Enjoy a beautiful trip up to Winterthur in time for Spring blooms without having to drive!  Bring a friend or meet new ones on an executive bus trip with Chesapeake Forum.

Nestled in the heart of Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley, Winterthur’s extraordinary museum, gardens, and library offer a variety of tours, exhibitions, and engaging programs for all ages.  Winterthur is well known for its magnificent collection of American decorative arts on display throughout Henry Francis du Pont’s former home, showcased in permanent and rotating gallery spaces.  Spend the day enjoying the famous 60-acre naturalistic garden, carefully designed by H. F. du Pont, and the estate’s 1,000 acres of rolling hills, meadows, and woodlands. Winterthur has 25 miles of well-marked paths and trails, and lush gardens for you to explore. The award-winning children’s garden, Enchanted Woods, provides kids of all ages the perfect place to safely run, play, and imagine.

What to Expect:

The Winterthur Experience:  We have made advance reservations for General Admission.  Admission includes: a self-guided tour of elegantly furnished rooms in which Henry Francis du Pont entertained his family and friends in grand style; a narrated tram tour through the 60-acre garden and its succession of show-stopping blooms; access to the gardens and walking trails, the Enchanted Woods, and any exhibitions currently on display.

The Museum:  The Museum features exquisite spaces with historic architecture, an outstanding collection of historic and decorative objects, and masterfully designed spaces that inspire and delight.  

Winterthur Museum is filled with historic and decorative objects collected and arranged according to the aesthetic principles of its visionary, Henry Francis du Pont. A passionate collector throughout his life, he transformed his family home into a showplace for objects made and used for centuries, then opened it as a museum to share America’s diverse stories with the public. 

The collection of more than 90,000 objects includes items ranging from the streamlined, functional furniture produced by the Shakers to opulent masterworks of 18th-century craftsmanship. Fine art such as works by America’s greatest early painters fill the rooms, as well as objects newly discovered and understood to be the work of enslaved individuals. Du Pont created spaces where his visitors would be immersed in beauty as well as history. That tradition is honored today, preserving the aesthetics of the museum while also telling the lesser-known stories of people and events that shaped our nation. 

Should you wish to take any of the special tours offered that day, please go to https://www.winterthur.org/programs-and-events/tours/ to sign up and pay in advance or check availability upon arrival on-site at the Visitors Center.  

Information on current museum events and exhibitions can be found here:  https://www.winterthur.org/exhibitions-and-collections/exhibitions/

The Garden:  Celebrate every season in Winterthur’s naturalistic garden, a masterpiece of color and design. Lyrical color combinations delight visitors of all ages with a year-round succession of blooms.  The garden is a result of the artistic vision of its creator, Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969), and is surrounded by nearly 1,000 acres of meadows, farmland, and waterways.  The views in every direction are important to the whole. The paths are an integral part of the overall design, curving rather than straight, following the contours of the land, passing around trees, and drawing walkers into the garden.  

Discover the magic of the garden on foot or see highlights of the garden and learn the history of Winterthur on the 30-minute narrated tram tour. The tour begins at the Visitor Center and ends at the museum. Stops include Azalea Woods, Magnolia Bend, and Enchanted Woods.  Included with general admission, space and weather permitting. *Trams are shared with the general public and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Learn more about the history of the garden here:  https://www.winterthur.org/history-of-the-garden/

Dining Options:  Winterthur has on-site dining in the Visitor Center Cafeteria as well as the Tea Room.  The Visitor Center Café is open 11:00 am–3:00 pm. with grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, and salads; soup of the day; sweet treats and snacks; and coffee, tea, and assorted bottled beverages.  All guests are welcome to picnic on-site.

Tickets for this trip are non-refundable, rain or shine, and include general admission.  Bus LEAVES from the Easton Fire House at 315 Aurora Park Dr, Easton, at 9 am sharp.