Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

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Millions of Bulbs?

The upcoming Bank to Bend event on March 11, 2023, celebrates the snowdrops on the March Bank, which also features winter aconites, snowflakes, and crocuses—and this year, because of the mild weather we are already seeing daffodils, scilla, and squill popping through the leaf litter. One of the questions that comes up often but that I am always a little hesitant to answer is, “How many bulbs are there in the March Bank?” I always say millions, with my fingers crossed behind my back because, after all, I have not counted them.

I finally decided to resolve this nagging doubt. Using Google Earth, I plotted the area of the March Bank, following the general boundaries of the area that we used for its restoration, but decreased them slightly. I drew a line from the Scroll Garden to the 1750 House, then over to Magnolia Bend, but I excluded the Glade. The area enclosed by this measurement is 6.9 acres, or 300,564 square feet.

Looking at one square foot of the March Bank, I chose an estimate of 10 bulbs per square foot. This number is very conservative—some areas have as many as 40–50 bulbs in a square foot, whereas others have only a few or no bulbs, including the paths and watercourses. So, 10 is probably a fair guess.

Next, I multiplied 300,564 (the number of square feet) by 10 (the average number of bulbs per square foot) and got 3,005,640 bulbs. Even if my assumptions are off by half, it would still be more than a million bulbs. I propose that saying the March Bank has “millions of bulbs” is well within the margin of error.

Please join us on March 9 to see these beautiful bulbs for yourself on a guided or self-guided walk.

Post by Chris Strand, Charles F. Montgomery Director and CEO of Winterthur

John Lewis Krimmel’s Christmas Sketches

By Tyler Johnson, Winterthur’s Assistant Manager of Estate Tour Programs

The Winterthur Library is home to more than a million objects, books, and ephemera. Contained within this vast treasure trove are seven sketchbooks in watercolor, pencil, and pen and ink kept by German-born genre artist John Lewis Krimmel (1786–1821). The son of a confectioner in Württemberg, Krimmel emigrated to the United States in 1809 and began painting portraits, street scenes, and miniatures.

Krimmel’s paintings and sketchbooks are filled with his observations of daily American life and have been used in many interpretations across the museum’s history. Winterthur owns three of his paintings, The Quilting Frolic, Self-Portrait of John Lewis Krimmel with Susannah Krimmel and Her Children, and Election Day in Philadelphia. These works could each have their own blog post as they inspire many conversation points and discussion topics.

Special to the Yuletide season, one of Krimmel’s sketchbooks contains some of the earliest known depictions of Christmas trees in American art. His two Christmas Eve watercolor sketches show a multi-generational family gathered around tabletop trees (two trees in the first sketch, one in the second). Drawn between 1812 and 1820, they feature broadleaf evergreens, perhaps holly bushes, decorated with springerle cookies. The table holds plates filled with cookies and paper cornucopias stuffed with tiny treats which were left for the children by the Belsnickel, a Germanic gift giver, as their Christmas gifts.

John Lewis Krimmel, *Sketchbook 2,* 1812–13. Watercolor, pencil, and pen-and-ink drawings. Winterthur Library 308 59×5.7, ll. 7, 8
Krimmel’s first of two sketches, more symmetrical in nature.

Until the mid-1800s, Christmas trees in America were usually placed on tabletops. As in Krimmel’s sketches, the edible ornaments doubled as gifts, making the tree a one-day wonder. The trees were decorated in secret to surprise the children, who immediately devoured the goodies when they spotted them on Christmas Eve. Around the time of the American Civil War, people started combining gifts on the Christmas tree with purely decorative ornaments, heralding its transformation into an icon of the season.

Krimmel’s two Christmas Eve sketches are similar in scope but have some variations, especially with the young child and dog interactions. The first sketch features two small Christmas trees flanking a tiny house, while the second features one larger, taller tree, with many of the family members positioned differently. Each shows Krimmel’s penchant for capturing a special moment in time.

There are many early holiday traditions, and for people of Pennsylvania German descent, John Lewis Krimmel’s sketches display a staple of their holiday practices—a tabletop tree decorated with ornaments made of traditional sweets for an edible extravaganza. And family members of all ages enjoying the season and each other’s company in a delightfully festive setting.

