Exploring Kykuit: A Journey Through Time at the Former Mansion of the Richest Man in the World

Nestled in the picturesque town of Sleepy Hollow, New York, lies Kykuit, a 40-room mansion that once served as the idyllic seasonal oasis of the Rockefeller family. Built in 1913 for John D. Rockefeller, the founder of the Standard Oil Company, Kykuit stands as a testament to his success and his love for the arts and nature. Today, the property is open to the public through Historic Hudson Valley, offering tours that transport visitors back in time.

The mansion's Classical Revival-style architecture and serene garden landscapes create a sense of tranquility that is hard to find in today's fast-paced world. The lush wisteria growing up the sides of the mansion was imported from China in 1820, while Tiffany's created the glass torch lamps in the front yard. Sculptures from Nelson A. Rockefeller's vast modern art collection decorate the front porch, while the raised step at the entrance was designed for the Rockefellers to easily disembark from horse-drawn carriages.

Inside the house, visitors can see the Office, which features a copy of a 1767 portrait of Benjamin Franklin that hangs in the Green Room of the White House. The Music Room, the largest room in the home, used to contain an organ but now holds the original grand piano. The Dining Room, where John D. Rockefeller and his wife Laura entertained guests, does not serve alcohol due to their devout Baptist beliefs.

The China Room is particularly notable for its set of dishes embossed with "E Pluribus Unum" — "Out of Many, One" — which appears on the US' Great Seal. A portrait of Abby Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr., hangs in the Alcove with standing lamps designed by 20th-century Swiss sculptors the Giacometti brothers. The Library functioned as a family room where the Rockefellers would gather after Sunday lunches.

Surprising visitors is a full art gallery in the basement furnished with works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, collected by Nelson Rockefeller. The mansion's terrace at 500 feet above sea level provides gorgeous views of the gardens and the Hudson River. The gardens were designed by architect William Welles Bosworth to feel like different rooms, with an allée of linden trees precisely manicured to create an allée from the French word for "alley."

The last stop on the tour is the Rockefeller family's stables and garages, where they kept their stagecoaches and vintage cars. With Kykuit's Classical architecture, impressive art collection, and manicured gardens, visitors feel like they are visiting a historic villa in Europe.

In May 2023, I took the Classic Tour at Kykuit, which lasted two hours and 15 minutes and cost $45 (the price has since increased to $55 for one adult ticket). The tour left from the Visitor Center, where I perused a gift shop with books about the Rockefellers and crafts by local artisans. A shuttle bus transports tour groups from the Visitors Center to the mansion, a quick five-minute drive away.

As I disembarked the bus, I felt transported back in time by Kykuit's Classical architecture and serene garden landscapes. The lush wisteria growing up