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+) Active military and veterans College students |
$8 |
| Children ages 5-17 | $6 |
| Children age 4 and under | Free |
| MNHS members | Free |
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
Winter on the Hill
Saturdays and Sundays, January - February
Tours of the James J. Hill House every half hour will focus on the Hill family's involvement with the St. Paul Winter Carnival and how they and other St. Paul residents survived, and celebrated, Minnesota's most famous season. Guests can also put together old-fashioned jigsaw puzzles and play games made from household items.
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
Spark! Tour for People with Memory Loss
First Tuesday of every month
Take a sensory-based tour designed for people with memory loss and their caregivers.
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Victorian Poetry Slam
Feb. 14, 2019
Celebrate Valentine’s Day the old-fashioned way by enjoying classic 19th-century poetry in the elegant drawing room.
Summit Avenue Walking Tour
May–September
Saturdays and Sundays
Explore the architecture, social history, and preservation of one of America's grand boulevards on a 90-minute guided tour.
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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