Waddesdon Manor
French Renaissance-style Rothschild château in Buckinghamshire with a major art collection, wine cellars, aviary and gardens, cared for with the National Trust.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Waddesdon Manor was built between 1874 and 1889 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, who bought the estate when it had no house, park or garden. The summit of Lodge Hill was levelled and the foundation stone was laid in 1877. The château imitates features of several French Renaissance buildings and was designed as a weekend home for entertaining guests and for displaying the Baron's collection of art. Queen Victoria visited in 1890 and admired the house, the gardens and the new electric lights in the chandeliers.
After Ferdinand died in 1898, the house passed to his sister Alice, who preserved it as a memorial to him and added French royal furniture, porcelain and other objects. In 1922 it went to their great-nephew James de Rothschild, who added items from the collections of his father in Paris. When James died, he left the house and its contents to the National Trust in 1957, and the house and gardens opened to the public.
Unusually for a National Trust property, the Rothschild family still manages Waddesdon, today through the Rothschild Foundation. Visitors see rooms with portraits by Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney, French furniture and Sèvres porcelain, the Rothschild Treasury with more than 300 objects, and wine cellars holding over 15,000 bottles. The grounds include the French-style parterre, an aviary, a rose garden, a conservation hub and a woodland playground, and the estate also includes Eythrope walled gardens.
Highlights
- Rooms with portraits by Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney
- Rothschild Treasury with more than 300 objects
- Wine cellars with over 15,000 bottles
- Parterre, rose garden and Aviary
- Wild Wood Adventure Playground
- Exhibition on the Rothschild family story
Permanent exhibitions
- The Rothschild Story – Rooms in the house that explore the story of the Rothschild family, who created and still care for Waddesdon.
- Rothschild Treasury – More than 300 objects from the Rothschild collection of art and curiosities.
- Wine cellars – Cellars with over 15,000 bottles from Rothschild estates, including vintages from Château Lafite and Château Mouton Rothschild.
- Founded
- 1957
- Operated by
- Rothschild Foundation (in partnership with the National Trust)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £27 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £13.50free up to age 4 · House and Grounds ticket for ages 5 to 17; children under 5 are free but also need a timed house ticket. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers and essential companions of visitors with disabilities are admitted free; select the essential companion option when booking. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Groups of 15 or more book through the groups team. |
| Grounds ticket, adult (18+) | £14Without entry to the house. |
| Grounds ticket, child (5 to 17) | £7Under 5s free. |
| Shuttle bus return ticket, adult | £2.50Child aged 2 to 17 £1.50; free for infants aged 0 to 1, Blue Badge holders and essential companions. |
The house ticket includes the grounds. National Trust members, Art Fund members and Historic Houses members enter the house and grounds free, and RHS members enter the grounds free and pay £13 for House and Grounds. Members must show their cards at the Welcome Pavilion, and Waddesdon does not take part in National Trust voucher promotions. Residents of Waddesdon, Westcott and Upper Winchendon enter free with photo ID. Entry to the house is by timed ticket, and everyone needs one, including members. Tickets are not refunded or exchanged.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The house and grounds are wheelchair accessible, with step-free access to the ground floor via ramps, a staff-operated lift to the first floor and the wine cellars, and a chair lift to the Rothschild Treasury; the historic lift is small, so not all scooters fit and a house wheelchair may be needed. Indoor and outdoor wheelchairs can be borrowed free and cannot be reserved. Paths in the grounds are steep or gravelled in places. A mobility buggy runs between the North Fountain and the house, and the shuttle buses are fully accessible. Blue Badge parking is in the main car park. There is a Changing Places toilet (RADAR key from the Manor Shop), and accessible toilets at the Welcome Pavilion, the house and the Stables. Hearing loops are at the Welcome Pavilion, Manor Shop, Courtyard Coffee and the Stables. Relaxed openings for neurodivergent visitors and BSL tours of the ground floor are offered at set dates. Assistance dogs are welcome in the grounds, house, shops and cafés.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly: not available
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
The free Wild Wood Adventure Playground opened on 1 August 2026. The Aviary and the Conservation Hub offer nature trails and interactive activities, and family events run at half-terms, Easter and in summer. Shuttle buses take up to three unfolded pushchairs. Baby changing is in the Manor (via the Manor Shop) and at the Stables, and not on the house route.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Aylesbury Vale Parkway station
The nearest railway station is Aylesbury Vale Parkway (Chiltern Railways); from there take a taxi, bus 16, 17 or 616, or the 4 km Waddesdon Greenway for walkers and cyclists. A shuttle bus links the visitor car park, the North Fountain and the Stables about every 10 minutes (return ticket £2.50 adult, £1.50 child), and the last bus to the car park leaves at 17:30.
By car
Free parking
Free visitor car park with over 1,000 spaces and dedicated Blue Badge spaces; the walk to the manor takes 20 to 25 minutes on a hard-surface path with steep sections, or take the shuttle bus. Four free electric-vehicle charging spaces (visitors bring their own cable).
- Accessible parking
The estate is just off the A41 between Bicester and Aylesbury; the main visitor entrance is on Silk Street. Check your route in advance because of HS2 roadworks nearby. All visitors go first to the Welcome Pavilion in the car park. what3words: those.lyricism.smiles.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Manor Restaurant, Stables Café and Takeaway, Courtyard Coffee and Parterre Café; a Manor Shop and a Wine and Gift Shop. Self-serve lockers at Visitor Information store large bags free of charge; bags larger than A4 and all rucksacks are not allowed in the house, and food and drink are not allowed inside the house. Picnics are welcome in the grounds.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Private hire of the Dairy, the Manor and Windmill Hill for weddings, private events, corporate events and filming.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photos and videos for personal use are welcome in the house without flash or tripods; professional photography needs prior agreement. |
| Good to know | At least one hour is recommended for the house, and on average visitors spend 1 hour 30 minutes there. The house is self-guided with volunteer hosts and room guides, and the free Bloomberg app offers an audio guide (visitors bring their own headphones; a few loan devices are available). Special tours run in the main season. Prams and pushchairs are not allowed inside the house and can be left under cover at the front door; babies should be carried in a sling, which can be borrowed. Dogs are welcome in the grounds on short leads except in the Aviary and the Woodland Playground, and in the Stables Café. |
