Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

This was a really cool place to visit. A lot of history, making more history. A beautiful place inside the house and outside in the garden. A nice little stroll around the property and you’ll see all the different plants from different places. It’s awesome how he had 3 wives and I get it!!! lol The staff was great, but you cannot video or take pictures of the actual courtyard but you’re aloud to take them throughout the rooms. It’s really a one of a kind place and hopefully it will survive all the storms and never change.

Such a great experience! Educational. Every one who was in sections of the house were very knowledgeable and super kind. We asked a lot of questions and they answered them all! The grounds have been kept up and are so beautiful! After we did our tour we spoke with any individuals about the museum. This is Definitely a must see when here!

A Dream Wedding Venue – Perfect for Any Size Celebration! We recently celebrated our wedding at Bonnet House, and it was nothing short of magical. Whether you're planning an intimate ceremony or a grand celebration, this venue offers the perfect blend of charm, history, and natural beauty. The gardens and grounds are breathtaking — a stunning backdrop that feels like a hidden tropical paradise. Our guests were in awe of the atmosphere, and our photos turned out absolutely gorgeous. What truly made our experience exceptional was the staff. From the first tour to the final send-off, the team was warm, professional, and incredibly helpful. They were attentive to every detail and made us feel supported every step of the way. Bonnet House is a gem — a place where weddings of any size feel special. We couldn’t have asked for a better location or a more wonderful team. Highly recommend!

Bonnet House was so beautiful! The gardens were full of wildlife just wandering around, and the shell collection was really cool. I loved that there were volunteers in every room who knew tons of fun facts about the history of the place. It was such a fun girls’ day out and I think kids 16 and under get in for free.

This was such a beautiful preservation of rich south Florida history. The home itself was vibrant and beautiful with a large courtyard surrounded by rooms each with their own unique style and charm. The gardens surrounding the home are enchanting and awe inspiring. The volunteers and guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, there were no questions we asked that they didn’t have an answer to. If you’re in the area and have a knack for history, look no further because this place has it all.

This place is incredible! If you have any interest in art, nature, or history, you will have a great experience. On a Wednesday I took the special tour with George and I got to see the whole upstairs along with the lower part of the house. George was an excellent tour guide. He is very knowledgeable and went into extra detail about things we were particularly interested in. I returned on my last day in Florida because I enjoyed the property so much. The staff was incredibly friendly and let me leave my heavy backpack in their seating area so I could explore and do some work by the water without having to lug it around. It is truly a paradise. I cannot recommend this place enough and I definitely plan to return!

Definitely must see in Ft Lauderdale. Green and cool, artistic and authentic. Don’t be shy - ask questions in every room . Volunteers and staff are super nice and ready to provide additional information. Only one thing could be improved- working hours might be increased 🫢

Was on vacation in May & decided to visit the Bonnet House due to its short distance from the hotel. The estate/museum was a very very nice experience. You can tour with or without a guide. If you choose without, they do have staff inside of the “air conditioned” rooms to provide history on the artifacts & paintings.

We went to the Bonnett house on a Saturday morning and was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was. It was a neat house to see and the volunteers were all very helpful and knowledgeable. Ticket prices were a little steep but Broward County residents get a discount. It would have been neat to get to see the residence part of the house but that's only open on Wednesday mornings. The property was nice to walk around. We brought lunch for a picnic at one of there many shaded seating areas.

Absolutely beautiful. A serene hidden treasure amongst the noise of Ft. Lauderdale. The grounds are full of beautiful flowers and mature trees, most are clearly marked so you know what you are looking at. We enjoyed the raccoons (all named Charlie), iguanas, and turtles that call this lovely place home. We visited while they were preparing for a wedding reception on the veranda, absolutely stunning. The house is beautiful but also comfortable. The artwork and decor really reflect the personality of the previous owners and the environment. They have a small cafe and gift shop, both of which are reasonably priced. On the inter coastal side you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. Absolutely worth spending and afternoon and getting a tour guide.

Incredible magic place, in the middle of Modern hotels. After you see this is so hard to back to real plastic life. What I learn from this museum - that's art can frozen the time. You absolutely have to go, but without anybody. Trust me

If you enjoy seeing how the wealthy lived during the industrial age you will enjoy Bonnet House. The house is very quirky and has unique art throughout. I enjoyed the orchid garden and the shell collection. Entrance fees are exorbitant so you need money to see how the wealthy lived.

