Located on one of Palm Beach Island’s most exclusive streets, The Flagler Museum is one of the most visited attraction in Palm Beach County. The grand estate, formally known as Whitehall, features more than 100,000 square feet filled with some of the most important Palm Beach history.
The famous landmark was commissioned by the American Industrialist Henry Flagler as a wedding gift to his wife Mary. Henry Flagler is known to be the founder of Standard Oil and an important person in shaping the history of Palm Beach. Flagler commissioned John Carrere and Thomas Hastings to build and design the grand estate. Hastings and Carrere were also the architects for other famous landmarks such as the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and the New York Public Library during the Gilded Age.
The elegant mansion exterior features white marble columns and a red barrel roof overlooking the intracoastal waterway. The estate features a large central courtyard, a full basement, two full stories plus an attic, the original fence built in 1901, ten antique clocks that are still working and in use today, and more than 75 rooms. The home features antiques, artwork and the history of the Gilded Age and Henry Flagler, known to be one of the island’s founders.
Today, the home has been turned into a museum and is open for visitors to take tours. The Museum has adopted a timed entry system. Visitors will be required when purchasing tickets online to choose a time they plan to arrive. Museum members still have access to free admission but will be required to provide a time on when they are planning to attend. For tickets, click here.
The Flagler Museum asks everyone who visits to follow a one-way fixed route and follow social distancing. There will be no group led tours or paper brochures at this time, but a free narrated tour will be available to use on the Museum’s mobile app.
Visitors can still enjoy the first and second floor of the grand estate, the grounds, the Flagler Kenan Pavilion, Flagler’s Railcar No.91, Museum’s Winter Exhibition, The Museum Shop, and The Exhibition Gallery.