John Lewis Krimmel, *Sketchbook 2,* 1812–13. Watercolor, pencil, and pen-and-ink drawings. Winterthur Library 308 59×5.7, ll. 7, 8
More complete than the previous sketch, with some characters repositioned. The dog claiming a treat from the child is a top-notch detail; my dog is jealous when I eat cookies too.

For more information about John Lewis Krimmel, look for the book John Lewis Krimmel: Genre Artist of the Early Republic by Dr. Annelise Harding.

At Home At Winterthur

Opening May 23, 2026

Discover the many lives of Winterthur and explore the estate as a place of home, community, and inspiration. From a country landscape that supported hunting, gathering, and farming to its evolution into a renowned museum, garden, library, and center for conservation and academic study, Winterthur has been shaped by the people who called it home and work and by the community of visitors and friends who have come to experience its beauty. Through personal stories, rarely seen objects, and rich historical context, At Home at Winterthur invites you to reflect on what it means to create a place, to belong to a place, and to share in its legacy.

A Wonderful, Whimsical Gingerbread Train Station

By Evelyn Mason

The scent catches you first. It’s rich and velvety, full of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses. Then, as you walk from the Galleries Reception Area into the Montgomery Room, you catch sight of it—a panorama of gingerbread trees, a train station, a train, and more, all in brown and white and vibrant red and green. This year’s gingerbread “house” is the historic train station at Winterthur.*

*Photo by Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library*

“Winterthur is full of stories—and each year I get to create a new one,” said Diana Anello, who made the gingerbread display for Yuletide. She headed up a team of six from Bredenbeck’s Bakery & Ice Cream Parlor, who spent more than 100 hours mixing, baking, and decorating the massive gingerbread creation. Made with 18 pounds of butter and 62 pounds of sugar, the finished creation, including a special support board, weighs almost 200 pounds. For the fourth year in a row, the bakery has collaborated with Winterthur to create a custom creation inspired by the estate.

Anello loves the fun as well as the challenge and frustration of trying to outdo herself each year. She started in early July, planning the design and figuring out the logistics. The display includes overpasses, plus extra lights powered by battery packs, hidden under the coal in a train and under a rock candy “puddle.” Some of the trees were made using snowflake cookie cutters and tilted on their sides, and others, across the display, are frosted in deep or bright green, flecked with white sprinkles. Snowflakes are scattered throughout.

Making a train from gingerbread was a first for Anello. She incorporated the Polar Express and added the W from the Winterthur logo to a train car, filling it with confectionery milk bottles and crates as a link back to Winterthur’s history as an award-winning dairy farm.

In one corner of the display, she crafted an illusion of an open book cover. Peering through, you can view the scene in a glance, like “a book that was opening up with the story coming out of it,” said Anello. “You’ll get my first impression of when we came to look at the railroad station.”

She wanted to create little moments and pay homage to the gingerbread houses of previous years, so there are elements from each. When you come to see it, look for seven hidden fairies with golden wings (Enchanted Woods), a vintage car (the mansion), and milk containers (dairy barn complex).

“I want to inspire other people to create gingerbread houses,” said Diana Anello. Come during Yuletide and see her wonderful, whimsical creation. You just might be inspired to craft a gingerbread display of your own.

*The Winterthur train station, situated at the back of the property near Route 100, served as a stop on the Wilmington and Northern Railroad and as Winterthur’s post office from 1900 to 1967. While freight trains still traverse Winterthur’s rails, they no longer stop at the station, which is now a private home for a Winterthur employee.

In Good Taste: Winterthur’s Signature Seasonal Cocktails

Recipes by our talented partners at Restaurant Associates.

Sip into the season with one of Winterthur’s signature seasonal cocktails—Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate, Chambord and Prosecco, or our cheerful Mistletoe Kiss.

Whether you treat yourself while strolling the Holiday Market or indulge from the comfort of home, each sip is an invitation to celebrate, slow down, and toast to the flavors, moments, and beauty that make this season so special.

Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate

A cozy, indulgent mug of velvety chocolate infused with peanut-butter whiskey and crowned with whipped cream — holiday comfort in every sip.

Ingredients

6 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
2 cups of milk
1½ ounces peanut butter whiskey
Whipped cream for garnish

Instructions

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat.
Add the chocolate to the warmed milk.
Stir until completely mixed.
Warm a mug, then carefully pour hot chocolate into the warmed glass.
Mix the hot chocolate and peanut butter whiskey.
Garnish with the whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!

Chambord and Prosecco

A sparkling, rosy-hued toast: red raspberry liqueur sweetened with agave, topped with crisp, effervescent prosecco.

Ingredients

1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger raspberry-flavored liqueur (such as Chambord)
1 ½ fluid ounces agave nectar
4 fluid ounces champagne, or as needed

Instructions

Stir raspberry-flavored liqueur and agave nectar together in a tall, thin-sided glass using a spoon.
Tilt the glass at an angle and pour in champagne. Serve and enjoy!

Mistletoe Kiss

A bright and elegant blend of citrus vodka, elderflower, and white cranberry, garnished with sugar-dusted cranberries — light, festive, and perfectly romantic.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces citrus vodka
1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur
1 ounce white cranberry juice
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cranberries, for garnish
1/2 tablespoon white granulated sugar, for garnish

Instructions

Skewer 3 cranberries and dust them with 1/2 tablespoon white granulated sugar. Gently tap off any excess sugar and set aside.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour 1 1/2 ounces citrus vodka, 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur, 1 ounce white cranberry, and 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice. Shake well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the cranberry skewer. Serve and enjoy!

Experience Yuletide at Winterthur

November 22, 2025–January 4, 2026

Step into a storybook setting, where holiday magic, rich history, and beloved literature come to life. The Yuletide Tour features artful displays and beautifully adorned trees throughout the historic home, celebrating timeless tales such as A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland, A Visit from St. Nicholas, and more. Whimsical treasures like a grand gingerbread replica of the train station, a magical dollhouse, and a toy train display add to the fun. Plus, join us for evening hours on select Fridays and Saturdays for candlelit tours, live music, cozy firepits, workshops, specialty cocktails, and seasonal fare in the café.

Learn more and plan your visit today!

Protected: Planned Giving – !! Alan SECOND TEST

Planned Giving

Through a planned gift, you will align your legacy with Winterthur—an institution originally established through the legacy commitment of H. F. du Pont. Planned gifts support Winterthur’s sustainable future while helping you meet your estate-planning goals. Including Winterthur in your plans ensures that the irreplaceable treasures found here—in the galleries, gardens, and library—will endure for generations to come.

Crafting Your Legacy Plan at Winterthur

Beneficiary and Trust Gifts

Planned gifts commonly include naming Winterthur as a beneficiary in your will or trust. You may choose to support Winterthur’s general operations or name an area of special interest. Bequests of any amount may be adjusted at your discretion.

When drafting or amending your existing will or trust, you may arrange for Winterthur to receive:

A specific dollar amount
Assets, including securities or mutual funds
A residuary bequest—a portion of what remains after other beneficiaries are provided for

Retirement Plan Gifts

Winterthur may be named as a beneficiary of your retirement accounts, which can also be beneficial to your estate for tax purposes.

We always encourage donors to consult with your estate planning and financial teams to identify the giving solution that is best for you.

Please include:

Legal Name: The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Inc.

Tax ID (EIN) Number: 51-0066038

Address: 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735

Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

Donors aged 70½ or older may make a gift to Winterthur directly from your IRA (up to a maximum of $108,000) without incurring income taxes on the distribution. This type of gift is considered a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) and can be a giving method that supports Winterthur’s mission while also providing tax benefits.

We always encourage donors to consult with your financial advisors to review your specific taxable situation.

Confirmation of Your Legacy Gift

If you choose to align your legacy with Winterthur, we ask that you please complete a Confirmation of your Legacy Gift form. This form serves to inform Winterthur of your generous intentions and ensures that your gift’s intentions are honored and upheld.