You can walk the garden for $10 or you can tour the house and the garden for $23. We chose the former. A nice afternoon with the family. Next time we will tour the house too. Note the house/garden is only open 11am to 3pm during the week.

what wonderful staff!! everyone was so kind and knowledgeabl. I did the downstairs tour with Sid. Rick did a tour of the grounds and plants. Randy did an abbreviated tour of the upstair. I would recommend this spot to anyone and everyone. paying for the extra tours is the only way to see this amazing property

I think this is just simply a must-see. The house, grounds, and art are all beautiful and unique. The attention to details to the design of each room and areas of the grounds makes it a fun experience to explore. I love the explanation video at the start of the tour as it gives you background on the family and their art collection journey. Just do it and visit!

I went with my 15 year old daughter and we both loved it. Don't need to have a tour guide, there were people in each room providing information and answering any questions. It is such a neat place, with great history. We have also been to the Chicago art museum and seen all the work they donated. It was neat to be in the vacation home. Walking around the gardens was also nice. We loved it.

This was a great place to walk around during my last visit to fort lauderdale. Even without the guided tour, there were folks in every room and around every corner to give information and answer questions. The property and grounds are meticulously kept and you really feel like you're stepping back to a different time! Gorgeous and eclectic art and beautiful plants all around.

What a lovely place!! Plenty of inspiration everywhere you look. Incredible history. Shout out to all the tour guides including Jim and Amy!

I like Bonnet House. It is a nice place to spend an afternoon. The only spot in Fort Lauderdale that is left untouched since ever. Like a dive in the history. Definitely worth the time and money. It is only $20 for the house tour and the gardens. The place is open from 11 to 3, so plan accordingly. I would love for the second floor to be open and the music room. The scenery around is beautiful. All the history lovers, nature lovers, and just those who are tired of the beach, should go. I would tell you the history, it is very thrilling, but there wouldn't be any mystery left. Go, and experience for yourself. Highly recommended.

I loved this plantation style mansion! It was my first time experiencing such a place. I appreciated how the society preserved it as much as possible, too. I could see it being difficult as Florida's climate is moist and humid, but they did a great job. The docents had a wealth of information about the place, which was an added bonus. I wish that I had someone with me to take pictures of me at this site, but I was happy to have experienced it! Fun fact- Bonnet House also serves as a wedding venue. The upstairs bedrooms are closed to the public, but they are open to bridal parties. Gonna suggest this to my friend as a wedding venue so I can stay here too LOL

We came here for their musical performance, which are held once a month for 3-4 months. The concert tickets include wine, cheese & crackers. The event was very well organized with lots of staff. The band was great, the singer had a beautiful voice.

Really nice place to visit. The grounds are amazing. It is a little pricey. The shell room was interesting to look all the shells that were displayed Off the shell room were orchids. So beautiful

Such beautiful greenery. I enjoyed learning about the history of how the Bonnet House came about and all of the artwork in the different houses.

I attended the Holiday Magic event. I highly recommend it, the house is opened for you to stroll through and there are Christmas trees, wreaths and centerpieces decorated in different themes for sale. The $35 ticket included 2 drinks including egg nog. There were strolling carolers dressed in period attire entertains guests. There are volunteer docents in each of the rooms excited to share their knowledge. The Bonnet House was a wedding gift to Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife Evelyn from her father. The house is on the National Register of Historic places and was declared a historic landmark in 2002. There were many monkeys living on the property for years however only one, Itchy, remains today. There are QR codes throughout the house so you can scan and listen to an audio tour. Classes and workshops are held at the house throughout the years well as an Orchid Festival

I came to this house as a last minute adventure. It was such a beautiful place and the backstory is so cute. When you arrive you are greeted and allowed to explore the entire plot of land. All of the people working are so nice and informative! There is plenty to do as well. As you wander around you will see iguanas, raccoons, spiders and there is even a monkey if you can catch her! Such a fun way to kill time!

