Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is the nation’s earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture and the oldest preserved plantation house in America still open to the public. Among the best and most complete examples of Southern colonial life open today, Drayton Hall holds a vital educational responsibility. It is also an active archaeological site with an extensive museum collection of rare 18th- and 19th-century objects and artifacts.

The Drayton Hall Preservation Trust is a privately funded nonprofit organization responsible for the operation and administration of Drayton Hall, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site.