Moody Mansion

Simply amazing. My wife and I love doing historic tours. Walking through history is so much fun. The Moody Mansion is meticulously maintained, and every room has a story. The audio guide is fun to hear descendants tell stories about the family's history. The on-site staff took time to answer any questions we had. Their enthusiasm for the property and history is impressive. We loved our time here and highly recommend you make it a priority to visit.

Pop-Up Ghost Tour at Moody Mansion with Spooky Gin. The tour was amazing with knowledge shared on the Moodys' and their contributions and interactions with Galveston. The additional Galveston history and ghost stories just added to the ambience. Add in the fact that you are getting a guided tour of this beautiful home and seeing original items used by the Moodys makes you feel like you are stepping back in time. I would definitely reach out to see when Moody Mansion will be doing another one of these pop-up tours, because this is an event everyone needs to experience.

Excellent experience. The volunteers were knowledgeable. The self guided tour- we chose the Moody family version, was very informative.

Great place to visit with kids! We did the self guided audio tour and the kiddos loved the history behind the mansion and the artifacts displayed. This place is a gem and a good place to learn some history about Galveston. The staff greeted us at the entrance and provided our group with answers to our questions. They were knowledgeable, kind, and welcoming. Everyone should visit Moody Mansion!

Audio and tour was very well organized and detailed. Beautiful home. The special touch with ringing the doorbell to start your tour was a great touch! Loved it!

The closet I came to time traveling on this trip! Moody Mansion is takes you back to a time of grandeur, debutants, and life before technology. A must for any history buff and architect lover.

Lovely place to visit when you are in the Galveston area. Interesting place for those who want to know more about the island and its history.

Beautiful mansion but unfortunately I don't think it was worth the money. We paid online but the guy that was in the ticket booth area was very polite! Also the older lady who opened the door to let us in was very nice as well! We went on a Tuesday so it wasn't busy at all! Parking lot is a pain because the spots are so close together.

Took the family through here. Fun little hour visit of the house. Bring some air pods so you can enjoy the self guided tour from your phone. Simple QR code and names in each room to click on and listen. https://www.mansiontour.net

Highly recommend spending the time and $15 to have a self directed tour of the Moody Mansion. If you're into Galveston history and an amazing family including their phenomenal home, definitely visit Impressed with the kindness and ethics of the Moody family. Victorian style living but also transparency in the challenges of the civil war, death, disease, loss yet keeping in helping the community. Applaud the Moody women and their success in growing the business and impacting philanthropy throughout Texas.

Coming to the moody Mansion was a very great experience and eye opening. The place is very decorated and the history behind it is eye opening. If you find yourself in Galveston, Moody Mansion is a must.

My Uncle suggested the Moody Mansion while we were exploring Galveston. We love historic buildings, especially seeing how rich folk lived 100+ years ago! Admission was $15pp. Eh... a bit steep. No senior discount. Children were a bit lower but I forget how much. There is a family deal for 2 adults and 2 children for like $34. We enjoyed our self guided tour yet, a bit disappointed that the 3rd floor was off limits. I was shocked that the kitchen was torn out and made into a children's area. I think it would have been neat to see how they prepared meals that long ago. Audio guides were available through your cell phone. Nonetheless, we had a good time. Loved how each room was so different. I'd come again.

the maintenance man was so helpful with our wheelchair. And Janice was very knowledgeable and sweet.

We have been to Galveston Texas multiple times and have never visited Moody Mansion located at 2618 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston Texas. The place is immaculate and it's free. Once we arrived we went into this section where the were multiple old cars. Really cool. Once we left there we walked around the garden which was absolutely beautiful. Once we walked to the front door a nice young lady gave us some history about the mansion. When she was finished we were allowed to tour and enter all the bedrooms, bathrooms etc. Everything was original and not redone. The clothes the hats and jewelry display were fabulous. There was so much to see we will be going back soon. If you're in Galveston Texas and have the time. Check out Moody Mansion located at 2618 Broadway Avenue J. You will not be disappointed.

