The House Of The Seven Gables Reviews

Beautiful house and gardens, our guide was very knowledgeable and we were excited to see the secret stair case. Would definitely recommend this attraction.

We were disappointed that we didn't get to go into both houses, as one was under construction. The house we toured was historic and had many interesting details. We had to wait for a school group to finish before we could tour, so you may want to make reservations ahead of time. The tour guide was knowledgeable about the history of the area and the house.

The house that apparently inspired the House of the Seven Gables is here, along with a few other buildings that were moved from other places in Salem. We didn’t do the tour, just bought the grounds access package. There is a decent audio tour available. The garden is nice but very small. Easy parking available. Walked around everything in about 30 minutes.

Loved our tour guide Stephanie. She did a great job giving us information about the history of the house. Very interesting and the outside gardens and view of the water are just beautiful.

Fantastic history tour, authentic furnishings, great story telling, pretty views and all around relaxing and informative tour.

I should preface this with a note that my partner and I were exhausted after a long day of tours and walking by the time we got to this final event. Also, it was supposed to run 45 minutes which would give us ample time to make our boat ride back to Boston, but it ran long and put us a little on edge. That said, our guide was interesting and very informative, and the history of the house is fascinating. Especially in terms of the women involved. The main focus, however, was on the house itself, and the architecture, which felt like a dryer, very grounded history lesson than other house tours we've taken in the past (like the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver!) that were more about storytelling and felt like a time travel visit. So, depending on your priorities, this might be the perfect tour for you. It's well done for what it is, though it wasn't as engaging for us as it might have been (though we still came away with lots of interesting facts I am glad to know.)

You can easily tour the buildings and grounds in under 2 hours. There are some activities on site such as learning to make wool yarn from sheared sheep wool. A gift shop is also available. There is an audio portion for a self guided tour or you can use a guide.

I absolutely loved my visit!! The home was absolutely beautiful but it was our tour guide, James, who made the experience even better. Not only was James brilliant which made the tour so interesting but he was extremely personable, kind, and funny! I highly recommend this tour for everyone (all ages) and look for James!!

Very interesting well presented house. The secret stairs are really cool, but not an easy climb. Beautiful gardens, with a great view. They have a scavenger hunt for the kids. Highly recommended when in Salem.

The guided tour is totally worth it, but definitely book ahead if you're there in October. So cool to go inside the house and learn its history. Anna was a great guide!

Everett was our tour guide and did a wonderful job. He was very knowledgeable and kept the tour going. Was not expecting to walk through so much of the house so that was a fun surprise.

I was a little short on money so I didn’t go do the full tour inside the house, but I really wanted to see Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth place and was met with so many more thrilling historical details! I especially loved the Counting House because no one else was there for a while and I got to enjoy all the childhood amenities I miss as a 24 year old (including coloring and practicing my know tying abilities, I’m very good)

Great visit. Highly recommend. Bought tickets online for 10:15. Arrive early and parked in their parking lot. Was able to walk around town for a bit before our tour. The tour was so enjoyable and a lot history. Ground even so maintained. Our guide was amazing. Took the secret staircase which was so cool. There are a couple of other building to tour on the grounds. We spent about an hour and 15 minutes there.

Beautiful and historic. Really enjoyed the tour and walking around the grounds. Not far from downtown and is a little escape from the craziness of Essex St.

Beautiful location inside and out! It’s a bit of a walk but totally worth it! Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Overall this was a great experience but I had to dock a point for our tour guide Jeff. They require masks while in the buildings which we all obeyed but our tour guide refused to keep his mask on. When he was telling the stories, some of the expressions/words he used could be considered offensive. There was a small child there and some of the things he said weren’t kid friendly and did offend some of the adults in the group. All the other staff we encountered were super friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed the history of the site.

Admission cost is $25 per person. For that, you get a guided tour of the house only & you can wander the gardens and take a free self tour of the Nathaniel Hawthorne house. Guide was college student, very nice… here is the warning!!! Part of the tour takes you up a “hidden stair”.. the stair has no railings and is steep and about 28” wide.. I am a 5’4”, 230 lb woman with very short legs & not in great shape. At the 180 degree turn in the stair, I was stuck… not tightly but enough to feel panic….made it though! Next room has an open stair in the room that an unsuspecting tourist could back up & fall down backwards.. stair handrails do not cover all all stairs…stairs are steep, unevenly spaced and have turns with curved steps… now I did it, but felt I needed to warn any fellow clutzes! Tour was very informative about history of the home!

Absolutely fascinating! A beautiful 7 gabled home and wonderfully narrated by Steven. Our favorite thing in Salem. Don’t miss this.

Do the tour! Lovely home with great information. There’s an interesting hidden stair case you get to experience and lots of great information. Our Gide Matt was amazing , great with the kids in our group and knew so much information beyond the regular your. The garden is lovely too. This is worth the time and cost of entry to understand Salem.

I’m so glad that I booked this tour! We got to enjoy the entire experience by going inside the home & I would advise others to do the same. Climbing the secret stair case was a pleasant & memorable surprise! This home is filled with interesting and unique history. It’s definitely a must see!

I found the House of the Seven Gables very interesting. Our guide Stephen was amazing. He was so excited telling us the history that you were drawn in to every story. The tour was definitely worth the money. It was nice to look around the rest of the property after the tour was over.

My husband and I visited the week of Halloween 2025. Our tour guide, Richard, was very knowledgeable about the property, its history, and the artifact decorations. The property was everything I envisioned and more. The grounds had been beautifully maintained as well as the property. The gift shop offered any and everything imaginable from books, to clothing, to many things related to the house and Salem. Everyone seemed to be able to answer all of my questions regarding Nathaniel Hawthorne and the property which was remarkable as I had quite a few. This was by far the best historical tour that I have ever taken and would recommend it to anyone visiting Salem.

Nice to see the way they used to live back then, but remember is nothing to do with the witch trial..

This place sells out pretty much every day in October, and after doing the tour, I totally see why! It feels in so many ways like you are walking through history, and the staff are so passionate about the house while you're touring it. Over the course of 45 minutes to an hour, you go up and down and all around the house, and while it can get a little cramped (like in the secret stairwell), I felt so inspired afterwards. This is an exceptional house, and with climate change impacting the coast the way it is, visiting has never been more important for anyone who cares about the history of our country. Go; you won't regret it!

My favorite thing we did on our trip to Salem! Loved, loved, loved everything about this interesting house tour with an awesome tour guide. The history is interesting, the house is cool, and the area is beautiful. So glad we decided to go here since it was the highlight of our trip.

Went when I last came to Salem as a kid (like 15 years ago) and remembered it as being so cool and interesting!! Finally came back to Salem and made it our very first stop and it was so fun!! Our tour guide (can't remember his name, I think it may have been Michael? I remember he said he was a former English teacher) was so sweet, so funny, and definitely made the tour worthwhile!! He made it interesting outside of ONLY the history and seemed genuinely appreciative that people were visiting.

Beautiful and historic! A great location for weddings. Secret rooms to discover, pictures are a must! We will definitely be back again!!

This house and associated gardens are beautiful to visit even during the busy times of October and pre Halloween. We still found a small pocket of tranquility

It was very nice, well the grounds and home exterior. We chose not to get tickets to see the interior because they seemed expensive, but now that I see the photos here, I wish we had toured the interior.

We were there on a Wednesday in October and it wasn’t packed, which was nice. The downtown stores were and had long lines. It was a nice walk to this location, a little bit out of the way and quieter. There is a candy store across the street.

I plan to return in the spring.

We enjoyed our 2 day trip to Salem tremendously but some things felt a little cheesy. The House of Seven Gables was NOT one of them. Everything was organized and informative. There is ample parking available for guests, an organized entrance area where you wait for your tour to begin ( a God-send on a rainy day) and a lovely gift shop. Our tour guide, Kayla, was very informative and seemed to have her own favorite parts of the house. I will warn you that the tour is not for the elderly or claustrophobic. There were some tight staircases and hallways.

Very interesting tour with an excellent guide. Informative and interesting story of this historic house. Beautiful setting and gardens are not to be missed. Well worth spending the time and money. Now I need to read the book and watch the movie!

Getting into the house was not an option for us as the availability was gone in October, but we did walk over to it for some pictures. It's a beautiful house with just the right amount of ominous/spooky. The dark grey color that some of the houses are really punctuate the creepy factor. Walk over and check it out, even if you don't go inside.

This was a lovely tour with a really well informed guide , slightly expensive perhaps but it is in the centre of Salem .lovely gardens as well

Tour guide was great. Very informative about history of the buildings. Gardens nicely manicured and buildings well kept. Worth taking the tour.

We took the guided house tour and enjoyed learning about the history of the house and the stories of those who lived there. We bought our tickets on line about a week before and I’d recommend it. We were on the first tour of the day and I saw a family try to walk in to buy tickets but first available was 6 hours later. One part of the tour takes you up a “secret passage” which is a tight space in what used to be a chimney. They do offer an alternative staircase if you don’t feel comfortable. My teen daughter found the experience interesting as well. We did not spend too much time on the grounds/gardens as there was not to much to see in winter. They offer a ticket for just the grounds which I think I would have found disappointing. From Covid standpoint masks are required inside and this was strictly enforced.

What a great tour. Our tour guide, Evian, was exceptional. He was very knowledgeable, personable and kept it interesting throughout. We toured a number of attractions in Salem that day, and this was by far the best.

I visited Oct 2022. I absolutely loved this guided tour. I felt like I walked away with new knowledge. The gardens were beautiful, especially with a view of the water.

I came back July 2023. I and two others did the garden only. It was nice to sit, relax and enjoy the beautiful garden and view of the water while the others in our group did the tour. They loved the tour as well.