I walked here from the Birch Tower neighborhood. Since we came during their off season, the north entrance was closed and we had to walk a mile around the property to get to the south entrance. Staff was very polite and hospitable and had a wealth of information about the property. We did the self guided indoor/outdoor tour. If it wasn't so hot, we would've explored more of the gardens.

Ft. Lauderdale history. You can tour the entire house and grounds in a couple hours. Very eclectic and fun. I think Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett knew how to enjoy themselves. Very good attention to cdc covid recommended precautions. Nice web based, self-guided audio tour. $20 for adults with $3 discount to Florida residents. $8 for kids. I recommend packing and bringing a lunch. Not a place you go over and over, but definitely a must for all Broward County residents, especially now when we are looking for safe things to do.

What's not to like about history? On a recent Sunday afternoon, I decided to go and wander the grounds of the Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale which is steeped in history. On this visit, I didn't go in the house as I was here later in the day but I will return on a Saturday morning (also Tuesdays and Thursdays) when they give fully guided tours. Right now, during Covid, the tours are on your phone which makes them self guided. These were well done and you get most of the information if none of the narrative that makes live tours so interesting. To tour the grounds is only $10 and will take you less than an hour unless you are really slow walker. The grounds are lovely and show you some interesting things that I didn't know like there is an archeological dig going on at the site! There is free parking available just outside the gates and the gift shop is also open during Covid. I'll be back to update this when I get through the house, but for now- enjoy some of the pics I took of the grounds. Quite lovely!

Not only is this a great historical place with tons of photo ops (have your smiles and 'fits ready), it's just a serene to just be. Although "outside" is fully open and there is a no longer a stay at home order in effect, it's nice to maintain your peace with nature. Visiting Bonnet House was much needed for me and I really wanted a Sunday Funday outdoors. I came to a wedding here about 10 years ago, but as a guest you don't really get to explore because you're there for a special occasion. I really enjoyed this property and I would highly recommend this for a day date, or somewhere to gather your thoughts if you wanna role solo!

I was excited to explore this garden l, but I was disappointed. They give you an option to buy a ticket for only the garden (10 per person) or the house and the garden ( 20 per person). Let me start by saying that the garden has nothing impressive ( just common trees). The semi pretty part is the house so if you are going then buy the full ticket. We bought the garden ticket but when we realized there wasn't much to see, decides to add the house portion to our ticket too in a hope to see something worth going there for however they were also prepping the house for an event and it was full of white high top table for the ceremony. Overall, disappointed.

They upgraded me due to status, which was nice. They screwed up my benefit a bit, but not a big deal. Furthermore, they have a great breakfast here. The hotel is very old school but still well appointed. The room was huge.

We attended a wedding here recently. The location is great in Fort Lauderdale Beach and definitely unique. Biggest drawback was only 3 bathrooms (single use and unisex) in total for about 150 people is not enough. The place should consider upgrading bathrooms to accommodate guests. We wasted alot of time waiting in lines for bathrooms.

Lovely mansion, so unique with collected and personal artwork and travel treasures. Shell museum and desert garden very unique.

What an amazing place to visit not only because of its beautiful Gardens but, the History and impact on the city of Ft. Lauderdale. I'm so very happy that my research from Chicago turned out to be a great adventure in Ft. Lauderdale and so many ties to my beautiful city as well. This is a must do if you want to see how it all started in Ft. Lauderdale from the start of the city to its garden and beaches and what an amazing family lived there in the early 1920's. The Artwork is amazing, and the collection of furniture and artifacts are amazing.

Absolutely loved it the shell room was fantastic! Definitely worth going to!! So old Florida! Our tour guide was wonderful 83 year old man. Whimsical property!!

