New Rooms Open in Biltmore House
Be one of the first to see a special part of Biltmore House that's been closed to visitors for nearly 100 years! Explore a suite of Biltmore's grandest guest rooms restored to its original splendor, and discover stories of what made Biltmore House a home.
Biltmore House as a Family Home
One of the newly-revealed bedrooms, the Louis XV Room, is perhaps the true heart of Biltmore. It served as the birthplace of George and Edith Vanderbilt's only daughter, Cornelia, in 1900. Years later, it was where Cornelia delivered her own two sons, George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil and William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil in 1925 and 1928, respectively.
With the opening of the suite, more stories are revealed about the people who lived in, worked in, and loved America's largest home. Take the new storytelling audio guide to learn of the excitement surrounding the birth of George and Edith Vanderbilt's daughter in 1900 or about family members and close friends who stayed at Biltmore and wrote of their wonderful experiences. Read Biltmore Stories
The suite also features items of the period portraying the day-to-day living that once took place in Biltmore House.
New Audio Tour
When in original use, the Louis XV Suite was thought to have housed close friends and family who visited the Vanderbilts, including Willie Fields, George Vanderbilt's best friend who played a major role in George's courtship of Edith. During one of his visits, Willie wrote to his mother that he suspected Edith was "in a family way."
This story and many others like it reveal the Vanderbilt family's life at Biltmore. Members of the Museum Services staff spent years researching Vanderbilt history to include tidbits like this on Biltmore's new self-guided audio tour.
Take a listen to four audio clips below.
Press the play > button after each clip.
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Biltmore's team of curators, conservators and craftsmen has spent years researching and sourcing materials from around the globe to authentically restore this exceptional part of Biltmore House. The 250 furniture pieces and decorative objects in the suite are part of George Vanderbilt's collection, but have been in storage since the 1930s, away from public view. Liberal doses of gold and silk make these rooms literally shine on a sunny morning.
Biltmore's experts engaged in extensive detective work throughout the restoration process. This included:
Download the Biltmore House Guide
- Piecing remnants of original wallpaper found underneath door moldings and drapery brackets to determine wallpaper patterns for the reproduction process.
- Traveling to France to collaborate with fabric and wallpaper company designers to ensure the original fabrics were reproduced exactly.
- Hours of cleaning and repairing the objects from George Vanderbilt's collection.
- Hand mixing of paints to match the original colors.
Please note these rooms are not accessible by wheelchair.
See accessibility information.