It's definitely worth adding both the house and garden to your to-do list on your trip to Sale.

It was a very interesting tour filled with a lot of information about the house and the people who lived there. I loved that the tour group was small and it was easy to hear the guide. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the house.

Learned a lot more than I usually do on a historical tour. Getting to explore the house in depth reignited my interest in Nathaniel Hawthorne. Our British tour guide was extremely hospitable.

Despite all the focus on witches, this is the most significant and historical structure in Salem. In fact, it is one of the oldest surviving homes in North America and it was standing and occupied by the Turner family when the Witch Trials were taking place in 1692 Salem. Even when built as a 2 room 2 story house in 1668 it was a larger home of the time but a fraction of its current size. The house remained in the Turner family, who continued to add on, for another two generations as the house grew to almost 8,000 SF. In addition, the house is waterfront on Salem harbor and not close to main attractions in downtown Salem. The Turners were merchants and sea captains which is probably why they chose the waterfront. Today that location simply adds the attraction of the house.

However, the house has more than its actual history. The home is also the inspiration and fictional setting for Salem native son's, Nathaniel Hawthorne, book The House of the Seven Gables. Now the book does tie to some of Salem's supernatural and witchcraft history, but the actual house has no tie to the witchcraft. It does have history though to Hawthorne's family as the house belonged to his cousin by the time he wrote the book.

For all of these reasons, I wanted to see the house. Unfortunately, we simply did not have time to see the inside. Related to time, note the house is more peripheral to the other attractions of the town. I will say you can walk along the waterfront and see the Historic Maritime Park. Also so can walk down to the water at the site and get the best views of the house. Whether you get inside or just stay outside, this is a structure that you should make the effort to see.

This was a great tour, our tour guide, I don’t remember his name, he was a retired English teacher gave us a detailed tour and history about the house and its former owners. The staircase and view from the back yard was the coolest. The tour kept my 5 yr old grandsons attention and he would later repeat some of the facts that were stated.

This tour was professionally done. Very informative. The garden was beautiful. Great spot for pictures. Loved hearing the history of the home and climbing the hidden staircase.

We got married here in 2021 and I have been dying to go back. We went yesterday and it was breathtaking. The property is so beautiful and the tour was great!

I went on this tour on a trip to Salem with my husband, 2 adult children, my father, and his wife. We enjoyed the views and the grounds. The tour was very informative. It covered the history of the house, its gables, the previous to current owners, and its significance to Nathanial Hawthorne. If you enjoy history and old houses, you will love this tour. I found the hidden staircase and the manipulative display showing how the house has changed over the years to be of particular interest.

This was the highlight of our visit to Salem so far. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us so much info, the house is beautifully preserved, the period pieces amazing. Even my super critical teen found it awesome.

Our tour guide did a great job but don't remember his name. He described in detail the history of this house.

If you're visiting Salem you have to see this. The architecture and history are amazing but the showstopper was Stephen our wonderful, energetic and knowledgeable tour guide.

Interesting tour. Our tour guide was great! I’m not sure I’d visit again, but it was worth seeing once. There were some cool shops in the area, too.

We were pleasantly surprised with our tour and the excellent tour guide of the House of Seven Gables. Certainly, learning more about the house and Nathaniel Hawthorne was quite interesting. A worthwhile tour if you are in Salem.

We went there October 20, 2022. We had Oliver as our guide. He was absolutely wonderful! So engaging and full of facts. I really was not looking forward to this tour but I was glad I didn’t miss Oliver and his presentation of the history of the structure and the people who called this home.

Tristan, our tour guide was outstanding! He is very enthusiastic and it seems like he has a real passion for history.
The house is very well maintained and the hidden staircase was really cool. I also really liked the small version of the house that came apart, so you could see how the house looked before the additions.
We enjoyed the tour of the house and gardens as well.

I've never read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables, but after touring the house with our guide, Richard, and hearing his synopsis of the first three pages, I plan to do so! Richard's knowledge of the history of the house combined with his knowledge of literature - he was a former high school English teacher - made this tour exceptional!

James our tour guide was adorable and funny. It was cool to see such an old and well maintained house.

I have been on this tour twice before over the years, but our tour guide this time around, Richard, was AMAZING. He clearly both had a great deal of knowledge and enjoyed imparting it. He was so engaging and informative, enthusiastic about questions. His anecdotes made the experience really enjoyable. The house itself is beautifully restored, and the surrounding gardens are beautifully maintained. Probably not good for small children, but anyone remotely interested in history, literature, or historic home restoration will find something to enjoy here.

Must see! The guided tour was informative and helped us learn more about the home’s history. We also got to go through the secret staircase :)

Having limited knowledge on Nathaniel Hawthorne, I could take or leave the history involving him, however, this house/tour was interesting in that the house had a few surprises in it, the grounds and view of the harbor were beautiful, and our tour guide was very knowledgeable.

Guide, Josie, was knowledgeable and animated. We enjoyed her perspective and her ability to share information. The grounds are beautiful. We enjoyed the time to explore on our own.

As part of our time in Salem we had this place down as a must visit. We're so pleased that we did take time to see the place as it was a very interesting place to spend a few hours.

Enjoyed 15min walk over to see this location from where we parked near the Chestnut Street District. It was a nice excursion as there is so much to see in Salem along the way.

Tour guide was excellent so engaging and dramatic. Had no idea of the history or book before the tour, really enjoyed it. Very interesting history. Would definitely recommend.

The House of the Seven Gables was truly a highlight of our trip. Our tour guide Jeff was a walking encyclopedia with a witty personality Who related details , history to all ages while entertaining and educating us at the same time ! Truly a gem. Thank you for exceptional experience. Historic property was beautifully maintained and clean .

Loved visiting this historical site. What a quirky house of secrets and stories. Makes me want to reread the book. Geoffrey was a good tour guide and had a great sense of humor.

I began reading Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables and was finishing it just before this tour. It's a brilliant book, but you don't need to have read it to enjoy the tour. The tour guide was pleasant and very knowledgeable. You receive the tour in the main house and are on you own with other properties, including the birthplace of Hawthorne. There is an audio tour for the grounds, but I didn't make use of it. Whereas the house depicted by Hawthorne is a sprawling mansion with capacious rooms, the real house is big, but with low ceilings and much smaller rooms. There is one spiral staircase that is quite narrow; I was surprised everyone on our tour was able to do it. If you have claustrophobia or are a larger person than usual, you might ask for the alternate way of going up. The gardens outside are beautiful. The day I went, they were hosting a naturalization ceremony out by the sea. It was beautiful and moving. This is definitely on the most important sites to visit when in Salem.

We showed up on a Saturday morning and unfortunately there were no more places for the guided tour of the main house.
However, we took a pass for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s exterior and house.
An Audio Guide is available via cellular and provides very interesting information about the different buildings and life at the time.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's house is also very interesting.
Which made us regret even more that we did not have access to the entire site! So I advise you to book online to not miss anything!

Free parking is available during your visit, a rare commodity in Salem!

Katherine was amazing. She truly made out experience wonderful. I loved all of her details and how she explained the house, it's architecture, and the history. The home was awesome, and the staircase was creepy, but we had a blast climbing the tiny steps.

This was not my first visit, it was my traveling companions and it was such a pleasure to see how he enjoyed and loved the home as much I do. The young woman who was our narrator was amazing and knew every detail of the house. Highly recommend as a don't miss.

We did the tour, the guide was excellent, i am sorry i do not remember his name. This was a last minute decision part of our trip to salem and it was great. The home is beautiful and the history of it all is very interesting. I will make sure to recommend to all to come see this and not just do the witch trial stuff! We loved the small secret passage ways :)

We took the tour through the house. It was a wonderful tour. It wasn’t too long, but just enough it’s great to be able to walk through the house and to hear the history of the house, the families and all the secret little spaces. The views from the outside of the house are absolutely beautiful with the water. If you are in Salem this is definitely a stop to do to hear the history of the families and the house. Parking is easy as there is a parking lot for the house and the tour. The grounds are absolutely beautiful as well even in November. Great photo opportunities.

We visited with a team of 7 folks in August and had the whole tour to ourselves. Our guide was absolutely delightful. I can’t remember her name but short brunette woman with blue eyes. She was so informative about the house and the mission, the past occupants, the architecture and her joy and love of her job really shone through and made the tour so much more enjoyable. If you’re on the fence I would recommend that you go. This is a slice of American history that is fascinating.

We had a great time exploring the House of Seven Gables. The house has unique architecture and history. I would recommend seeing it if you are in Salem. Our guide was very knowledgeable.

Stephen is the best guide and makes this tour a memory that you'll never forget. The history of the House, The area and the family history are just amazing. Probably plan on about 90-120 minutes to really enjoy the place. More than worth the cost of admission

A must- see on any visit to Salem! We were strapped for time and were only able to see the garden, but that alone was worth it, and we received an online 3D tour to view later on.

Claire was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable and added her own style to the story. This was the best attraction we attended in Salem. Lots of history in the house that ties to history of Salem.

We went in October and all the tours were booked. No big deal… they gave audio tours. When asked “should we be concerned about any other tours” we got told “it’s October, you’re lucky to even get in.” Okay, cool. There was one lady who was nice and told us how to scan the QR code to listen to the audio. While one tour was getting ready, a nice lady asked the tour guide to take a picture before everything started, he said, “I’m not a photographer” and we thought it was kind of funny until we realized he was serious. If you do the self guided tour you’re not allowed to go into the actual buildings, or at least that’s what we were told before we went in. The little shop staff was absolutely amazing though! There was an older gentleman who was kind and so helpful

Not kid friendly. Our tour guide was a rude old lady. We left early into the tour and asked for refund. Front desk people were very nice. It could have been our old lady tour guide who seemed annoyed from the start we had kids. She was rude and we left mid tour. We have 3 kids. My 4 and 7 year old are well behaved. Our youngest started crying and the tour guide was not compassionate as we my wife tried to stay behind to settle him down. She made a scene infront of the rest of the tour and we made the decision to all just leave. Every where else we went in Salem was kid friendly.

