Belmont Mansion

Great place to visit. We ended up here while on the trolley tour. It was $18 each to get in but so worth it. It was a self-guided tour and you were able to take pictures inside, which was really great considering a lot of the other historic homes that we visited while in Nashville would not allow you to. The guide brought us in and gave us a quick story about how the house came to be. After that we were able to walk around on our own, but just being careful of the artifacts that were in the home. Really really wonderful place. Beautiful architect and beautiful items which belong to the homeowner as well as other pieces from that time era. You can stay as long as you'd like. The guides were very knowledgeable and very friendly. Great historical home to visit.

Beautiful building. Wonderful docent to give us some of the history of the house and the family that built and owned it. Most rooms accessible for viewing. Detailed placards explains about the rooms and the contents. Many contents original to the home, curated from those that bought the furniture at an estate sale. Beautiful grounds of the school to wander around on a well. Highly recommended. It said it closed at 330 on Sunday but that is just the last tour. It stays open until 430.

There was no wait for my tour, they do a brief history of the house then let you explore yourself at your own pace, which I liked. It was reasonably priced at $18, and the staff was very friendly and informative.

Toured Nov. 20. A beautiful mansion, fully restored. Visitors can enter most rooms, not typical in such properties We loved it. But found the entry fee expensive.

Beautiful home, beautiful campus. I wish I had noticed that it was a self guided tour, I prefer fully guided when possible. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Parking was awful which is why I deducted one star.

My wife and I really enjoyed the self-guided tour that was reasonable priced by buying tickets on-line in advance. All the rooms in the house were interesting and full of history to be explored. We also found a few things in the gift shop to purchase. The outside grounds were also fun to explore and have a short walk.

We did the self guided tour, but even that began with a guide giving about a 15 minute history on the property and its' owner. It was fascinating to read the plaques with information throughout the home. It was also interesting to hear how restoring it is an ongoing process and how they are always researching to reacquire original items that were in the home.

We really enjoyed touring this very historical southern mansion. Lots of great history, furnishings, art objects and architecture to explore inside here. The outside was okay, although a bit over developed from its surroundings. Very much recommend!

Very nice staff! They give you a cool background on the history. Beautiful place and garden

The Belmont mansion has a history that is unique and interesting, as it was occupied by the Union army during the Civil War and later itself used as the school that became Belmont University. The folks there were super nice, greeted me when I entered and gave a brief introduction to the house before letting me roam free on the self-guided tour, but there simply wasn't as much of the mansion and original artifacts as I'd hoped. I enjoy touring historic mansions, but the Belmont mansion unfortunately left me wanting a bit more. Sometimes that's just what happens with historical locations that have been used over time.

We stopped here from the trolley stop. We did a self guided tour. Some rich lady who was married 3 times and also owned slaves lived here. The place housed college students, civil war troops before being restored and open for tours. It would have been cool to go to the 3rd floor but it was roped off. The gift shop had tacky merchandise. Belmont University campus is located here also.

What a great place to learn about the Belmont family. The staff was super informative. It had a lot of cool stuff that were the original pieces to see

The guides are super kind, the parking is free (you need to register), tickets are 18$ per adult. So much history about the person who owned this home, those who worked here, and the kids who lived here. The guides are very knowledgable and friendly, and the exhibit has been very well kept. The grounds are absolutely beautiful too.

Very nice walking tour. A little pricey for what you see. The grounds were beautiful.

We loved it! The tour covers the whole house, from the dining rooms to the grand ballroom and the bedrooms. Our favorite house tour in Nashville! Adam was a knowledgeable guide sharing info about Adelicia the proprietress, the attitudes of that time and how they impacted style and the impact of the civil war in that area. He answered every question! One fellow guest was special needs and asked a million questions, but Adam handled him well by answering his questions without making the rest of us feel bogged down.

This place is absolutely amazing! That allow yourself 3 to 4 hours if you want to see everything and maybe even more time than that. We walked for over 2 miles through all the trails. And saw everything in the house. Had lunch at the café at BLT that was good and their specialty teas are good. If you don't like them as sweet as they are, you can get it half-and-half with unsweetened tea.

We enjoyed the begining explanation of the house and the owner. The furnishings are beautiful. The house told a story of it's own as you walked through. Great experience.