Loved visiting the Bonnet House & it's well worth the $20 admission. ($17 if you have a Broward County driver's license.). We toured the grounds & downstairs of the of the house on a Saturday in May. There is plenty of free parking and they have golf carts with volunteers that can drive you from one location to the next. We had originally planned on taking a guided tour; but we didn't have enough in our group. Instead we decided on a self-guided tour. It takes about an hour and a half and since there are volunteers in just about every room or location on site; they give you so much interesting information. It is almost like getting a guided tour! Plus they have QR codes in many areas that you can scan with your phone snd get more information to read or listen to. The upstairs of the house is presently closed but there is still so much to see downstairs. The Birch and Bartlett families had such interesting lives and they were so ahead of the times in their thinking. The Bartlett family really made sure that the house and gardens were preserved for visitors to enjoy for decades to come! (A 20 minute video at the start of the tour gives you a wealth of information on the history of Bonnet House & its residents.). The architecture is incredible and there is just so much cool art from all over the world! (Much of it by Evelyn Bartlett). You could visit often and never see everything! After touring the house we walked around in the garden area. There really aren't many flowers like a traditional garden would have....but it is breathtakingly beautiful with amazing trees of all kinds and sizes line the walking paths. Many of the trees were planted by the original land owner, Hugh Taylor Birch. (It is also a perfect location for a wedding and there were many workers shuffling around, setting up for a wedding that was going to be held later in the day when we were exploring the grounds.) There is just so much to see; original furnishings from all over the globe, a room housing the shell collection, another greenhouse-style room with dozens and dozens of fully blooming orchids, old farm equipment in the barn, and there is supposedly one monkey that still lives on the grounds, (but we weren't lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him). Bonnet House is definitely worth the visit if you are interested in art, architecture, Florida history, or even ecology. And I definitely suggest bringing any out of state visitors. There's absolutely no other place quite like it!

Hidden gem in Fort Lauderdale! What a beautiful estate. You have an option to purchase a ticket to see the Bonnet House & Garden ($20; $3 off discount if you're a Broward County resident) or an option to only see the Gardens ($10). I would HIGHLY recommend doing the guided tour of the house (especially because the gardens are not much to look at it). The tour is about 1.5 hours and takes you around the entire first floor of the house and gives you brief history of the Bartletts & of the rooms itself. The way in which the rooms and paintings are preserved is impressive. The courtyard is breathtaking! The least admirable thing about the Bonnet House is the "Gardens". The tour guides say you should take the $5 golf cart to show you the trees that were planted from different countries or you can take the walk yourself. We opted to walk ourselves and there was not much to see, it was more of a hiking trail--lots of trees/grass/sand/bugs. I did not see any flowers as I imagined a garden would have. Highly recommend checking this little museum out!

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens was voted "top ten" attraction on TripAdvisor. Hmmm... Anyhoo, this historic landmark was the beachfront estate of artists Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett. Reluctantly paid $20 for a tour of the house and grounds...wasn't worth the twenty bucks, in my opinion. That being said, here's the rundown of my somewhat interesting visit... This was an escorted tour...not my cup of tea. Luckily, Ruth was a good tour guide...fairly cordial and quite knowledgeable. Furthermore, she didn't talk our ears off. Tour lasted a little over an hour. Interior of the house is drab and kind of homey...expected a brighter and more lavish setup. Most of the rooms are smallish and all of the furnishings are original. Couldn't help but notice a musty odor throughout the house. Side note: Second level of the house is closed to the public, so we didn't get to see the bedrooms. The Bartletts were avid collectors and possibly hoarders...space is filled to the brim with objects they'd collected over the years. There's plenty to gawk at...wall to wall paintings, zillions of quirky sculptures, lots of fine china, a ginormous seashell collection, and tons of other knickknacks. Special mention: Bonnet House is surrounded by a tropical oasis. Highlight of the tour? Views of the lush palm trees, colorful shrubs, and quaint lily pond. Pro tip: Snacks and gift items are available at the Museum Shop. So, there you have it! I came, I saw, I conquered! Giving this tour three stars!

I mean this place is absolutely beautiful I did a full photoshoot here! Which turned out absolutely stunning. I walked around and the courtyard was my favorite so far the fountain area that was pretty and the small rooms are something to definitely see. The ppl I'd heavily secured by staff but fir good reason everything is pretty old. Also the staff know a lot of history so don't hesitate to ask. Check out some of my stuff I posted :) I did a Mexican theme shoot! I'll post my actual edits when I get a chance

Beautiful, beautiful place! And all I mean all of the employees are heaven sent! The most wonderful helpful people I have ever came across! The gardens I walked through beyond my expectations. I did the self guided tour and I still had the employees guide me to the most beautiful places I the main house! My favorite is the orchid rood at the very end with all the seashells stunning! I was here on a work trip and decided to go here! I'm so happy I made that decision! 100000% recommend to go here!

