The Winterthur Archives

The Winterthur Archives record the creation and development of Winterthur as a private estate and a public museum. The archives include papers relating to Winterthur compiled by Henry Francis du Pont and his immediate family as well as records of Winterthur Farms and administrative documents of the museum.

The archives document a period of collecting and patronage, evolving attitudes toward period rooms in the 20th century, and aspects of early 20th-century taste in landscape design. Materials include turn-of-the-century autochrome views of the Winterthur garden and landscape, architectural drawings reflecting the development of Winterthur and its ultimate transition from home to public museum, and H. F. du Pont's correspondence with antiques dealers from the 1920s to 1969.

To access the online book Guide to the Winterthur Library: The Joseph Downs Collection and the Winterthur Archives, which provides detailed information on Winterthur Archives holdings as well as a comprehensive index of names, places, and subjects, click here.

Reference contact: 302.888.4634