1892 Bishop's Palace Reviews

Located in the middle of Galveston is this hidden treasure. A wonderful mansion with an incredible history behind it. It was $14 per person admission. There was no senior or military discount, however we did manage to pick up a brochure from one of the shops nearby with a $1 off coupon. We parked in front of the palace, but could not be completely sure if this was legal. It was early Thursday afternoon so there was not much traffic to be concerned with. There is a lot of details and information so give yourself a couple of hours to enjoy the experience and tour. Just browsing through the exterior and gift shop will take 30 minutes as you are in awe of such a splendid piece of history. Ensure you visit and even if you don't take the tour, viewing the exterior and gift shop is free.

Took my son to the Palace on a cold winter Saturday and both of us really enjoyed it. This is a "hands On" history lesson and I like that you can pace yourself on the tour! Would do it again!

History and museums are a great reason to visit Galveston. The Bishops Palace is one you must not miss. Take the audio tour.

One of the most over-the-top, outstanding examples of Victorian styling you will ever see. Opulence is a good word. If you can take the personally guided tour of all three stories- do it. Bring a good quality camera with a flash to do justice to this place. Lighting is not too good for detailed photos. It’s history is fascinating. This is a great stop for families (as long as your kids don’t run around like a pack of baboons). I’ve done this twice- it’s just that good.

This is a must visit if you are visiting Galveston
Such an interesting house and history surrounding it
Ideally you need a car to get here but no issue with parking

We toured Bishops Palace and Moody. The two together give you a great insight into Galveston. It is a beautiful house.

This location is very interesting to visit. There are a lot things took your attention and my family enjoyed it.

This is a MUST SEE experience while visiting Galveston. All of the major guided tours will take this stop. Why pay extra when you can see it yourself? We loved the impeccable detail that was placed into every aspect of this craftsman's paradise. There is so much great history of the building and it's various occupants and how it survived the 1900 Hurricane that killed over 6,000 individuals to be one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history.
The staff and exhibits of this historic home are top notch - professional and polished.
You'll be glad if you take sometime to step back into history and enjoy this remarkable work of architecture and construction.

We were in galveston foot the Lonestar Rally and planned to see the Bishop's Palace during our stay in Galveston. We planned this visit based on their website operating hours. We arrived there at 11:15am on Saturday. They were suppose to be open 10-6. They were closed. While we were there two other families arrived. We all had to leave disapointed. It's a beautiful place but they need to follow their operating hours or update them. I called the number on their website but no answer as well.

This was a beautiful place. Full of history and craftsmanship. To think that people actually lived there is amazing. If you plan to go to The Moody Mansion make sure you get the dual pass. We didn’t know about it and could have saved money.

Just did the Basement to Attic tour of the Bishop's Palace and it is well worth it! The details in this house are stunning. Look at the door hinges!! The calla lilies, carvings, chandeliers, and on and on! Tour took about an hour and a half and then you were free to roam around as much as you wanted. Tour guide was very informative and did a great job! Loved the exhibit on storms in Galveston. Wear comfy shoes.

A grand old building was probably one of the best of its day. Great job of restoring after the hurricane. Not much furniture in house though. I would not recommend.

Very interesting. Beautiful home with history well documented. Took us about an hour and a half. The staff was also very informative and helpful.

Very beautiful place to see. Enjoyed it and would encourage others to see it. The gift shop has some unique treasures in it, don't forgot about it.

This is a beautiful mansion. Audio tour was helpful and informative. Would have loved to have visited the third floor, but they only do it on Saturday. It’s a lovely way to learn about early Galveston history!

Such a gorgeous place! We had a nice tour at our own pace, using the ipod guide. Definitely worth a visit in Galveston.

$14 to get in, self guided tour. Loved this old building, the woodwork was amazing. Top two floor you can’t access but that did not take away from the experience. The history is very interesting and the fact that it has survived hurricanes is a testament to how well this building was constructed. I would recommend a tour and at the same time you can drive theough the neighbourhood and see other heritage homes. Oh and the souvenir shop in the basement has such an amazing variety of goods.

This is the best museum in Galveston, Texas. If you are visiting, it is a must stop, because it is unforgettable. One of the most important structures in the United States. Nicholas J. Clayton, a prominent Victorian era architect left a legacy with this and many other beautiful buildings.

This is a well done home. Local Texans turned dioceses bishop house turned historic society home. Many original fixtures from late 1800s. I think I paid $12 and includes audio tour. I was there 40 minutes total.

Truly amazing home, lovely self guided tour, cute little gift shop! We had a great afternoon exploring this old place. If you’re a fan of architecture or history it’s worth the visit

Really nice building it is worth to visit just make sure you know the opening times. Across the beautiful church

We went to this lovely mansion day 2 of our trip to Galveston, Texas. You enter the basement and see how high the water flooded during Hurricane Ike and the gift shop. Lots of cute choices to consider. Then you get an audio hand held device which is easy to use by tapping on buttons for each room’s narration. You have to climb stairs from the basement to enter the first floor. I believe though there was a ramp to enter at the ground floor but not sure if one could go up to the second floor without stairs. We were able to tour the basement , the 1st and 2nd floor. The third floor was closed off. There were ax units in the window and fans all around to keep the air moving around. The grand staircase which connects the first and second floor is lovely . There is a chapel upstairs with some beautiful stained glass . Worth visiting and touring.

This was our second trip to visit this museum. The Bishops Palace is well worth the time to visit. It has been well cared for and there is so much history that is involved in this home. We would recommend it to anyone.

Incredible architecture and furnishings. Recommend you visit Sacred Heart Church across the street while you are there.

What a beautiful home and great place to visit in Galveston. The admission was reasonable and the self-guided audio tour was perfect. I love how only original furniture was in the home rather than replica furniture.

They have an audio tour that makes it extra special. Periodically they do have guided tours. We loved the audio tour as they have different numbers so the kids could pick the shorter version while us adults picked the longer. And they have staff on each floor that can answer any questions. Beautiful place. The main floor staff even opened-up the panels to show my son the electrical set-up as he asked a question. Neat history of the family, the original owners, and of Galveston. They do have a tiny parking lot for off-street parking and you can park for free on the street (a rarity in Galveston)

We took our family here years ago in about 2008. My husband and I were interested, but I wouldn't suggest it for kids unless they are highly interested in Galveston's history.

We took the “Basement to Attic” tour on October 21, 2023. The house is amazing and our guide was knowledgeable and interesting. The special tour we took isn’t offered every day, and it was worth the $35 ticket price as we were able to explore every room on every level of the house, not just the few rooms on the standard, self-guided tour. Don’t try this tour if you have mobility issues because there are many steep stairs with few handrails and there is no elevator. The basement gift shop is worth a stop all by itself. If you are in Galveston, the Bishop’s Palace is a great place to spend a couple of hours.

Many people flock to Galveston every year to soak up the sun at the beach and to walk to popular seawall. But if you want to delve into the historic side of Galveston then a visit to this beautiful home is a must for you.

Built in 1892 and surviving the hurricane of 1900 this beautiful Victorian style home is quite majestic and taking the self guided audio tour takes you back in time so you can see how people lived over 100 years ago.

The cost of admission is $12 per adult and $9 per child. (5 and under are free). This price is for the self guided tour. They do offer a guided tour but reservations are required. With the self guided tour you are allowed to visit the first 2 floors of the house with a nice little gift shop in the basement.

If you have small children you might want to reconsider visiting this historic landmark as there is really nothing to hold their interest. I took my 2 year old son and he was bored to tears (literally). This is definitely something for adults and older children.

Bishop's Palace will not disappoint the history buffs. A beautiful home with lots of history. Craftsmanship you won't see again in this era. Beautifully preserved and a joy to see in all it's glory.

The house is neat to see, but it literally takes about ten minutes to walk through the two floors. If you stop and listen to every audio file then it obviously will take more time, but we weren’t interested in that. There’s nothing super interesting about the bedrooms, bathrooms (which have been updated and do not reflect bathrooms in 1892), or kitchen. The chapel room is neat and the woodwork throughout the house is beautiful. There is some gorgeous stained glass. But definitely not worth almost $40 for two adults and a child.

I finally had a chance to go inside and take the tour. I wish we could have had a guided tour because we got turned around trying to find the numbers for the self guided tour. There are so many beautiful rooms to explore.

First time visit to the Bishop's Palace. As an historical architecture nut, this was above and beyond awesome. Anyone going to Galveston should put this at the top of their must-see list!

Striking is the best word to describe the interior of this house. Beautiful woodwork and interesting features (dumb waiter, sink faucets made of two materials for hot and cold, interior windows between rooms to help with cross breezes. Galveston surprises yet again! Check it out!

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Bishop's Palace. The home is quite opulent and the beautiful attention to detail shines throughout. The stained glass throughout the home is stunning, and if you look closely you'll see different designs on each wall in various rooms. To get the full effect of the stained glass, go in the afternoon so that the sun shines through the windows on the second floor in the chapel. We enjoyed the self-guided tour and that we were able to walk into each room without having a rope or other barrier to keep us away from things. Definitely worth the time and money if you enjoy touring historical homes. If you're planning to see Bishop's Place and Moody Mansion, I recommended seeing Moody Mansion first, as it is less opulent than Bishop's Place and it will be a bit of a letdown if you see Moody after having been to Bishop's. We went on a Sunday afternoon and there were very few people, making our visit that much more enjoyable.

