Arts of the Brandywine Valley: Philadelphia, Wilmington & the Du Pont Estates

Join Arrangements Abroad, the Museum Travel Alliance, and the ICAA for a behind-the-scenes look at the art and architecture of the picturesque Brandywine Valley, a sixty-mile stretch of rolling hills and crystalline waters from Pennsylvania’s Welsh Mountains to Wilmington, Delaware The tour will focus mainly in and around Philadelphia as well as Wilmington, Delaware's largest city and longtime home to the Du Pont family, who established gunpowder works there in 1802. This tour will be led by Alice W. Iglehart, who has more than 40 years of experience at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is a master at the art of gallery-based teaching. She is also on the faculty at the School of Visual Arts in the Art History and Critical Studies department.

A fully tax-deductible donation of $600 per person is required to participate in this travel program. Please note that this donation is non-refundable except in the case that this travel program is cancelled by the organization. All travel program participants have the opportunity to receive a complimentary Individual level membership for one year to the ICAA.

Image: Longwood Gardens

Barnes Foundation

The tour begins with a visit and private lunch at the Barnes Foundation, one of the world’s greatest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern art. View celebrated works by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, Renoir, and Soutine.

Winterthur

Join a private tour of the estate and grounds at Winterthur, the exquisitely furnished, 175-room former home of the Du Ponts with a 60-acre garden and research library.

Delaware Art Museum

During a private, curator-led tour of the Delaware Art Museum, view works by Howard Pyle, a noted painter who became known as a children’s book author and illustrator so influential he earned the moniker “the Father of American Illustration.” Enjoy an exclusive lunch in the museum’s garden labyrinth.

Nemours Estate

Go behind the scenes at the Nemours Estate on a private, director-led tour. Alfred I. du Pont, who commissioned this 77-room mansion in 1910, worked with architects to create a Louis XVI-style French château. While exploring Nemours, take an inside look at the Chauffeur’s Garage, which houses the family’s collection of vintage automobiles. Stroll its 200 acres of French-inspired formal gardens, grounds, and woodlands modeled after the Palace of Versailles.

Longwood Gardens

Venture on a private, director-led tour of the historic architecture and complex layout of the meticulously designed Longwood Gardens. Stay on the property and delight in an elegant dinner at 1906, named for the year Pierre S. du Pont purchased the land that would become Longwood Gardens. Complete your evening with an exclusive view of Longwood’s “Illuminated Fountain Performance,” an expansive 30-minute spectacle featuring lights and music synchronized with soaring jets of water as high as 175 feet.

Brandywine Museum of Art

Inside an 1880s stone mill overlooking the Brandywine River, expert curators will lead you through one of America’s most comprehensive collections of Wyeth family masterworks at the Brandywine Museum of Art. Admire paintings spanning three generations of this legendary artistic dynasty, including the contemporary explorations of Jamie Wyeth.

What’s included

  • Curator-led tour of Philadelphia's Barnes Foundation, home to one of the world's finest collections of Impressionist art and works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse.
  • Behind-the-scenes look at Winterthur, H.F. Du Pont's 175 room architectural showpiece, learning firsthand how experts preserve its collection of 90,000 American decorative arts objects spanning from 1640 to 1860.
  • Private, expert-led tour of Longwood Gardens, where Pierre S. Du Pont transformed a modest Quaker farm into 1,100 acres of horticultural excellence.
  • An elegant lunch at 1906, the restaurant at Longwood Gardens, followed by a spectacular evening fountain display launching illuminated jets 175 feet high, synchronized to music.
  • Viewing of the original illustrations and paintings of Howard Pyle, the "Father of American Illustration" on a curator-led tour of the Delaware Art Museum.
  • Tour of Alfred I. Du Pont's palatial 1909 estate, Nemours, with its director for an exclusive look at America's largest French formal gardens on a 200 acre property modeled after Versailles.
  • Opportunity to meet the managing directors of 101 DuPont Place for a behind-the-scenes look at this former headquarters of the family company, one of America's finest examples of Beaux-Arts design.

Nemours Mansion (Wikimedia Commons/A. Rasey)



Nemours Mansion Statue (Wikimedia Commons/ASuperEditor)



Boxwood Gardens at Nemours Mansion (Wikimedia Commons/Jerrye & Roy Klotz MD)



Temple of Love at Nemours Mansion (Wikimedia Commons/Jerrye & Roy Klotz MD)



Longwood Gardens



Nemours Estate



Nemours Estate



Nemours Estate



Nemours Estate



FAQ

How do I register for an ICAA travel program?

If you would like to register, you may contact the travel operator organizing the program. Please note that a $600 donation per person to the ICAA is required in order to participate in each travel program.

What does the required $600 donation fund?

Your $600 donation helps to further the ICAA’s goal of advancing the practice and appreciation of the classical tradition in architecture and the allied arts by supporting its varied educational programs, including continuing education courses, college workshops, the Summer Studio in Classical Architecture, New Heights, and many more.

Am I required to pay a $600 donation for each travel program I register for?

Yes, a donation of $600 to the ICAA is required for each travel program you register for. The donation is required for each person attending a tour.

How do I make my $600 donation to the ICAA?

You can make your $600 donation to the ICAA online, or you can download, complete, and mail this form to the ICAA. You can alternatively fax a copy to 212-730-9649. You may also call 212-730-9646 x109 or email [email protected] to make a donation. Donations must be made separately from the registration fee.

Do I have to be a member of the ICAA to participate in an ICAA travel program?

No, membership is not required to attend an ICAA travel program. However, complimentary Individual membership to the ICAA is included with your $600 required donation.

I don’t see the full itinerary for the tour I am interested in. When will it be released?

For full itinerary and more information, contact Arrangements Abroad. Due to the exclusive nature of our tours, some private locations or visits may be omitted from the ICAA's website.

What kinds of trips does the ICAA offer?

Over the past several years, the ICAA has travelled to destinations including Paris; Andalusia; Atlanta; Barbados; South Africa; Chicago; the Netherlands and Belgium; Scotland; the French Riviera; Morocco; the Italian Lake Region; Charlottesville; Naples; and New Delhi, among many other locations. The ICAA is always looking to diversify its travel offerings. If you have a suggestion or location you would like to see added, please email [email protected].