The place and its history came alive under our wonderful guide, Josie. So much history and immersion into America pre-revolution and to what made us “us”, so applicable to what is going on today.

Highly recommend booking a tour in advance. A must for history of Salem in the early 1800s and to experience a colonial house up close & personal. The gardens and adjacent houses also worth a look.

Very informative and interesting history, loved the hidden staircase! beautiful grounds and gardens, great tour

I loved our visit to the Seven Gables. We didn’t get to tour the actual mansion but we enjoyed being on the grounds and seeing the inside of the birth place and other attractions that we had access to. I would definitely recommend buying the book there! I am disappointed I chose Amazon. Haha

James, our tour guide, was professional, fun, and knowledgeable. He is entertaining, a great story teller.
Thank you James!

Was curious what this stunning building was from the road & stopped by to find out not only is this one of Salems most famous buildings but they do tours! We started the tour with little knowledge about this beautiful building was but our tour guide gave us SO much knowledge & we loved learning about its history, some history about Salem & the author who wrote the book about this location. Tour guide was super friendly, answered questions & so passionate. They also have an adorable gift shop to check out!

Second time touring this house. This time we had James as our tour guide and he brought the experience to a new level. Funny, engaging, insightful, reciting passages from the book... He made the tour such a memorable and enjoyable experience. Highly recommend.

Visiting the House of the Seven Gables is fun, interesting and educational.
Our guide, Jeff: was a wealth of information about the house, the people who lived there and the history of the house. He shared some interesting stories about the house and led us up the hidden staircase. Be careful. It's narrow and winding but you can do it!
Be sure to take a self guided tour of Nathaniel Hawthorne's birth place. Look for some interesting artifacts including Nathaniel's checkerboard and some drawings done by his daughters.
Take a few minutes to stroll the grounds and smell the beautiful flowers growing there. It's a lovely place to wander through.

This was a very cool house, very knowledgeable tour guides, and a lot of history. It was all about the house, the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the charity uses of the house since the current owner took over. If you're looking for interesting things to do, this is perfect. If you're looking for witch trials history only, this only had a tiny sprinkling.

The House of Seven Gables is a must see while in Salem. Super interesting history of the home which was the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's book of the same name. The garden was stunning.

Amazing history shared about the life of the house. Many changes over the years and brought back to as close as original as possible. We had a great guide - Mika. Many other things to see around the grounds, the garden is beautiful. Do the audio grounds tour, it is worth it!

We had a nice tour of the outdoor and indoor areas of the house. Nice gift shop, where I picked up a copy fo the House of Seven Gables to read

Had a wonderful visit even though weather ws was horribly windy and rainy. Def a must see for educational reasons. Salem isn't just for witch history.

We visited on a beautiful day in August. Our tour guide was welcoming and knowledgeable. It was worth a visit for the secret staircase.

We knew nothing about this place or the book named after it, but decided to take the tour to see the hidden staircase as I love things of that nature. What a surprise this turned into! Our tour guide was great! We learned so much history from him along with the fascinating works of the house and the people associated with it. The grounds and the views are spectacular. Definitely worth the trip!

The House of Seven Gables was fabulous. Our guide was very knowledgeable and the house and grounds are beautiful. A must for any history buff.

We came just minutes before their last tour and they were so gracious and kind, and what a smart tour guide, Isabella. I'm prepared to read the book again after touring the house. Secret stairway is cool, dining room beautiful, love the history that went with each room. Well worth going on, especially if you're old enough to remember or know about the book/house/author.

First off, the house is absolutely amazing and breathtaking. The site alone is worth going to. However, If you are able to do the guided tour, you won’t regret it! Kayla was our guided and she did an amazing job with all of the information and was beyond nice. There were about 3 kids (<8 years old) in our group and she made sure they were involved and really tried to teach them all she could. You can really tell the love she has for the house and for what she does. She did such a good job, I decided to actually read the book. Please take the time to go here if you are able too!

During a recent visit to the area I stopped by to tour the House of Seven Gables. The two staff members at checkin were rude. They said they had a mask requirement for visiting. I asked why because no other location did. They said because it was an historic house. ALL of the area locations are historic and a mask mandate for visiting didn’t make sense. Also they had no masks available, but I asked what the options were if I couldn’t wear a mask. They had no alternatives. Y group chose not to visit as did the three groups behind me. This is an isolate policy that did not allow for alternatives - even an outside visit of the garden would have made sense if this establishment really cares about tourist. After many visits here in the past, I would say just skip this location. The attitude of the staff isn’t worth it!

Whether you’ve read the book or not this is a wonderful tour of a fantastic house. I’ve taken the tour a few times and enjoyed every one.

Interesting tour. Had to wait for school group to finish before our tour began. Walked around grounds while waiting. Much history. Part of tour closed for renovation. Had secret passageway to get to 2nd floor....not good if claustrophobic. However, had stairway to get there, too. Gift shop at exit. Copy of "The House of the Seven Gables" book could be purchased with seal in it saying it was purchased there. Build as a mansion tour, but just a large house.

I did this tour with audio guide several years ago and it was good. This time time they offered a guided tour, who was terrific (Mike). Really knew his stuff about the house, previous owners and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

This was a fun and informative tour. Interesting house and beautiful property outside along the ocean. I highly recommend seeing this attraction!

Only the gardens were open to us during our visit, and they were amazing. It was a lovely day. The grounds are exquisite, and the ocean view is breathtaking.

Beautiful home. Well worth the price for the tour. Our tour guide was Mikayla. She was very informative and so nice. The grounds are so beautiful. Lots of spots for photos.

This is a very interesting and beutiful historical site. I highly recommend a vist to this location if you are in the area.

Was on our list of places for first time visit to Salem. Didnt disappoint as the buildings and grounds are very well kept. Although we did not tour the main house we thouroughly enjoyed the gardens and additional buildings. Definetly worth the visit.

Their on line ticketing accidentally billed me 2x for my 4 tickets. When we arrived that day for the tour I spoke to them directly about the error. They refused to refund the 2nd charge. When asked if they could not do it or if would not do it, they replied that they WOULD NOT do it. They said they’ve lost a lot of money with covid and it didn’t matter that it was a system issue. They were extremely rude. Now I’m forced to dispute the charge with my credit card company. The tour was disappointing. The house had empty rooms.

My husband and I attended “Fables at the Gables” yesterday evening. It was an absolute wonderful performance and we thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I would highly recommend attending this theatrical event.

This was an interesting tour! i learned quite a bit on the rollercoaster build this house went through, as well as the people who resided in it. I enjoyed this tour.

Great history tour and beautiful kept homes and grounds. Our tour guide was unenthusiastic, unfortunately. Maybe that's just how northerners are, but was expecting a tour guide that seemed more interested in what she was actually saying. Would have given five stars if not for the tour guide.

We opted to do the guided house tour and it was well worth it. Our tour guide did a great job of telling stories and the house is very unique. (secret stairs and everything!) It's located on the water and has beautiful gardens. It also doesn't hurt it's across from the oldest and best candy shop in America. :)

The home is really interesting! Lots of historically accurate items, including the paint on the walls. Wish the tour group was a little smaller since the rooms feel small and claustrophobic. The grounds were well kept and the guide was well informed.

Excellent tour with Jennifer who was very knowledgeable and engaging. There is a lovely view of the waterfront from the garden and a nice little shop on site where you can buy a copy of the book "signed" by the author. This is one of the stops on the Salem Trolley tour, otherwise a 15-20 minute walk from downtown.

We advance bought ground admission tickets to give us flexibility. It was busy the whole time we were there but the gardens are very beautiful and I was happy to support the endeavour. A good place to find a quiet spot outside and just chill for a few minutes in the madness that is Salem in October.

My wife and I visited Salem for our wedding anniversary and this was one of the first things we did. Our tour guide Luke was incredible. He was entertaining and extremely knowledgeable about the grounds and all the architecture as well as the history of Salem and gave great suggestions of other places for us to visit. He was also incredible when it came to making things comfortable for everyone. Some areas of the house can feel very tight and small, especially the secret passages, and as a claustrophobic person who's also pretty big I had a bit of anxiety but Luke was incredible and reassuring and helped make the tour relaxing and fun. The grounds were kept very nice, the flowers in the garden looked beautiful and the scenery from the back of the water and the boats was absolutely beautiful. I would suggest everyone take this tour especially if you're a fan of Hawthorne and history

This tour goes on sale in September 2023. It is fabulous, climb the secret staircase, explore the 1600's attic, visit the spice shop where Bewitched was filmed. You will not get 'run of the mill' answers to your questions. The historian that runs the tour, has an in depth understanding of the social culture and architecture of the times. Follow the house and its residents on a journey through time. I was fortunate enough to take a preseason tour and was so impressed with the staff, kind, professional, knowledgable.

I’ve been there several times. I’ve always enjoyed the tours and history. Loved walking around the grounds.
Not today. We had our group of 5 adults and 5 kids. Unfortunately we got a tour guide who I won’t use the name of the guide. But the guide was very monotone in speaking, not engaging in questions. Kids asked some good and some funny questions. Guide seemed more aggravated there were kids in the tour. But the fact that there was a wedding on the property which eliminated and walking around the grounds would have been nice to know before you sell full price tickets.

