Plan Your Visit

Operating Hours

Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Admission to the grounds and museumis free of charge, donations welcome. 

Guided tours are $2/adult and $1/children (ages 5-12) and seniors (65+).

Duke Homestead is closed for all state holidays

Orientation Film

Duke Homestead's 17-minute film, "Legacy of the Golden Leaf," is a documentary that highlights the history of the Duke family, the North Carolina tobacco industry, and the history of the town of Durham. Created in 2002, the film was named a national winner in the Vision Award competition for 2002-2003.

The film is offered 15-minutes before and after each hour, from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. 

Guided Tours

Guided tours are $2/adult and $1/children (5-12) and seniors.

Guided tours are offered daily, as schedule and staffing allows. Tour guides lead visitors to four historic structures: a tobacco curing barn, tobacco pack house, Washington Duke's Third Tobacco Factory (1869), and his 1852 home.

The outside walking tour is 45-minutes long on uneven, unpaved paths. The tour is mostly outdoors, with stops inside 2 historic structures without climate control. The total walking distance is approximately 300 yards. We recommend dressing appropriately for the weather. A wheel chair or golf cart is available, however we do request advance notice.

If you are planning to bring a group of ten or more people for a tour, please call at least two weeks in advance to request a time.

Guided tours will be cancelled or changed if:

  • A large group is visiting the site
  • A field trip is taking place
  • There is thunder, lightning, or other hazardous weather
  • There is a special event taking place
  • There is an unexpected staffing or safety issue

You can also explore the historic area on your own! Stop by the front desk for a self-guided tour brochure. (Historic building interiors are only accessible with a guide.)

If you are interested in bringing your students on a field trip, please see our program offerings HERE.

*Scroll down for more detailed directions.

Museum

The Tobacco Museum at Duke Homestead contains 5,500 square feet of exhibits on the history of tobacco farming, manufacturing and advertising. Temporary exhibits address topics such as the decrease in family farms, unique pipes and spittoons, and other tobacco-related topics.

Accessibility

The visitor center, historic house, and restroom facilities are all handicap accessible. A rubberized path leads from the Visitor Center to the Historic Area. Other paths to and from the historic area are uneven and/or unpaved (gravel and grass). Please talk to a staff member if you have questions about accessibility. 

Picnic Area

The site hosts a picnic area with ten large picnic tables. This area is not covered, so please consider the weather when making your picnic plans.

Animals

Animals are not allowed in the visitor center/museums or historic structures, unless the animal qualifies as a service animal under federal or State law. Animals are allowed outside on the property if they are leashed.

Directions to the Site

From Areas South of Durham

Take 15-501 North or the Durham Freeway (Hwy 147) North to I-85 North.  From I-85 North, take the 2nd exit (Guess Road).  Turn left onto Guess Road. Make your second right onto Duke Homestead Road.  The historic site and museum are about 1/4 mile down Duke Homestead Road on the right.

From Areas East of Durham

Take I-40 West to the Durham Freeway (Hwy 147).  Follow the Durham Freeway to the "15-501 North" exit.  Exit onto 15-501 North, and you will quickly merge with I-85 North.  Once on I-85 North, take the 2nd exit (Guess Road).  Turn left onto Guess Road.  Make your second right onto Duke Homestead Road. The historic site and museum are about 1/4 mile down Duke Homestead Road on the right.

From Areas West of Durham

Take I-40 West to I-85 North.  Follow I-85 North to the Guess Road exit.  Turn left onto Guess Road.  Make your second right onto Duke Homestead Road. The historic site and museum are about 1/4 mile down Duke Homestead Road on the right.

From Areas North of Durham

Take I-85 South into Durham.  Follow I-85 South to the Guess Road exit.  Turn right onto Guess Road.  Make your second right onto Duke Homestead Road. The historic site and museum are about 1/4 mile down Duke Homestead Road on the right.