Costumes from HBO’s The Gilded Age on View at Hudson River Museum
YONKERS, NY, July 10, 2025—The Hudson River Museum is thrilled to have the opportunity to display three exquisite costumes from HBO’s The Gilded Age, an Emmy® Award–winning expansive period drama that chronicles the conflict between old and new in New York City’s glittering Gilded Age, from Oscar® and Emmy® Award–winner Julian Fellowes. The three dresses, which are on view in the HRM’s Glenview Historic Home from June 28–October 6, 2025, are worn by Mrs. Astor, a celebrated socialite of late nineteenth-century New York, played by Tony Award–winning actress Donna Murphy.
Glenview, the Museum’s historic home, is featured in Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of The Gilded Age, as the home of Mrs. Astor. A legendary figure in New York society, Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor—widely known as “the Mrs. Astor”—was the era’s most prominent American socialite and the wife of William B. Astor Jr., a businessman, racehorse breeder, and yachtsman. She led “The Four Hundred,” an exclusive group deemed by Ward McAllister (portrayed by Nathan Lane) as “the only 400 people in fashionable New York Society.”
The dresses are designed by costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone and first assistant costume designer Isabelle Simone, with costume construction by Gilles Montezin. From the beginning of the series, the designers wanted to capture the spirit of excitement that defined the era and show how their outfits were a display of wealth, power, sophistication and world travel. According to an article in The Wrap, Maimone “drew inspiration from a number of sources—first and foremost the paintings of John Singer Sargent, who specialized in portraits of the upper class. She relished playing with fabrics exploding with rich color, which became de rigueur following the invention of synthetic dyes in the mid-19th century.”
Laura Vookles, Chair of the HRM’s Curatorial Department, states: “These costumes provide a unique opportunity for our visitors to appreciate the extraordinary design and craftsmanship of HBO’s incredible designers, as well as the 1880s fashions that inspired them. Seeing the dresses in the context of Glenview’s period rooms will highlight the connections between our historic house and Gilded Age lifestyles of the Trevor family at Glenview and the Astors in New York City.”
Special Event
Behind the Scenes with HBO’s The Gilded Age Costume Designers
Sunday, October 5, 3:30pm
Join us for a unique experience with Emmy®-nominated costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone and first assistant costume designer Isabelle Simone as they share stories about the process of creating thousands of costumes for The Gilded Age—from the artistic inspiration to the fabrication to their collaborations with the cast, crew, and production staff.
The conversation will be moderated by Laura Vookles, Chair of the HRM’s Curatorial Department, and will take place in the Great Hall of Glenview historic home, which is featured in all three seasons of The Gilded Age as the home of Mrs. Astor (played by Donna Murphy). See the costumes of Mrs. Astor on display in the sumptuous interiors of our historic home. Ticket holders can enter at 3pm to view the costumes up close. Tickets: $25; $20 Members. Capacity is limited. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Recommended for teens and adults.
Kasia Walicka Maimone is known for her intricate and historically-informed designs that capture the essence of the era, particularly the contrast between old and new money represented by characters like Bertha Russell and Agnes van Rhijn, according to Variety, Reddit, and TheWrap.
Related Programs
Gilded Age Glenview: Historic Home Tours
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 1pm, Saturdays at 1 & 3pm, and Sundays at 1pm
The costumes from The Gilded Age can be viewed on guided tours of Glenview, the Museum’s 1877 home on the National Register of Historic Places, designed by esteemed architect Charles W. Clinton. In addition to seeing the costumes in person, visitors can explore the six fully restored period rooms, showcasing fine woodwork, furnishings, artwork, and architectural features that make it one of the most significant early Gilded Age residences open to the public. Advance reservations are encouraged.
Fashion and Interiors in The Gilded Age
Sundays in August and September, 3pm
Are you a fan of HBO’s The Gilded Age? Glenview’s lavish interiors are featured in this popular Emmy® Award–winning series as the home of Mrs. Astor. Don’t miss the exciting opportunity to see three of Mrs. Astor’s costumes, worn by Tony Award–winning actor Donna Murphy, on view in Glenview. Docents will take you through a tour of the six period rooms in our historic home and discuss the fashion of the era. Tours are limited to 15 guests; advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Recommended for ages 8+. Strollers are not permitted in Glenview.
Fashioning Power: Mrs. Astor and The Gilded Age
Sunday, September 14, 3pm
Laura Vookles, Chair of the HRM’s Curatorial Department, brings decades of experience in researching and interpreting the Gilded Age and Glenview to this tour. She will lead you through the six period rooms, with a special focus on the real-life and fictionalized Mrs. Astor and her outsized role in Gilded Age society, and how her clothing expressed her powerful position. View her three costumes in context in the Parlor and Dining Room of Glenview. Tour is limited to 15 guests; advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Recommended for teens and adults.
Press contact:
Jeana Wunderlich
jwunderlich@hrm.org
(914) 963-4550 x240
Samantha Hoover
shoover@hrm.org
(914) 963-4550 x216
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
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The Hudson River Museum is a preeminent cultural institution in Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area. The Museum is situated on the banks of the Hudson River in Yonkers, New York, with a mission to engage, inspire, and connect diverse communities through the power of the arts, sciences, and history.
The HRM offers engaging experiences for every age and interest, with an ever-evolving collection of American art and dynamic exhibitions that range from notable nineteenth-century paintings to contemporary art installations. The campus, which recently expanded to include a West Wing with exhibition galleries and sweeping views of the Hudson River, features Glenview, an 1877 house on the National Register of Historic Places; a state-of-the-art planetarium; an environmental teaching gallery; and an outdoor amphitheater. The Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting these multidisciplinary offerings, which are complemented by an array of public programs that encourage creative expression, collaboration, and artistic and scientific discovery. The Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM), an honor awarded to only 3% of museums nationwide.
Hours and Admission: The Hudson River Museum is open to the public Wednesday–Friday, from 12–5pm, and Saturday–Sunday, from 11am–5pm. On Free First Fridays, the Museum is open and free of charge on the first Friday of the month, from 5–8pm. Learn more and purchase tickets at hrm.org/visit.
General Admission: Adults $13; Youth (3–18) $8; Seniors (65+) $9; Students (with valid ID) $9; Veterans $9; Children (under 3) FREE; Members FREE; Museums for All* $2, *SNAP/EBT card with photo ID (up to 4 people). Planetarium tickets: Adults $7; Youth (3–18) $5; Seniors (65+) $6; Students (with valid ID) $6; Veterans $6; Children (under 3) Free. Glenview tours: Adults $7; Youth (3–18) $5; Seniors (65+) $6; Students (with valid ID) $6; Veterans $6; Children (under 3) Free. The Museum is accessible by Metro-North (Hudson Line—Yonkers and Glenview stations), by Bee-Line Bus Route #1, by car, and by bike. If you plan on taking Metro-North Railroad to Glenwood Station and want to leave your car behind, you can save on discounted round-trip rail fare and discounted admission by getting an MTA Away package. Learn more here.