A must-see! I The millwork is gorgeous and the stained glass is simply amazing. My mom brought me here when I was about 12 and the furnishings now are different and fewer, which makes it even better so your attention is focused on the mansion itself. Be mindful of quite a few stairways that are required for visiting all levels.

Great way to spend an hour! Parking is free on the street in front of the palace. Tickets are $15 and are purchased in the basement gift shop where you will be given an audio guide to be used during the visit. The standard weekday tour goes through the first and second floor. The details and history of the house are interesting! The audio guide did a great job providing details on past owners, architecture, and the city of Galveston. I enjoyed my visit to this beautiful home!

While the house is truly amazing and worth the experience… the lady running the tours was very rude. We paid $42 for 3 tours and she only gave us 1 portable player for the self guided tour. The portable players play so softly, you have to hold them up to your ear. I asked for 2 additional players, and she refused to give them to me. I am totally deaf in my right ear and not having my own player made the whole experience very frustrating. When I explained the situation, she just said, “I don’t have enough wands.”

I counted 38 wands not being used at the time of my request. So… my advice is for everyone in your group to pay for your tickets individually so you can actually hear the tour.

From the entrance to this museum to the ending of the tour, I was impressed, awed at times, and amazed at the intricate and beautiful woodwork and design of the fabulous home!

Bishop's Palace is a very interesting old Victorian home to visit. The audio guide tells a lot about the rooms and family that lived there. The house is in definite need of more restoration. The details in the architecture are stunning. There is some original furniture left also.

Enjoyed the beautiful house with some beautiful woodwork. Much to see, and learn in every room. The house is just huge and has a beautiful staircase.

Excellent tour of the basement, 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor and the attic. Great description of the eleven chimneys, exterior masonry of limestone, granite and sandstone. Marvelous pine, oak, and mahogany woodwork on each floor to view along with the beautiful stained glass windows! Not alot of furniture, clothing, or nick-nacks.

The interior of the house is beautiful and the staff was helpful. It is too bad they don’t have more tour guides available in person. The audio does need to be updated because the construction on the roof should be done in November 2025. Audio guide says they should be starting construction soon.

Bishop's Palace is beautiful and well worth a visit. Two of the floors are nicely restored and the audio tour was interesting and engaging. Unfortunately the mansion was very warm inside which isn't surprising for September in Texas. We cut our tour short.

We did the self-guided tour of this beautiful house. The house is lovely, well designed, and has been kept in good shape. The tour takes you through numerous rooms, but (like other houses) you don't get to see it all.
The audio comes through iPods, and we had to share a single unit. I didn't like this, and I was disturbed by multiple tourists in the same room listening to the same audio portions (just at different spots in the audio). The house, again, is quite nice, but I didn't get a good feel for the place (or its previous inhabitants) from the audio.
Parking is on the street as there is no lot available.

We took the Basement to Attic tour and loved every minute! Our tour guide, Greg, not only shared his knowledge of this majestic beauty but inspired us with his passion and respect for the lives of the people who were an integral part of the history of the Bishop's Palace. I could not find a way to make reservations for this tour through their website, so call or visit the palace and ask for the Basement to Attic Tour!

I toured the Bishop's Palace on my visit to Galveston, after moving to Houston in the 80's. Will always remember it as my favorite tour on the island.

My wife and I recently toured Bishop’s Palace and were pleasantly pleased the beautiful home. We were given a audio device that gave us lots of historical information about the building and its previous owners.

Well worth a visit in Galveston.

09/01/2023 Neat place to visit. It’s not in the best shape and the third floor was closed, but it was still a nice piece of history to visit with lots of cool things to see and a large gift shop filled with a variety of items.

Tours are self guided audio. This allows you to spend as much time as you want. Do not accept the suggestion of sharing the audio device. It is not loud enough for two to hear

The house is lovely and restoration well done. You can tour most of the house with audio touring by yourself. The chapel is beautiful with striking stained glass windows. I love old homes like this.

My wife enjoyed the auto tour of the Bishop house. The information in the auto tour answered all of our questions. The house is well maintained for a house that old.

Took my mother here while in town because she loves history and old historic homes. She loved it. It is a self guided audio that she could not take advantage of because she cannot hear that well. It was ok for her though because she just liked "looking" The volunteer students working there were extremely nice and pleasant. The gift shop on the bottom floor is really pretty good. Lots of interesting items. The only issue I saw with this place was that it requires visitors to be able to climb stairs. Several floors of them and, quite frankly, 75% of visitors are elderly and climbing stairs is a no-go for them.

If you like old houses you’ll love this one. Beautiful stained glass and woodwork. How cool to have your own church sanctuary in your house. Takes about an hour to walk through. Self-guided audio tour is informative. Cost is reasonable considering what it must cost to maintain this late 1,800s mansion. You can do this one and the Moody Mansion in the same 1/2 day.

We were recommended to visit the Bishop’s Palace. The house is amazing with so much craftsmanship. Beautiful stained glass windows and amazing woodwork. Absolutely worth a visit. This is a historic building showing extravagant lifestyle ion 1800’s.

Very cool place, glad we went to see it, not the friendliest people running it, and they should offer a senior discount, which they have none.

Inside: wood from seven continents. Outside: stone from seven continents.
Truely a world class design. Built in the heyday of port Galveston when Having live-in servants was economical.
It’s worth the $7 admission. Old and historic for Texas. 1888.

Second trip to Galveston and loved the Moody mansion last visit so we were looking forward to this tour. No audio this time- I guess because of COVID? The lady didn’t explain that. No history in her talk- just told us the rules with photos and masks and where the self guided tour would lead us. We were handed a piece of paper that explained each room. Rooms had furniture and limited personalization but no extras like the Moody Mansion such as journals, dresses, collections. The house is beautiful but the Moody Mansion had more to offer and was more beautiful with a garage/model cars and courtyard. This one had just the house with limited areas to explore. Disappointed and not worth the $70 for my family to tour. Expensive.

Beautiful step back into history with an audio tour. The workmanship of the home is amazing especially with the knowledge that it has withstood two major hurricanes (one at the turn of the 20th century and one more recently). I appreciated the history of not only the Gresham family but also the years that the Bishop lived there. Be prepared to spend one hour on the tour - it is worth your time. Highly recommend!

We explored this palace on a whim and it was great. The stained glass windows throughout the palace along with the many fireplaces were quite impressive. The staircase to the upstairs is gorgeous and the separate chapel room was just wow. Well worth the price of admission.

Grandeur, beauty and historic. A fine example of the wealth that can be accumulated and the houses that can be built and used by those who can afford it at the turn of the last century. This house has the added element of been used as the residence of the Diocese of the Bishop at the time.

I really enjoyed the audio tour of Bishop's Palace. The house is just gorgeous and full of history. I've never seen a house quite like it. If you enjoy history and historic homes you should plan a visit. The home is very easy to navigate and you can spend as much or as little time exploring as you like. They also have a fun gift shop in the basement. I'm glad I went!

Very interesting to visit such grand building with so much history. I did the audio tour and it took me about 1 hour. I parked on the street but I understand there is parking available at the back of the building.

Even further, this Victorian house, better say castle, is probably the most beautiful one in the entire region. It is enlisted as a historical monument and there's an interesting history about it.
The Catholic church purchased it for their bishop from the wealthy aristocrat family, after a devastating hurricane in early 1900's which destroyed the Church across the street.
However, we didn't tour it as I found the entrance ticket of 14$ pretty much for such a visit. We visited many palaces like that all over Europe for less money.
From the first floor outer stairway, which is free to access, you can see almost the entire 1st floor through many huge windows around, including the fireplace, dining area, etc. That was pretty enough for me.

This is fun if you enjoy history and architecture. The tour is independent with a paper map and recorded messages about each exhibit.

Love this little museum in Galveston. Register at the desk, get a headset and embark on your own guided tour. It’s very easy to follow directions and get an insight into how the bishop lived in all his simplicity, despite having gained such a palatial home.

I came on a weekday and took a self-guided tour. Group guided tours were only available on the weekend. My tour only allowed me access to the first and second floors, and the gift shop. Guided tours get to see the third floor and the attic. Nonetheless, I saw plenty. A staff member later told me that I had seen just about everything of this Victorian architecture structure. Interesting and edifying. Well worth the $14 adult admission fee I paid.

Beautiful house with a self guided audio tour that was very interesting! Perfect tour length (about an hour). Lots to see and photograph!

This is so beautiful, the self guided tour is easy, so you go at your own pace. If you love old beautiful homes, this is one.

You see this beautiful structure with ornate roof line and high chimneys stained glass windows sitting on the corner. The historic tour told us about The Bishop's Palace so we decided it was a must-see. Everything in the house is beautiful and inspiring despite its years and hurricanes can't destroy it. It is they self guided tour with a narrative handheld device that you take from room to room. Some of the other visitors aren't considerate and talk too loud there for you can't hear your little narrative device I would strongly recommend a personal tour guide it would be much more meaningful

This is a wonderful example of classic architecture! The house is wonderful! The history is amazing!

Worth a stop, to see something that has survived so many storms. Enjoying a piece of history. I wish we were able to make it to the guided tour to see the entire home.

If you love looking at antiques and old houses, this is a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon. Beautiful surfaces and architectural detail and informative sound blurbs available on an automated system, which allows you to go your own pace, combine into a very nice tour.

Bishop’s palace was a wonderful place to visit. We love looking at old historic homes, and this is one of the best. It’s a great place to spend a few hours.

