Winterthur Delightful in Wintertime

The gardens at Winterthur in Delaware are enchanting all year, but few visitors take advantage of their beauty in winter. Now through March 31 separate “gardens only” tickets are available for self-guided walking tours. The cost is $3 each, and children under 12 are free.

“We want the public to discover the subtle beauty of Winterthur in the winter,” said director Thomas A. Graves Jr. “The tall trees under a mantle of snow are a spectacular display; even a weak sun in February coaxes the snowdrops to bloom. In March, banks of yellow adonis, purple crocus and other early bulbs herald the coming of spring.”

In addition to the gardens ticket, a separate ticket for the Two Centuries tour is also available at $6 each. Children under 12 are admitted free. The Two Centuries tour takes a chronological look at early American decorative art from 1640 to 1840 in 15 room settings.

Both the gardens and Two Centuries tour are included with the purchase of a general admission ticket. The cost is $8 for adults and $6.50 for students (12-16), senior citizens and groups of 25 or more. Children under 12 are free.

Winterthur, once the home of the late Henry Francis du Pont, houses a famous collection of Early American decorative art. The gardens, 200 landscaped acres, are reminiscent of an 18th-Century English park. Winterthur is on Delaware 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington. Handicapped facilities and wheelchair access.

For more information, contact the Winterthur Information and Ticket Office at (302) 654-1548 or write to Winterthur Museum and Gardens, Winterthur, Del. 19735.