Visit the Mansion House

Tours and Experiences

There are many ways to experience the Oneida Community Mansion House!

The Mansion House is open year-round for guided and self-guided tours with the exception of major holidays*.

Hours

The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm for Self-Guided Tours.

In-Depth Guided Tours, Wed. 10 am, Sat. 10 am & 2 pm, or by appointment.

Hours subject to change during special events. Call to confirm availability for self-guided tours.

If your group—whether a club, school, or friends—can only visit on a Monday or Tuesday, please reach out and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Email tours@oneidacommunity.org or call at 315-363-0745.

In-Depth Guided Tours

The best way to learn about the Oneida Community and its Legacy is through a guided tour with our talented and knowledgeable guides. Guides will share the story of the most radical American utopian community and its legacy as a major silverware company. Guests will walk through both historic rooms and museum displays.

Tours typically last 90 minutes.

Guided tours: Wed. 10 am, Sat. 10 am & 2 pm, or by appointment.

Please email tours@oneidacommunity.org at least 48 hours in advance to schedule.

Self-Guided Tours

For guests that prefer to explore the Mansion House at their own pace, the Mansion House offers self-guided tours. Guests will pick up a detailed map upon arrival and can walk through the museum and learn as they go.

Self-Guided tours are available daily from 9 am-5 pm.

Specialty Tours

OCMH offers themed tours that dive deeper into the history and significance of the Mansion House, the people who called it home, and the extraordinary collections it houses. We offer these tours to the public periodically, which can be booked on our Events Page. However, OCMH is also happy to offer these tours on demand for groups. Please inquire for pricing and availability.

Tunnels & Towers

Go beyond the radical beliefs and practices of the Community with the “Tunnels and Towers” experience. Guides take visitors into the basement to discover the storage rooms, vaults, mechanical rooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities that supported the Community’s unique lifestyle. Visitors will also ascend the towers of the Mansion House to gaze out on the nearly 250 acres of gardens, grounds, and trails!

This tour will include walking, stairs, and entering dark and sometimes tight spaces, so be sure to wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes!

*Not all areas of this tour are ADA accessible.

*Suggested for those ages 16 and over.

Preservation and Architecture

Led by members of the museum and historic preservation team, the "Preservation and Architecture Tour” delves into the ways in which OCMH staff meticulously preserve and interpret the Mansion House, a National Historic Landmark and architectural marvel. Guests will learn about the communal design behind the Mansion House using the latest architectural styles and technologies of the time. More importantly, it will explore our preservation efforts with exclusive access to the latest developments of our multi- year, multi-million dollar historic preservation effort at the Mansion House, including roof rehabilitation, brick facade replacements, porch renovation, and best practices for maintaining historic structures.

This tour will be outdoors, so be sure to plan for the weather and wear comfortable shoes!

Gardens and Landscape

The 13 acres surrounding the Oneida Community Mansion House are a riot of color and filled with rich history in every season! On the “Gardens and Landscape Tour” guests walk the grounds while learning about the long history of the landscape maintained by the Oneida Community. Discover the landscape's transformation from farm, to pleasure garden, to private club while admiring the seasonal flowers and champion trees that form a perfect natural complement to the architecture of the Mansion House itself.

This tour will be outdoors, so be sure to plan for the weather and wear comfortable shoes!

Mansion House After Dark

See the Oneida Community Mansion House like never before—at night by LED lamplight! “The Mansion House After Dark Tour” will kick off at dusk and introduce guests to the people, spaces, and practices that made the Oneida Community one of the most radical social experiments of its time. It will also take guests into spaces not seen on regular tours to learn about how the Community navigated the dark and spaces primarily used at night.

This tour is geared towards adults

Cemetery Tour

Join us for a presentation about the death and mourning practices of the Oneida Community, and how their practices differed from conventional society.

“The Cemetery Tour” begins with a presentation in the Mansion House Big Hall and continue with a journey to the Oneida Community Cemetery to wander among the gravestones of the people who created one of the most successful and longest lasting utopian societies in American history.

This tour will be outdoors, so be sure to plan for the weather and wear comfortable shoes!

Objects from the Storeroom Tour!

Join members of OCMH’s curatorial team for a special program into collections storage rooms at the Mansion House, highlighting objects rarely—if ever—on display, the stories they tell, and how we care for them.

The show-and-tell style “Objects from the Storeroom Tour” offers insight into the curatorial process, including storage strategies, preservation priorities, and the interpretive considerations that inform the rotation of collection materials. Through a closer look at select artifacts, guests will discuss the importance of ongoing collections care and how objects are brought into conversations about the past.

Whether you’re a longtime visitor or new to the museum, this is a great opportunity to connect with the collection in a new way! Plus, learn how you can preserve your own family treasures!

OCMH/Liberty Tabletop Factory Tour

The “OCMH/Liberty Tabletop Factory Tour” will begin at the Oneida Community Mansion House with a tour that focuses on the manufacturing history of the Oneida Community and Oneida Ltd. with a private guided tour of the exhibit “Oneida Ltd.: More than a Silverware Company.”

Then guests will travel on their own to Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop (the only flatware manufacturer in the U.S.A.) for a guided tour of Oneida Ltd.'s former factory with Liberty's co-founder Matt Roberts. Get a behind the scenes look at how silverware goes from metal coil to finished product with a mix of cutting edge technology and time honored traditions!

Opportunities to shop in the Mansion House museum store and at Liberty Tabletop
All proceeds support the Oneida Community Mansion House
Not all areas of this tour are ADA accessible

Admission

• Adults: $15

• Seniors (60 and over): $12
• Students (with ID): $8
• Children 6 and under: Free (but no strollers or carriages, please)
• Special Group Tours: Please call for pricing

• Free to members

Your admission fees support preserving the Mansion House and providing educational programming to our audiences.

Accessibility

The Oneida Community Mansion House welcomes all visitors to experience community. The Mansion House does have accessible parking and wheelchair access. In addition, the Mansion House offers an elevator and wheelchair lift with limited access. However, due to the historic nature of the building, including winding or steep stairs and narrow passageways, some visitors might experience difficulty in certain areas that are not fully ADA accessible at this time. Please call for more information on how we can best facilitate your experience.

Parking

Visitor parking is free and available in designated spaces along the front drive, along The Vineyard opposite the Mansion House, and in the north parking lot off Skinner Road. Wheelchair-accessible parking is designated in the north parking lot.

Large Group Visits

The Oneida Community Mansion House welcomes groups of all sizes including motorcoach tours that can be customized for any group or interest. Please email tours@oneidacommunity.org or call 315-363-0745 for pricing and more information. Group Tour Profile Sheet PDF