Flagler Museum at Whitehall

Whitehall is the building that explains Palm Beach. Henry Flagler, a founder of Standard Oil who turned his fortune into railroads and hotels along Florida's east coast, built the mansion in 1902 as a wedding gift for his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan. The Beaux-Arts palace, with its marble columns, painted ceilings and sweeping entrance hall, was one of the grandest houses in America, a showpiece for the new winter colony. Today it is the Flagler Museum, preserved and restored to reflect its early years, with period furnishings, original art and an astonishing level of detail. A visit takes you through the rooms where society once gathered, and out to the grounds where Flagler's private railcar rests under a pavilion. It is the essential history stop in the Palm Beaches.

The story begins with the railroad. Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railway down the coast in the 1890s, reaching Palm Beach in 1894 and opening the Royal Poinciana, then the largest wooden resort hotel in the world. Whitehall was his own residence, designed by the New York firm Carrere and Hastings, and its scale announced the new era.

The house has fifty-five rooms; the entrance hall, called the Grand Hall, is among the most dramatic interiors in the country, with marble from several countries, a coffered ceiling and a mural-lined space meant to impress. The ballroom, music room, library and bedrooms reflect the tastes of the period, and the objects on display help recreate daily life in the house.

The grounds and outbuildings add to the visit. Flagler's private railcar, Railcar No. 91, sits in a pavilion behind the house and offers a close look at how the wealthy traveled to Florida. The Café des Beaux-Arts and the museum's afternoon tea service are favorite traditions for many visitors, and the lawns overlook Lake Worth Lagoon.

The museum offers guided tours, audio guides and special programs; check the current schedule and any timed-entry arrangements before you go, as well as the weekly closing day. A visit usually takes two hours, or longer if you stay for tea. Photography rules vary, so ask at the entrance.

To fit Whitehall into your Palm Beach day, start with the museum in the morning when it is quieter, then walk or drive to Worth Avenue and the Lake Trail. The story of Flagler is also the story of West Palm Beach, which was founded to house the workers who built his hotels, and the museum helps you understand why the two cities are paired across the water.

Dress comfortably, but note that some events have dress codes. The museum is a rare place where the architecture, the collection and the story are all first-rate, and it is the best answer to the question of why so many people have wanted to spend winters here for more than a century.

A few visiting tips add to the experience. Look up in the Grand Hall to see the painted ceilings, notice the details of the pink marble and the gilded fittings, and read the labels in the period rooms, which explain how the household ran. Special exhibitions and seasonal programs change from year to year, and the museum has hosted concerts and lectures in the past, so check the calendar. Arrive close to opening for a calmer experience, and allow time for the grounds, which are a pleasant place to rest.