Bequest Designation: Sample Language

You may refer to the language below as an example of how you may phrase a bequest in your will or trust:

Sample Language for Bequest

I give [dollar, percentage, or asset list] to The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Inc., Tax ID # 51-0066038, a nonprofit organization located at 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735, for its general use and purpose/ other purpose.

Sample Language for Residuary Bequest

I give to The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Inc.(Tax ID # 51-0066038), a nonprofit organization located at 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735, the remainder of my estate/ ____ % of the remainder of my estate for its general use and purpose/ other purpose.

Port Royal Society

The Port Royal Society recognizes donors who have aligned their legacies to the mission and vision of Winterthur through a planned gift commitment. Port Royal Society members enjoy private events, behind-the-scenes access, and boutique programming designed to cultivate community and pique curiosity. Learn more about the Society’s benefits, events, and recognition opportunities.

For more information, please contact the Development Office at 302.888.4707 or plannedgiving@winterthur.org.

Share Your Plans with Winterthur

Are you planning to include Winterthur in your estate plans, or would you like to discuss giving in more detail? Please complete the fields below to arrange a conversation with a member of our Development team.

A Mi’kmaq Quillwork Chair

By Tyler Horne, Tour Programming Assistant at Winterthur

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Month, Winterthur is highlighting a remarkable side chair that tells a story of artistry, adaptation, and cultural exchange. The chair was made by Mi’kmaq artists in what is now Nova Scotia or northern Maine, sometime between 1850 and 1900. It features a seat and back covered in dyed porcupine quills that were carefully punched through birch bark to form bright geometric patterns. These kinds of quilled objects were often created for the tourist market, which means the chair also reflects how Indigenous makers navigated new economic realities during a time of colonial expansion.

Mi’kmaq (probable maker), side chair, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1860–1910. Wood, textile, metal, porcupine quill, and quillwork. Museum purchase with funds provided by Winterthur Founder’s Circle 2025.0014

Quillwork boxes in the collection are already a visitor favorite. People are drawn to their color, texture, and the way the artisans turned natural materials into art with real presence. This new chair joins those five boxes but stands apart as the only piece of furniture decorated with quillwork at Winterthur.

Quillwork is one of the oldest Indigenous art forms in northeastern North America and has long been practiced and passed down, primarily by women. While Mi’kmaq women made quilled souvenirs for Canadian and American markets in the 19th and early 20th centuries, chairs like this were never produced in large numbers, which makes this one particularly rare.

There is still much we don’t know about the specific makers of the chair and the quillwork itself. Even so, the piece offers a powerful window into how Indigenous artists have shaped American material culture. It reminds us that Indigenous communities did not simply endure colonial pressure. They adapted and created work that continues to inspire admiration today.

2025 Yuletide Gift Guide

‘Tis the season of giving, and we believe that gifts should feel as timeless as the moments they celebrate. We’ve gathered a selection of treasures that invite joy, wonder, and a touch of elegance into every home. Whether it’s a delicate accessory, a thoughtful keepsake, or a playful surprise for the little ones, each piece is chosen with care to inspire and delight. Let the art of giving unfold in the simplest, most meaningful way this holiday season.

Visit the Museum Store Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm, with extended evening hours during Holiday Nights.

Gifts for the Nature Lover

Cultivate joy with good-natured gifts for the green thumb in your life. Whether they’re an avid gardener, bird-watching aficionado, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the outdoors, these items promise practicality while adding a touch of whimsy to any endeavor.

1. Faux Sedum Berry Branch, $13 2. Book Ornament, $6 3. Embroidered Chambray Tree Ornament, $8 4. Glitter Glass Mushroom Ornament, $5 5. Handheld Bulb Planter, $33 6. The Seasonal Gardener: Creative Planting Combinations by Anna Pavord, $49.95 7. My Garden Botanical Plaster Relief, $150 8. The Garden Book by Phaidon Editors, $59.95 9. Jacquard & Velvet Mushroom Clip Ornament, $8 10. Seed Collecting Kit, &32 11. Everyday Garden Gloves, $33 12. Jardinère 2026 Desk Calendar, $20 13. Floral Ceramic Travel Mug, $28 14. Large Gathering Basket, $95 15. Driftwood Bee Skep Ornament, $20 16. Handheld Cultivator, $24 17. Glass Beaded Cotton Ornament, $8 18. Cotton & Velvet Embroidered Tree Ornament, $8