Visitors can get up close to this impressive home, view the ornate details of historic opulence. All of the wood and stone intricacies are amazing! The admission is very reasonable, with $2 from each ticket going to preservation.

Loved seeing the preserved and restored home. Audio tour lets you go at your own pace and includes lots of information and links to more online in some cases. There is a lovely gift shop in the basement for souvenirs.

Hubby and I toured the Bishop's Palace a few days ago. It is a beautiful mansion that is being operated by the Galveston Historical Society. The woodwork inside is stunning. The only drawback was the high heat and humidity inside the house. The beautiful woods and fine details won't fare very well under these conditions. The house also needs the roof repaired as it is in very poor repair. Oddly enough the original roofing company is still in business. The estimate to repair the roof is $3,000,000. Yikes!!

We were disappointed by a forecast for rain on a recent trip to Galveston. After searching for non-beach activities we stumbled upon the Bishop's Palace. Not sure what to expect, this was much more interesting that we anticipated. The self-guided audio tour is very interesting, and the architecture of the building is just amazing. It takes very little imagination to feel as if you are experiencing the home as it was at the turn of the century. Very cool!

I was a little dissapointed that most of the furniture had been removed unless it belonged to the Grishams or the Bishops since I love to see what was used in the past. Audio provided good information abou the history and what was in the rooms.

This is a stunningly beautiful home that survived the Galveston hurricane of 1900. We took the self-guided tour with audio devices and greatly enjoyed it. Visitor parking on the street.

The craftsmanship here is amazing. Such a beautiful part of history.Great place to visit, and spend a couple of hours. . Its just beautiful.

I totally enjoyed the self guided tour. The museum was beautiful and the recorded tour was easy to follow. I

Amazing place to visit! I'm glad that my hubby was with me. He's in construction and pointed out certain things (windows and how they worked in those days). The stain glass windows were beautiful. The dumb waiter and staircases, just all in all beautiful.

We visited the area surrounding Bishop’s residence. The surrounding homes have a variety of sculptures that were fashioned from trees that were shattered after Hurricane Ivy. I recommend visiting and getting a map from the chamber of commerce to help guide you.

We have visited the Bishop's Palace 3 or 4 times through the years. This last time, they had changed from having a guide to IPODs. This sort of ruined it for me, but if this is all you know, it's probably OK.

Each room or hallway had new surprise and the self guided tour was very helpful. Something for everyone.

This was a beautiful home. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They provide an audio devise to give historic information related to each room in the home. I do feel it was a bit pricey At $12 for the short time. You are there as well as not all the floors were accessible to the public.

We paid for the full tour of Bishop Palace and we were not disappointed. I have never been a history buff, but having Melisa as our tour guide made it so interesting. She was interesting, engaging, knowledgeable, and made the tour worth every penny. The palace is amazing, so much history and beautiful wood work throughout the home.

One of the older homes in Galveston. Take your time looking around. Lots to look at. good history of the area.

We just stumbled onto this house as we were leaving the island. So glad we stopped and toured this beautiful mansion.
It is a self guided tour so you can take as little or as long as you please. All of the recorded information you listen to was fascinating. Truly a glimpse into by gone days.

This is not cheap for what you get. You have an audio guide with plenty of info. However to see the whole property you have to pay extra for a guided tour. I’m glad we went

WOW!
We have lived in the Houston area all of our lives and have never been to the Bishop's Palace in Galveston. Why, you ask? Because when you went to Galveston you went to the beach.
I highly recommend their "Basement to Attic" tour. The docent is extremely knowledge and we were able to go up to the third floor and visit Josephine Gresham's studio. The view from the third floor is AMAZING! The "Basement to Attic" tour will take longer than the allotted 1 1/2 hours, so plan accordingly.

This is a great house tour. The size, scale and detail in the home are incredible. Very impressive. The tour is self-guided with an audio player. The narrator talk both about the original owners and the time the home was owned by the archdiocese.

The tour covers 3 floors with the stairs up from the basement being a bit narrow and steep. I would not recommend for those that are mobility impaired.

A beautiful home from early Galveston! Tons of history about the families that lived there as well as Galveston.

If you like history this place is a must see. The information on the audio tour is very informative Amazing mansion.

As fabulous as the Bishop's Palace is on a regular visit, getting to tour it at night in Victorian costume was a thrill! You feel immersed in the time period!

We got there early, so when we explored the 2nd floor we had it all to ourselves. It really let my imagination run wild!

Absolutely utilise the self-guided audio tour. A little quirky as it’s aloud for everyone to hear, no headphones. But people move around and you can huddle in a corner. The woodwork is spectacular and the green “innovations” of keeping the house cool using Passivhaus techniques is ingenious. A must for architecture lovers.

We took the 1.5 hr Sat morn Basement to Attic Tour and loved it! Our docent shared alot of great info & history while escorting us through. Having access to the top floor & attic was a treat. It’s a beautiful place inside & out, and amazingly a 1900 Storm survivor. Even our young teens enjoyed it. There was a steady flow of visitors, but never too many that you couldn’t walk through easily.

The Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) owns the Bishop’s Palace, and has truly done a great job with it ever since they took ownership. We were never pushed for $$, but saw for ourselves: they need donations. The roof is in need of replacement - leaks are causing damage. Preserving history requires expensive specialty materials & workmanship. Don’t feel bad paying any amount for touring or donating!

Do buy your tickets in advance, for they do sell out. The home itself is dazzling! We went on the self guided tour, but the docent downstairs gave us some information about the home for free!

It’s a beautiful building; wonderful architecture, incredible wood work and worth seeing. However, the first impression are of course the “front desk” folks who couldn’t dislike tourists more....or their job...or their salary. Or they truly just have nasty attitudes. I won’t be going back!

It's well worth the visit but not nearly as good as the Moody mansion. The building is sparsley furnished and air conditioning was almost non existant.

This home is beautifully maintained and the interior finishes are stunning. The history of this home makes this tour very intersting.

We visited Bishops Palace in the East End Historic District. The day that we went it was slow which was good for us I do not think it would be very enjoyable if it was crowded you are given a device for an audio guide to her and for me I actually did not care to stand and listen to the 3 to4 minute explanation about what the room was used for or maybe something that was in the room. For some that might make it very enjoyable for me it would’ve just made it a very long two or I’ll only needed about less than an hour it is enjoyable but you really must be a museum type person to get the “full fun factor” . I wasn’t very thrilled with the $14 admission fee I thought it was a bit pricey.
No signs for parking , so we had to park on a side street .
The house was absolutely beautiful and very ornate and amazing to think that it was built so long ago and withstood natural disasters.
I think this would be a place for 40 or older, history lovers, home builders. I would not suggest children or teens.

This home is amazing. Having grown up in a Victorian home in New England, I felt right at home the moment I walked in. The stained glass is well worth the price of admission. I highly recommend seeing it.

When we arrived at 10:15, all the audio tour devices that they give out already gone. the guy offered us a paper version to go through the house and I said "I'm surprised you guys don't have an app for the audio tour on it." He said "oh we do." You can download the Galveston Historical Foundation app and use it.
You don't have any cell phone signal because of the walls in the house so I asked for the Wi-Fi password which only 1 person out of 4 seem to know. FYI it's Sears1940! if you connect to the Wi-Fi and download the app then you can go room to room and listen to the audio. It worked great for us. But apparently they weren't telling anyone this and we had to ask which is odd. The guy handing out the audio devices had no clue what the Wi-Fi password was & didn't tell anyone about the app. The house is spectacular if you like historical homes. Galveston is very rich in history and you need to go online and look for Galveston historical homes. Most of them are private but you can drive around and look at them.

We spent the weekend in Galveston for my birthday and visited Bishop’s Palace and it was BEAUTIFUL! We enjoyed all the history and the beautiful wood inside. This is definitely a “MUST SEE” in Galveston.

For people who have trouble with stairs, this is not the top Galveston destination. Beautiful, grand old building.

What a treat! This house is amazing! The beauty of the wood, stained glass and architectural design is breathtaking. We had a self-guided audio tour through this beautiful home that was well paced and allowed for plenty of time to oooh and ahhhhhh. The attendants were attentive and polite as they helped us. I highly recommend a trip to visit this majestic home!

I love going to the Bishop's Palace. We travel to Galveston every year and I try to visit this great place each time. Very well kept, it is a survivor and absolutely worth a visit!

Such a beautiful historic home right here in Galveston. Take it all in & be sure to check out the gift shop down below.

The exterior is the best part. I'd skip the pricey tour and just go to the gift shop in the basement. It's one of the best gift shops in town. The interior of the "palace" isn't that special, and it just felt like the whole place needed a good dusting.

This tour was a highlight of our trip. The home is bigger and more beautiful than any photo can capture, although I took tons of pictures trying, they've become the wallpaper on every device I own! Their gift shop is huge and very well curated, begin your souvenir shopping here, not the junk stores! The staff was amazingly warm, knowledgeable and genuinely happy to be there. Even if you can't see every mansion in the city, I recommend placing this at the top of your list!

This is a good place to go Check out with the family or just by yourself..
Or with that special someone

The Bishops Palace, is absolutely beautiful, rich in history and wonderfully maintained. This is a must see!

This home is incredible, it's an architectural wonder considering it survived the 1900 Galveston hurricane that nearly swept the city off the map. I was unable to take the tour, we were there too late, however, there is enough to see without feeling cheated by not taking the tour. The basement gift shop is one of the best I've ever seen, it's cool and is worth seeing as well as carrying some boutique-y items. The grounds can be walked around, it is not on a large lot considering the immense size. If I ever go back, I will plan to tour, but like I said, I appreciate this beauty from the outside just as much as if I had gone inside.

