Guest rooms with lighted trees, vintage ornaments, wreaths, and garlands intertwined with gold and silver ribbons. A high-ceilinged, paneled library with a large tree and elegantly wrapped gifts. A grand marble fireplace lighted by glowing sconces.
Just before Thanksgiving each year, volunteer interior designers and garden clubs decorate William K. Vanderbilt II’s Spanish-Revival mansion for the holidays. They use their design and decorating skills – plus greens, lights, ribbons, ornaments, trees and plants – to work some holiday magic in the grand, historic, 24-room house.
The spectacular results charm hundreds of visitors between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Special twilight tours of the mansion are scheduled on the evenings of Wednesday-Friday, December 26-28, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Admission: $10 for adults, $9 for students and seniors (62 and older), and $5 for children 12 and under. Hot chocolate and cookies are included.
Winter hours through April 15: The museum is open Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. The museum is closed Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Holiday season hours: Open 12:00-4:00 on December 22-23 and 26-30. Closed: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Decorating the mansion this year were the Centerport, Dix Hills Honey Hills, Nathan Hale and Three Village garden clubs; Cornell Cooperative Master Gardeners; Michele Boyer; Harbor Homestead & Co. Design; Claudia Dowling Interiors; Joseph Del Percio Interior Design and Willow Garden Design.