Our tour guy was fabulous! He was engaging and had a great flow with giving rich details and also using props and visuals to bring the history to life. My 11 year old daughter loved the tour as well.

We almost didn’t do the tour but we are glad we did. Our guide was knowledgeable and professional. We loved seeing and using the hidden staircase. The garden area is also very nice.

This was even better than expected. The house is very well preserved with multiple great historic story lines. Definitely need to take the tour of the house.

The house of the seven gables has nice history and story behind it, there’s even a story book about it. It is recommended to join the ‘tour’ to truly understand and appreciate this ‘house’ story/history. The view around the ‘house’ is also very nice, strongly recommended for a visit.

The house has been wonderfully restored and sits on well-kept grounds with a beautiful garden overlooking the harbor. The tour is really well done and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Definitely our Salem visit highlight.

Architecturally interesting home with a unique history of its own. Our tour guide Liam was well spoken and fun to listen to.

What a beautiful place! Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and entertaining and funny! The history was so interesting and everything was so beautifully preserved. A must see

My husband and I got tickets to walk through the house. Though some of it is set up as a home, there are also a lot of exhibits from the period of the witch trials. Also, because of COVID, they limited the number of people in the house at one time, so it was much easier to take everything in. An unexpected benefit.

It was a tour packed with information. He had humor and substance. Hew knew quite a bit about the history of the house. Everything was well displayed and easy to see. He went into details about a great many things. He was quite pleasant as our tour guide. He didnt mind answering questions at all.

Beautiful gardens, the gables were very interesting but the guided tour was excellent! Our tour guide James was so funny and interesting, he made the tour an unforgettable experience! Highly recommend!!

Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about the house. She answered many questions and provide a great overview of the house.
We didn't know much about the history prior to our visit nor were we aware of the book House of the Seven Gables, I now have an interest in reading it.

This might have been the highlight of my trip to Salem. This is a beautiful property and the tour is very interesting. The guide was very personable and knowledgeable, making the experience both informative and enjoyable.

Also, the connection to supporting newcomers to the United States warmed my cold, cold heart :)

This is an absolute must for readers of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and for anyone who loves old houses full of history. The tour is exquisite and there are many references to parts of the novel. You also learn how the house was built and about its additions. The gift shop is pleasant as well.

I enjoyed this visit so much more than I thought I would. We came to Salem for spooky... but also nuanced/feminist/evidence-based witchy history. Unfortunately we didn't really find it.

But we did find that complex, varied storytelling *here* at the House of the Seven Gables! The visit was well-organized, and they managed to get a lot of groups through without ever crowding people up. The tour included architectural history, town history, literary history, race/gender history, economic history... And there were loads of opportunities for questions. Our tour guide was engaging and super well-informed, plus attuned to the needs of elderly/disabled guests as well as children.

We also did the audio tour of the grounds and enjoyed that... learned even more and it was well designed so we could just use our phones rather than cumbersome or shared headsets.

The whole place is run really well; I accidentally bought our tickets for an hour too early and they were really understanding and accommodating (though noted they can't always be-- sometimes they are just too busy!). The free parking was much appreciated, and the gift shop was one of the best-stocked we could find in Salem. Highly recommend this tour!

I wish I could say we had a great time, but our experience was the complete opposite. We arrived early for our tour on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Salem. We had been walking around for hours- shoes soaked through type of wet day. I was traveling with my mom and 2 kids, aged 3.5 yrs and 3 months. Check in was a little confusing- make sure you stop by the front desk and get stickers for your tour. We took a seat along the back bench and patiently waited for our tour. The tour guide by the back door was friendly and told us we could bring the stroller into the first room of the house, which we greatly appreciated as the baby was still sleeping and would be transferred to the carrier to keep out of the way for the tour. I knew this tour would not go well when our guide, a middle aged woman, had an issue with us not leaving the stroller in the visitor center.

Our tour guide gathered our group, approximately 10 people including our party of 4, and we made a quick dash between the raindrops into the first room of the house. The guide had a tough time remembering her facts as she was easily distracted by 3.5 year old, who was playing quietly next to my mom. The guide stopped herself mid sentence when she realized I had a baby, acting differently than any other guide we had encountered in Salem and wanted to make sure I was not bringing the car seat with me on the tour. I assured her the baby was going to be carried throughout the house.

My mom and I planned to be the end of the tour, as we have done on past house tours we have taken with my son. However, as I went to take my baby out of her car seat and place her in the carrier, our guide stopped us from entering the next room. She stated that my son could not continue further on the tour, that it was not fair to the other guests that have paid, and that one of us could continue the tour and the other take the kids back to visitor center to probably get a refund. We were shocked. I have been on many tours since with my children and never been kicked out of the tour. We weren't even given a chance to view the house and see how my child responded. Now I could understand if the toddler was screaming, touching things, and/or running around the rooms. But, he was playing quietly and well behaved.

We went back out to the pouring rain to the visitor center. There we waited for the manager to see about a refund. Thankfully we were refunded the money back, but after traveling 6 hours from NJ it was a disappointment.

Don't come here if you have small children. From our experience, you'll just be kicked out. For being the #1 attraction in Salem- this was disappointing. I have a background in museums as a guide and if someone is leading tours that cannot focus with children talking quietly- then they should find another profession.

On the positives of our experience- the woman working the check in was very friendly as was the manager. The museum has amble parking if you are driving here for your visit as it is a little of a distance from the rest of the main attractions.

Very disorganised and a bit rude?
Of all the places I visited in Salem in October House of the Seven Gables was the only rude, confused and disorganised establishment.
It was as if House of the Seven Gables expected there to be a situation where people were desperate to get into the venue what they instead found were visitors confused as to why they couldn’t access the building( at the times stated). I quote ‘’The normal people are trying to get in!’ rather than those on a tour paying a higher price?

We were booked in for 10am grounds tickets. We were instead issued with a 10am general tour ticket that called for all manner of confusion with the volunteer guide and for others too. The guide was also rude and unhelpful.

The whole experience was a mess and a poor reflection of Salem

Our tour guide, Stephen, made the tour so much fun. His passion and enthusiasm for the house and its history made for a really enjoyable tour! Definitely recommend!

This tour was really fascinating. Our tour guide James was really funny and kept us so engaged. He told so many great stories and kept things very interesting for us. This house was a very unique one and we loved it. The day was rainy and chilly and was a good way to keep us out of the cold! Beautiful view of the water too!

Surprisingly fantastic and enjoyed it. Great history and information. Take the time for the house tour. This is a must do in Salem.

This was the first tour we went on when arriving in Salem. I loved the history and the buildings. There was so much to look at. However, when our tour began we were informed that our tour guide did not show up & someone had to fill in. Not sure if she was an employee just quickly jumping in or she was another tour guide but it felt rushed. Sure she knew her knowledge and made it enjoyable but I just wonder if we had our original guide if we would have learned more and maybe it wouldn’t have been as unprofessional and rushed. I DO highly recommend going, I would certainly come back and do it over. Unexpected things like this happen and I would not let it ruin my time. It was fun and I learned a lot.

Nice history and beautiful gardens. I haven't read this book, but it may make me want to read it. The tour guide was informative.

We went at 10 [first tour] - doors open right before that, others checked in early as well. Weren't allowed on grounds until 10a, but was told to meet out on grounds for 10a tour. The tour group was extremely large & we were packed liked sardines in each room. Great history on property, knowledgeable tour guide.

This was a really cool house tour. The intricacies and oddities of design made it unique. Even better was the Nathanial Hawthorne birthplace on site next door as well. Large gift shop and plenty of information.

We enjoy literature and literary history, so a tour of The House of the Seven Gables was our one stop during a short visit to Salem. Our dynamic and very knowledgeable guide Stephen was super. (Don’t know how anyone could be so enthusiastic four times a day!)

The site is much more than one house. There are several historic houses on the grounds, including the house in which Hawthorne was born, the 7 Gables House itself, and a gift shop. A docent will lead you through the House of 7 Gables; Jerry was our docent and he did a great job giving some history and providing context. BTW, if one of your main points of interest is touring this house and you will be spending the night in Salem, you couldn’t find a better place for the night than the Morning Glory B & B. It is located virtually at the end of the parking lot and it is a charming property!

Though we didn't get a chance to take the tour, we did visit the Museum Shop and did get to see some of the grounds. It is simply amazing and nice to learn a bit about a fellow author and his inspirations. Next time I am in town I will take the tour.

Our tour guide was so nice! She gave us such great information and allowed questions as needed. The history of the houses was so interesting! Definitely worth the visit!

Disappointing older tourist trap, the tripadvisor reviews steered me wrong. There are so many original historic places around here that a reconstruction isn't worth the time. Got in free with our Trustees (NARM) membership, but just boring, they seemed excited about having the bedwarmer pan from the Salem episodes of Bewitched, I understand that Elizabeth Montgomery on TV started tourism in Salem, but I was hoping for something about the book. Maybe should have reread it, but the house reminded me of the Winchester Mystery House in California, dull, small rooms, nothing beautiful to look at. The view of the ocean is OK, but Crane Estate at Castle Hill in Ipswich is so much better in every way, as is sleepy hollow cemetery in Concord, the Isabella Stewart Gardiner museum, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. all the historic houses in Concord, Boston, Cambridge, Portsmouth NH...

Gives you literary, historical, and seafaring background and info - definitely visit here if you come to Salem! Our tour guide Luke was so personable, had great little fun facts, and was even able to get my 16 yo to pay attention. Secret staircases, gorgeous views, and good pace. Take pictures on the grounds and in the gardens.

This was a fairly affordable thing to do in town. $10 for self guided & 20 for a 15min guided. The self guided tour has a QR code that will read aloud the history of each building. I recommend doing it that way! We were here for 30 minutes.. doesn’t take long but something to do.