Gifts for the Design Enthusiast

Transform any space into a sanctuary of style with our collection of decorative accents and luxurious home essentials. From statement-making artisanal pieces to cozy blankets, we have everything the design enthusiast needs to elevate their home. Our carefully curated selection of books offers inspiration and expert advice for every decorator.

1. Hand-poured Beeswax Partridge Candle in Terracotta $39 2. Book of Herbs Green Check Enameled Tray $30 3. Hand Carved Wood Heart $6 4. Hand Carved Mango Wood Finial $28 5. Horse Head Bookends, Set of 2 $100 6. Handmade Green Resin Bobbin Box $40 7. Faux Bone Magnifying Glass $34 8. Interiors for Collectors by John Phifer Marrs $50 9. The Well Loved House by Ashley Whittaker $50 10. Woven Wool Blend Plaid Pillow $35 11. Madison 100% Baby Alpaca Wool Throw $362 12. Paperweight Magnifying Glass $16 13. A Christmas Carol Journal $18 14. Hand Painted Stoneware Mug $10 15. Marbled Enameled Tray $20 16. Brass Candle Snuffer, Part of 3pc CandleCare Set $57 17. Rattan Tray, Nesting Set of 2 $180

Gifts for the Host

Elevate every occasion with our distinctive selection of barware and entertaining essentials. From exquisite crystal and porcelain drinkware to stylish bar cart necessities, these beautifully crafted pieces are perfect for the aspiring mixologist. Whether they’re hosting intimate gatherings or grand festive soirées, these personal touches will delight the host and their guests alike!

1. Bunny Handmade Crystal Champagne Flute $295 2. Imperial Blue Porcelain Teacup & Saucer $206 3. Lillian Handmade Crystal Champagne Flute $70 4. Corinne Handmade Crystal Double Old Fashioned Tumbler $55 5. Venetia Handmade Crystal Martini Glass $210 6. Pewter Grape Cluster Champagne Bucket $600 7. Classic Ships Handmade Crystal Decanter $210 8. Set of 24 Ivory Taper Candles $20 9. Brass Tone Candle Holder, 4 in. $10 10. Brass Tone Candle Holder, 3 in. $8 11. Antler Appetizer Picks Set $32 12. Pewter Salt & Pepper Cellar with Spoons $156 13. Blue Italian Porcelain Tray with Handle $43 14. Pewter Ram Stirrup Cup $98 15. Horse Bottle Stopper $16 16. Amalfi White Tablecloth, 65 in. x 65 in. $125

Gifts for Her

From elegant jewelry to elevated home accents, these carefully curated gifts are designed to delight the woman who appreciates life’s finer details. Find delicate accessories, heirloom-worthy keepsakes, and graceful décor pieces that blend classic charm with modern luxury.

1. Royal Extract Bath Salt in Petite Decanter, $88 2. Silk Velvet Infinity Scarf in Pine, $85 3. Royal Extract Iconic Body Cream, $92.50 4. Velvet Tassel Pouch, $8 5. Exclusive Winterthur Garden Spout Pearl Drop Brooch/Pendant Necklace, $198 6. Solitaire Sculpted Bronze & Pearl Ring, $450 7. Sculpted Bronze Dove Ring, $225 8. Ashford Crystal Ringminder, $25 9. Exclusive Winterthur Cottage Lock Plate Ring, $180 10. Glazed Stoneware Trivets, $6 11. Exclusive Winterthur Cottage Lock Plate Necklace, $288 12. Delta Sculpted Bronze and Cubic Zirconia Ring, $295 13. Strawberry Thief Bone China Bauble in Madder, $20 14. Gold Bamboo Tray, $70 15. Gold and White Berry Garland, $35

Gifts for Him

Among our favorite gifts are distinguished treasures for the modern gentleman. From refined sartorial accessories to quality personal items, this collection embodies sophistication and heritage. Each piece tells a story of enduring style and impeccable taste.

