Easy Walking Tour - May 2, 11am -12pm

Experience the beauty and learn the history of this magnificent estate as you take a leisurely 1-hour tour of the Walled Garden.

This leisurely 60-minute walking tour led by one of our expert volunteer guides will cover the Walled Garden and Lower Terrace, including the newly-restored Persian Pool with its intricate sea creature mosaics and Temple of the Sky with its restored Medusa mosaic. All the paths are flat stone dust, and there are ramps that allow access to the Amphitheater and the Temple of the Sky. There are no hills to climb.

Throughout the tour, you will learn about the rich history of Untermyer Gardens, beginning with its origin in 1862. The tour will take you through the estate's three owners, emphasizing its world-famous heyday during the Untermyer years, its decline after 1940, and the remarkable restoration efforts that have been ongoing since 2011 to the present day.

The tour will also highlight the remarkable architecture of the gardens, with an emphasis on Samuel Untermyer and his wife Minnie, and their place in early 20th century history. You will learn about their contributions to the gardens, which are regarded as some of the most beautiful and intricate in the world. There will be some limited discussion of the horticulture but the magnificent plantings will mostly speak for themselves.