About Us:

The museum gives visitors a glimpse into the history of the family whose name became synonymous with the tobacco industry in America. Our online tour will give the viewer the opportunity to see the ancestral home of the Duke family and learn about the tobacco manufacturing that built its financial empire.

The Real Homestead

The Duke Homestead is a beautiful 19th century estate in Durham, North Carolina. It is home to extensive archives and exhibits about early tobacco farming in America, its popularization and manufacture. In addition, it chronicles the story of the Duke family from Washington Duke's humble beginnings as a farmer in the early 1800's to the present.

The Homestead maintains the original buildings used by the Dukes as well as a modern museum with interactive, mutimedia exhibits and animitronic displays. With our online tour we hope to introduce you to the rich historical experience we offer. It can never be as good as being there but this virtual tour will give you a feeling for what we have to offer. Just sit back and enjoy your self guided tour. The admission - as with the real tour - is free.