We didn't have tickets or time to go inside the house but we could buy tickets to walk around the gardens and the house where Hawthorne was born. We learned from others in our group that there were many interesting shops in the area too. The museum gift shop was interesting too.

This is not the most amazing place I’ve ever been been, but it’s worthwhile. There is a self guided tour and a docent tour, and I took the docent tour. I took the docent tour (a little steep at 20 dollars, but still worth it). I took the 4 PM tour and it was just me and one add on attendee, so that was great!

Our docent (I think her name is Kayla, I’m so sorry if I got that wrong) was very kind and knowledgeable. We also met Holly, another employee of the site, and she was super nice and accommodating! I’ve read other reviews talking about how nice the team is here, and they all appear to be true!

Kayla made sure to take her time and answer any questions. She pointed out architecture, idiosyncrasies of the house, and helped us connect the house to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel of the same name as well as the more recent decades of philanthropy.

It was interesting to learn about the families who had lived there, how society was during each their tenure in the home. The way one owner added certain things to the house just to match the novel. The way various families added, took away, and re-added gables.

The home itself is beautiful, with a gorgeous view of the water. I’m sure it’s even better when the gardens bloom.

There is parking on-site and a great little pub down the road for a meal before or after (reviewed separately).

Summary: not the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, but fun history, beautiful home, gorgeous views, and a wonderful, kind staff. Easy to make part of a whole day spent in Salem. Five stars and worth a visit.

We loved every minute of our time at The House of the Seven Gables. Our guide was quite knowledgeable, and entertaining. We found the secret passage and the stairs to be great fun. We loved how our guide brought the book into the story of the house and the times. The gardens were beautiful! We loved all of the artifacts in the house. We highly recommend a visit.

Really enjoyed the tour of the house and getting to see Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace and desk. Our guide Holly was fab. A very interesting place with a beautiful view.

We greatly enjoyed our stay at the Amelia Payson house! It was our first time visiting Salem and the month of October is particularly busy. The location of the inn is perfect as everything you would like to see is within walking distance. Our fantastic host, Virginie, provided us with multiple recommendations on sites to see and restaurants to visit. We had a wonderful time exploring and found the inn to be the perfect place to retire for the evening. The bed was extremely comfortable, the room was clean, and there were complimentary snacks and beverages we could access at any time. Virginie prepared a lovely breakfast each morning that was the perfect start to our day! She also served afternoon tea (during which she shared one of her favorite teas from France) which included small delectable treats and homemade breads. We've stayed at a variety of bed and breakfasts and this one is a cut above the rest. Virginie adds a special touch and is an outstanding host. We look forward to visiting in the future!

Our tour guide was a former English teacher who related the book to the history of the house perfectly. He was fun, informative, and very friendly. The displays in the house are beautiful, and a great representation of the period.

The House of Seven Gables was an excellent place to visit. Jennifer gave a thoughtful, interesting, and funny tour. She got to know her group and made sure that we were all enjoying the beautiful and quirky historical site. The Seven Gables is a house of secrets. Check with the Visitor's Center for information about events.

Also, by touring t
he Seven Gables, you are supporting an important charity -- the Settlement Association. The Settlement Association has long helped new Americans in their journey towards citizenship.

If you are a Hawthorne reader, check out the Wayside and the Orchard House as well. The Wayside is the only home ever owned by Hawthorne. It may not be open, so check the Minute Man National Park's website or other local travel sources.

I would like to include photos, but my phone had run out of power. Staff at the Visitor's Center charged my phone for me while I took the tour. Staff are kind and helpful!

Had a wedding so half the place was blocked off from visitors. The house was interesting but probably not worth the $25 entry fee. Guide was very good and the gardens were pretty as to the parts we actually got to see. I’d say this is a nice diversion but not a must see unless big fan of the book.

Great experince. O loved the house your and our guide, Alicen, was both informative and entertaining. I highly recommend
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I don't know much about Nathaniel Hawthorne. I thought there would be more information about him. The mansion was kinda interesting but not impressive. The tour was more about the owners of the seven gable house. Nathaniel Hawthorne house was next and we are not really given a tour of his house. We were told just to walk through and read the walls to learn about him. I would have liked a guided tour of his house with information about him and his family.

This house was a great trip into the past. The people who work there are excellent historians about the house and the adjacent houses. The tour was a lot of fun & I definitely recommend it.

Fine tour of the house that inspired a literary classic. Also goes into the personal histories and personalities that were used to create the characters.

House of the Seven Gables was one of my favorite tours in Salem. The tour guide was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The house is incredible, you step back in time! I loved the secret staircase! If you are planning a trip to Salem make sure you add this to your to do list. We toured the grounds as well as Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace. Amazing place!

Very informative and entertaining tour, our guide Alexander was extremely informative and professional, we appreciated his knowledge and enthusiasm for the history!!!! The grounds and view are also extremely beautiful, July is a great time to visit as there are no crowds or lines.

The tour of the house was definitely worth the cost. We had a great tour guide who was expert n the history of the house as well as Salem in general. Very educational and interesting. It’s worth your time.

Alanna was our tour guide today. She was pleasant, fun, and informative. I learned alot and truly enjoyed my time. The grounds are beautiful and the history of the house is neat.

Great tour from both a historical and literary perspective. Our guide was very thorough, and we loved seeing how the house evolved over the years. The gardens were beautiful and the view out to the harbor was spectacular!

This tour was nothing short of amazing. We had Jeff as our tour guide, who was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Salem. Jeff went above and beyond to ensure that our tour was fantastic!

Our visit to the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, MA, was a highlight of our trip and an experience I won’t soon forget. This historic site, famously connected to Nathaniel Hawthorne, offers a fascinating dive into early American architecture and literary history. I loved learning about the house’s owners and admiring the unique architectural details, including the hidden staircase—a thrilling feature that added a sense of mystery and excitement to the tour. You can truly feel the depth of history in every room and hallway.

What really made the experience unforgettable, though, was our tour guide, Josie. Our group, with members from across the U.S. and Canada, all agreed that Josie was exceptional. Their depth of knowledge and engaging delivery made each part of the tour come alive, and their passion for the subject matter shone through. Josie’s insights brought the house’s history to life, making the tour captivating from start to finish.

Exploring the grounds and visiting the gift shop were also fantastic additions to the experience. The entry fee was well worth it for such an immersive activity. This was hands down my favorite experience in Salem, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting!

The day we visited, there was some type of event in progress that resulted in closing the house to visitors. We still had the option of touring the remainder of the property but discovered that two other buildings were also closed for renovation, so we saw the gardens, the gift shop and one small house.

Alexander gave us a great tour! Very informative and entertaining! I would definitely recommend!
Thanks so much

Whether or not you read the book, this tour is a great peek into colonial life in Salem. We enjoyed the tour.

This tour was part history, part architecture and a lot of fun! Our tour guide told a great story and kept our tour group very engaged!

A must stop location. I wasn't familiar with this history but out tour guide was so knowledgeable and invested in the stories. The house is so interesting an the secret staircase is so cool!

Wonderful tour! I would not visit for just the garden, because you'll miss so much. The tour is very fun and most of the guides were hanging out prior to my tour. They were really friendly and knowledgeable. The hidden staircase is a fun moment. Not recommended if your plus size and have trouble with stairs/tight spaces. I got along okay, but it was a challenge for others. If you can't do the stairs that's fine! You don't miss any of the tour if you don't take that route. Must see!

LOVED it!! This house has a long and storied history. It should, seeing as it is 300 years old. The amount of information presented is great - a thorough and proper history of its life through history covering all of the pertinent details but not so dry as to be boring. The secret staircase is really cool, as long as you are nimble and don’t suffer from claustrophobia! Our guide Jenni was personable and her personal background helped shed light on the foundation and their mission. A must-see if you are in Salem!

This was definitely a great stop on our trip to Salem. The grounds are beautiful and It was a great tour and worth every penny! Across the street and down a block is a little gift shop. I can't remember the name of the shop, but the owners name is Phil and he is wonderful! We really enjoyed his shop too!

It has been over 30 years since I last visited the Seven Gables. I am grateful that the house is still maintain rather well and recently opened up the secret room.

We were in May, so gardens weren't in bloom, but this was a great tour. Our guide Steve was knowledgeable and passionate, loved the secret passageways, stairways, and it made you feel like you were back in time. This was one of our highlights in Salem.

LOVED this house! Our tour guide, Alexander was knowledgeable and extraordinary! He knew so much of its history and he was very entertaining. We took a couple of tours that day and my eight year old son never complained once during this one! It was great. Loved the secret staircase!! The architecture and history in this house is just beautiful and stunning. I definitely recommend!

This tour was my favorite that I did in Salem. The house was beautiful and the tour was very educational and fun. loved walking around the grounds and all of the fun hidden passages in the house added to the charm. It was also great that the money goes towards a good cause.

The House of Seven Gables was my favorite part of Salem! The house is beautiful, the front view of the garden, and water is perfection! Our guide was knowledgeable and talked about the origins of the house throughout time, including historical accuracy and tales of time. Definitely a Must for a Salem trip!

This is a must for any Hawthorne enthusiast. It’s very cool for those who love the Hawthorne enthusiast and come along. The guided tour is so well done, timed well, extremely informative, and downright cool! This property has such an interesting story it’s well worth your time to let the guides take you through time from room to room. The grounds themselves are beautiful with the garden that looks out to the water. There are multiple buildings to explore once the guided tour is over. The gift shop is also very neat!

The tour guides experience and knowledge of the home history was beyond anything you would read in books. Great history and a cool secret passage!

Beautiful home and grounds. Our guide was very informative. We saw quite a few of the rooms and walked the gardens and other buildings they had open.