My daughter and I visited on a weekday and even though our self-guided tour only took about 30 minutes, we enjoyed seeing how the wealthy lived back at the turn of the century. The woodwork and decor in the mansion is just stunning, and we learned quite a bit about the lifestyles of the Moody family and the history of Galveston. There is a small parking lot on site just behind the main house. We paid admission in the gift shop when we arrived. We were also planning to visit the Bishop's Palace, and they offered a package deal for adult admission but not child admission, which was disappointing. I don't see why you can't bundle the tickets regardless of age. Anyways, I paid for both my mansion tours at one location, but had to pay for my daughter separately at each location. It saved me $2.00. The tour started in the garage with three super cool vintage vehicles. My daughter listened to the audio tour using her cell phone, while I preferred to read all the placards. We moved into the main house and there was a docent there who let us in the front doors and gave us a brief introduction before sending us on our way. The basement of the mansion has been converted into a children's museum and we could hear the screams of the children through the floor. Or was it the screams of the ghosts of the children who lived in the mansion long ago??? I'll let you decide... Both the garage and the mansion are air conditioned, so it is very comfortable inside as you move around. If you're in Galveston and you enjoy history, I would highly recommend touring the Moody Mansion!

I lived in Galveston while attending Texas A and M College of Marine Science. Mary Moody was still alive and living here then, as I drove by going to school every day, I wondered what her life had been like living here since she was 8 years old. The short of it is, her father, Moody moved to Texas from Virginia after educating himself in Law and business. He originally moves to Fairfield Texas which im puzzled by. Fairfield remains a very small community so....? Moody decided to take advantage of the thriving business environment that the United States and world depended on in Galveston and moved there. He bought this mansion from the original owner after the storm of 1900 when most of the island was wiped out but this structure survived. He proceeded to revolutionized the packaging, transportation and sale of cotton. This led to the expansion of his business dealings in banking, insurance, etc. One of the great things about Galveston architecture is you can see the details inside resulting from, the old world craftsmanship of the boat builders who worked on these enormous homes. It's more than fun to walk through and imagine what life was like in this home at the turn of 1899-1901. Ive never been a big "tour" guy but this is worth it! Enjoy

My husband and I love touring historic homes. Last year we went through Glensheen Mansion I Duluth, MN. This Moody architecture was so beautiful. It's a shame that they did not offer the guided tours instead you had to scan a qr code with your phone. We didn't want to go room to room with that at our ears the whole time. That being said the rooms were all beautifully done with little plaques telling you about each room. My husband commented it would have been nice to have more plaques to read about the architecture or material used in each room. Or perhaps something in the great room where you could watch and then go room to room. Or even another employee that would wander room to room that was knowledgeable about the mansion. I was happy we went but felt it could have been so much better with just a little effort.

Such a beautifully preserved building. My emotional affinity for historical sights in Galveston gave me mixed feelings about this mansion. The history behind how the "Moody" name acquired such wealth and status is controversial, but, nonetheless, I understand that it was socially accepted during those times. We took a family tour with the self-paced audio talkies. This was very nice as you have the option to chose between two narratives. The timing of the tour couldn't have been more spot-on following the recent marriage of Frances Moody and Mr. Tony Buzbee. I saw a Facebook post of him wearing cuff links owned by LBJ, which we learned on the tour, the families were close. These local socialites are very privileged to belong to a prosperous bloodline (even though I hate that their profits stemmed from slave owners. Most African Americans are unable to trace their history back this far, so to tour a home full of centuries old heirlooms obviously bothered me a bit.) Overall, this tour was very informative, the house is stunning, the artifacts are in great condition, and I highly recommend touring if you're in the area!

Such a great tour. Strongly recommend. This was a great tour and strongly recommend. The entire tour takes about an hour. Recommend the audio tour

The nice thing about this mansion is that there are about 15 or more parking spaces behind the mansion for you to park at. You purchase your $15 ticket at the back of the home. Your first stop is in the moody garage where they have three vintage automobiles. They don't have a device for you to listen to so you'll have to scan the code and listen to the tour on your phone. However for $36 you can get a personalized tour and see several areas that you cannot see on the self tour.

Great looking building with timings to visit inside. Although if you don't appreciate architecture then this is not for you. We reached just after the closing time so couldn't visit inside however exterior glance was eye catching and we loved taking some snaps.

What a delight to tour this lovely home! We were greeted at the entryway by a guide who was decorating the home for the holidays. He was very nice and knowledgeable, and after a brief orientation, we were on our self-guided tour. Now I want to go back and take photos in front of the lovely Christmas trees! We visited on a Monday and had the house to ourselves. We took our time and enjoyed all the displays. The garage where you begin the tour features 3 vintage cars from the families.

My husband and I toured the mansion during our vacation. The woman greeting us at the door was very knowledgeable. The furnishings in the home are the Moody's own. Floors are all original. The wood is thick enough, they did not warp from water damage. At the end of the tour, we stopped to ask a couple of questions. She explained the ballroom is used for events. The only furniture in the room is a Steinway piano, which is kept tuned. Enjoyed this tour very much. Highly recommend!