A hidden gem in Fort Lauderdale that is right across from the Hugh Birch State park. FLL is usually known for Las Olas and the great ethnic/fusion food scene up and down Oakland and Commercial, but in truth, it has a lovely mansion and gardens and awesome state park that people don't take advantage of as much. It's 10$ for gardens only, 20$ for indoor tour of the home and the gardens, and if you're a Broward resident, it's 3$ off your admission I believe. The parking is free and it closes pretty early, so it's tough for working people to go, but if you ever get some time off during your shift, take a stroll through this place. You won't be disappointed! Great for adults- good for weddings/venues and scenic photo shoots. For kids, may be a little boring. All photos I took btw are from the 10$ outdoor tour. The main things you will see people post photos on are 1. The yellow orchid house- makes beautiful photos. Can't actually go into the area b/c it's kind of fenced off but you can get those shots. It's in the same building as the seashell cottage 2. The beautiful Spanish European corridors that you can still pics off as you walk by the main home 3. The beautiful patio area facing the water Lillies. The place is called Bonnet house for the bonnet Lillies that grow here. Definitely make sure you get a beautiful reflection shot from across the water of the house. 4. The wildlife- There are owl monkeys here who will sometimes eat cashew people feed them near the cafe. The raccoons are nice to watch in the trees. The swan is not afraid of people contact and you can get up close for photos. 5. The random carousal circus tent thingy across the pond- a little eerie and out of place but adds to the whimsicality of this place. 6. tiki bridge that crosses over the water. There is a little cafe that has snacks and coffee. There's also a water machine at the area facing the water of the house if you get thirsty.

We had a group of 10 and had the most lovely time on our tour of the Bonnet House. So much history and beauty, and our tour guide, Sid, was OUTSTANDING, sharing all the fun facts with delight. I highly recommend touring The Bonnet House!!

A hidden gem in the middle of Fort Lauderdale beach. Beautiful old estate built at the same time of other great gilded age homes but totally opposite in it's casual appearance. Famous family lived there with strong Chicago connections. Nice grounds for walking. They have art classes, too.

I've been to the Bonnet House a few times before, the last time being at the end of 2019, and this was by far the best experience. We arrived a few hours before closing and with every room we entered, a friendly docent was there to answer any all questions that we have. I highly recommend tourists and residents to check it out!

Amazing venue! You couldn't ask for better service! The pictures will definitely be incredible...somuch natural beauty!

This is a beautiful historical house in Fort Lauderdale. Bonnet House is one of the first things I experienced after moving to this area. This was also a great spot to take out of town visitors to. This museum is located very close to Fort Lauderdale Beach. We came for a visit at the end of July and it was scorching hot out. I think it would be much more pleasant to stroll the grounds in Florida's cooler months, so if you can visit in winter I think you will get a lot more out of this experience. I especially enjoyed the tour we went on, it was very interesting to learn about the former owners of the property. Our tour guide was great! I really liked seeing the interior of the house, but the exterior and the grounds were my favorite part. There were so many cool architectural elements! Photography is a bit of a hobby for me, so I enjoyed all of the great photo opportunities found on the grounds. We went on a tram tour too, that was well worth the couple of bucks since it since it was brutally hot out during our visit.

It was a long walk to get in coming from a hotel south of the museum. There is a large parking area so use it since it is free. You can not visit the houses without being on a tour for $20/person. There are golf cart grounds tours as well. I want to thank Vickie was so nice about our two small dogs in a carriage but not Anita. I know these are all Volunteers but wow if you are not happy - do something else. Ken did our tour and was wonderful. I was expecting problems after hearing Anita talk about Ken but he was great. Very energetic and passionate about the house and property. Regarding the tour - you are not supposed to take pictures inside the individual rooms but the inside courtyard is fine. Plenty of options to ask questions and take pictures. We even had a visit from the 2 remaining monkeys at the end.

