WINTERTHUR, DE – Join Winterthur in heralding the arrival of spring on Friday, March 1, as the 1000-acre garden and estate reopens to the public for the 2013 season with exciting new attractions, including a first look at the newly renovated Tour Reception Area.

This year, selected floors of the 175-room house recreate 1930s settings enjoyed by Henry Francis du Pont and his guests. Visitors will be charmed as they ponder having breakfast served in bed, indulging in an elegant luncheon in the dining room, enjoying card games and music in the Chinese Parlor, and savoring midnight snacks. In the glass-enclosed Conservatory, thematic arrangements pay homage to the ever-evolving bloom of the Winterthur Garden in spring.

On the March Bank, waving white snowdrops (Galanthus) and cheery yellow Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) and Amur Adonis (Adonis amurensis) welcome visitors. On the nearby East Terrace, thousands of “tommies” (Crocus tommasinianus) illuminate the courtyard in a symphony of lavendar. The fragrant yellow blossoms of witch-hazels serve as another reminder that the cold frost of winter has yielded to the warm thaw of spring. Garden tram tours will be available for the enjoyment of visitors, weather permitting. Enchanted Woods, a fairy-tale garden for children, will be ready to charm and entertain youngsters.

Tickets go on sale March 1 for the 35th Annual Point-to-Point steeplechase on Sunday, May 5. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with family, friends, and neighbors amid the beauty of H. F. du Pont’s former estate as you enjoy elite steeplechase racing. Point-to-Point features the largest parade of antique carriages in the United States. This regional rite of spring will have a host of attractions for children and families all day, including food and beverage tents, "Winterthur Hunt," "Stick-Horse Races," "Canine Capers," a Hospitality Tent by Dogfish Head Brewery, and much more. To celebrate Point-to-Point’s 35th anniversary, the stylish “Vilamoura” hat by the Helen Kaminski Brand was chosen as this year’s signature headwear for ladies. Point-to-Point benefits the continued maintenance and preservation of the Winterthur Garden and Estate.

ADDITIONAL SPRING HIGHLIGHTS:

On Saturday, March 9, at 11:00 am, join horticultural gold medalist Alan Street, one of the world’s leading snowdrop experts at the renowned British nursery Avon Bulbs, for Bank to Bend With Alan Street. Street will share his insights into snowdrops and how they have become a worldwide phenomenon. Known for his passion for bulbs, Street will describe how he got interested in snowdrops and why he developed a personal connection with this unique, delicate genus of plants. Registration for Street’s lecture includes tours of the March Bank displays and access to specialist nurseries selling snowdrops and other winter interest plants.

Visitors can indulge their inner traveler at Winterthur’s new major exhibition Common Destinations: Maps in the American Experience, opening April 20, 2013. This exciting exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the centuries that included the colonial wars, the American Revolution, and decades of nation building. During that time, maps evolved to become part of everyday life and material culture, changing from rare collectibles to ubiquitous objects. Featuring rarely seen artifacts from Winterthur’s collections, including traditional maps on paper as well as map-related objects, such as ceramics, geographic playing cards, and printed handkerchiefs from Winterthur’s collection, the exhibition is open through January 5, 2014.

Vegetable Gardening Month by Month
March 1, 2:00–3:30 pm
Local farmer H. G. Haskell offers insight into raising your own vegetables, starting with root crops and early greens and peas.$10 for Members. $20 for nonmembers.

The Sewell C. Biggs
Winterthur Furniture Forum
New Perspectives on Boston Furniture, 1630–1860
March 6–8
This groundbreaking forum will bring together national experts for the first in-depth look at early Boston furniture in more than 40 years. SOLD OUT.

Winterthur Revealed Tour: "Ceramics and Glass in the Winterthur Collection"

March 12, 1:00–2:30 pm
Senior Curator of Ceramics and Glass Leslie Grigsby shares her favorite objects in the less-often-toured rooms of the house. Reservations encouraged. $10 per Member; Free for Benefactor-level-and-above Member; $15 per nonmember. 15-person limit.

Lecture: “Life at Haseley Court and Its Gardens: The Legacy of Nancy Lancaster”
March 12, 6:00 pm
Fiona Heyward, Owner of Haseley Court in Oxford, England discusses what her family learned about gardening from Nancy Lancaster, the previous owner of Haseley Court.Members free. Included with admission.

Volunteering in the Winterthur Garden
March 29, 9:30–10:30 am
Treat yourself to a rewarding and gratifying experience. Become a Winterthur volunteer! Learn about volunteering in the Winterthur Garden. Call 302.888.4779 to register. Free.

Visit winterthur.org for more information on these and other spring highlights.

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Winterthur--known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American decorative arts, naturalistic gardens, and research library for the study of American art and material culture--offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. General admission includes a tour of some of the most notable spaces in the 175-room house as well as access to the Winterthur Garden and Galleries, special exhibitions, a narrated tram tour (weather permitting), the Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens, and the Enchanted Woods children’s garden. $18 adults; $16 for students and seniors; $5 for ages 2–11. Tickets are valid for two consecutive days.

Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday–Sunday. Winterthur, located on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware, and five miles south of U.S. Route 1, is closed on Mondays (except during Yuletide), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Winterthur is committed to accessible programming for all. For information, including special services, call 800.448.3883, 302.888.4600, or TTY 302.888.4907, or visit winterthur.org.