Stopped for a tour of the place on a Monday afternoon. Our tour guide was nice and shared many details about the building. After a brief ten minute talk, we were free to roam around the mansion on our own. The venue was nice but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the other historic sites I've visited.

The Curator's Tour. a walk behind the ropes and the personal attention that Gerry gave made the tour so much more enjoyable. Close up observations and the detailed stories behind the rooms and their contents and the generations of owners and their influence on Nashville made it memorable. It's fascinating. The preservation combined with the restorations are seamless. The detail and the thoroughness of the artifacts, noteworthy. The influence of the Union Army and the Civil War on captured Nashville add to the presentation.

It was a neat story, but there is not much of the original house to see, and you can only peak in several. Three bedrooms, a beautiful dining room, a billiard room, and a few small parlors/offices. I was expecting more to the mansion, but the staff was as excellent.

This was one of the historical landmarks that was referred. It was a smaller mansion located within the college campus and a bit hidden. Learning about the history of this family and the slaves that was the reason of their vast fortune gave an insight into a dark part of history. The tour guide was the best part about this place. He was super knowledgeable and kind and really was passionate about the history and his kindness to make us all feel at home was great. I would come back because of him and his welcoming demeanor. This is a great place to go if your searching for history in Nashville. Will be back the next time I visit Nashville their employees were all wonderful!

This was a good way to burn a couple hours. Interesting history - we enjoyed the tour. Would recommend

We preserved historic home located on the Belmont Campus. Lots of parking options. Interesting history.

Took a tour at the last second, and glad that we found time to squeeze this into our trip. The mansion is amazing! Not just visually, but the history behind it. Our tour guide was both educational and hilarious. He pointed out so many details! I appreciated that we were allowed to wander around after the tour and get as many photos as we wanted, or just go back and see things we might have missed. The mansion grounds are beautiful and lovely to walk around on a good day.

Beautiful campus and mansion. Paid $17.00 for the self tour. Staff were around in each room to provide information and answer any questions. The home, furniture, and decor were beautiful. Afterwards, you can walk around the college campus. It's beautiful!

Personally, as someone who spent the summer researching slave holders including Joseph Alexander Smith Acklen, and more specifically documenting the *HUNDREDS* (over 650 in Louisiana alone) of people he and his family enslaved (not to mention Adelicia Acklen's first husband Isaac Franklin), I do not believe the mansion should exist in its current form and needs to be entirely re-conceptualized with the role of the enslaved labor which funded this opulence at the center. That being said, the staff were courteous, kind, knowledgeable, and professional, and our tour guide gave one of the most impressive informational sessions from memory I've ever seen at a museum or historical site. Kudos to them!

Loved my visit here. When I asked if the place was haunted, the tour guides "[pled] the 5th." That brought a grin to my face, as I'm the one who does most of the haunting. This place makes me long for one of my past lives, where I was intertwined in the throes of a Civil War. All of the decor is authentic or at least period accurate, and every item in the mansion was selected with care. Beautifully decorated, and the staff is friendly and eager to answer any questions. On the same grounds is the beautiful Belmont University, another place worth a visit. Lots of walking opportunities here, and lots of friendly people all around. Posi-vibes in dark times.

Belmont Mansion is a piece of southern history. I love seeing plantations and mansions up close. You do not get to see much of this history anymore. They have small private parking lot. They do tours inside but I just came to see the house itself. I love the long pillars and yellow paint. The south has such a rich history and its cool to still be able to see some of it.

Absolutely beautiful! I'm super glad that I had the opportunity to visit and wish I had more time to explore.

Tip: As you are following Google maps, once you see the brown signs telling you where to go, follow the signs and ignore Google. Maps is trying to take you to the otherside of the University. Great visit beautiful Mason a must see.

Beautiful! Staff were friendly and ready to answer any questions! I like that it was a self guided tour and we could walk around at our own pace. Highly recommend!

Me and mom went because we wanted to learn more about the City's history. The tour guide was very informative and we got to explore around the mansion. The entire place was beautiful and the history was a bonus. I never knew slaves were here as cooks/nurses so that was interesting to learn. I was obsessed with the art and furniture pieces and the history behind it all. Highly recommend! Also do not leave without visiting the gift shop!!!

