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PLAN YOUR VISIT
Families
Tour Groups
School Groups
Teachers
CHRISTMAS
CALENDAR
SPECIAL INTEREST
TICKETS & TOURS
ABOUT NEW BERN
DIRECTIONS
MAP
HOURS
HISTORY NAVIGATOR
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Plan Your Visit
Whether you have just a few hours or all day, your visit to Tryon Palace can include one (or more!) of many touring options designed to accommodate families, tour groups or school groups.
Your visit begins in the North Carolina History Center, 529 S. Front Street (at Metcalf) in New Bern, North Carolina. It is the main entrance to Tryon Palace, where you may purchase tickets, pick up maps and information, view orientation films and visit gallery exhibits, the interactive Pepsi Family Center, the Regional History Museum and more, before enjoying the tours and activities at the Governor’s Palace, gardens and other historic buildings. At the History Center you can also visit the Museum Store and have a relaxing meal at Lawson’s Landing Café, while taking in the Karen Rand River Walk view.
Regular Hours
Monday through Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Daily tours begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. (last ticket sold at 4:00 p.m.). Galleries are open until 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Daily tours begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. (last ticket sold at 4:00 p.m.). Galleries are open until 5:00 p.m.
Garden Hours
March 1 - May 31 - gardens open until 6 p.m.
June 1 - September 5 - gardens open until 7 p.m.
September 6 - October 31 - gardens open until 6 p.m.
November 1 - February 28 - gardens open until 5 p.m.
Tryon Palace offers many free events throughout the year, so be sure to check the calendar frequently. The Palace also offers discounts for senior adults (62+), military families, AAA members, college students and group tours.
Tryon Palace Museum Store
Monday through Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday - 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lawson’s Landing, a Riverwalk Café
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
General Information
Strollers may be parked in the covered walkways by the Governor's Palace, at the front entrance of buildings, or in the North Carolina History Center.
Wheelchairs are available in the North Carolina History Center. The following first-floor areas are accessible: Governor's Palace, Kitchen Office, Stable Office, blacksmith shop, and the Museum Store at the North Carolina History Center. The gardens are accessible to all visitors, but surfaces may be uneven.
Please call ahead to arrange special tours for the hearing- or visually-impaired.
Restrooms with changing tables are located in the North Carolina History Center, the Waystation, and next to the Stable Office.
Beverage vending machines are adjacent to the rest rooms near the Stable Office.
Guidelines for Your Visit
- Photography is permitted in the gardens and in the Pepsi Family Center, but not inside galleries and historic homes.
- Thank you for not smoking inside the homes.
- Food and beverages are not allowed inside the galleries and historic homes.
- Please turn off your cell phone and History Navigator devices when touring inside the buildings.
- Please stand on the visitor side of the stanchions.
Holiday Season
Christmas decorations are completed by Thanksgiving, and remain in place through the first week in January.
Closures
Tryon Palace is closed 5 days a year. Thanksgiving Day, December 24, 25, 26, and January 1.
What can I see and do at Tryon Palace?
There are seven major buildings, three galleries and 16 acres of gardens for you to visit. There are historical craft demonstrations to watch, and historical characters to meet. An orientation video will tell you more about the people who once lived here.
Are the tours guided or self-guided?
Tours in the Governor’s Palace are always guided. The historic houses are primarily self-guided. If guided tours are your preference, please contact us prior to your visit to learn the schedule for guided tours in the John Wright Stanly House, the Robert Hay House and the George W. Dixon House.
Two of the buildings, the Kitchen Office and the Stable Office, are always self-guided. The three galleries in the North Carolina History Center and the gardens are also self-guided. A free gardens booklet with a map and historical information is available at the North Carolina History Center Ticket Desk and the Waystation.
How much time should I allow?
To fully enjoy your visit, plan to spend at least half a day at Tryon Palace. Here is an estimate of the time for each area:
Orientation video: 20 minutes
The Governor’s Palace (guided tour): 45 minutes
Kitchen Office (self-guided tour with craft demonstrations): 15-30 minutes
John Wright Stanly House (guided tour): 30 minutes; (self-guided): 15 minutes
George W. Dixon House (guided tour): 30 minutes; (self guided): 15 minutes
Gardens (self-guided): 20-60 minutes; guided tours are available to group tours
Robert Hay House (self-guided): 15-30 minutes
Regional History Museum (self-guided): 15-30 minutes
Pepsi Family Center (self-guided): 60-90 minutes
Duffy Exhibit Gallery (self-guided): 15-30 minutes
You may visit the buildings and gardens in any order you wish. While at the History Center, be sure to visit the Museum Store and enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner at Lawson’s Landing, the riverwalk café.
Admission passes available at the North Carolina History Center Main Entrance. Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more. Call 252-639-3524 for more information.
How far apart are the buildings?
Most of the major buildings are within a one-block radius of the Tryon Palace Visitor Center. The gardens are spread out over the 16-acre site.
How should I begin my visit?
Come to the North Carolina History Center to purchase tickets and view the orientation video.
Check for the daily activity schedule, including craft demonstrations and events featuring historical characters.
How can I help preserve these historic sites?
You can help us by not touching or leaning on furnishings, and by not bringing food, drink, candy or gum into the historic buildings. Please stay with your guide while on tour.
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