I had a tour of the house with Stephanie Clements and she was the most passionate, informative tour guide! I felt like I was being showed around by a friend. She told us all the history of the house and really brought it to life. I hadn't read the book and wasn't familiar with any of the history of the house, but I left wanting to learn more. Thank you for a brilliant visit!

We only know of this from watching the movie. This tour is very interesting. We were lucky enough to have a guide walk us through the house. The history of the family that built it was very interesting. Make sure you have time to walk through the Nathaniel Hawthorne home as well. If there were any attractions in Salem we would consider re-visiting...the House of the 7 Gables would be first on our list!

We are so glad we stopped here and took the full house tour! Our guide Nina was excellent. So much rich history of Salem resides in this special home. A very nice surprise is also included in this tour that I don’t want to give away before you go yourself. After the house tour we toured the gardens and waterfront! You will be glad you did this tour!

A very nice site to visit. Too bad that the guided tour is only in English and no effort from the guide (caty) to slow down her flow despite our requests. The text learned by heart was delivered in the same tone and at great speed!! No audio guide in French either. So it's hard to follow. Still, the site is beautiful and the garden charming.
There was a wedding so part of it was closed. We still pay 25 dollars!! Damage….

We didn’t know whether to take the time for the mansion tour, but we did and it was the highlight of our day!

The tour is informative and the guide was able to answer our questions throughout the tour.

Most of the furniture was original and uncommon in many mansion tours.

If you are looking for something historical, beautiful, and fun to do, go to The House of Seven Gables.

You do not need to buy a grounds ticket if you are purchasing a tour ticket. I did not know this and bought both.

The House of Seven Gables and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace are a must see. The inside of the homes depict what life was like and give a glimpse into the history of the time period. The house inspired the book written by Hawthorne.

Our tour guide was lovely. If you do not like tight spaces, The House of Seven Gables can be a bit much. Tight rooms and a secret staircase. Don’t let that deter you. The guide will get you to the group via a more open pathway!

This was a very relaxing morning and one of my favorite places to sit under the arbor.

We did not do a lot of research before visiting this attraction but the tour was super informative so we learned a lot. Stephanie was a great tour guide and very knowledgable. The house itself and the gardens are very beautiful. Overall great tour!

So much interesting New England history here. We were amazed that the “secret staircase” was included on the tour! Our tour guide, Alexander, was very knowledgeable and debunked several myths about the house. The garden is not large but it is beautiful when in bloom and abuts the seaside - an ideal spot for photos. There is a large visitors center with a restroom available for visitors.

Go Boston card should include the house of the seven gables. We only got to see the gardens and a few select buildings.

The tour guide was amazing. She knew so much about the house, family, history and area! Well worth it and highly recommend.

What a beautiful spot! The setting for these lovely buildings and gardens is stunning, right on the water. We appreciated the flexibility to reschedule our tour, due to traffic issues. We enjoyed roaming through the lovely outdoor spaces and views. When our tour began, it was presented to a small group and was very complete in the information given. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the presentation in an interesting way.

5
We came to Salem to see the Witches but the House of the Seven Gables was even better for me.
We had a wonderful Docent who explained the history of this magnificent house. “It’s a seaside mansion associated with the novel The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne.” It was actually a family residence for more than 240 years. It was opened to the public in 1910.
One of the paintings 🖼️ in the House is The Biblical Flight into Egypt was painted by Mrs. Hawthorne. I would like to know more about her.
Shh shhh 🤫 there’s a Secret Staircase in the House.
The Docent used a terrific model to explain the history of the House. Wonderful experience. Nice Gift Shop too. 😃😃

Whether you're a literary fan, a fan of history, or just in Salem for spooky season, I would highly recommend this tour. The House of 7 Gables is a nicely preserved peek back in time. Special shout out to our guide Alexander Thompson for making the tour super interesting!

Amazing house with many rooms and nooks awaiting your discovery. Guide was extremely knowledgeable and humorous, inducting us to the rich histories and contexts within. Exceeding expectations!

The house has a beautiful garden, and overlooks the harbor. The tour provided a lot of information about the owners of the home, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and even ties in some aspects of the novel into the house itself. My favorite part of the tour was getting to climb up a secret passageway into the attic. You should note that the stairs are a little steep and the passage is narrow if you have fear of small spaces. The passage is not a part of the original home, and was actually added into the house for tour purposes, but it is pretty cool. If you're a fan of old homes and colonial architecture this is a must see if you're in the area.

Informative tour to see the inspiration for the book and to see how old houses were built back then. I also really appreciated that there was free parking and restrooms which are hard to find in Salem.

We absolutely loved going through the houses and hearing the history. So much history in Salem!! The grounds are lovely and love knowing our admission supports their cause.

From Melbourne. Took an incredibly in-depth tour here in April 2023 with my mother. We both loved it. Jeff (Geoff?) was an exceptional guide and knows the place back to front. Was very thorough, funny and inclusive. The only downside is he never allowed time at the end to give him a tip, which he most certainly deserved!!! I was there researching my next book; this place and the guide will definitely be in the thank you’s.

I never read the book but I was immersed in the history of this beautiful house and the people that lived in it thanks to our tour guide. Very well maintained and the garden is incredible.

Had an absolute amazing time, the your was fantastic and very enlightening. The home is stunning as are the grounds and really enjoyed the gift shop!! A must see, when in Salem.

Have taken this tour several times, very informative and fun. Gives the history of the house, the book that inspired it and vice versa, some of the life and times of Hawthorne. The grounds are gorgeous.

This was a great experience! There was a lot of detail provided by the tour guide and lots of energy during the tour. We learned a lot from The Seven Gables and certainly was a great choice for our itinerary. You will have a blast and will learn tons of information.

The tour was very informative and the house is fascinating to walk through - I would go again if I am in the area! I went in October, the height of tourist season in Salem, so I had to get a reservation for later in the day - best to book ahead of time.

The foundation did an amazing job of preserving this and creating an historical site. The place is spotless, clean. Welcoming. Well staffed with folks who really knew their stuff. Guided tours are a must. The property is well kept and clean. The staff really love their jobs and the museum property. Terrific gift shop. Well stocked. Interesting items. Books. Terrific parking for a small site like this.

We only viewed the gardens during out visit and they were spectacular. It was a beautiful day. The grounds are lovely and the view of the water is breath taking.

The tour guide Alexander did a great job taking us through the house. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth the money.

This tour was very nice, and it was a perfect length. Climbing the secret staircase was super fun! The house sits on beautiful waterfront grounds, and the gift shop is really nice.

Beautiful grounds, amazing tour guide and loved learning about the history. Would definitely recommend

Interesting to learn the house tours started as a way to fund a settlement house and they continue to fund the programs to this day.

My sister and I had a wonderful time visiting and learning the history of this very interesting place. Our tour guide Jeff was so smart and fun. I had just finished reading the Hawthorn novel before our trip and he made me feel like I was ahead of the game on the tour without lessening it for the others who had not read it. A must for those who enjoy history and literature alike.

The story of the House of Seven Gables... so interesting and the tour guide was great in giving you many details about the house and the people who lived there!!!! Highly recommend!!

This review is to advise you that you need to buy your tickets online and ahead of time. We did not. My two granddaughters and I arrived early, about 9:40 but the doors were not opened yet. (The sign said they opened at 10:00 a.m. ) We went for a short walk and peeked at the garden. At 5 minutes to opening, we saw the doors were opened, and once inside, saw that a tour had begun. We were told we were late, and we would have to wait for the next tour, though it was not 10:00 yet. The receptionist said the tour was sold out. There were about eight people in the tour. We were quite disappointed, since the next tour was not starting for another hour. We left.

Super informative, extremely well kept and highly maintained. Each part of the house had a story to it, you feel like you take a step back in time. The gardens overlooking the water outside the house were beautiful. So happy there was a parking lot as well! Would definitely take a tour again!

Stephen gave us a fantastic tour on Friday, Oct 7. He is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Of course, the property and grounds are just gorgeous. Don’t miss this when you come to Salem. It is one of the few tours which do not center around the Witch Trials!

Glad they've kept up the historic homes. Learned about Nathaniel Hawthorne. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly.

I can't recommend it at all with the City Go pass. It is actually a failure. You are not allowed to visit the main building with the City Go Pass. Well, what remains is not really interesting and worth 5$ at most. But for the walk? If you want to see the main house you have to pay the full price $25, no discount with City Go. So you'd better leave it at that ...

We were very disappointed! There are better things to see in Salem.

A beautiful house with a novelist’s flair. Site has it’s own parking. The foundation that the proceeds support is true to America.

Came here with my family. My 9 year enjoyed walking through the house and learning about the families that lived in the house. The grounds are also beautiful.

You don't have to be a fan of Nathaniel Hawthorne to enjoy this. The tour guides are great storytellers. Great place to enjoy some Salem history and architecture.

This was a great place to visit. Staff was extremely knowledgeable and informative. Several buildings and grounds to tour. Highly recommend to any visitors. Price was very reasonable. Buy tickets in advance. Timed admissions. Lots of nooks and crannies to explore. Period pieces are very cool.

We did this tour and it was very interesting to see a building still standing after hundreds of years. I can't remember our tour guides name (sorry) but he was very fun and made the tour of an old house so enjoyable.

This is a strong reason to come to Salem. While a lovely town on the water it has some cheap tours that aren't worth the time and money. The House of Seven Gables is excellent literary history that is fun to see and has a secret. Definitely make time to see this.

The house and gardens of the House of the Seven Gables was mesmerizing! Our guide was very knowledgeable and able to answer all of our questions.

