‘Lights, Camera, Hempstead House’ – A New Film and TV Tour at Sands Point Preserve

The Sands Point Preserve Conservancy is launching “Lights, Camera, Hempstead House,” a new docent-led Film and TV Tour showcasing the many movies, television shows, commercials and streaming productions filmed at the historic Hempstead House.

Debuting Wednesday, July 29, at 11 a.m., the one-hour tour offers an immersive behind-the-scenes look at more than a dozen film and television productions that have transformed the Gold Coast estate into settings ranging from an opulent mansion to a college campus. Productions shot at Hempstead House include The Gilded Age, Boardwalk Empire, The Americans, Gotham, Inventing Anna, Orange Is the New Black, Friends from College, Private Life, Running Wilde, Gemini Man, New Jack City, Chappelle’s Show and Wonderful Pistachios commercials.

Video clips shown on screens allow guests to view scenes filmed in the very rooms featured on the tour, providing an immersive experience. Visitors will hear behind-the-scenes stories and learn about notable performers filmed at Hempstead House, including Keri Russell, Will Arnett, Julia Garner, Will Smith, Wesley Snipes, Stephen Colbert, Dave Chappelle, Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn. The tour also offers insights into the filming process itself, including the preparation, logistics and on-site work required to transform the mansion for production.

“Hempstead House is almost a character in its own right,” said Jeremiah Bosgang, executive director of the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy. “Over the years, it has been reimagined in many different settings on screen. This tour gives visitors the opportunity to see just how dramatically the mansion can transform from one production to the next. Visitors often ask which movies or shows were filmed here. This tour grew out of that curiosity and offers a fun, interactive way to explore both the mansion and its fascinating role in popular culture.”

Also highlighted into the tour is Hempstead House’s rich history, connecting the legacy of the Guggenheim family’s former estate with its enduring appeal as a film and television location.

Designed for film enthusiasts, pop culture fans, architecture lovers, history buffs and curious visitors alike, the experience blends entertainment, storytelling and history.

Four tours are already slated for July: Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Tickets are $25 per person and include Preserve parking admission. Guests are encouraged to picnic on the grounds. The Film and TV Tour schedule is available at sandspointpreserveconservancy.org