Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, New York, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

PARK AT A GLANCE

Visitors to Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York, can experience the Gilded-Age culture of the wealthiest Americans by touring Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt’s mansion and visiting the estate’s grounds and gardens. Frederick was the grandson of Commadore Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the first multi-millionaires in the United States. A multi-millionaire himself, he built his 45,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts style mansion at Hyde Park for use as a spring and fall home, for he had mansions in New York City, Newport, Rhode Island, and the Adirondack Mountains to use at other times of the year. The home cost $660,000 to build in the late 1890s. The furnishings alone cost $1.5 million.

Living Room of the Vanderbilt Mansion at Hyde Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

When Frederick died in 1938 (Louise had died earlier in 1926), the estate went to his niece Margaret Van Alen. The couple had no children, and Margaret was like a daughter to them. However, she was a rich socialite herself with her own mansion in Newport and had no use for the Hyde Park property. Now stuck with the upkeep and property taxes, she put it on the market, but being during the Great Depression, she had no takers, even at $250,000 for everything. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who lived just down the road, suggested that she donate the property to the federal government. He had already planned on having his home turned into a National Park, and he didn’t want to see the adjacent areas become housing developments. Margaret donated the 200-acre estate, including the mansion and most of its furnishings, on May 21, 1940. The grounds and gardens were opened to the public that July, but it wasn’t until December 18, 1940, that Congress authorized the creation of Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

Today, tours of the Vanderbilt Mansion are given multiple times every day. The elaborate Formal Gardens are also open to the public. For visitors looking for some exercise, a 3-mile loop trail circles the park, passing all points of interest along the way.

Formal Gardens of the Vanderbilt Estate at Hyde Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

OPERATING HOURS

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is open every day except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The Pavilion Visitor Center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. The first tour of the mansion is held at 10 AM and the last at 4 PM. Tour frequency varies per season. For the latest schedule, visit the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the park.

FEES

There is a fee for those 16 and older to visit Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. This includes a mansion tour and access to the gardens and grounds. Tickets are sold at the Pavilion Visitor Center. Annual National Park passes are good for entry. No cash is accepted, so credit and debit cards only. For the current entrance fee, visit the National Park Service’s official Fees web page for the park.

For locals who visit the park often, an annual pass for both Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site and Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site is available. Passes are sold at the visitor centers of either park.

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME

Mansion Tour
allow 1 hour

Formal Gardens
allow 30 to 60 minutes

Hiking Trails
allow up to 1.5 hours

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