1. Cast Iron Mini Car, $18 2. Mars 100% Merino Wool Scarf, $220 3. Embroidered Fox Ornament, $24 4. Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide, $26.95 5. Feather Magnifying Glass, $25 6. Locally Made Hand Turned Wood Finial Ornament, $40 7. Squirrel Glass Paperweight, $16 8. Winterthur Exclusive Walnut Fountain Pen, $540 9. A History of Golf Coaster Set, $23 10. Vintage Car 3D Wooden Puzzle, $28 11. Woodsman Ornament, $6 12. Brass Fox Letter Opener, $18 13. Cobalt & Gold Florentine Wood Tray, $166 14. Gold and White Berry Garland, $35

Gifts for Kids

Presents that are playful and nurture their growth and creativity? Priceless. Spark imaginations with our enchanting collection of toys and games. From puzzles and interactive playthings to art supplies and storybooks, each gift is crafted to inspire wonder.

1. Large Holiday Tin Box $22 2. Felt Village Ornament $12 3. Nutcracker Push Puppet $10 4. Little Beetles Memory & Matching Game $16 5. Lionel the Rabbit Plush Toy $34 6. Nutcracker Blocks (6 pc. Set) $35 7. Hand-Painted Paper Mâché Ornament $5 8. Hand-Painted Wooden Tree Ornament $5 9. Santa Christmas Tree Bowling Set $30 10. Striped Paper Mâché Ornament with Tassel $6 11. Holiday Train $8 12. Felt Garland $14

Gift of Membership

Give the gift of memories with a Winterthur Membership today! With a variety of programs and events all year round, a Winterthur gift membership is more than just a gift—it’s a year of experiences. With something for everyone, your loved one will enjoy the opportunity to stroll the garden, explore the mansion, or wander in the galleries. A calendar full of opportunities offers something for everyone from fun family programs to hands-on workshops, specialty tours, and more. Make your holiday shopping a little bit easier by sharing the joys of Winterthur with a gift membership today!

Purchase a Winterthur e-gift certificate or Gift of Membership online and let their fancy take flight in our museum, garden, and library. Gift cards to the Museum Store can be purchased on-site.

Market Vendors

Each year Winterthur presents two fabulous events that showcase handmade crafts by talented regional artisans.

Our Artisan Market in July is a summertime highlight across the garden and estate, and Holiday Market in November is the kick-off event for our annual beloved Yuletide celebration. Both draw thousands to the beautiful setting of our garden and estate in the Brandywine Valley.

We invite you to apply to be part of one or both traditions.

Signature events at Winterthur are rooted in our rich heritage, legacy, and mission. These two events connect you with an appreciative and enthusiastic audience as you present your wares across a variety of disciplines including art, textiles, ceramics, glass, woodworking, antiques, and gardening as well as artisanal and small-batch gourmet goods. Each of these categories reflect the museum’s own collection and/or history.

All interested artisans will submit a vendor application for consideration. Each show has its own deadline. Information, locations, and requirements vary. Click below for details and applications. Please review all information before applying.

Apply to Artisan Market

Applications open on January 12, 2026 and are due March 9. Acceptances sent by April 1.

Learn More.

Apply to Holiday Market

Applications open in July 2026, and are due in early September. Acceptances sent by mid-September.

Learn More.

Step into a Storybook Holiday: Yuletide at Winterthur Returns November 22

WINTERTHUR, DELAWARE (October 27, 2025)—Dazzling decorations and imaginative holiday trees inspired by poems, traditional tales, and children’s books will delight visitors to Yuletide at Winterthur, on view November 22–January 4. During this year’s Yuletide season, Winterthur will offer fun for all ages, including a Holiday Market on November 22, magical garden displays, a large gingerbread replica of the historic train station on the estate, and extended hours on select Friday and Saturday evenings for tours, workshops, live music, shopping, and dining.

Guests will encounter enchanting displays based on A Visit from Saint Nicholas, Alice in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and other literary classics.