Slavery was what made the pre-Civil War South profitable, and Belmont Mansion is an excellent example of why the Confederacy seceded from the Union rather than allowing their slaves to become free. The level of luxury and affluence was stunning! Visiting this site, you'll learn about a number of fascinating people and historical facts, but for me the most interesting person they spoke about here was Adelicia Acklen. I found myself paying rapt attention to the stories about how this woman (who stood just five feet tall) married three men, was widowed twice, gave birth to a whole passle of children, and did it all while surviving The War between the States and the Reconstruction. What an amazing woman! The house is still being renovated, but the tour is extremely compelling nevertheless. We arrived just as the opened, and as a result were fortunate enough to have the first tour entirely to ourselves :-)

If you are a history buff, put this on your list of places to visit while in Nashville. Definitely. It ties together Nashville history, southern history, architectural history and civil war history. It is on par with the Belle Meade mansion and the Hermitage, in my opinion. It was known as Belle Monte... and built as an Italian Villa. Today the area is known as Belmont and is part of the university campus. My favorite aspect of the tour is learning about the strong and determined (and wealthy) Adelicia Acklen. A woman way ahead of her time. She even asked for a pre nup from her second husband.... in the 1800s... I like her style! (In those days when a woman married ALL of her property became her husbands. As a woman of means in her own right she snubbed her nose at that idea!) Many of the furnishings are original. Access is pretty liberal. Only a few areas are totally roped off. Parking is free and just in front of the mansion. You need to ring the bell to enter. Tours run every half hour. You pay in the gift shop and your guide meets you there. NOTE they are about to begin a massive flooring renovation. Call ahead of time to make sure the home is accepting guests.

Beautiful mansion. My niece had her wedding here. The drawback...there was no air conditioning!!!!! Not sure if it wasn't working or; they were conserving energy‍

I spent a nice afternoon touring the historic Belmont mansion. The self guided tour is always available. I unfortunately wasn't able to take the guided tour as that was full for the day. The parking lot is behind the mansion and your gps won't take you the right way. So I drove around campus until I saw their sign which took me to the back. The building is not just impressive for its age, size, but has been restored to a nice state of historical preservation. Amazingly the floor and wall were originally painted marble not real. All the floor was redone as well as walls in the main hall. There are also many original sculptures and paintings. It is like touring a mansion and art museum simultaneously. In one room I noticed a painting of Andrew Jackson which I recognized as his last portrait. The family had the original and donated it to the state but a reproduction hangs here. There is a huge pairing of queen victoria behind the grand staircase. Many unique and interesting period pieces are on display. The mansion also has various historical highlights of its owners such as the story of their smuggling $700,000 of cotton past union blockades to sell to Great Britain. Well worth stopping buy to see if you have an hour to spend

Staff was actively unwelcoming; repeatedly not greeted when attempting to pay for tour and later buy items in gift shop. We requested refunds and left before the tour due to poor treatment.

A tour of Belmont Mansions was on my list of things to do in Nashville when I moved here two years ago. It was an interesting tour, as the woman who built it and lived in it lived a very interesting life. We visited when they were restoring the top floor, so we weren't able to see anything there. It was quite an expensive tour, which is why I felt like I had to give it three stars. But it's a beautiful home and a tour well worth taking if you're visiting or live in the Nashville area!

looking for a break from some whiskey and hot chicken? get your culture on at the belmont mansion. i came here recently and i believe they do a few guided tours a day. i paid about $22 and the tour lasted closer to 2 hours. i will be honest, the information is alot to take it. however, you get to see every room down and up stairs. our tour guide was well versed in the history and interesting facts about the owners. its stunning, well kept, overwleming and i loved knowing that a lot of what was inside was original. our tour guide was doing maybe his first tour? i think he did great and hope he continues.

We had a wonderful curators tour. They were very well informed and answered all our questions.

Belmont Mansion has been on my list to tour for years, so with my MIL visiting it was the perfect time to enjoy a tour. Who knew that after driving past the campus all this time on Wedgewood Avenue that there was a huge garden and beautiful mansion just on the other side of the buildings? As you approach the mansion take a moment to enjoy the grandeur of the fountain, gazebos and gardens. Ring the front doorbell and a docent will welcome you in and explain the tour. I appreciated the setup- they give you a 10-15 minute history of the home and it's owner in the great room and then your allowed to wander at your leisure throughout the home. There are docents and placards throughout the home to inform and answer questions. I liked exploring at my own pace. As with all historic plantations and mansions of this time there is a history involving slavery not to be glossed over. There is a gift shop on one end of the home worth perusing for memorabilia. After touring inside we walked out the front door and down the garden path to the bell carillon at the other end of the lawn. Remnants of out buildings remain along with the rose garden, several gazebos and statues. A lovely place to spend a few hours enjoying a taste of Nashville history.

