Winterthur Museum & Gardens
Come for Enchanted Woods. Stay for the garden tram and surprisingly great cafe.
The Quick Version
- • Enchanted Woods is the reason to come with kids — a fairy-tale garden with a tree house, troll bridge, and story stones.
- • The garden tram is a highlight. Free with admission, runs regularly, and kids love the ride through the estate.
- • Skip the period rooms in the main museum with anyone under 8. The galleries are fragile-furniture territory.
- • Plan 1.5-2 hours. The grounds are beautiful for a stroller walk after Enchanted Woods.
Best Ages
2-8
Plan For
1.5-2 hours
Adults
$20
Kids
$8 (ages 2-11)
What to Expect
Winterthur is a 1,000-acre former du Pont estate with a massive decorative arts museum and gorgeous naturalistic gardens. With kids, you'll spend 90% of your time in Enchanted Woods and on the garden tram, and that's perfectly fine.
Enchanted Woods is a thoughtfully designed children's garden set in a wooded area. It's not a playground — it's an imaginative space with a Faerie Cottage, a Tulip Tree House, a Troll Bridge, story stones, and paths that wind through the trees. Kids explore at their own pace. The scale is small enough that you can see your child from most spots.
The garden tram ride is a pleasant 20-minute narrated loop through the estate grounds. Kids enjoy the ride itself. Parents enjoy the break from walking.
Who It's Best For
Enchanted Woods is built for the preschool set — fairy houses, a bird's nest, and kid-scaled structures. Toddlers love it. Elementary kids enjoy it but may be ready to move on faster. The museum proper is better for ages 10+.
Highlights
Enchanted Woods
Ages 2-7The centerpiece for families. Eight acres of fairy-tale themed garden with a Tulip Tree House (you can go inside), Faerie Cottage, Troll Bridge, Bird's Nest, S-shaped Serpentine Path, and Acorn Tearoom. Imaginative and beautiful.
Garden Tram
All agesNarrated open-air tram ride through the estate. Covers ground you wouldn't walk with a stroller. Free with admission. Runs every 20-30 minutes from the Visitor Center. Kids love it.
Galleries & Touch-It Room
Ages 5+If you venture into the museum, the 'Touch-It Room' lets kids handle reproduction objects — a welcome change from the 'don't touch' museum experience. The Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens is oddly fascinating to kids.
Sundial Garden & Reflecting Pool
All agesA short, flat walk from the Visitor Center. Peaceful, photogenic, and a good stroller loop. The reflecting pool captivates toddlers (supervise closely — no fence).
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • The period room tours in the main museum. They're remarkable, but 175 rooms of 18th-century furniture is a hard sell for a 4-year-old.
- • Trying to hike the Meadow and woodlands with a stroller — the paths get rough.
- • The Yuletide Tour with kids under 5. It's beautiful but long, guided, and requires patience they don't have yet.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
$20
Kids
$8 (ages 2-11)
Under
Under 2 free
General admission includes gardens, Enchanted Woods, tram, and galleries. Museum house tours are a separate timed ticket — skip these with young kids.
Membership tip: Family membership is $120/yr — pays for itself in 3 visits. Includes reciprocal benefits at other NARM museums.
Getting There
Parking
Free. Large lot right at the Visitor Center. Short, flat walk to the entrance. Overflow lot available on event days.
Entrance
Main Visitor Center. Grab a map and ask about the tram schedule. Enchanted Woods is a 5-minute walk or one tram stop from the Visitor Center.
Parent Logistics
Excellent on paved garden paths and the tram. Enchanted Woods paths are packed earth and mulch — single strollers handle it fine, wide doubles may be tight in spots. The museum interior has elevator access but tight galleries.
Restrooms at the Visitor Center, in the museum building, and a portable facility near Enchanted Woods (seasonal).
Available in Visitor Center restrooms.
Enchanted Woods is mostly shaded by the tree canopy — one of its best features on hot days. Open garden areas vary.
Food & Snacks
The Pavilion Restaurant in the Visitor Center serves solid cafe fare — sandwiches, soups, salads. There's also a seasonal outdoor seating area.
Snack strategy: Eat at the Pavilion before or after Enchanted Woods. It's nothing fancy but the portions are good and it's reasonably priced for a museum cafe. Pack water bottles — the walk to Enchanted Woods and back gets thirsty, especially in summer.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Go straight to Enchanted Woods first. Walk or take the first tram. It gets busier as the morning goes on during events.
- ✓ The gift shop has a surprisingly good children's book section.
- ✓ Bring a small snack for Enchanted Woods — there's a stone 'table' area where kids like to pretend-picnic.
- ✓ Check the events calendar — Winterthur runs excellent seasonal family programs (egg hunts, fairy festivals, outdoor concerts).
- ✓ If you're a gardener yourself, visit in late April/early May when the Azalea Woods are in full bloom. It's genuinely breathtaking.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings are quiet and perfect. Weekend mornings work but Enchanted Woods gets busy by 11 AM during family events. Tram schedule varies — check the website.
Seasonal Notes
Spring (March-May) is peak bloom — azaleas, dogwoods, and wildflowers are stunning. Enchanted Woods is open April through November. Winter hours are reduced and outdoor areas are less interesting, but the Yuletide Tour is a holiday tradition (better for older kids).
Rainy Day?
Not ideal for rainy days. Enchanted Woods is outdoors and the garden paths get muddy. The museum galleries and Visitor Center give you maybe 45 minutes with kids. Save this for a nice day.
While You're in the Area
Winterthur is 10 minutes from the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science and 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington. Nearby Centreville has a general store and deli for a quick lunch.