Beautiful inside and out. The woodwork is breathtaking. A great piece of history. Admission comes with audio. Extensive gift shop. Highly recommend a tour.

Just amazingly beautiful. I recommend using the audio guide if doing the self guided tour. Having the history of the house makes everything that much more enjoyable.

Beautiful architecture and rich history. This place is enormous! My house could fit in their foyer. It was a different time, for sure. The little shop down stairs sells parasols and fans that my girls loved! I managed to distract them before we spent even more, lol. 😉

As many times as we’ve come to Galveston, we have never toured the Bishops Palace. So glad we finally did. It is beautiful work of art.
The granite exterior is Exquisite, but the interior woodwork and furnishings are amazing. The parquet floor, Stained glass, and accents were done in great detail by the lady of the house. She also painted any of the works in the house. Don’t miss this tour.

Galveston is just a 1.5 hour drive from where we live, but well worth the visit, we have taken visiting family over to the Bishop's Palace several times and they have all enjoyed the at your pace tour of the house.

Although it seems a tiny bit pricey at $15.00, it was a gorgeous home and very interesting audio tour. The stone work and woodwork were stunning and the stories kept you engaged. Although there was not a lot of furniture I loved that it was either pieces from the Gresham family or the bishop. Nice little gift shop also.

Great history and a breathtakingly beautiful historic home. Many of the windows are full floor to ceiling windows. I can only imagine how grand it would have been to be entertained at this house years ago.

I would give this 5 out of 5 but I found it was very expensive. Saying that the up keep on this house would be very expensive so I get it. We were encouraged to all take an audio tour device which we did even the kids. This was a great idea as they were a bit hard to hear. My daughter enjoyed this as it gave her the freedom to explore herself and therefore she got more out of it. Parking out front was free which seems to be rare in Galveston.

This beautiful structure is a look back in time to how the elite of the era lived. The fireplaces (which are many) are all unique. The wood work and layout of the rooms are perfect. This structure was still standing after the hurricane of 1900 when other homes were flattened. The history of the house is most interesting.

Very disappointing experience! My husband and I took our mothers for an early Mother’s Day outing. In a group of four we were given one tour guide device that presents through a speaker. We literally had to huddle together and faces touching the other to be able to hear the guide. This device is made for one individual to place up to their ear! We were so frustrated trying to hear! We ended up taking turns listening in each stage. Spoke to front desk and they were not allowed to give out additional devices. They said it is a common complaint yet orders are from management. Hardly anyone touring and we saw plenty of devices. $15 dollars per person yet cannot enjoy history of the house. Not a good experience at all. Management please do different!!! If you go tour pay separately so you can request your own device….

Free parking, small fee for self-guided audio tour, and a decent sized gift shop. The house is immaculate, and the audio players added an extra level of information to the tour.

Please allow plenty of time to read all the information in every room. So much I didn't know and now I want to go back. The place and design was outstanding very detailed. Looking forward to returning soon

We have been twice. I’d go again and again but my husband is bored. Staff is knowledgeable and you get a good majority of the home includes in the tour. Beautiful architecture and fixtures, wood floors are great to look at too. Learning about the ventilation and amenities added was also cool.

This beautiful “palace” is a wonderful example of late 19th, early 20th century architecture. The tours can be self guided with a head phone set to take with you. It’s easy to find, too. It only takes a few hours at most to see, so you can plan other things to do on the island, as well.

This is a hidden gem! Very clean. Worth going to see if you are in Galveston. Especially if you are into history.

My sister and I loved exploring this beautiful home filled with such history. We did take advantage of the self guided tour recordings. Lovely. We were there in mid September 2018 so not crowded at all so we took our time looking at all the rooms.

While visiting Galveston my wife and I visited the Bishop's Palace. If you are a fan of early 19th century architecture you have to see this place. The wood work, marble and stained glass are truly magnificent. The self guided tour with audio gives you the history of the house and the changes over the past 130 years. It is well worth your time.

It’s a lovely little place which takes you back in the day and gives you the history of how the catholic archdiocese bought the house belonging to a family and created a chapel etc. take the tour so you can follow what’s going on. Should only take you about 90 minutes as it isn’t very big.

We loved this old mansion. It’s very well maintained and has interesting history. Takes about an hour or less. The woodwork and stained glass were beautiful! Self guided

We decided to check this out, as it got good ratings. I think if you are a fan of victorian homes/historic homes, you will like the home. It has beautiful stained glass windows and wood carvings. We didn't listen to the audio that comes with the tour, as we are impatient, but did think it was a beautiful home. Not sure it was worth the price for the amount of time we stayed (half an hour?), but it was neat to check out.

So beautiful decorated for Christmas and the guided tour was really interesting! Definitely worth a visit!

This is a beautiful building on Galveston Island. You can go inside. There are tours and an abundance of information on the building and the former residents. It is a great place to visit.

This beautiful house was the highlight of our day in Galveston. The audio guides make the visit super convenient as you can go at your own pace and don’t have to follow a group (although I love to have a real guide to have extra information, always a plus). The staff was very nice. And the house, on top of being super gorgeous, features a huge gift shop with so many great books, souvenirs, etc. Don’t miss it!

My family and I enjoyed our visit to this place whilst visiting Galveston! Such beautiful history and a must-see place!

Love our visit to this amazing structure. So much history and beautiful wood work. The staff were so nice and informative. If you are in the area and you like to know about the history this is a must.

After reading reviews, and a recommendation from the Visitors' Bureau, we stopped at Bishops Palace. It is a beautifully restored mansion with extreme detail in the interior design. The audio tour that is included is very well done. The building is in the Historic District, which we thoroughly enjoyed on bikes we had rented.

Very cool place with lots of history. Incredible gift shop. The architecture is amazing! Self guided tour took about an hour.

Originally built for a very rich family, this mansion only later became the residency of the local Catholic bishop. It's a grand place. The furniture isn't original, I heard, but it suits. The audio tour is good. The gift shop is also excellent. Worth the trip.

In town to begin a cruise. The morning of boarding we took an audio self-guided tour of this wonderful house. It's not over the top like San Simeon or Biltmore but the craftsmanship and detailing are impressive. Not something I would drive a few hours to see but if in or near Galveston definitely put it on your itinerary.

The history of this place is amazing. It's incredible that someone could build a structure such as this. If you enjoy history, architecture, and marveling at the past then this place is a must see.

For some reason despite numerous trips never toured until yesterday. $14 ( no discounts) gets you a iPod self guided tour. The house is gorgeous and very well maintained. It makes you want to attend a party there and think about all that the house has seen. Only downside is the place is NOT handicapped accessible and lots of stairs (problem for my elderly mother only ) they depend on room AC the upper floors are warm.

Very nice tour done with ipods so you can go at your own pace. They needed to include ear buds with the ipods so you don't have to listen to everyone elses broadcast. Very good presentation but $14 per person is a little high. We found almost everything on Galveston Island was over priced

This home was huge and its amazing. Wish we could have seen the 3rd floor. The automatic tour guide was very informative.

A lovely home, with an interesting story. The furnishings and restoration are beautiful. The audio tour is done well and it is a good way to spend an hour or so. If you like architecture, culture and history its a must see.

Asked concierge which historic site to see if only time to visit one. This was the winner, and it’s easy to see why. Family went to beach, I (history nerd) went here. Beautifully restored and maintained. Self guided audio tour was great, just enough detail, with more available if you want. Would highly recommend.

Awesome gift shop! This house has many surprises! It's hard to describe how beautiful the woodwork and stained glass windows are. And the bathrooms are a wonder for the date of the home. This is an audio, self-guided tour where they give you a device to listen and the stations are numbered. It is well done. A small child may get bored quick but my 13 year old enjoyed exploring the rooms. It really is kind of a palace!

Very nice museum. Had to share self-guided toure information speakers.
lots of histoical pictures. Would have liked to go on all floors

This is a beautiful house! Due to Covid, the tours are done by audio but it is a good tour. I was torn as to whether to go here or the Moody Mansion and went to both. Both were good but I think I liked this one better. Don't miss while you are in Galveston.

This was a pleasure to visit. My husband and I came down for the day from Houston (although travelling from Sydney Australia) and we drove around looking at the outside of these lovely Galveston houses. The one we chose to pay to see inside was Bishops Palace. It was immaculate and the furniture used was all linked to the previous owners. Such a treasure. Well worth the visit.

What a house! Its beautiful and very well preserved. It is self guided with a recorder that is very easy to use and lets you go at your own face. There is an elevator if needed. And they have a very nice gift shop. The only complaint if the lack of parking.

This place is a must see while visiting Galveston. The house is so beautiful and the tour is self guided so you can take your time and walk around. So glad we did it and I recommend it to anyone who loves history and old homes.

Enjoyable historic house with self guided audio tour. High points were the exquisite stained glass windows and spectacular entrance hall. Only gave it four stars because we’re Brits and have plenty of Victorian mansions at home bigger and better than this.

Had a nice self-guided walking tour of this beautiful house. We were the first ones here and were able to share one tour device. As more people arrived, it became harder to hear (due to loudness of other tourists). I would recommend getting individual devices and using headphones if the place has a lot of people. The building is beautiful inside and out. If you like to learn about history and tour historic sites, then this would be a good option.

