Two parking lots. Buy house tour pass or pick up tickets at booth first parking lot. If you buy a pass to house you can also drive to parking lot near house. See photo below. Parking free. Grounds are free to walk in and around. About 40 plus acres. Mansion is open for self guided or guided. $20 adults. $10 student or military. Or Mass library card $10. Mansion can be quick but if you are interested in reading and strolling there is a lot of information. Took about 90 min. Italian garden even in winter is lovely. Stroll from the garden along the lined walk around house. It was 40f cloudy and a good time.
Ariea Almassi
Took my family here and had a magical experience despite how cold we all were initially. Very affordable - only had to pay for wife and I, with kids being free ages 12 and under. No complaints from the littles. Kids were absolutely awestruck by all of the lights and sounds. There's also a nice little courtyard at the back of the mansion to gather at and get some hot cocoa. We will be visiting again.
JBG
The Nightwoods event is wonderful and a solid 4-star event but in comparison to the Lake George Winter (ice) light shows which are money grabbing rip -offs I have to give the Mount 5 stars for this event. It is well-conceived, expansive, thoughtfully designed and well run. The Mansion is wonderful anytime but having a quality Winter event makes this extra special.
Michelle Dwyer
Very nice place to visit…
Paul Laskow
A wonderful historical museum about a significant American author. The house is interesting and beautifully restored, but the grounds are spectacular. Visiting there gives you an idea as to what society life was like in the early 20th century.Learning about the life of Edith Warton maie you appreciate what she had to endure during those times as a self sufficient, independent woman.
Jared S.
I came to the Mount with my dad and our dog for a leisurely, winter stroll on the day after Thanksgiving. Can you believe it's free to walk these magnificent grounds?! And that they're dog friendly?! We took our time going from the main entrance all the way to the back where the forest paths begin and really took in the sites. I get my love for photography from my pops so we had a grand ol' time snapping photos of all the cool sculptures and breathtaking views.There is so much variety here that you really can find some incredible angles without even trying. We got a chance to see the preliminary setup for their upcoming Nightwood light show, which is dubbed "A fantastical journey through sound & light." I anticipate that it will be absolutely fantastical indeed and hope to make one evening!
Amy Morton
Very cool walk about the grounds. We visited early Nov and when most trees around the area had lost their foliage, The Mount seemed frozen in time.Just out of a story book- this is worth a visit.
Kevin Downer
Even in late Autumn the gardens at the Mount have a great deal to offer.We opted to take our time and go at our own pace rather than take the guided tour.Do not skip the video in the stable as it offers a great overview of the story of Mrs. Wharton, the building of the mansion, marriage, famous friends and complex affairs.Entering the mansion, displays and story boards offer more detail and color to Mrs. Wharton’s story and enhance the appreciation for this trail blazer and her overall design for the mansion and grounds.We planned a quick visit. We stayed for over two hours - had the weather been warmer we could easily have explored the grounds more.
Bebe Spee
Recently visited during a lovely fall afternoon, the colors complemented the interesting and striking works of art scattered through the woods. The mansion never disappoints and is easy to access with an elevator as needed. Staff in the gift shop are well informed and the shop is full of unique and interesting gifts and books. Don’t forget to enjoy the cafe overlooking the magnificent gardens. An homage to a gifted humanitarian and author.
Kristen Maynor
For fans of Edith Wharton, visiting the Mount is a transporting experience. Lingering in the spaces she wrote (primarily from bed!), enjoying the spaces she designed and realized with her architect, was beyond lovely. I hope to return when the garden is in its full splendor - Wharton is said to have thought herself to be a better gardener than a writer (imagine!) - but autumn was also a nice time to visit with the turning leaves and expansive grounds. If you have any reading gaps of her work, you can top off the visit with a purchase of her book(s) in their quaint gift shop.
An absolutely stunning place. If you're looking for a tranquil, visually inspiring site, this place is for you. You don't have to tour the house itself (which costs around $20) and can visit the beautiful grounds for free. The grounds include a serene walking trail with a story that children can read along the way. The gardens have been kept in pristine shape and you can tell the care that goes into each flower. The site is also dotted with various fascinating sculptures that are guaranteed to pique the interest of both adults and children. Highly recommend!
