Alfred I. duPont’s legacy goes beyond industry and finance. Many already knew he left several millions of dollars in his estate to build the A. I. duPont Hospital for Children. But what many do not know is he left a beautiful piece of property to be used for healing that goes beyond medicine.
It’s called the Nemours Mansion and Gardens.
The grounds of this palatial estate are nothing short than breath taking. 300 acres surround a 47,000 sq. ft. mansion built in 1910 by Alfred I. duPont. The mansion is open to the public. Why? In the words of Alfred I. DuPont, “it is the duty of everyone in the world to do what is within his power to alleviate human suffering.”
John Rumm is the executive director of the Nemours Mansion and Gardens and he says duPont felt that being outdoors was part of the healing process.
“He was a passionate outdoorsman. He would try to walk everyday, try to exercise out in these gardens everyday. He understood that nature has a healing power to it,” Rumm says.
The estate has been open to the public as a historic house museum and garden since the late 70’s. Now, the estate has an even bigger role.
“Starting this year we are changing, we’ve really expanded the definition of public to include, not only our regular visitors, but also patients in the hospital, their families and the parents are here and their siblings are here, caregivers and providers who work in the hospital and Nemours employees, really the entire community, so we’ve expanded that definition of the public,” Rumm says.
The Nemours Mansion is open to the public as a museum Tuesday through Sunday and you can tour the mansion, gardens, and the chauffeur’s garage.