For years I had seen this fenced gated area across from the beach and wondered what was it about. I knew it was an historic property but that was it. So when I had family in town we took the water taxi and this was one of the stops. The next day me and my sister went. Parking is free located directly on the grounds. There is a bit of walking involved so plan accordingly. Being a Broward County resident with proof with my ID we got $3. off the regular priced admission of $20. There is scheduled tours included as well as the only way possible to see inside the Bonnet House. As we had sometime before the tour it gave us time to shop the Gift Shop. It had a great assortment of items and I purchased a beautiful scarf that matched the dress I was wearing as well as some nice flamingo cocktail stirrers in glass. I could easily have shopped all day whoever does their buying has a great eye for fashion. Once the tour started it lead us behind the beautiful edifice of the Bonnet House. Above the doorway entrance the former owner Frederick was an artist and he put a fish. In fact Frederick designed and created works of art throughout the house including the painted floors. He lived here with his 2nd wife. His third wife lived to be 109 and willed the house and grounds to the State of Florida. What a magnificent home and views to the ocean from the dining room is amazing. Furthermore our guide was a volunteer however his passion for the history and art into the details was very informative. Will definitely return again for either an orchid show or other event.

It was very pretty but I feel like $25 for the house and gardens is overpriced. The workers kept bugging us about a 12 minute video we had to watch before we entered the house- where you could only really go into 3 rooms

Hidden Gem!! I loved everything!! Would love to go back in time and be a guest here. So grateful this has been preserved.

Beautiful grounds. We just made the 2 o'clock tour for this hundred-year-old plantation style home on 35 acres on the water in Fort Lauderdale. Plenty of parking and there was a trolley to take us to the visitor center, that we didn't need. House, gardens, guest house, boat house, shop. Beautifully decorated & lushly landscaped. Loved the animal theme that was on the dishes, walls & statues. Daniel Schwartz was our guide who whisked 20 of us through the home in two hours. He shared a lot of info about the family, home, property, very well done. We saw a 10 minute video narrated by Evelyn Fortune Bartlet; most of the information that we heard on the tour. Admission was $20 included are grounds & first floor house tour. There was a wedding reception on the patio; spectacular party space! There are all kinds of events from Co once rtfs, Christmas evening tours, bird watching & art classes. Nice spot for sunrise pictures & photography classes too

Awesome place to visit! Took my parents here and we had a great time. Took about 2 hours. Everyone is super friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. Like stepping back in time.

Had a wonderful time. Great family activity or if you just love nature. Little surprise in the middle of ft. Lauderdale!

The highlight of our recent weekend trip to Fort Lauderdale! Bonnet House is an eccentric and eclectic property; a bucolic oasis in the city, that reflects the personalities of its former owners - Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett. Admission is $10, guided tours are $20, and there is a small discount for Broward county residents, students, and seniors, which we did not avail of as we are none of those. Our guide - Sid, was a volunteer at the musuem, and a chipper Bostonian gentleman, always ready with a joke and a fun fact. The guided tour was about one and a half hours long, and included both the interior and the surrounding lush lawns. This is also a popular wedding spot, and I can totally see why! The property also has a cafe and gift shop, with a lovely shaded area to rest after the tour. We were hoping to get a glimpse of the resident Brazilian squirrel monkeys, but had no such luck. We did see Huey the white swan, in all his majestic glory. Needless to say, this place is a photographers delight, and we spent about half an hour after the tour indulging ourselves with pictures.

Nice place to spend an hour or two. Seeing the old time southern Florida home and it's furnishings was a treat. Loved the kitchen and the carousel animals!

an outdoor plan is always good! So I think this is a nice corner to add to your things to do while in Fort Lauderdale, that way for you'll kill two birds at the same time (the beach is in front)!... Here you will find a mix of history with nature and beautiful landscapes, so get ready to wander around (I recommend you to use comfortable shoes) walking in their trails and to get in touch with the essence of this corner that would make you travel in the past!

I first came here for a wedding and it was gorgeous. It's a large piece of land that is home to the Bonnet House and it does have a good story or history but to be honest I don't remember any of it. The main building is stunning and has that look of old florida. The colors and the landscaping is very pretty. There is a large pond that I thought would be great for our selfies but the pictures came out bad LOL. And where else can you walk around gardens and see monkeys jumping around, YES, I SAID MONKEYS.