Holiday Market featuring more than 70 artisans takes place on opening day, November 21
WINTERTHUR, Del. (September 24, 2026) — From more than a dozen beautifully decorated Christmas trees to charming holiday vignettes on view in the historic house, Yuletide at Winterthur celebrates home and its many meanings. On view November 21–January 3, Yuletide also includes a large-scale gingerbread house, a magical 18-room dollhouse, late openings and special programs on select Friday and Saturday evenings, and more.
“Home” can mean the physical place where you live and the place where you gather or the moments and people that fill us with comfort. Many of the displays celebrate the family and chosen family who make us feel at home, along with the landscape at Winterthur that houses millions of plants and animals. Scattered throughout the tour, there are also celebrations of annual holiday traditions and festive customs of Henry Francis du Pont and his wife and daughters.
Decorated Trees to Delight and Inspire
This year’s tour includes some rooms that have not been featured in two decades. Visitors will see more than a dozen lavishly decorated trees and sparkling vignettes, including the traditional Dried-Flower Tree in the Conservatory, as well as trees inspired by garden areas such as the March Bank and Enchanted Woods, another inspired by “The Nutcracker,” and several trees inspired by the theme of home.
Holiday Market and Special Events
Get into the spirit of the season and shop for artisanal goods, handcrafted treasures, and festive décor from more than 70 regional artisans on November 21. Stroll through the outdoor market while enjoying seasonal treats, warm beverages, and live music. Guests can also check out live ice sculpture carving, Winterthur’s vintage 1927 Rolls-Royce on display, a special visit from Santa, or workshops like wine or chocolate tasting and wreath making for purchase.
Winterthur will be open late on select Friday and Saturday evenings for Holiday Nights, featuring candlelit tours, live music, cozy firepits, specialty cocktails. and seasonal fare at the café. The season will also include special events at the library, workshops, holiday shopping at the Winterthur Store, and more.
New this year is “A Christmas Carol,” a dramatic retelling of the classic by Charles Dickens presented by Winterthur and the Farm Hill Players. This four-ghost show punctuated by humor, music, and movement runs Dec. 4 and 5 from 6:00-7:30 pm and December 6 from 1:00-2:30 pm.
Opera Delaware will perform seasonal classics, popular standards, and opera favorites surrounded by hundreds of candles on December 12, 6:00-7:00 pm. The Cartoon Christmas Trio is scheduled to perform a mid-century jazz concert “Christmas is Here: The Music of Vince Guaraldi” on December 19 from 2:00-3:00 pm.
Workshops and special events include holiday paper crafting, creating a charcuterie board, making felted holiday “cookies,” cider and cheese tasting, and making a New Year’s inspired secret wish book pendant. See the website for event details and ticket purchase.
A festive toy train display will be on view on December 19 and 20 in the Brown Horticulture Learning Center, courtesy of the Standard Gauge Module Association.
Gingerbread House and Dollhouse
Bredenbeck’s Bakery of Germantown, Pa., created a large-scale gingerbread house depicting the du Pont home on Christmas Eve full of merriment inside and out. The custom creation will be on view along with an 18-room doll house exquisitely furnished with more than 1,000 miniatures.
Exhibitions
Yuletide admission includes entry to Winterthur’s latest exhibitions. Challenging Masterpieces: Art and Identity in American Furniture is a bold and beautiful exhibition showcasing more than 70 standout pieces from the collection, each chosen for its exceptional craftsmanship, inventive design, or use of rare or unexpected materials. But this isn’t just about admiring fine furniture. It’s about rethinking what makes something a “masterpiece.” In At Home at Winterthur, visitors willdiscover the museum and estate as a place of home, community, and inspiration. 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. This year’s Yuletide theme of home is inspired by the estate history exhibition.
Museum Store
The Museum Store is open Tuesday–Sunday for holiday shopping, featuring unique home décor, gifts, jewelry, and more that celebrate Winterthur’s beauty, indoors and out. Items may also be purchased online at winterthurstore.com.
Beyond the Holidays
Winterthur offers a year-round destination for art and culture enthusiasts and scholars. Explore the museum’s unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 American decorative arts objects displayed in the magnificent 175-room house and galleries. The 1,000 acres of protected meadows, woodlands, ponds, and waterways provide stunning views throughout the year. Winterthur is also home to a vibrant array of programs, including lectures, concerts, workshops, and live performances, making it a hub for the study of American art and culture.
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 an introductory 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, Delaware, 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.