What’s happening this winter at Historic New England

From historic house tours to open landscapes and plenty of new virtual events, here’s everything you need to know about what Historic New England has to offer this winter.

House Tours

Two of our historic house museums, the Eustis Estate and Gropius House, remain open year-round for indoor tours.

Eustis Estate, Milton, Mass.: Open for self-guided tours every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with one guided tour per day at 10:00 a.m. See the exhibition Artful Stories: Paintings from Historic New England as part of the tour experience. Plus, view the estate decorated for a Victorian Christmas through Sunday, January 10. Each guided tour is limited to six guests. Learn more and get tickets.

Gropius House, Lincoln, Mass.: Open year-round for guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each tour is limited to four guests. Learn more and get tickets.

In compliance with CDC, state, and local safety guidelines, face coverings and social distancing are required for all staff and visitors. Hand sanitizer is available. Enhanced cleaning and disinfectant measures are in place. The tours have been altered to maximize social distancing. Please read the “Know Before You Go” section on each site’s page before your visit.

Now you can visit several of our historic properties from home. From your computer or mobile device, stroll through the buildings and landscapes of Casey Farm, Otis House, Roseland Cottage, Rundlet-May House, Sarah Orne Jewett House, and two neighborhoods in Vermont through our new digital experiences with never-before-seen images and research. Explore the web apps.

Open Landscapes

Many of our landscapes and grounds are open to the public for free daily from dusk to dawn, including those at:

• Castle Tucker, Wiscasset, Maine
• Codman Estate, Lincoln, Mass.
• Cogswell’s Grant, Essex, Mass.
• Eustis Estate, Milton, Mass.
• Gropius House, Lincoln, Mass.
• Hamilton House, South Berwick, Maine
• Lyman Estate, Waltham, Mass.
• Roseland Cottage, Woodstock, Conn.
• Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury, Mass.

Greenhouse Sales

The Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts, are open and selling plants. Stop by Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Events

We have plenty of virtual events lined up this season for you to enjoy at home, including:

• Victorian Furniture: Design Run Amok or Inspired Creativity?, Thursday, January 14
• Closer Encounters: Conversations about Artful Stories, Tuesday, January 19
• Wood Repairs and Your Old House, Wednesday, January 20
• Triple Decker: A New England Love Story, Thursday, January 21
• Faces of the American Revolution: Portraits by John Singleton Copley, Monday, January 25
• A Look at Wallpaper: Collections, Conservation, and Restoration at Hamilton House, Tuesday, January 26
• History of Camellias in Boston, Wednesday, February 10
• The Smart Set at Red Roof, Thursday, February 11

Interested in a seeing Gropius House in a different light? Join us at one of our Gropius Glows events for an intimate, in-person tour during the late afternoon to see Walter Gropius’s innovative lighting scheme come to life at sunset. Only a few tickets remain.

Visit our Events page for the most up-to-date virtual and in-person event listings through the winter season.