Ten Chimneys Foundation

eNews Sign Up

Darling, we’d love to give you the inside scoop on what’s going on at Ten Chimneys. Sign up for our email updates today and receive an e-coupon for $5.00 off Full Estate Tour admission(s).

Ten Chimneys Foundation's email list is strictly permission based - we do not sell or rent your email address.

Mission

Ten Chimneys Foundation’s Mission

Preserve and Share the buildings, furnishings, collections, and grounds of a national treasure – Ten Chimneys, the estate created by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
Serve as a continuing resource and powerful inspiration for theatre, the arts, and the art of living.
Offer public programs consistent with the Lunts’ varied interests and core values, while maintaining the integrity and intimacy of this extraordinary estate.

Ten Chimneys is a National Historic Landmark, a “Save America’s Treasures” project site, and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Ten Chimneys is owned by the non-profit 501(C)3 organization Ten Chimneys Foundation, Inc.

We open for Estate Tours again on May 6th, 2008 . . .

Unique among historic sites, Ten Chimneys offers guests a virtually barrier-free tour of an estate replete with original furnishings and overflowing with the romance of the Golden Age of Theatre. Tour guests are placed in small groups (usually no more than ten guests per group) and are led through the estate by highly-trained docents. Docents share stories that interpret not only the objects and décor of the estate, but also the lives and values of its remarkable creators. When visiting, you will feel as if Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne have just stepped out for a moment . . . but will be right back to welcome you through their gracious home.

“Exceeded all my expectations - a truly unique and first class destination!” - Wausau, Wisconsin

“Lovely, Darlings! Interesting, Gracious, Artistic!” - Leawood, Kansas

“Thank you for taking me back to a very gracious era. You let me walk in the footsteps, and visit rooms where the most talented enjoyed their time.” - Chicago, Illinois

“This may be the best 'home tour' I have ever been on. From the moment you enter to the final curtain. Everyone involved was taken great care to every 'scene.' I applaud all of you and may you have a long run! Many thanks.” - Vail, Colorado

“Wonderful! - After the tour I felt I had known the Lunts.” - Racine, Wisconsin

“A thrilling tour soaking up the atmosphere of this brilliant couple's home and exquisite grounds. A wonderful peak into the past surrounded by the glamor of a bygone era.” - Madison, Wisconsin

“Enchanting - a true act of love and devotion. Bringing to life the times and joys of the American Theatre.” - Port Washington, Wisconsin

“I was transported to another era - a time when hard work, graciousness and fine living were something one aspired to.” - De Pere, Wisconsin

“Loved the tour! Truly was 'the tour of a lifetime.' We'll be back.” - New York, New York

“I didn't really know who the Lunts were before I toured, now I feel I know the Lunts, their friends, the era, and, I dare say, a little more about myself! Quite an experience!” - Tampa, Florida

Estate Tours of Ten Chimneys are offered May through mid-November, Tuesday through Saturday, rain or shine. Tours leave every fifteen minutes and tour start times generally range from 10am to 2pm. Reservations are highly recommended. Please call our reservation line at (262) 968-4110 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visa and MasterCard are graciously accepted.

Admission	Full Estate Tour	Main House Tour
Standard Rate	$35	$28
Group Rate (24+ Guests)	$30	$28

Full Estate Tours

Full Estate Tours provide the optimum Ten Chimneys experience. Full Estate Tours feature the eclectic rooms of the elegant three-story Main House (including the Entry Hall, Garden Room, Flirtation Room, Drawing Room, Library, Belasco Room, Helen Hayes Bedroom, Laurence Olivier Bedroom, Noël Coward Bedroom, Master Bedroom, Lynn’s Dressing Room, and Lynn’s Sewing Room, Dining Room, Kitchen), the Swedish-style log cabin Studio, and the enchanting Cottage, as well as the exteriors of the Poolhouse, Greenhouse and Creamery, and other outbuildings. Guests should allow two hours for this comprehensive tour.