Beautiful mansion worth visiting. Tour is done using handheld personal devices so you can go at your own pace which is nice.

Did not expect what I saw. Since I was with others did not stay longer. If alone, I would have spent a couple hours taking photos. For those who are photographers, this is a great opportunity.

You enter through the basement, pay your $13 each, get a recording machine and off you go listening to 19 different stories about the house. It's actually quite a historical story. Naturally, it would be better with a historian, but the cost would be more and arrangements have to be made. At your own pace, you can see the rooms and imagined how the families lived. Quite enjoyable.

This is a beautiful home and worth seeing. We had cooler/rainy weather while in Galveston and were in search of things to see that weren’t outside. This was a beautiful home with an interesting history.

We went in the middle if the afternoon to escape the sun and it was one of the coolest things we did on the island.

I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting.

I could have spent hours walking around the house. My only complaint is that I wish more artifacts had been used. The audio tour allows lots of free movement while giving information, not only about the families that lived there, but about Galveston's history.

This was a fun date for my husband and me; we did the self guided audio tour. If you appreciate history, architecture or just looking at beautiful things, then this is the place for you--Expect to spend 45 minutes to an hour in the home (it is THAT big). If you are sensitive to heat then you may not want to go in the summertime, which is when my husband and I visited; like most historic homes there is no air conditioning so combined with the Texas sun it can become quite stifling inside!

Beautiful Museum with audio tour and great information on the history of the Palace. there has been alot of restoration that has happened and it shows. The only thing is the 3rd floor was not opened to look at.

The inside is as beautiful as the outside. The house has an interesting history and is worth doing. The entry fees help to pay of needed repairs and up keep. I would definitely recommend taking the time to tour this house.

Interesting house and audio guides were helpful. Very dark building but great to get a sense of the life of the original family, and then the changes made by the Bishop.

The weather was warm but not oppressive. The beach had a pleasant breeze and the water was cool. Around Pleasure Pier it was crowded and raucous. The Strand was touristy but architecturally interesting. Good food with lots of choices. Galveston has a southern gulf coast feel different from other places in Texas.

What a amazing place...doing a great job restoring. Can't wait to see it when it's done. The detail work is amazing.

It was amazing at how many of the furnishings were still in the Bishop's Palace. Well, worth the time to see for someone who likes the history of the town or area they are visiting.

This Jewel of Texas history is being curated now by the Galveston Historical Foundation and based on the work they have done since hurricanes Ike and Harvey, is in great hands. Make sure to visit the gift shop on the basement level and help these volunteers maintain this stunning place!

We needed an indoor activity on a rainy day during our stay and was glad we decided to do this. $15 was a little steep for admission I thought; especially since you're only there about an hour. The tour is self guided and they give you a mini-iPad that you can go at your own pace and listen to historical facts that correlate to different numbered stops in the house - that was a very nice benefit.

We toured it yesterday. We are on an extended driving trip of the US with an emphasis on architecture and historic homes and this is one of the best we have seen. It was built in the late 1800s, a time that now seems rather gaudy and ostentatious, but this house comes across as tasteful and gorgeous. The self-guided audio tour comes with your entry fee and does a good job with the home’s history and room by room descriptions. They also encourage inside & outside photos which is unusual for historic home tours. Don’t miss this one!

It was like stepping back in time. You could imagine what the people that live there long ago was doing.

Beautiful historic home of the Bishop of Galveston and also the Gresham family. Tour includes 1st 2 floors and is narrated with hand-held devices. Fantastic home of the very wealthy around the turn of the 20th century.

very interesting and informative, beautiful place and archt.. recommend everyone go and check it out

This is a beautiful home and in very good condition. They have an audio tour that talks about each room in the mansion, and takes about 20-40 minutes depending on whether you listen to the narrative for each room. You walk through the first and second floor and there is a nice gift shop in the basement. The reason for the three-star rating is (1) I felt $15 per person was a little pricey for a self-guided tour; and (2) there’s not many furnishings in the home. What furnishings they have were owned either by the family or the bishop who lived in the mansion after the family, which I understand and appreciate. But still, you are paying to walk through essentially empty rooms.

We really enjoyed this building. The architecture is stunning. The exhibits were done well. The history was very interesting.

We found ourselves in Galveston where we were going to just relax and sun ourselves, but the weather didn't cooperate, so on the standby list was Bishop's Palace. We took the tour and this place has such beautiful and interesting architecture, along with great history. Just a really cool house/palace to tour. We took the audio tour.

We loved this. Learning some history behind it. They were doing some work so the outside had lots of scaffolding around it. So unable to get any pictures. But great experience. They give you a wand type thing to listen to as you tour. Beautiful place.

While visiting Galveston for a few days before a cruise my husband and I toured the Bishops Palace. The house is beautiful and has been restored to the turn of the century beauty. If you love historical homes and history this is a must see!

Beautiful building with exquisite stained glass and well preserved artifacts. A peek into the past. The attention to detail combined with the loving restoration makes this a special property. The backstory of the family sheltering neighbors during the 1900 storm makes it all the more special.

We did the self guided tour and enjoyed. There’s not much furniture because they only added actual pieces that were used in the house. They attempt to make it comfortable but we struggled with heat. Go early if you can.

Great house! An ornate home with beautifully carved details and history. Was our favorite home tour in the area of Galveston and Houston, even with the lack of much period furniture.

Beautiful house and architecture from The late 1890s. My family and I went on a rainy day in early January. With not much else to do on the island, my family and I were pleasantly surprised to stumble across this beautiful house with self-guided audio tours. Despite the fact that we could not go outside due to the weather, the interior wood work as well as stained glass were both stunning and amazing features of the house. Would highly recommend for a rainy day.

Incredible historical site detailing Galveston history, particularly from era of great hurricane of 1900's.

We arrived here on a Tuesday late morning and it was not crowded with free parking on the street. We spent $30 for the self-guided audio tour for two of us, which was pricey in our opinion for the experience. It's a beautiful palace and fascinating tour. Staff were friendly too.

There is a self-guided audio tour that you can take at your own pace. It's been restored very well. The house is unusual because there is a chapel and amazing stained glass inside.

I have toured this home before and really enjoyed sharing the rich history with my husband on this trip for my birthday. I hope this home will be available to the public for many years to come. Well worth the visit! Highly recommend! Only one little issue: My husband is a bit of a joker and the response from staff was a bit chilly, especially when he was describing another home tour he had experienced with a similar name.

Very beautiful piece of history, this is a must see...If you are not familiar with Gulf Coast Texas, this has to be on your list. Most come for the beach, the Bishop's Palace is very nice change of pace.

We have previously visited Galveston, but had not had time to tour this elegant home; so glad we had time on this trip. Staff was very friendly and the audio tour provided with price of admission was superb--we could go at our own pace and the information was spot-on. The house is lovingly maintained and one of the best historic homes we have toured. In fact on this tour of the area it was the (non-restaurant) highlight. Lots of free parking available within walking distance and both the beach and historic areas are fairly easy to reach.

This is a very nice example of late 19th century architecture and the beauty associated with it. Opt for the self guided tour inside for a quick trip in history. Dont miss if at Galveston

The architecture, neighborhood, and scenery in this area are beautiful. The Bishop's Palace really stands out with its manicured yard and unique design. I was blown away by seeing this house in person.

I have wanted to visit since moving to the area a couple of years back. We finally did the regular tour this week. This is absolutely the most beautiful house I have ever seen! The outside is beautiful. But inside there is so much intricate work. It is absolutely gorgeous. I liked the audio tour which wasn’t too much information and actually you didn’t have to play it. We only saw two floors which is the basic tour. There is a basement to attic tour they do on the weekends. If you are in Galveston I highly recommend visiting.

I just went to see the exterior (didn't want to pay to do the visit). It is really pretty, very old. We can do an outside tour and see every side of the house.

On a recent trip to explore the Houston, TX, area, we devoted two days to visiting Galveston. Being a fan of historic homes and grand furnishings, I had to visit here. (We also toured the Moody Mansion, reviewed separately.) Tours of this residence included the first and second floors of the beautiful Gresham house. The furniture is a bit sparse here, which allows you to fully appreciate the beautiful interiors. In particular, the many fireplaces are works of arts, each one different from the next; the woodworking throughout is equally gorgeous. One negative on this tour: We did not care for the audio guide device provided here. Only one was given for two of us to share, which didn’t work well. It didn’t have a good sound (a bit tinny) and required us to stay very near each other and also to listen over other visitors nearby playing theirs. We much prefer the kind you hold up to your ear. Other than that, our tour of just under one hour was quite enjoyable.

This is an awesome mansion, but not worth the money. $12 per person, no senior or veteran discount. They give every 2 people an audio device that's sound is so low that one person cannot hear it. No guided tours anymore. You can fully access the house, but you don't know the significance of anything.

This is an interesting place to see how the very rich lived. The house is so beautiful inside. The craftsmanship it took to build this amazing place is awsume. I wished the top floor was opened to the public. We spent a rainy morning looking through this house.

The palace is interesting and beautiful. Really enjoyed the audio tour. Unbelievably beautiful hand carved wood work! stained glass windows were fantastic the bishop had these added when the Catholic Church purchased the palace. Silk wall coverings, very luxurious.

Gorgeous - great guided tour, even betteer decor! Lovely call lilies everywhere. Definitely worth seeing!