Outside decorations will feature festive lights, antique sleighs, holiday trees suspended above the Reflecting Pool and the front pond, and vignettes inspired by the 1911 novel The Secret Garden. Other nods to literary works include a feast table display and champagne tower in the historic Greenhouse area, and a tree celebrating Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in the Visitor Center.

A Storybook Holiday

Decorated rooms on the self-guided museum tour will feature holiday trees paired with the literary works that inspired them, theatrical props, and museum and library objects, such as Victorian combs, pocket watches, and historic toys, which will bring the stories to life.

In addition, Delaware Shakespeare actors have recorded excerpts from several of the works that served as inspiration for a literary Yuletide, including Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Phillis Wheatley’s poems “Hymn to the Morning” and “Hymn to the Evening.”

The Du Pont Dining Room will feature a display inspired by A Christmas Carol. In an opulent scene from the story, Ebenezer Scrooge’s boss, Old Fezziwig, hosts a grand Christmas party for his friends, family, and employees. Delaware Shakespeare recorded a soundscape that will set the mood for the party scene and dining room decor.

In one room, guests will peer through a rendering of an open wardrobe to see the holiday tree inspired by The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The life-sized illustration is based on a wardrobe from the museum’s renowned furniture collection. With its doors flung open in quiet invitation, the vignette evokes the classic moment when the character Lucy Pevensie first catches a glimpse of another world shimmering beyond.

A purple tree in the Port Royal Entrance Hall will evoke “The Purple Cow” poem by Gelett Burgess. The literary selection is a nod to Winterthur’s early days as a farm, where founder Henry Francis du Pont bred prized Holstein Friesian dairy cattle.

While the poem, published in 1895, begins “I never saw a Purple Cow …,” visitors will indeed see a life-sized purple cow statue in the entrance hall, reflecting the whimsical spirit of Burgess’s famous poem.

As a special treat from 3:00–5:00 pm pm on November 22 during Holiday Market and Yuletide’s opening day, Winterthur’s 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer will be parked outside the Port Royal Entrance Hall. Just inside, in the exquisite Port Royal Parlor, there will be a holiday tree that pays tribute to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 Jazz-Age classic novel, The Great Gatsby.

Though never as raucous as the parties thrown by Jay Gatsby, a weekend at Winterthur in its heyday was always an affair to remember. During its peak entertainment era, guests would arrive at Winterthur’s Port Royal entrance in their smartly appointed vehicles.

Les Fleurs Animées, a book of illustrations from Winterthur Library’s rare book collection that depicts flowers personified as women, also inspired a Yuletide tree design. Winterthur owns two copies of the book published in the mid-1800s, an original single-volume French edition and a two-volume English translation bound with decorative elements in a striking emerald green on the cover. The vibrant color indicates the use of a pigment historically known to contain arsenic, and these works have become known as poison books. The books will be displayed with the tree in the Empire Parlor.

Other literary works that will be brought to life inside the museum include Gift of the Magi, The Black Tulip, Moby Dick, the life and works of Edith Wharton, including an 1897 edition of Decoration of Houses, and William Wordsworth’s poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.”

Dried-Flower Tree Anchors Yuletide Display in Museum Conservatory

The iconic Dried-Flower Tree, a focal point of Yuletide at Winterthur, will once again be on display in the soaring, glass-walled Conservatory at the museum entrance. A Winterthur tradition since 1985, the tree is a design masterpiece that showcases over 60 kinds of dried flowers artfully arranged into an unforgettable holiday display.

Colorful flowers have always been a vital part of Winterthur, both inside and out. Throughout the year, flowers are collected from across the estate and, before they wilt, are preserved and dried by members of the floral design team.

Holiday Market at Winterthur on Yuletide Opening Day, November 22

A Holiday Market, with more than 50 artisans selling hand-crafted goods, artworks, festive décor, and specialty gift items, takes place on the opening day of Yuletide. Visitors can enjoy live music, roast marshmallows by firepits, participate in a wine-tasting workshop, sip hot drinks, and say hello to Santa Claus, who will stroll throughout the market to spread holiday cheer.