This is our east coast RV trip from Florida to Maine and Salem was a stop for 2 nights we enjoyed walking and going to see all the historical homes and our last tour was here and it was an Amazing and informative one thank you Julie our tour guide its worth the money

Great tour with a lot of information. I would recommend it to anyone. I would have loved to buy the House of 7 Gables book from the gift store but they were out. Def something I’d change, otherwise 10/10

Our guide, Jeff, was very knowledgeable and made the experience fun and individualized, despite the large group. The house is fascinating on many levels - historical, literary, architecturally, etc. The grounds are also lovely with great views. You should schedule ahead, but you should definitely stop. Say hi to Jeff if you do.

The employees take the job of preserving history very seriously. My guide was an older woman who was very professional and an excellent guide. The house had some surprises and was on a beautiful grounds.

This was one of our favorite stops on our trip! Our guide was incredible and had a plethora of information. It was an incredible home, but I think what was most interesting was how it all tied into the life of the town. Also was such an interesting background to Nathaniel Hawthorne. Would definitely recommend to fans of his work and to those who know nothing about him.

Very cool tour. This was very knowledgeable. The gardens were beautiful and the house was amazing to see. I would definitely recommend

I visited the house of the seven gables and grounds on Sunday November 7 (10:45 tour). I had an excellent tour guide, but sadly I cannot remember her name. The house tour was very informative, and full of fascinating information of the house’s history and residents of the house. The grounds were absolutely beautiful, and it was very interesting to see Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace. It is not a far walk from the “witches” area downtown. It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, and walking through the streets of Salem was very nice. Overall I very much enjoyed my experience, and look forward to bringing my family back one day.

It is so full of history you almost do not know what to look at next! The house itself was amazing, the rooms, the contents, furniture, all take your breathe away! The grounds and the gardens were stunning and then to look out on the ocean is just so wonderful!! The entire experience was really wonderful and something I have looked forward to doing for quite some time!!

Quick tour around the house of the seven gables. Tour guide was knowledgeable, and very cool to see the history behind the house. I didn't realize the immigration work that was done and continues to be done there, which is great! I wish we got to see some of the other homes or had a guided tour outside but the tour itself had no issues.

Thanks to a very good guide we left understanding better the home's role in Hawthorne's life, construction aspects of that era, the history of the town and growth of employment for immigrants, and the rise of Settlement Organizations to assist the poor with basics like food, clothing and shelter. We went into three of the houses on the property. Overall a very enriching experience.

The tour guide was amazing! She was extremely knowledgeable. The house has been well maintained. The property is Gorgeous. You pay for a tour of the main house but then you also can do a self guided tour of the other buildings and gardens on the property. This is a must see in Salem if you like history.

This was a great house to walk through and the guide was wonderful. It was very interesting to see and hear about all the history of this house. The grounds and flower garden were beautiful. Located right on the water.

Planned to just do a drive-by because the website said they were closed for the season. We observed a tour bus as we arrived and took a chance to see when we could get in. The staff was super friendly, and we got tickets within 30 minutes. We roamed the lovely grounds and harbor views and took pics before the tour, which was a great plan, because it began raining. Our guide Josey was super, informed, entertaining and kept us moving. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of this historic place. It is NOT about witches! Nice gift shop on site. Very interesting!

The past comes alive in this well preserved old house. This house has been remodeled to look similiar to the house in the novel. But the real story is in the lives of the people who have lived in this house for over two hundred years and the vision of the last owner to preserve and protect. Our guide was Alexis. She told the stories of the people who build and lived in this house and the times in which they lived. She also told stories of Hawthorne and his connections to the house and the novel. Our tour was well paced and our guide answered our questions. It was a very enjoyable time.

We visited the museum today. This was our first visit to Salem and this was one of the “top” sites to see. I was expecting to see the house, learn about the history of it, and about the families of the house. However, most of the tour was spent on Nathaniel Hawthorne and his books. Additionally, the lady who bought the house and restored it, restored it based on her idea of the book and what book fans would want to see. Additionally, most of the structures on the property were moved there.

If you are a Hawthorne fan then this is for you. If not, then this might not be the place for you.

We loved our guided tour with Stephen. We were in the gardens for a while, and while the other tour guides we overheard were also good, Stephen was phenomenal. Definitely take a guided tour if you have the time.

Steven, our tour guide, was amazing. So much passion and knowledge about the house. He made each room interesting and informative; one the best tours we’ve been on in a long time. Thank you, Steven!

I really enjoyed our guide who had so many stories about the house and property. I appreciated how she addressed slavery in Salem as a fact. I had no idea how involved the 7 Gables was in welcoming and educating immigrants even having an annual citizenship ceremony on the premises. Loved the tour, stories, & history.

Excellent tour! Very knowledgeable and got to go thru the main house and secret staircase. Sooo much information. Great views too right on the water. Places to sit and relax.

This is not to be missed and suggest you book in advance. You get a tour of the house by an informative guide who shares the history. Self guided tour of Hawthorne's home and the gorgeous gardens w amazing harbor view. Even the gift shop had the best stuff I saw in Salem. Loved it.

Without a doubt this is a beautiful property just up the road from the Maritime Museum. COVID restrictions did not allow us to go into the home but I don't think that the price was altered. The flowers and the views were phenomenal.

There was an audio app you could load onto your phone which helped a little. Gardens were attractive but would be better in the spring or summer. Hawthorn's birthplace house was open but the main house wasn't. Not worth going to during Covid restrictions.

Amazing tour with a very informative guide. An absolute MUST. Book your tickets in advance as tickets tend to sell out rather fast.

The tour was good, but I feel like the tour guide was brand new. He misspoke a few times and even loudly burped during the tour.

The tour and the guide were excellent. The house and the grounds are well maintained. it's nice to have the "campus" of related buildings. The stories about how the house was changed throughout its history was also interesting.

Second time at house of the seven gables and I still learn more each time .. absolutely fantastic experience will definitely be back again one day .... if your in Salem this is a neat experience you don't want to miss !

My bf and and I went on Columbus Day weekend we got there so early that we were able to enjoy much of the town without crowds by 1 it was a different story. Our tour guide was very sweet and informative. He kept you interested and answers all the questions. It was a nice break from all the witch trial history. We went up the hidden staircase in the chimney but there are other options of the space is too tight for you. We had fun and walked the garden afterwards. The gift shop had great variety and fair prices. All the staff was nice and they give you ample photo opps. I would definitely recommend this tour. Be on time.

Connie was a great guide. Sweet and educational. The tour and grounds were beautiful, welcoming had hoped for some more links to the witch trials but that was more my mistake and lack of research. So our teens were disappointed. Great info tho

Such a fascinating house. Very easy to lose your orientation within it as it is so up and down with all the various additions over the years! Our tour guide Nina was brilliant and so knowledgable about the house and the area, and was able to answer all questions. Loads of history here and I’d recommend booking in advance as its well worth the visit.

The House of the Seven Gables is always at the top of my list when recommending MUST see places in Salem. The Gables is an absolutely stunning property located right on the water. The beautiful landscape, ocean view, history and architecture really make it a one of a kind place.
It is an ideal location for a wedding (got married there last year) and the staff is amazing. Definitely pay for the guided tour so you can see the property in its entirety. I loved every minute and plan to return in the near future.

Cool museum, the staff were super friendly and kind. Good for photos and lots of space to get a good walk-in. I'd recommend taking the guided tour.

Very interesting learning about the history of the house. The grounds were beautiful. A great view of the bay.

Jennifer was our guide on a tour of this property and provided us an excellent experience. She was extremely knowledgeable and informative and really showed us around the house. We never felt rushed and she answered all our questions. We even got to use the hidden staircase. A must do when in Salem.

If you are looking for an non-witch oriented thing to do in Salem, this is it. The tour was so interesting and spanned the house's use from the 1680's to the 1950's. The guides are super knowledgeable and there is a clean bathroom. Give yourself at least 1.5 hours.

This was a terrific tour and our tour guide was wonderful! Great speaking voice too. Made the tour memorable.

We went to Salem during our visit to Cape Ann, And took time out of our day to tour the House of the Seven Gables. This historic landmark has an interesting background, and the tour is well worth taking. Very close and personal with great insight into the background of the home and the book that was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The House of the seven gables is a guided tour . The admission price also includes Hawthorne's birthplace. Customs house and grounds. The tour is very informative and tells you the history of the house.

We did not actually go inside the house, but we were able to go around the outside and read about it as well as see it! It was easy to find while walking and we enjoyed our visit! Even if you don’t have time or the means to go inside, the outside is definitely worth a visit too.

Didn't really know what to expect but our tour guide was so good! My husband and I were on the tour by ourselves and our guide was very knowledgeable and made the tour fun with interesting info and surprises in the house.

the guide had so much to tell us! she seemed to love the house, the book and preservation. young & fun. wish I had known (done my research) & seen there was free parking. saved me walking in the cold.

Beautiful grounds, interesting house and a lot of history. Worth the visit but recommend not to buy the book. It is so difficult to read!

This was a interesting tour of a Historical area of Salem. Very informative with a wonderful tour guide.

Was very impressed with the tour guide Kayla. She was very personable and knowledgeable about the subject. Made me want to read the book!

James was an awesome tour guide. He provided much detail about the property & its rich history. I definitely recommend doing the tour of the House of the Seven Gables, not just the grounds tour. It was an amazing experience to see inside the buildings. The grounds were clean and beautiful. We booked this tour last minute & are so glad that we did! We would definitely take this tour again.

My entire group absolutely loved this tour. Our guide was very good and we loved learning all of the history and fun details. Even if you have never read the book or know nothing about the house, you should take this tour. It is so much fun. There’s a parking lot out front and of course, a bangin gift shop. I loved the surprise staircase and getting to see the old house inside and outside.