This incredible building was created as the family home for a wealthy family. Construction went from 1886 to 1893. Later it was sold to the Catholic diocese and it became the Bishop’s Palace. The intricate woodwork, stonework, and Italian marble accents are incredible. The price of admission includes an audio device that is synced to the various rooms and gives insight to the history of each location. This is really worth the time and price of admission.

We decided to visit this house while in Galveston. It was very neat to see and walk around. The guided audio tour was great. It let you go at your own pace. Not overly expensive and something different to do.

Took a morning tour on a Thursday in April. Weather was warm outdoors but comfortable inside the Palace.
The beauty of the many rooms had been maintained . Interesting facts on how it was used during the GREAT STORM to protect many local residents. Great gift shop too in the basement. Must see on your list!

This is a well preserved mansion with amazing stonework, woodwork, and craftsmanship from the gilded age. The self-guided audio tour takes about 1-2 hours and gives many details about the Gresham family and Bishop Byrne who lived in the house, as well as details about the architecture. Although it isn’t quite as large as the nearby Moody Mansion, this house has more intricate architectural details and more stained glass windows. It is worth the $14 adult admission fee if you are into interesting architecture and history.

This is a wonderful piece of Victorian architecture prominently displayed on Broadway. It is well done on the inside and the outside.
Over the years, it has suffered hurricane damage, but it always gets restored. It is one of the crown jewels in a city filled with many wonderful structures.

This is nice even if you just stop in front to take some pictures. But you can go in, entry fee is reasonable and so much history inside.

With your tour admission ticket, you get an audio device to walk you through the history of the house, the families who lived here, and a bit about the house itself. This house is very imposing on the street, with dark paneling inside and a few furnishings inside, plus original lighting. You can see 2 floors of the house, plus the gift shop in the basement. Our young son walked along with us, but wasn’t extremely entertained so we talked about other things outside the tour such as the call buttons.

The mansion is grand. We did the self guided tour that comes with a little audio guide that is numbered for each room in the mansion. The recorder gives a pretty detailed description of each room along with a bit of history. The tour took about 2 hours for us as we took our time in each room. The architecture is auh-mazing. From the marble columns, coffered ceilings, stained glass windows, carved mahogany woodwork and silk fabric covered walls. This home withstood the great hurricane of 1900. Rumor has it the Gresham’s and staff formed a human chain to reach out into the churning waters to rescue survivors. Hundreds of people were welcomed into their home seeking refuge from the deadliest storm in US history. A nice way to spend a couple of hours downtown.

We were amazed at the craftsmanship on display in this stunning home. I think that those who appreciate elegance of a bygone era and learning a bit of Galveston history should definitely visit. I wish that the audio device would have been for each person versus one for each couple. If there are many people visiting, the varying descriptions and dialog all playing at once is somewhat annoying.

I've been to the Bishop's Palace twice before but my boyfriend wanted to visit and it was his first time. The house is still as beautiful as the first time. For $15 admission you get to do a self guided tour of 2 floors of the house. They give you an audio device that helps explain what you're looking at. On certain Saturdays they do a guided tour of the rest of the house but book online in advance as tickets for this sell out fast. I wish there were more furnishings in the house but they explained that on the audio...they only want authentic items that belonged to the previous owners. What you do get to see is pretty awesome and there is a gift shop with some unique souvenirs as well. We had a great time and I'm sure I'll be back again in the future.

such history stunning old architecture the grounds are immaculate even has a place to take pictures. lots to see in side and out. cant wait to show my family from out of state.

First stop on a 2-day trip to Galveston. The building was beautiful inside and out. Built around 1890 for $250,000, it survived the storm of 1900 and several subsequent hurricanes. It is still in good shape and well worth a visit.

Absolutely beautiful! I love history so I loved every minute of this but even if history is not your thing, you can still enjoy the palace.

We took a break from seaside sun-soaking activities to take in some of Galveston's architectural and historical treasures. Located near the intersections of Broadway and 14th Street (Which is also called Christopher Columbus Blvd.)
There is quite a story regarding this mansion. It was built by the Gresham family, and later purchased by the Catholic Diocese in Galveston (hence the Bishop's Palace). The original name was Gresham Castle. It's thick stone walls are more than 60 cm at the base, which helps explain how this structure survived the Great Storm of 1900 and Hurricanes Ike and Rita. There is a mark on the wall in the lower level which identifies the high water level reached during 2008 (Ike).

Regular self-guided tours are $14 for adults, $9 for "youts", and kids under 5 are free. There is a special tour where visitors may ascend to the third floor, and that was quoted at $30 per person. Our tour led us up to the main floor, and it was a warm day with electric fans everywhere; and, we were wearing face masks the entire time. Thus, it was difficult to hear one another. There were no audio devices provided as the pandemic raged on. We relied on paper copies, which were adequate. There were times where I struggled to confirm we were in the room being described, sometimes because the featured paintings might have been moved out for maintenance, and there was no obvious path laid out. Letting those minor annoyances brush past us, we relaxed and enjoyed exploring this massive home.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing an 1890's home, replete with treasures like a vase from Germany and hand-painted china. It seems Mrs. Gresham was an accomplished artist, and some of the works in the house were painted by her, including a self portrait. We were surprised by the magnitude of some of the rooms. Who wouldn't want a grand staircase in a rotunda?

The basement is really at street level; you have to realize this island is occasionally inundated. There is a nice little gift shop there, and the attendants often can tell you stories about the place; births, weddings, deaths. We walked through the large dining room imagining all the Gresham children around the turn of the 19th century rushing from throughout the house for breakfast. The house must have some secrets.

If you are visiting Galveston and want to get a good sense of the history of the island, you should visit Bishops’s Palace, the Moody Mansion and The Bryan Museum.

Bishop’s Palace has a unique history as a private home to the Gresham
family and then as a property owned by the Catholic archdiocese. Self-guided audio tour is well-done and not overly detailed. A beautiful structure filled with one of a kind treasures and amazing craftsmanship.

The architecture and practical ideas to make living more pleasant were wonderful. Seeing the building specialties, the woodwork and stonework along with some painting were a delight. This adventure was well worth the fee, and the people in the gift shop were friendly and informative about the house and the area.

We had such a great time visiting the Bishop's Palace in Galveston. It is such a lovely place that even our youngest enjoyed.

An extraordinary home built without the use of modern technology. Each main floor room is a different wood for trim and doors. What is truly amazing is that the pocket doors have the same wood to correspond with the room. These pocket doors have ventilation to keep the doors from warping. Keep in mind this was created ~1855. The staircase is round and gorgeous....Just brilliant a tour you don't want to miss.

Beautiful home that is a self guided tour. Enjoyed the recordings that tell you about the history. Stunning architecture. Must be able to climb stairs.

This home is absolutely stunning! The intricate woodwork and stained glass are exceptional! There is a self-guided recorded tour with separate recordings for about 16 well-marked points of interest.

This is a must see if you like historic homes. We liked Bishops Palace much better than Moody Mansion.

After driving past Bishop’s Palace for years planning to “visit someday,” I finally called my stepmother and planned a day trip. We spent a lovely afternoon in a self guided tour. We could spend as much time as we liked admiring murals, China, books, imported tiles, or artistic carvings. The available audio information and posted facts added interesting facts, but we always had the option to listen or not, to read or not. In effect, all of the advantages of a guided tour without the herding effect or information overload.
I’d like to go again to take other friends or family. Such a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Now if they would just add an afternoon tea service on one of the porches....

Got to Galveston 2 days early for a cruise and needed something to do on memorial day weekend. Bishop palace was top of the list on trip advisor. $12/adult and $9/ youth, a lil pricey considering it takes less than 30 minutes to go thru. The place is beautiful but if your going with kids you might want to do dolphin tour instead.

11yo daughter and I visited Bishop's and we were both enthralled with the architecture. It's amazing to see how ornate and beautiful each and every room was crafted. You can do a little walking tour on your own and learn about the area, construction, the people who lived there and how they recovered after the hurricane. There are bathrooms available, a really neat little gift shop, and free coffee to juice up for whatever you choose to do next. Such amazing history here. Not sure how well small children would do though. There are many off-limits items (look, don't touch or sit) and some narrow winding staircases. We were blown away by the stained glass designs. Simply breathtaking.

Absolutely stunning Victorian home. Beautiful architecture and craftmanship was on display throughout the home. We did the self guided tour, which was available during the week. The hand out gave a short description of each room. We toured the property during the Christmas season, so the rooms were decorated with Christmas trees.

We went here right after Christmas and almost every room had a Christmas tree and beautiful decorations. The architectural details of the house are amazing - from the interior shutters that fold inside window pockets to the 55-foot rotunda flanked by stained glass windows. The rooms are all light-filled with floor-to-ceiling windows and turrets. Like another reviewer mentioned, they had run out of the audio tour listening devices. Although they gave us a paper guide instead, I wish I had known we could have downloaded the app for the audio tour. I did like that it was self-guided because I went back to visit several rooms.

The self guided tour is nice. Each room is numbered and corresponds to the hand held audio. The stained glass is beyond b beautiful. The main staircase with the "pulpit" landing. The chapel within the home with the alter. Plus the information room. Awesome chandeliers and fireplaces. Very nice tour. Want to come back for the basement to attic guided tour.

A friend and I spent about an hour touring the home and another 30 minutes browsing the gift shop. There are window units and fans in every room, and we were there on a rainy morning, so we weren't hot. The self-guided tour gives a lot of information about the Greshams, the Bishop and some Galveston history.