Main House Tours

Main House Tours are offered to those who may have difficulty traversing the full estate. This tour features over fourteen rooms in the estate’s
three-story Main House. Guests should allow ninety minutes for this tour experience.

Twilight Tours

“Twilight Tours” of Ten Chimneys are generally offered on the first Friday of the month from June through October. Normally available only during the day, these guided Full Estate tours allow guests to experience a one-of-a-kind National Historic Landmark as the sun sets on sixty acres of bucolic Kettle Moraine. Admission is $35 per guest (standard daytime admission). “Twilight Tours” departure times range from 4 – 6 p.m. and return times range from 6 – 8 p.m. Reservations are required; “walk-in” guests cannot be accommodated. Tour availability is limited. Call (262) 968-4110 for more information or to make reservations.

The “Ten Chimneys Experience”

The Ten Chimneys tour has been specifically designed to retain the feeling of Lynn and Alfred’s beloved home. The interiors and décor remains as they did when the Lunts lived here, with all their furniture, books, window coverings, and objects d’art lovingly restored and in the exact places they were left. Many guests say it feels as if the Lunts have just stepped out for a cup of coffee and will be back any minute.

The heart of the Ten Chimneys tour is storytelling. These stories of the Lunts, the interiors and collections of the estate, and 20th Century theatre and world history are brought to life by each tour guide’s ("Docent") own style and love for Ten Chimneys, reflect universal and inspiring themes. The stories interpret not only the objects and décor of the estate, but also the lives of its remarkable creators. Docents do not lead their tours from a script, but select relevant anecdotes from a large collection of stories they gather during their extensive 14-week training. Docents encourage questions and tailor the tour as much as possible to the interests of each group.

The Ten Chimneys tour experience connects with a wide range of individuals, and previous knowledge of the Lunts is not necessary for the tour to be inspirational and relevant. And, with over 100 volunteer docents sharing stories from their own perspective, every tour is unique. The estate is so layered with creative details and whimsical touches that many guests find they discover something new with repeat visits.

The Lunts were known for their “Design for Living,” which was not only their 1933 hit play with Noël Coward, but also how friends and admirers remember the commitments they made to their high ideals of graciousness, lasting relationships, attention to detail, passionate pursuit of excellence, whimsy and joy, dedication to craft, and the necessity of retreat and rejuvenation. Ten Chimneys Foundation is committed to making tours a meaningful and relevant source of inspiration for the “art of living” for generations to come.

All tour guests should be comfortable walking and standing for the duration of their tour.
Full Estate Tour guests also need to navigate multiple flights of stairs and traverse lovely, but sometimes uneven, terrain.
Since the majority of the tour is indoors, weather does not greatly impact the tour experience. Tours run, rain or shine.
Prior to visiting, please alert us to any mobility limitations you or anyone in your party may have, and let us know if you will be bringing a wheelchair.
Due to the estate’s fragility, we regret that children under 12 are not permitted to tour. Reservations are highly recommended.
We welcome walk-ins, however we cannot guarantee availability. We strongly suggest calling ahead before visiting.
Tours of Ten Chimneys are the perfect group tour experience, now with a streamlined reservation process: No deposit required No cancellation fees No pre-tour payment

Please call our Reservation Line at (262) 968-4110 to book your tour. Visa and MasterCard are graciously accepted

Do you know someone who would just love Ten Chimneys? Why not treat them to one of the most inspirational tours in the country? Tour gift certificates are $35 and good for Full Estate or Main House Tours during the current season. Please call our reservation line at (262) 968-4110, or stop by our Museum Store, to purchase a keepsake gift certificate for that simply-divine someone.

Banner photo credit: Zane Williams Photography.

Top of Page

Tour Information

Map and Directions

Detail Map (115kb pdf)

Reservation Line

Please call (262)968-4110 to book your tour. Visa and MasterCard are graciously accepted.

Estate Tours and Reservations