Visitors from around the world are getting a look into the lives of the Rockefeller family at their historic Hudson Valley estate.

The 250-acre estate in Pocantico Hills is called Kykuit -- a Dutch world for "lookout." The home sits above the Hudson River and has been home to four generations of the Rockefeller family.

The villa was used as a spring, fall and Christmas retreat for the wealthy family. 

The home was built in two stages: One in 1909, but then as John D. Rockefeller and his wife moved in, they found many structural problems.

They moved out two years later, hiring an interior designer and architect who fixed the problems and changed the entire facade of the home. By 1913, it was a four-story, 40-room home.

At roughly 36,000-square feet, Kykuit is considered small compared to other lavish mansions built during that time.

But the elegance is not in short supply, with a library filled with portraits of presidents and a dining room that entertained dignitaries from around the world.

A tour also features a look at the home's art collection, with contributions from each generation. In the 1960s and 1970s, Nelson Rockefeller created a basement gallery with modern art,including Andy Warhol portraits.

The passion for art continues when you step outside, with a 30-foot fountain of Oceanus, the king of river gods.

The home was bequeathed in Nelson Rockefeller's will to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.