Virginia Todd
Beautiful estate. Lots of trails and gardens to walk through. Long walk from main parking lot to the house. However there is actually parking at the main house, after you pay at the ticket booth. Lots of sculptures from different artist on the grounds. You can do self guided tour or a guided tour. Worth watching the introductory movie in the stables. Restrooms are at the stables and main house. Main house also has a gift shop and Cafe on the main terrace.
Ed A.
The Mount was a great experience. I loved the architecture and the classical elements that were thoughtfully incorporated within. My favorite room was the Library. It had books from floor to ceiling and every corner. The rich brown wood tones make for a cozy afternoon read. The gardens were well planned and manicured. It is no wonder that Edith Wharton found so much inspiration for her books. It was all around her.
Kim Hanson
Lovely gardens very interesting tour of the house the self-guided tour is wonderful. I'm like most places you're actually able to walk in and around the rooms as opposed to just looking at them from a doorway.
Vincent L.
Adding pictures and revising my original review.One of many grand estates here in the Berkshires that hosted writers, artists, and other figures in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Mount was writer Edith Wharton's primary residence from 1902 to 1911.Although neither a builder nor an architect, Wharton designed the Mount herself, using rules she laid out in her first book, "The Decoration of Houses," while also drawing inspiration from classical Italian and French architecture and from the Belton House, a 17th-century estate in England.Her mark on The Mount is clear on both a grand scale, in terms of order and symmetry, and in the details, like the use of painted walls to make entryways to certain rooms appear double-doored. The house was also built with practicality in mind, whether in the strategic, private location of Edith's bedroom at a rear corner of the house overlooking the gardens, or of the kitchen and servants' quarters at the opposite end near a service driveway, which could supply dining and function rooms on this side of the house.The docents here are skilled at regaling visitors with stories of Edith's life here. For example, her bedroom, and most notably her bed, was her main workspace. She'd lie in bed until noon, writing page by page by hand, dropping them to the floor for an assistant to transcribe. In other rooms, Edith's life (and distant relationship) here with her husband Edward, and subsequent relationships with notable companions, are discussed. Later uses of the house, whether school dormitory or as the home of a theatre company, are also mentioned.It's not just about the house - the rear gardens are elaborate, terraced, and infinitely instagrammable. Indeed, the front and rear grounds of the house are frequently used as venues for wedding receptions and other parties. You might want to avoid the interior during relatively quiet nighttime hours, however, because there are many reports of "haunted" activity here. ;)
Two parking lots. Buy house tour pass or pick up tickets at booth first parking lot. If you buy a pass to house you can also drive to parking lot near house. See photo below. Parking free. Grounds are free to walk in and around. About 40 plus acres. Mansion is open for self guided or guided. $20 adults. $10 student or military. Or Mass library card $10. Mansion can be quick but if you are interested in reading and strolling there is a lot of information. Took about 90 min. Italian garden even in winter is lovely. Stroll from the garden along the lined walk around house. It was 40f cloudy and a good time.
Took my family here and had a magical experience despite how cold we all were initially. Very affordable - only had to pay for wife and I, with kids being free ages 12 and under. No complaints from the littles. Kids were absolutely awestruck by all of the lights and sounds. There's also a nice little courtyard at the back of the mansion to gather at and get some hot cocoa. We will be visiting again.
The Nightwoods event is wonderful and a solid 4-star event but in comparison to the Lake George Winter (ice) light shows which are money grabbing rip -offs I have to give the Mount 5 stars for this event. It is well-conceived, expansive, thoughtfully designed and well run. The Mansion is wonderful anytime but having a quality Winter event makes this extra special.
Very nice place to visit…
A wonderful historical museum about a significant American author. The house is interesting and beautifully restored, but the grounds are spectacular. Visiting there gives you an idea as to what society life was like in the early 20th century.Learning about the life of Edith Warton maie you appreciate what she had to endure during those times as a self sufficient, independent woman.
I came to the Mount with my dad and our dog for a leisurely, winter stroll on the day after Thanksgiving. Can you believe it's free to walk these magnificent grounds?! And that they're dog friendly?! We took our time going from the main entrance all the way to the back where the forest paths begin and really took in the sites. I get my love for photography from my pops so we had a grand ol' time snapping photos of all the cool sculptures and breathtaking views.There is so much variety here that you really can find some incredible angles without even trying. We got a chance to see the preliminary setup for their upcoming Nightwood light show, which is dubbed "A fantastical journey through sound & light." I anticipate that it will be absolutely fantastical indeed and hope to make one evening!
