Winterthur, Delaware -- Visitors to Winterthur Museum & Country Estate will be able to learn more about the extraordinary American antiques collected by museum founder Henry Francis du Pont with the help of a new iPod-based tour narrated by Leigh and Leslie Keno, the stars of PBS's "Antiques Road Show" and "Find!"
The museum offers the iPod audio tours in two ways: visitors who already own an iPod or other MP3 player can download the tour at http://www.winterthur.org/ for free, then bring it with them when hey come to the museum (ticket purchase necessary for admission). For those without a listening device, Winterthur will loan iPods already downloaded with the tour to ticket purchasers in exchange for a security deposit of a driver's license or credit card imprint.
"The new iPod tours are yet another way that Winterthur is responding to the changing needs and interests of our audiences," said Winterthur Director and CEO Leslie Greene Bowman. "Audience research has shown that our visitors are interested in more options, more flexibility, and more independence in the museum experience. The iPod tour not only provides these things, but it gives visitors a chance to learn from two people who certainly know how to make learning about antiques fun -- Leigh and Leslie Keno."
Known for their appearances as appraisers on PBS's "Antiques Road Show" and as hosts of their own show, "Find!," the Kenos are both experts in the field of 18th-century American furniture. Leigh runs his own New York-based antiques business, Leigh Keno Antiques, while Leslie is senior vice president and director of business development at Sotheby's.
"American antiques have been a lifelong passion for us," said Leigh. "We started collecting when we were kids and continue to be fascinated by objects from America's past and the stories they tell."
"Every time we visit Winterthur, we learn something new," added Leslie. "There's so much depth and variety in Henry Francis du Pont's phenomenal collection that there's always something to discover. We're excited about sharing these discoveries with the people who visit Winterthur."
The tour focuses on a dozen objects dating from the 17th through the mid-19th century on display in the museum's first-floor galleries, representing some of the best craftsmanship and design of early America.
For information, including hours and admission fees, call 800.448.3883. Online, go to www.winterthur.org.