I've been to a few historic homes and this one by far is one of my favorites. You can tell the staff there (we had Tom) really enjoys what they do and respect the history of the home. Our tour was 1.5 hours and I did not feel rushed out the door. Tom allowed us to take our time and take additional pictures after the tour was over. He was also on hand to ask questions even though the tour was done. I've actually gone on this tour twice and both times it was exceptional. The other thing I enjoy is that they are constantly improving the home by restoring/adding detailed items that would have been present during the time the family was there. Other historic homes seem to be the same each time you visit. This one is in all the good ways but the added details are what makes it so unique and worth visiting more than once. Restrooms are in the mansion near the gift shop, they offered free small bottles of water and parking was easy. Located on the college campus. Beautiful grounds with benches and flowers, great photo/picnic opportunities. Take as many photos as you want in the mansion (no flash or video). Do yourself a favor and book this tour (with Tom!) and learn all about Nashville before country music was ever a thing.

Belmont Mansion was one of my favorite stops during my trip to Nashville. I arrived just as the place opened--I love that you're asked to ring the doorbell for the tour. It's a charming little request that makes you feel like you're truly visiting someone's home. A new guide showed me through the first few rooms of the home, and he was pretty good and Adelicia Acklen's early life and the beginnings of Belmont Mansion. As we moved into another room, a second tour guide took over, and I learned more about what happened to Adelicia after she found herself a widow for the second time. The home was beautifully decorated and the guides were quick to point out little touches that I wouldn't have noticed. I was even told that a woman who married into the family is still alive, living just down the block in a retirement home. It kind of brought a different feel to the place, knowing that family members are still alive and near and owned the home so recently. An interesting point of the home that was mentioned was the upstairs floor. The guide explained that the owner had the floors (at least upstairs) painted to look like marble. I wouldn't have realized it until I was told because it was so well done. These are the little things I like to learn about when visiting historic sites. It brings history to life for me and I felt like I got a peek into the life and thoughts of Adelicia. Speaking of Adelicia, she is another reason I loved this home so much. She was a smart, strong woman, and I love learning about historical women. She was very independent, even though she was married three times with the final marriage being more a business arrangement. She never changed her name when she married that third time, even though this was in the 19th century. When she married in the 1850s or 1860s, she had what is essentially a prenup to protect herself! I'd like to learn more about her because she seemed like a woman ahead of her time. This tour lasted about one hour. I think some reviewers (here or on Trip Advisor) are annoyed by the fact that people can join the tour at any point, but this doesn't bother me at all; you would get to see the entire home regardless of where you started. Because I was there just as they opened, my tour was a private tour for the duration of the first floor; there was a family that joined us just as we were about to go upstairs. It was great for me that I was the only one for the majority of the tour, because I was able to ask many questions and the guide was able to kind of expand on information that I showed an interest in. When I was ready to leave, a staff member showed me out. Again, I felt like I had been a visitor in someone's home; the staff at Belmont Mansion were very hospitable. I love the little touches to make visitors feel welcome. This site is part of the Battle of Nashville ticket, which includes three attractions: Belmont, Traveller's Rest, and Belle Meade. As of this writing (8/3/14), that ticket costs $30. There is no expiration on the Battle of Nashville ticket, and you're welcome to visit the sits on different days. If you plan to visit more than one of these sites the Battle of Nashville ticket is worth it, and I certainly feel that Belmont is a worthwhile stop whilst in Nashville regardless.

Definitely loved the history of the Belmont Mansion. My daughter and I went and spent an 1 1/2hr looking around. We didn't pay for the guided tour which looking back I would've just to hear more about it. Overall we loved it!

