Kykuit is also known as John D. Rockefeller Estate. It is a 40-room historic house museum located in Pocantico Hills, which is a hamlet in the town of Mount Pleasant, New York. It was built in 1913 for the Rockefeller family patriarch, John D. Rockefeller. It is now a National Historic Landmark and a tourist attraction. It is a 40-minutes journey by train.
The grand mansion used to be home to 4 generations of the Rockefeller family. You can get a tour of the gardens, art galleries and rooms in the villa through Historic Hudson Valley. The gardens of this six-story manor are full of famous 20th-century sculptures.
Kykuit has 40-rooms. It sits on 250 acres of land, a part of the 3,400 acres of the Rockefeller family compound. It is a magnificent sight to behold.
Fun fact: even as massive as the mansion is, it has no ballroom. This is because John D Rockefeller was a devout Baptist. So, drinking and partying was not accepted in the mansion.
Prices of Tours In Kykuit
As stated above, tours are given by the Historic Hudson Valley, which was established in 1951 by John D Rockefeller Jr. They offer different kinds of tours like the “time saver” tour, which lasts for 90 minutes, and the “grand tour,” which lasts for 3 hours. The price of the time saver tour depends on the day. For weekdays, it costs $25 per adult and $28 per adult on weekends. The price of the grand tour is $40 per adult.
Note: there are no standard working hours. It varies depending on the season. It is advisable to book a ticket ahead of time on the Historic Hudson Valley page.
Things To See In Kykuit
What you see in Kykuit all depends on the tour option you choose. Depending on which you chose, you may get to see the mansion’s main ground, which is a combination of landscape architecture and classical, and modern sculptures; the enormous barn with a unique collection of vintage cars and coaches; and a lot of beautifully landscaped gardens including the Italian garden and the famous “Adam and Eve” fountain area.
For Lovers Of Art
If you are a lover of both classical and modern art, then pick a tour that features Nelson Rockefeller’s basement art gallery. The gallery has paintings from Picasso (including “Night Fishing at Antibes,” which was turned into a tapestry), Chagall, Warhol’s pop art of an angry Nelson Rockefeller. As a lover of art, Kykuit has a lot of other art-related items all around.
Fun fact: Nelson Rockefeller was a NY State governor for four terms and a vice president under President Ford.
Note: you can not visit Kykuit without a tour guide.
You can get away from all the noise and bustling activities in New York City with a visit to Kykuit. You will learn about the Rockefeller family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the United States. Any lover of art, history, painting, and architecture will leave Kykuit delighted.