Was excited to see the house but having done house tours in the past, I didn’t have high expectation on the tour. This was one of my favorite tours of our trip to Salem. Carolyn was very knowledgeable and lots of cool facts about Salem were thrown in as well.

Interesting facts;
About a 45-minute tour.
Beautiful grounds and view-well kept
Our tour guide Alanna is very young, She enjoys her job and is knowledgeable and informative. I believe with time and confidence, she will master her skills.
I thinks it’s worth the time and tour.

I’m so upset and disappointed. By mistake I bought tickets for the wrong day. Print is so small on website. When I arrived I was confronted by a very rude employee that said I was here on the wrong day. I pleaded my case as this was my most important venue to see. They rudely turned me away. What a bummer.

The grounds are very pretty. Our tour guide was excellent. It was very interesting to delve into what came first…the house or the book! It is a bit expensive and you should try to make a reservation especially if you have more than two people. Not worth going if you don’t tour the house.

Informative tour of a unique and well-kept house. Our tour guide, Scott, was extremely knowledgeable. He also did a wonderful job recognizing the darker aspects of the family's past, as well as the societal benefits they brought and continue to bring to the area.

The buildings and grounds are meticulously maintained and a pleasure to visit. Definitely spend some time in the flower gardens. If you're at all able to do it, climb the hidden staircase... it was the highlight of my visit. The gift shop is very nice, as well.

This is the best attraction in Salem. Certainly the most interesting and informative experience my daughter and I had. The gardens are gorgeous and worth a visit on their own.

This was the highlight for me on our 3-day Salem trip. The history and tour of the mansion itself was fascinating and so worth it!! If you love touring old homes and hearing the stories of those that lived there, this tour is for you! And the grounds are gorgeous too. Plus it is very close to the Salem Maritime Museum which was our next stop!

So we tried to visit. Website said open until 4 pm both yesterday and today. Planned to visit this pm and at 1315 doors locked, no signs and no indication on their website. A nice guy came to the door, told us they were not open until Friday (today is Tuesday) so we walked away. 15 minutes later he was showing a couple around the enclosed “backyard” of the historical site and different couple at the locked entrance had the same “we’re closed” experience without entrance. Website picture I post along with this review was taken at 1400 today. Mentions the hours open and other closed days but mooring about today or this week. I don’t begrudge them days off, but in this age of social media they could easily warn folks on their own website. And then maybe not obviously be giving private tours (?) after turning other folks away. Oh well may be great but I will probably never know.

The ticketing practices at The House of the Seven Gables are unethical. Their position is to dramatically overcharge for the tour using a not-so user friendly mobile website and then implement an extreme, unreasonable, and inflexible refund policy because they lost money during the pandemic, like most of us did.

The mobile website, unfortunately, reverts back to the present day after each search despite your recent desired date search. As a result, I accidentally bought four adult tickets (two of which were for teens) at $25 each for the day of my search instead of my intended day. I realized my mistake quickly and immediately reached out to Seven Gables to cancel it (a solid 7 hours before the tour was scheduled to start). Many businesses, even THE AIRLINES AND AMAZON ALLOW A HALF HOUR GRACE PERIOD for these types of mistakes. However, despite my contacting them within two minutes of the error, they would not refund their pricey tickets. As a matter of fact, the Assistant Visitor Services Manager seemed to go out of her way to NOT apologize or offer any sort of condolence. Her curtness was extreme enough to be called rudeness. She did manage to offer that she has several emails regarding mis-purchased tickets every single day but their policy is to not offer any refunds.

It sounds like the Seven Gables and their board benefit from these misunderstandings rather than implement a more appropriate and ethical practice. Shame on the board members who insist the staff implement these ridiculous policies so they can feel charitable while picking the pocket of the everyday, common family.

Last minute decision, but so glad we did! We had a fascinating 45 minute stroll back in history with an excellent guide Ms Jean. She gave what was probably the most polished tour we took on our whole week in Boston/Salem. Having almost zero knowledge of the home or author, we came in with no expectations but left an appreciation for a famous home that had served so many purposes over so many centuries.

Tour was well organised and our guide Josie was super informative and easy to listen too. Great house, history and stories about the people surrounding it. Well kept and loved the secret passageways.

The PEM was closed on Tuesdays so we improvised after visiting the NPS visitors center. The place has a rich and varied history but Hawthorn never lived there. Probably a drive from the PEM.

Another gorgeous historical building in the area we visited. We explored outside mostly, as it was pretty busy during the time. Would love to go back and see more.

Great tour for anyone looking to learn a bit about Salem’s history and about Nathaniel Hawthorne. Beautiful home on a breathtaking property. Outbuildings and gardens are fun to explore on your own. Curtis, our guide, did a great job walking and talking our small group through the main house. Lots of interesting information. Highly recommend!

This was definitely one of (if not the) highlight of our trip to Salem. If you're a fan of Nathanial Hawthorne or even have just a basic love of history this tour is a must do! The staff were all so amazing and so knowledgeable. I'd say it is a must do attraction when coming to Salem.

Not everything in Salem is about witches! We enjoyed our tour of The House of the Seven Gables, which inspired the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne. To be honest, I haven't read that novel, but I did read Scarlet Letter and Young Goodman Brown in school and enjoyed learning more both about the house and Hawthorne himself. Even if you don't know Hawthorne, though, it's worth stopping by. It's a gorgeous spot right on the water.

I think to get the most out of this site you should be familiar with Nathaniel Hawthorne and his works, which I was not. We went expecting a cool old house tour with ghost lore, that’s not the right expectation to have. The grounds are beautiful, and the house is old and interesting, with some cool history behind it but I probably wouldn’t visit this site again and would instead visit one of the locations regarding pirate history or a witch house.

First time visiting Salem from California. Our first stop was The House Of The Seven Gables. Our tour person was "Charles". Charles was very knowledgeable and had our group participate during the tour. Charles was entertaining that I had to buy the book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne he suggested. Thank you Charles.

We decided to do this tour last minute and I am glad we did. The house is beautiful, and it was neat to learn about the history of the home and those who lived there.

Great tour guide. Very informative. Very interesting history regarding this home and all the changes it went through . Very surprising to see the secret staircase.

Tour guide was pleasant and well informed. For those interested in the history of Salem, this is a must do experience!!!

House of the Seven Gables has always held a special place in my heart. I remember finding it fascinating as a kid and still do to this day. During our most recent trip, our tour guide Frank, was awesome and knew the history. The Secret Staircase has always been the best part of the tour. If you don't feel like spending the $25 for the mansion tour, you can still tour the beautifully decorated grounds at a cheaper price. I highly recommend booking tickets in advance, especially on weekends and the Fall months. This is an attraction that you won't want to miss!

Lots to see - inside and out. The 2 buildings open (House of Seven Gables and Nathanial Hawthorne's birthplace) were very interesting and well presented.

Handicap access is limited, however, and some parts of the House of Seven Gables is difficult for tall people (over 6').

The tour guide and staff were very helpful and knowledgeable.

All that we saw was well maintained and marked with signs.

This was a fun and interesting tour. Interesting period furniture, architecture, and the hidden staircase was fun to climb. We booked online. Plenty of parking. The gardens are beautiful and there is a gift shop.

My boyfriend, sister, and I traveled from Pennsylvania and were super excited to check out this location! Our tour guide was extraordinary, making the experience even more enjoyable. The gardens and view of the water were breathtaking! I think my favorite part was checking out the hidden staircase. It was a steep and difficult climb, but so cool to see the hidden doorways and stairs throughout the house! This is a MUST see stop when in Salem!

This is a must see. Great information and wonderful tour guide! The house has many different interesting secret areas and tells a lot of history.

There was no way we were going to visit Salem and not go to the House of the Seven Gables!! What an amazing house to tour! Our tour guide, Rikki, did an awesome job! There are tons of unique tidbits about this house! What a great tour, not only of the house(s), but also the grounds and small gardens area. Don't miss it!

Excellent tour and talk by guide. You go through the entire house with time to ask questions. Also time to see other buildings and the gardens. No over hype here

As a huge fan of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, this was absolutely magical for me! Seeing the actual house that inspired "The House of the Seven Gables" and walking through those atmospheric rooms was incredible. The guides really brought the literary history to life.

However, my husband and kids who hadn't read the book were pretty lost. Without that background knowledge, it's just an old house with some period furniture. The tour assumes you know the story and characters, so much of the significance went over their heads.

Great museum to visit. Our tour guide was fabulous. He was very knowledgeable and shared great stories. A must see when visiting Salem.

Great day trip to Salem. The town was a little too touristy for us but we went for this tour specifically. Put the GOS on avoid highways and enjoyed the ride there. Tour was great. Yes bought the book by Nathaniel Hawthorne. We visited the week before Mothers Day when crowds are way down. Recommend if you are in the area.

I read The House of the Seven Gables in college and was excited to be able to tour this house. The house is very beautiful and historic. Our docent was friendly and knowledgeable answering any and all questions our group had. I was the only one on the tour group that had read the book which is sad but it's not necessary to tour the house. A highlight for me was getting to see the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne which I didn't know was on the property...and you can do a self guided tour of that house. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and well kept and the views of the water are amazing. I'm so glad I stopped by. If you love old houses and history then you definitely want to stop by too. If you haven't read the book yet I believe they have copies in the gift shop. Oh and plenty of free parking...

What a charming historical home! My sister and I were in Salem for a wedding so we came here to spend some time. So glad we did! Alexis was our guide through the house, telling excellent stories and really fleshing out the history of this space and its inhabitants. The gardens outside, too, were so lush and well tended! The only thing I'd love to see are more actual artifacts in the house itself. Things are a little bare and would do better if the museum acquired more pieces relevant to the period.