Wilderstein Historic Site

This 19th-century Queen Anne-style country house now a museum on the Hudson River in Rhinebeck is a must-see.

Named “Wilderstein” for wild man’s stone, this historic Rhinebeck locale was home to Thomas Suckley and his wife Catherin Murray Browne in 1852. Remodeled in 1888 by the couple’s son Robert and his wife Elizabeth, the two-story country home was turned into an elaborate Queen Anne-style mansion. For three generations, Wilderstein was occupied by the Suckleys and they have amassed a large collection of personal and ancestral effects that represent the social history of the estate and its family. The last resident of Wilderstein was Margaret Suckley, a distant cousin and close confidante of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She even helped establish his library in Hyde Park.

Collections housed within Wilderstein include furniture, art, tools, books, photographs, business records, and personal papers of the family. These collections have become a resource for understanding life not only for the Stuckley family, but for all those who lived in the Hudson Valley during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Items discussed include the concentration of wealth, advances made in transportation and technology, and the growth of the mass media.

Touring Wilderstein

This historic home is open for tours from May 2 through October 31, 2024. Tours include a talk about the history of the family, the landscape, the exterior design of the mansion, the first and second floors, and a video.

Tours are offered Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at noon, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm. Tickets are $18 per person and advanced reservations are not required.

There are also specialty events like Birding Walks or The Art of Tea Crafting, you can view the full calendar of events here.

You can also tour the grounds and surrounding trails daily for free from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Take Amtrak to Wilderstein Historic Site

Visit this Victorian mansion via Amtrak to Rhinecliff-Kingston Station. Wilderstein is approximately 2.2 miles from the train station.