Very cool walk about the grounds. We visited early Nov and when most trees around the area had lost their foliage, The Mount seemed frozen in time.Just out of a story book- this is worth a visit.
Even in late Autumn the gardens at the Mount have a great deal to offer.We opted to take our time and go at our own pace rather than take the guided tour.Do not skip the video in the stable as it offers a great overview of the story of Mrs. Wharton, the building of the mansion, marriage, famous friends and complex affairs.Entering the mansion, displays and story boards offer more detail and color to Mrs. Wharton’s story and enhance the appreciation for this trail blazer and her overall design for the mansion and grounds.We planned a quick visit. We stayed for over two hours - had the weather been warmer we could easily have explored the grounds more.
Recently visited during a lovely fall afternoon, the colors complemented the interesting and striking works of art scattered through the woods. The mansion never disappoints and is easy to access with an elevator as needed. Staff in the gift shop are well informed and the shop is full of unique and interesting gifts and books. Don’t forget to enjoy the cafe overlooking the magnificent gardens. An homage to a gifted humanitarian and author.
For fans of Edith Wharton, visiting the Mount is a transporting experience. Lingering in the spaces she wrote (primarily from bed!), enjoying the spaces she designed and realized with her architect, was beyond lovely. I hope to return when the garden is in its full splendor - Wharton is said to have thought herself to be a better gardener than a writer (imagine!) - but autumn was also a nice time to visit with the turning leaves and expansive grounds. If you have any reading gaps of her work, you can top off the visit with a purchase of her book(s) in their quaint gift shop.
Restaurantji Recommends
An absolutely stunning place. If you're looking for a tranquil, visually inspiring site, this place is for you. You don't have to tour the house itself (which costs around $20) and can visit the beautiful grounds for free. The grounds include a serene walking trail with a story that children can read along the way. The gardens have been kept in pristine shape and you can tell the care that goes into each flower. The site is also dotted with various fascinating sculptures that are guaranteed to pique the interest of both adults and children. Highly recommend!
Beautiful estate. Lots of trails and gardens to walk through. Long walk from main parking lot to the house. However there is actually parking at the main house, after you pay at the ticket booth. Lots of sculptures from different artist on the grounds. You can do self guided tour or a guided tour. Worth watching the introductory movie in the stables. Restrooms are at the stables and main house. Main house also has a gift shop and Cafe on the main terrace.
The Mount was a great experience. I loved the architecture and the classical elements that were thoughtfully incorporated within. My favorite room was the Library. It had books from floor to ceiling and every corner. The rich brown wood tones make for a cozy afternoon read. The gardens were well planned and manicured. It is no wonder that Edith Wharton found so much inspiration for her books. It was all around her.
Lovely gardens very interesting tour of the house the self-guided tour is wonderful. I'm like most places you're actually able to walk in and around the rooms as opposed to just looking at them from a doorway.
Adding pictures and revising my original review.One of many grand estates here in the Berkshires that hosted writers, artists, and other figures in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Mount was writer Edith Wharton's primary residence from 1902 to 1911.Although neither a builder nor an architect, Wharton designed the Mount herself, using rules she laid out in her first book, "The Decoration of Houses," while also drawing inspiration from classical Italian and French architecture and from the Belton House, a 17th-century estate in England.Her mark on The Mount is clear on both a grand scale, in terms of order and symmetry, and in the details, like the use of painted walls to make entryways to certain rooms appear double-doored. The house was also built with practicality in mind, whether in the strategic, private location of Edith's bedroom at a rear corner of the house overlooking the gardens, or of the kitchen and servants' quarters at the opposite end near a service driveway, which could supply dining and function rooms on this side of the house.The docents here are skilled at regaling visitors with stories of Edith's life here. For example, her bedroom, and most notably her bed, was her main workspace. She'd lie in bed until noon, writing page by page by hand, dropping them to the floor for an assistant to transcribe. In other rooms, Edith's life (and distant relationship) here with her husband Edward, and subsequent relationships with notable companions, are discussed. Later uses of the house, whether school dormitory or as the home of a theatre company, are also mentioned.It's not just about the house - the rear gardens are elaborate, terraced, and infinitely instagrammable. Indeed, the front and rear grounds of the house are frequently used as venues for wedding receptions and other parties. You might want to avoid the interior during relatively quiet nighttime hours, however, because there are many reports of "haunted" activity here. ;)