The Gilded Age mansion of "The Empire Builder"
James J. Hill House
The Gilded Age mansion of
"The Empire Builder"
| Day | First Tour | Last Tour |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | No public tours | |
| Tuesday | No public tours | |
| Wednesday | 10:00 am | 3:30 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am | 3:30 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am | 3:30 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am | 3:30 pm |
| Sunday | 1:00 pm | 3:30 pm |
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Adults | $10 |
| Seniors (65+) Veterans Active military* College students |
$8 |
| Children ages 5-17 | $6 |
| Children age 4 and under | Free |
| MNHS members | Free |
| *Blue Star Families (Armed Forces Day - Labor Day) |
Free (On site only) |
History-Connects (Reduced Admission)
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Explore upstairs and downstairs life in Minnesota's Downton Abbey — a 36,000-square-foot mansion built for railroad titan James J. Hill.
House tours
House tours
Christmas traditions guided house tours
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, November - December
In the 1890s, St. Paul’s Summit Avenue was a holiday destination where friends and neighbors would gather together to celebrate the Christmas season and welcome the New Year. On this holiday tour, discover holiday celebrations of the past through the stories of those who lived and worked on Summit Avenue, including excerpts from Hill family letters and journals and rare historic photographs of the neighborhood.
Guided house tours
Wednesdays through Sundays, January - November
Learn about James J. Hill’s influence on the region and about his network of family members, servants, workers, and guests. Marvel at the impressive house details such as chandeliers, stained glass, and hand-carved woodwork sprawled throughout the home. Last tour is at 3:30 pm.
Special events
Special events
Wayward Theatre Company Presents Shakespeare's "Macbeth"
October 18 - November 17, 2019
Set in the 1940s, this version of the play by Wayward Theatre Company will be staged throughout the James J. Hill House, with the audience moving from room to room.
Christmas Saturdays
Saturdays, November 30 -
December 28, 2019
Go at your own pace and explore the James J. Hill House on a self-guided tour. See how the Hill family and their servants prepared for the holidays.
Winter on the Hill
Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2, 2020
Celebrate winter in Minnesota with Winter Carnival displays, tours, and more.
The largest house in St. Paul
The largest house in St. Paul
The rugged stone, massive scale, fine detail, and ingenious mechanical systems of this magnificent Gilded Age mansion recall the powerful presence of James J. Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway.
With 13 bathrooms, 22 fireplaces, 16 chandeliers, a reception hall nearly 100 feet long, sophisticated technical systems, and a two-story, skylit art gallery, it was once the largest private residence in the state.
The home served as the center for the public and private lives of the Hill family for 30 years. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
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