Upstairs/Downstairs Tour

Come discover how during the Gilded Age and beyond, the staffs at Lyndhurst functioned to provide an efficient and seamless lifestyle for the Merritt and Gould Families! You will also experience the newly restored Merritt Tower where you will see glorious views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and Lyndhurst’s beautiful landscape!

On this tour, you will be climbing up 79 steps to the Observatory of the Tower with spectacular views of the lower Hudson Valley and Manhattan, open to the public for the first time. Along the way, you will see the area where servants were housed. You will then climb down 99 steps to view the Butler’s suite, Butler’s Pantry, Root Cellar, Scullery, Kitchen, Ice Closet and Servants’ Dining Room.  The tour will conclude with a visit to the laundry building.

Please note: Tour requires ascending 79 steps up to the tower, and 99 stairs down to the basement. There are no elevators.  There will be some seating and opportunities to rest provided throughout the tour. The mansion is not air-conditioned and there may be extreme summer heat in the tower and cold temperatures in the basement. Not reccommended for those with a fear of heights. Not fully ADA accessible and not recommended for people with physical disabilities.