I love learning local history. The Belmont Mansion and the 90 minute guided tour is well worth your time. Gorgeous, well-preserved aesthetics aside, our knowledgeable guide regaled us with fascinating facts and stories about Adelicia Acklen and her social climbing in her already privileged world. She and her family's involvement in Civil War was particularly remarkable. Learn all about this incredible woman whose life was full of severe ups and downs. The house and grounds are gorgeous. Since it's on the Belmont College campus, I suggest driving or walking around the lush, lovely school. The tour price is reasonable. Surpridingly, the souvenir shop is affordable. Cool jewelry and by the entrance interesting family info not included on the tour, about their attempt to sue the federal government after the Civil War. So glad I visited! The only criticism is scarce parking. We lucked out with the last parking spot.

Beautiful grounds, cute little old house. It was fascinating to see the service set up in each room. Get your history fix here. But I want to shout out the beautiful grounds that surround the mansion. It's absolutely breathtaking; lots of sneaky little statues and sculptures. Stop by on your next tour of Nashville.

We took a tour here for something different to do. It was a really nice experience. They've done a lot of work to preserve the mansion and decor inside. We were Erie, our tour guide's, second tour ever. She was phenomenal. She spoke with confidence and at a volume everyone could hear her. She knew so many details about the place and Adelicia, the original owner. She was thoughtful with her words and had a kind demeanor. The tour was great! It lasted about an hour.

Well worth your time. Very professional staff--all very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about the owners and the role the mansion played in the Civil War.

We enjoyed very much the history of the Belmont. Beautiful and very nice. The staff is amazing. We recommend to visit this home if you are a history buff.

Really great visit to Belmont Mansion! Lots of interesting history around this house and the woman who originally built it. We spent about 2 hours there looking around, reading about it, etc. Greg was a wealth of knowledge about the house and the time period and was happy to answer questions and have conversations with us about it all.

I have never been to Nashville but when I saw an advertising to see the Belmont mansion my parents and I decided to come see it. We are very happy that we decided to do so. We toured with Sarah. She was very much informed and educated on the home and the people who lived there over the years. I would recommend to anyone looking to hear a good story about Nashville's history and the home itself. On a side note the poor cashier trying to count change could really use an automatic change dispenser!

Excellent tour, the best and most informative of any historical building/monument I have visited. The attention to detail in the restoration is astounding, and a huge amount of furnishings, artwork, and decor are original to the Mansion. The curator himself led the Curator's Tour and shared interesting stories gleaned from actual correspondence, journals, and newspapers of the time, etc. Highly recommend that you choose the Curator's Tour of Belmont Mansion. Well worth it!

Kind and very well informed hosts. The mansion is extremely beautiful, would definitely recommend!

This is a great stop to learn more of the history of Nashville. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and knew a lot about the time period as the family! The tour was about an hour long. Be sure to check out shopping boutiques nearby before or after your visit!

I finally moseyed onto the Belmont Mansion property (on Belmont's campus) for a tour last week with some of my event co-organizers and was impressed with the vintage ambiance and functioning areas to execute smaller scale events. This would be a lovely spot for a luncheon, wedding, or intimate party for around 100 people or so. A fantastic staircase is the spotlight in the main room along with a grand piano and impressive antique furniture and finishes. We haven't booked the space yet due to the need to figure out logistics for parking/valet and catering so I will update my review if we do! Yelp365#15

My daughter and I went on a spare of the moment day trip and had such a wonderful time! We did have questions about the property and an associate Michelle was absolutely EXCELLENT!!!! Very knowledgeable and friendly. If we are ever back to Nashville, we will be returning!

About a 2.5: The Belmont Mansion is the largest house museum in the state of TN and is one of the few 19th century homes. The tour is heavily focused on Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham, a woman who married a man, Isaac, that was 38 years her senior. She inherited the huge estate after her husband's unexpected death, which included the 8,700 acres of cotton plantations in LA, Fairvue (a 2,000-acre farm in TN), 50,000 acres of underdeveloped land in TX, stocks and bonds, and 750 slaves. The mansion itself is beautiful (the artwork, the paintings and portraits, maps, jewelry and personal items, the silver and the porcelain, and the parlor room), but I wasn't a fan of the tour as I just wasn't into it. Plus, it seems as if they just threw us in with some random group, not having any introductions of any sort, which led me to believe that either they were overwhelmed with the number of people dropping in, or they were just unorganized. I didn't think it was worth the admission price! +free tour (a little unorganized)