Guests can also shop in the Museum Store for all those on their gift list. The store carries products for children, garden lovers, jewelry, decorative objects, and specialty items like handmade soaps, honey made from Winterthur’s bees, and wood products made from fallen trees on the estate.

Annual Gingerbread Display Harkens to Winterthur’s Railroad Roots

Guests will marvel at a grand gingerbread replica of the Winterthur Train Station (c. 1890), adding a sweet and whimsical touch to the festivities, along with a magical dollhouse and an interactive toy train display.

For the fourth year, Bredenbeck’s Bakery & Ice Cream Parlor in Philadelphia will create Winterthur’s Yuletide gingerbread display. The family-run business has been in operation for over a century.

The Winterthur Train Station gingerbread replica will be Bredenbeck’s biggest challenge yet. It took a team of six people more than 100 hours (102 to be exact!) to mix, bake, and decorate the train station. Made with 18 pounds of butter and 62 pounds of sugar, the finished creation, including a special support board, weighs 196.5 pounds.

More for the Train Lovers

Winterthur’s festive toy train display in Brown Horticulture Learning Center will showcase Lionel and other standard gauge trains Tuesdays through Sundays, December 21–December 31. On December 27, members of the Standard Gauge Module Association will give a behind-the-scenes look into how this toy train setup came to life, how they got started in toy train collecting, and the adventures they’ve had in exhibiting their display.

Musical and Theatrical Performances

Yuletide at Winterthur guests can also enjoy musical and theatrical performances, including Gerald Charles Dickens performing A Christmas Carol December 10 and 11 as part of his U.S. farewell tour. 2025 marks his last year performing in the country. Using his own adaptation of his great-great-grandfather Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas tale, Gerald Dickens plays over 30 characters using vocal and physical talents to bring each scene vividly to life.

Experience an unforgettable evening of music surrounded by the warm glow of hundreds of flickering candles during an evening concert wtith OperaDelaware on December 20. Talented vocalists will sing holiday classics like “O Holy Night” and “White Christmas,” along with standards like “Strangers in the Night” and “Some Enchanted Evening” and some of opera’s most beloved songs like “Nessun dorma” and “O mio babbino caro.”

Festive Events and Family Fun

Yuletide offers something for every age and interest, from hands-on craft activities to special performances and shopping experiences:

An Evening with Silver Oak Winery’s Winemaker – December 3
Meet and Greet with Santa Claus – December 5
Latin American Cacao’s Living Legacy – December 6
Today’s Parisian Chocolate Scene – December 13
Brunch with Santa Claus & Tram Rides to Historic Train Station – December 13, 14, 20 & 21
Copper Earring-Making Workshop – December 19
Crepe Paper Orchids Workshop – December 20
Yuletide Card Making, Paper Doll Making Workshops, Library Open Houses, and more!

Plan Your Visit

Don’t forget to enjoy Winterthur’s regular exhibitions, library, and garden programs during Yuletide, including a Director’s Garden Walk to learn about conifers on December 13 and a New Year’s Day Hike on January 1, where estate guides will lead guests on a peaceful, family-friendly hike through scenic meadows, woodlands, and trails.

Yuletide runs November 22, 2025, through January 4, 2026, Tuesdays through Sundays, 10:00 am–5:00 pm.Extended hours are until 8:00 pm on November 28 and December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20. Enjoy holiday musical performances, and the café will serve seasonal fare, specialty cocktails, and s’mores kits for the outdoor firepits for extended hours.

No evening hours November 22, 29, or December 26.

Closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Open 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Christmas Eve.

For tickets, detailed event schedules, and more, visit: winterthur.org/Yuletide

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About Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Winterthur—known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American decorative arts, naturalistic garden, and research library for the study of American art and material culture—offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. Admission includes a self-paced house tour, exhibitions, a narrated tram ride (weather and space permitting), and the Winterthur Garden.

Winterthur is located on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Del., and five miles south of U.S. Route 1. Winterthur is committed to accessible programming for all. For information, including special services, call 800.448.3883 or visit winterthur.org. Winterthur is closed seasonally from early January through late February.