If you want to go back in time to the turn of the century, and see a very well preserved mansion, this is the place. A very wealthy family built this home and it was over the top in terms of quality, features, and style for its time. They give you a handheld audio device that guides you through the home describes each room. This is definitely one of the historical highlights of Galveston.

Good place to visit for a few hours. $1 coupon off from the Visitor's Center in Galveston. Lots of stairs.

We have visited the Bishop's Palace multiple times, doing different tours. The basic one is really nice. Even if you have been before, though, I highly recommend the 'Basement to Attic' one as well. It is more expensive and only offered at certain times, but you get to see other parts of the mansion that are usually off limits and intriguing.

This residence has quite a story to tell. The architecture is magnificant. You will enjoy the audio tour as the story is related. A fun stop while visiting Galveston.

It is worth visiting this historic site while in Galveston, The have a self guided audio tour was very interesting. A beautiful home.

Nice, short tour of a gorgeous house. Great history lesson. Friendly staff and fabulous photo opportunities. Allow time to leisurely stroll through and read all the information. A bit on the more pricey side but knowing that it goes back into keeping the house maintained is good.

It cost $12.00 for a hearing device for a self-guided tour. The other option was a docent guided tour. Even though the man leading the tour was several rooms away, he was drowning out our hearing devices! Perhaps he had a hearing loss and couldn't tell how loud he was. The rooms have great acoustics, so he didn't have to project for his tour members. At any rate, we tried skipping to other rooms, out of the order of the tour, so we could hear our devices. We still had to rush through the house to avoid him...so disappointing!

As I recall, this is a look & see from the outside only. There were no tours. Such an amazing place to visit.

A place to know how the rich lived at that time and to be able to settle for it today, because if that house was expensive at that time, nowadays there is no way to have a house like this and less with the price it would cost XD

This house is amazing! We did the self guided tour, but just standing in the entryway, you felt like you’d entered another world. The architecture is unbelievable. Heavy wood, rounded staircase, chapel inside and stain glass that is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a LOT). A must see.

I visited Bishop's Palace with my parents and younger siblings in the hope of learning more about Galveston's history. The mansion is incredibly ornate, and the self guided tour was very informative. It was nice learning about the mansion at our own pace, and the audio guide had a wide variety of rooms and people to talk about. It's a great stop for a family with older kids!

most impressive house with story of it's use in the great flood etc. if you do only one tour in galveston, it should be this.

A very nice self-guided tour of the first 2 floors (of 3 floors) with a recorded message in about 15 key areas of the home. The tour includes great information about the history of the home, the families involved over the years, and the devastating impact the hurricanes have had over the years both to the island and this beautiful home. The entrance is a little difficult to find and is located below the front staircase in the basement. The basement also includes a large gift shop and the ticket sales location. We spent about 1 1/2 hours here. It was well worth the visit. Some portions of the property are undergoing renovations but the work was done discreetly. The audio tour was on a hand held device with a speaker and would have been a bit better with earplugs.

Orignally a private home, then the residence for The Bishop of Houstan/Galvestion, this historic home provides one with the insight into a world long gone.

This a self guided tour and as you proceed at your own pace, take the time to stop and reflect. This tour is well worth your time.

We are in the construction field so visiting old homes like this are amazing to us. The home wasn’t as nicely maintained or decorated as Moody Mansion but still a nice place. I didn’t like for the cost you have to share an audio tour for three people.

I would advise anyone visiting Galveston to visit the Bishop’s Palace. It is glorious. You are given a minimally useful audio player, but it’s still worth listening to the short recordings. We were impressed by the stained glass, carved wood, and original furnishings. The house is sparsely furnished because of the decision to only use original pieces, but what it has is very fine and interesting. Explore around the gift shop area to see the castle-like foundations, which are extremely thick to support the heavy 3 story house.

This late 19th century house was built for the Gresham family, a layer and politician. The building was bought by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston as the home of |Bishop Byrne in the 1920's. It is an imposing structure and one of the few buildings in Galveston to survive the great hurricane of 1900.
Entry is via a large gift shop in the basement. They provide self guided tours with an excellent audio guide giving 19 points giving a commentary of 1 or 2 minutes each.
There are sweeping staircases with stained-glass windows and polished wood, reception rooms and bedrooms to see. There is also a small chapel with painted ceiling. The bathrooms are fascinating. Look out for the bath with three taps (faucets) - hot, cold and rainwater as rainwater is the softest water for hair washing!
Expect to take at least an hour to tour this incredible building.

This home has withstood many storms and is still standing. It has been beautifully restored and listening to the audio tour gives much interesting information.

Gorgeous architecture and historical setting makes this a must-see. Highly recommend touring to all ages.

The house itself was a marvel of craftmanship. Seriously, I was in awe of the woodwork, the crown moudling, everything. I didn't care for the super creepy 'chapel' but I'm not Catholic so if you are maybe you'd love it.

Didn’t actually do the tour because we didn’t have time but the outside is absolutely stunning and worth a look.

Once again Galveston’s incredible history comes alive in this restored Victorian Mansion located in a neighborhood of Victorian monuments to the splendor, majesty, and Phoenix-like character of this city. Galveston is a city like no other. Especially when you consider its diverse ethnicity and storied past, complete with remarkable fortitude displayed by its many races and nationalities. A truly unique and glorious city, not without its bruises and troubles, but alive, affordable, liveable no matter who you are or where you came from.
The Bishops Palace embodies all of the above, and rather than repeat its story go see it for yourselves and be awed!
A remarkable attraction maintained by our own remarkable Galveston Historical Foundation. They themselves are part of this city’s attraction.They deserve our support!

Not sure this tour is worth the asking price but it was a cool historical building with amazing architecture. Gross display of wealth miss appropriation by the church but still a cool building. If your into history and architecture, this is a cool place.

Although we drove by and stopped, we didn't go inside. When you stop to remember the ferociousness of the hurricanes that have hit Galveston since the early 1900's, it was truly amazing to see this grand, beautiful, stately beauty still standing. It's almost as if God had shielded it with his Angels to protect it. This is a must see. Please go inside when you visit. I wish we had, but will the next time we're in Galveston.

This structure is on the AIA's list of top 100 most significant buildings and it doesn't disappoint. Incredible detail and a really unique piece o.f architecture. Tours cost $14 to tour the 19,000 sf building. Next to a beautiful Catholic church

Self-guided tour through 2 floors. Interesting to learn about the architecture and past owners. Beautiful craftsmanship.

I really enjoy historic home tours. I enjoyed the architecture of this place, but the "tour" is lacking. I felt we paid a lot for our group of four. I realize upkeep must be expensive, though. The gift shop has a nice assortment of items.

Very good display. Original artifacts. Have lived in the area for 40 years but finally visited it. Learned so much abut the history.

My wife had always wanted to visit Bishop’s Palace and figured the full moon tour would be the best time during our weekend trip to Galveston to learn more about this gem of a building. Our tour guide was fabulous. She brought the place to life. The home is stunningly beautiful, dark woods, spiral staircases, gorgeous views. We very much enjoyed our visit and would recommend it to any Galveston visitor.

Bishop's house was an awesome little tour. When we went, it was an audio tour that was self directed with an iPod loaded with the information. The pieces of furniture in the house are original to one of the two main owners. It's a beautiful house, and the tour gives a lot of local history about storms that have devastated Galveston along with history of the owners. I definitely recommend stopping by!

Very well maintained and absolutely gorgeous woodwork and art. The self guided tour lets you go at your own pace and really look at the details. And they encourage photography, which is awesome.

As is Moody's, very impressive well preserved Victorian mansion well explained by audio tour. The two houses are different in character so worth visiting both

I could spend a whole day appreciating every little detail on and in this house. My daughter wanted to live here.

This was a self-guided tour of a Victorian Mansion. If you like history and how people used to live, then this is for you.

This is one of Galveston's most beautiful and historic buildings. One of the special things about it are it's "pocket" doors which have been made of different types of wood to match each room that they face. It has a little chapel for the bishop for whom it was built to worship privately as well a wonderful staircase and very good guides.

It is well worth the $14 price. They provide you with a device to do a self-guided tour at your own pace that works very well. The woodwork is amazing. It would be nice if there was a little more furniture and if you could have access to the top floor. Takes about an hour.

My husband and I love touring places with historical interest. Bishop's Palace is beautiful - a testament to high-quality workmanship. Both of us have trouble with steps, but we were able to visit all floors, because there was no rush in getting through it.

Positives: Beautiful, old home everyone visiting the area should see. The windows, woodwork and designs are breathtaking. The tour is a self-paced audio tour so you can visit at your own pace (or to fit your time schedule).

Could Improves: The home was once truly opulent but now needs a bit of TLC (visitors can leave donations, so that helps!). There was the strong sent of sewage wafting through the entire home during our tour, strong enough it made it hard to concentrate. The docents were not overly friendly or helpful. The audio tour was on a building provided device that wasn’t overly clean.

Self guided tour takes about an hour. House is lovely with a lot of historical relevance to Galveston. Stained glass works from original family as well as those added by church when this became the Bishop’s house are beautiful. $14 per person admission but that also helps preserve the site.

This location has self guided audio tours. We were able to visit the first two floors. The other floors were closed to the public. There is beautiful stained glass features throughout the house. You learn a lot of local history. There is a large gift shop in the basement. The craftsmanship is quite impressive. You can tour the house in under an hour.

