to see exquisite spaces in which Henry Francis du Pont entertained family and friends in grand style. The 175 rooms, many of them with historical architecture, are furnished with his outstanding collection of antiques and objects added since his death. These masterfully designed spaces promise to inspire, enlighten, and delight.

In the Galleries, explore unique displays crafted by Winterthur curators with selections from the collection of nearly 90,000 objects. These spaces are devoted to themes such as the history of style and specific media, including furniture, ceramics and glass, metals, textiles, and paintings and prints. Return often, as the displays in these spaces often are changed.

Be sure to visit the Galleries' special exhibitions featuring Winterthur objects or loans from other collections. In the Dorrance Gallery, don't miss the world-renowned Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens.

The Library

The Winterthur Library was established in 1952 to furnish staff, students, and the general public with research materials about American decorative arts. Since then it has become a recognized research center for advanced study and is dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of America's artistic, cultural, social, and intellectual history from colonial times into the twentieth century.

The library, located in the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Research Building, is open to all interested readers without appointment or charge, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; it is closed on legal holidays. Staff welcomes inquiries and will respond in as timely a manner as possible.

Garden

Winterthur's 1,000 acres encompass rolling hills, streams, meadows, and forests. Founder Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) developed an appreciation of nature as a boy that served as the basis for his life's work in the garden. He selected the choicest plants from around the world to enhance the natural setting, arranging them in lyrical color combinations and carefully orchestrating a succession of bloom from late January to November. Du Pont translated his love of the land into a unified work of art that embodies a romantic vision of nature's beauty.

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