Fantastic history associated with the house. So interesting to listen to the audio tour and learn about the family and people that lived there . Great part of local history well worth a visit.

if you're into history or pretty (old) houses, this is WELL WORTH your visit. we've visited 5-6 times and enjoy it every time

Very interesting self guided tour. Fascinating information about the 1900 storm as well as hurricane Ike. The history of the home and seeing the elegance of a bygone Era make this a great place to visit.

The Bishop's Palace was magnificent and very interesting. I would have preferred a guided tour that would impart a bit more anecdotal knowledge about the mansion and its inhabitants than the handout and signs. However, I am very glad that we decided to go it was still an excellent adventure.

Bishop's Palace is not worth the money you pay to get in. It's a magnificent building, but it's largely unfurnished and most of it is off limits. We're history buffs so we've been to museums in old houses all over the country. Bishop's Palace and Moody Mansion were 2 of the worst we've been to. It's an amazing example of its time, but don't waste your money. Walk around and look from the outside.

We go to Galveston Island every summer. We had visited Moody Mansion and the Strand but I really wanted to see the Bishop's Palace. We went to the Historical Society building to see if we could get tickets . When we got there they told us that the Bishop's Palace was closed because they were working on the electricity. I was disappointed but we went on a Historical tour instead. The next day we decided to see if the Bishop's Palace was open yet. When we arrived there were two very nice young people sitting on the steps outside. We asked if it was open and they said they didn't have any power but we were welcome to tour anyway. The audio tour was not available but they gave us a printed sheet that referenced different things in the house. Even though it was hot, it was very pretty! The stained glass windows were even more vibrant because they weren't competing with the overhead lights. I think it made it a little easier to imagine what it would have been like when they lived there many years ago.

Visited here while in Galveston and really loved it. The craftsmanship in the home is beyond words, just magnificent. We enjoyed the audio tour and all the beautiful fireplaces. If you enjoy touring old beautiful homes, this is for you!

Cool mansion that has a self guided tour. The architecture is amazing and the intricate detail of the carpentry work is rarely seen in today’s structures. The tour takes about an hour.

Tickets are for sale in the basement at their gift shop (just to the left of the front stairs(. At this time, they are not offering their audio tour, and face masks are required. As of now, you are given a flyer with information about each room on the tour. You start at the first floor and then up the stairs to the second floor. The home has beautiful woodwork throughout. There are some furnishings but not as much as can be seen at the Moody Mansion. One of the second story bedrooms has information and photos describing the impact of two severe hurricanes that have struck the island - one in 1900 and Hurricane Ike in 2008. It only took us 40 minutes to tour the house without the audio. I’m sure the audio tour would have been quite useful in helping us learn more about the house.

This is a quite marvelous house which speaks volumes about the wealth of Galveston at the turn of the 19th/20th century - as well as about the wealth of a Roman Catholic church able to buy it later for one of their employees. Expansive rooms, quality materials throughout, plus a number of features which were advanced for the time. The audio tour is well worth taking (although it seemed a little odd that we were only offered one for the two of us). We followed the numbered route assiduously and this seemed to work well. Others will disagree but I liked the fact that furnishing the house with pieces of the time was resisted and that the only items inside were actually associated with the original owners or the Bishop in question. Certainly one of the best things we've done as tourists in Galveston.

Walking into this home surely makes you feel like you've gone back in time into a palace. The ornate wood carvings on the staircase and fireplaces, the beautiful stained glass, the marble counters and pillars and the deep rich wood colors of the home bespeak the riches and taste of a very prominent family of Texas. It makes your head spin as you walk through each room as you take in every inch from the beds to the windows, chairs, walls and fireplaces. Most impressive is the main staircase that leads you up to the 2nd floor. Your hand glides along the exquisite carved railing as you gaze at all the stained glass windows along the way. Every room has a story to tell from the music room to the library and the kitchen. It felt like an honor to be in a such an extravagant home. I truly enjoyed the self guided tour, which tour approx. an hour. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to be amazed at the opulence. This is no ordinary home tour!

We took the self guided audio tour and spent about 2 hours enjoying the beautiful historic home that was one of the few buildings to survive the 1900 hurricane that destroyed the island city. We have toured it in the past and always enjoy seeing it again when we come to the city. They allow photos and you will probably take more than you need.

The Bishop's Palace, also known as the Gresham Castle, is a beautiful and well-maintained Victorian mansion. We purchased a ticket that included both this residence and the Moody Mansion and saved a few dollars. Persons interested in architecture, Texas history and culture, and religion would enjoy visiting the Bishop's Palace. There is sufficient parking on the street. To avoid crowds, an early arrival is suggested.

Loved touring this home, and the surrounding area. Galveston is a great place to visit. This home is well maintained , and history buffs will love it.

After withstanding the great hurricane of 1900, it would be a shame to not take this tour. A breathtaking home. The audio tour is well worth the money. Definitely met my expectations.

Visited 1 hour before closing on a Tuesday. Maybe this was the problem but the staff at ticket desk seemed ... unenthusiastic with our arrival. Tour is self guided with an audio device. (I think we should have had one each right? But we had to share.) I love a good Victorian mansion and the history of its people, but this "palace" felt like it was missing something. Maybe because it has 2 distinct stories to tell given the extremes of ownership from private wealth to Archdiocese. Still it is always fascinating to get so up close to history and stand in awe. (Side note: Gift Shop seems to be off point. Too much unrelated retail.) We also visited Moody Mansion. I'm glad we did both. But honestly if I had to pick one, it would be Moody.

This is one of the most opulent mansions I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. It was a bit hot (no A/C, only window units), but the heat was worth it.

We toured the home and it was great. All the hand carved wood and how it is beautifully restored.
The stained glass windows are unique. The windows that go to the floor and can openef and then walk through to the different decks.
It is a awesome place to bisit.

We were in Galveston and read about the Bishops Palace. We arrived but just missed the house opening so only saw the beautiful house from the outside. With it being December the house was decked for Christmas and it was beautiful and festive. Would recommend dropping by even when the house is closed. It’s a beautiful structure to admire.

This home is gorgeous! So beautiful and huge! Took the self guided tour and just couldn't get enough of how amazing this home is. Lots of history here! The Bishop's Stain glass windows are truly gorgeous. So much detail in the craftsmanship back then. They don't make homes like this anymore, and it is a shame! This place is beautiful!

Beautiful home but they also give you access to much more of the house than expected. Great history displayed throughout the house and the recording they give you for the tour goes beyond a basic room tour. Got much more than we paid for.

LOVE the Architecture! Went with friends, we had a great time! Beautiful Stained glass! Checked out the Gift shop. kinda pricey.

I've been to Galveston so many times and this was the first time visiting Bishop's Palace. The self guided tour allows you to enjoy the house at your own pace and really take in the details and experience what it was like to live in those times. I thought my kids (8 and 14) were going to be bored, but turns out they really liked it too!

Had a nice time visiting Bishop’s Palace. We learned about the Island’s history and this palace’s role on the island when it came to the 1900 hurricane. It was shocking but very interesting. We do wish they offered an in-tour guide rather than the self guided tours because there are surely some interesting stories about what took place there in addition to the owners and hurricane

If you love cool looking old houses, you will love this tour.. I would love to live here. I found myself saving ideas for the house I would build one day. A step back in time

We visited the Bishop's Palace on a Wednesday, and truly enjoyed the tour. The home is breathtaking, and the fee is inexpensive.

This is a self guided tour. They do provide a phone-like device on a lanyard that plays audio. If your group is larger than one however it is impossible to hear, they need to add headphones or a device for each person. Interesting house, at times I thought I was in the Moody Mansion as it is very similar.

Spent roughly 1 hour on a self guided tour of the mansion.Audio tour is very clever and is matched to numbered photos in each room and you can go through the rooms quickly or extend the amount of information you want to listen too .What I enjoyed the most was the furniture and fixtures that are original to the building , also a small but interesting selection of photos from the hurricane that destroyed Galveston in the early 1900s .The mansion is within the historical district and a short walk around the blocks close to the Bishops palace will allow you to see some of the beautiful houses and also the novel wood carvings on the stumps of the old oak trees destroyed during a hurricane .

Another beautiful home with so much history and education. Galveston is beautiful. Young kids even enjoyed it.

Both inside and out - this place is amazing. If you like architecture - you need to stop by for a visit. (You can package this and the Moody Mansion tour for a discounted price). Both are well worth your time.

This is the first negative review I have ever written. We went on mother's day as my mom was in from VA. The website said last entry was 45 min before closing but we got there an hour before closing. The elder lady at the gift shop was quite short with us from the beginning and warned they would shut down right at 5 no matter where we were in the building. She seemed annoyed we were there at all. Then the surprising part happened. At 4:40, a younger dark haired woman found us upstairs and told us they had shut off all the lights and it was time to leave. She was very rude about it. I asked if we could finish the last 2 rooms and she said no we had to leave now. By 4:45, we were back downstairs and the older woman was counting out of her cash drawer. Again, she seemed annoyed with us and had nothing nice to say, just huffs and puffs of annoyance. We looked around the gift shop for a few minutes and left by 4:55 where the younger woman was waiting outside with the chain in her hands to close it behind us. My mom, daughter, and I have never been treated so rudely at a tourist attraction. I had originally wanted to come back for the basement to attic tour with the rest of the family but don't think I will now because of the staff. What a shame as I would have given it 5 starts if it weren't for them. It is truly a magnificent house!

From every angle, Bishop's Palace is beyond grand. It is incredible to imagine such architecture and skill brought this building to life. Definitely a must-see, even if only from the sidewalk.