The mansion is beautiful! Worth taking a tour for that aspect alone. However, the staff is beyond rude. (The only nice person we encountered was a woman that worked in the actual mansion letting people in and out for the self guided tour). The older woman who was working the ticket booth was very rude when we walked in without masks on. She handed us one, and we gladly obliged. She then proceeded to ask us where we were from. We answered, and she looks at us and goes "hmm. So no mask wearing there?" With a very snarky tone. We asked if there was an audio tour (that we could hang around our neck due to having our infant with us) and she rudely replied "well...that means I'll have to get one out and clean it just for you. And then I will have to take time out to explain how to use it." I'm sorry? Isn't that part of your job? We were treated as if we were disturbing her, instead of a customer. There were also signs everywhere that were way too intense about not touching things. A simple "please do not touch" would've sufficed. Between the overall very rude staff, and the overwhelming signs, we did not feel welcomed at all. Although the mansion is beautiful, I would recommend spending your money else where and touring the Bishop's Palace!

Disappointed you couldn't go into the basement or top floor but cool old place with amazing details. We almost left when the grumpy ticket lady was being rude to the people in front of us- for no reason. FYI- masks required.

What a shit experience. Take a customer service class Moody Manson. Last sales at 4pm, staff shut the door on us as we walk up to buy our tickets at 4pm. Called, could hear them on the other side of the door telling me last sales at 4... yeah, no kidding, it's 4 and I'm outside calling - you saw me and closed your doors. Guess we will go to Chik fil a where customer service still matters.

I'm sure its lovely but since we weren't wearing a mask we weren't allowed to go on tour..the garden was nice..thanks for that bit of sunshine and fresh air

One minute this mansion is super friendly and welcoming. The next it's telling you to get the f*** out and never come back. No wonder they call it the Moody Mansion. I give the building and the grounds and the porte cochere a glowing 5 stars. They are stunning and resplendent and glorious and probably the most beautiful thing to see in Galveston (other than the ocean). However the tour would only get 3 stars because it's $10 (steep in my opinion) and for that price, you're not allowed to take photos (like seriously?). Nevertheless, I would recommend any visitors to the beautiful coastal resort of Galveston, less than an hour south of Houston, to stop by the Moody Mansion and its grounds and see how spectacular it is. Since most of the reviewers here have stuck to a rating for the tour, I will do the same, so it scores 4.

As we we're walking thru the Mansion my husband made a reference that it's the Downton Abbey of Galveston! which he wasn't wrong. The craftsmanship on the woodwork throughout the home was absolutely gorgeous. From the moldings to the wood appliqués and the gold paint touches. It was all wonderfully preserved. It was a nice experience to see some of the history of Moody family.

If you love Galveston, you will enjoy the history of this home and the family. It's not a "thrill ride" but something you will appreciate to go along with your appreciation of the island as a whole!

We had a wonderful visit! The mansion is stunning - so many amazing details in the architecture and decor. The garage and vehicles were interesting. Everything was very clean and well kept - the staff are to be commended for the excellent care they are taking of the building and grounds. Everyone was very friendly and helpful

This was a great tour. The audio tour can be brought up on your phone by a QR code. The house is beautiful and very well preserved. The staff was very friendly and knowledgable about the history of the home. It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours and learn a little history about this family and historic mansion.

The gift shop guy was cool. The so called tour guide lady was a bit sour about just opening the door.

Beautiful property yet there was only one staff member a younger women who actually took the time to answer our questions and give us information. You cannot touch anything and there are signs in the house where they say do not touch and you can only take pictures where it states. Beautiful grounds and a beautiful property.

On a rainy day when the beach was not a good option, my wife and I stopped to go through the museum. We got a bit drenched, but not so much we couldn't go in. You start off in the ticket area that also serves as a gift shop, then proceed to the garage, where they have some beautifully maintained vehicles owned by the family. They had a '31 Studebaker, a '40 Cadillac LaSalle, and a '49 Cadillac, all in lovely condition. By the way ... no touching anything! From there we went into the house itself. I was in awe of the Persian rugs as well as all the birds eye maple furnishings upstairs. It is all so beautiful. Everything is still period correct. I wish we had been able to see the downstairs area, which had the servant quarters and the kitchen, but all that had been destroyed by a hurricane a few years ago, and period pieces were not available. The folks in there to guide your way are such nice folks too. They were a pleasure to be with.

Very rude staff! Make sure to wear a mask and be there before 4 pm. The house itself is lovely and the self tour with audio clip of Mary was very well done.

We absolutely loved this place. If you like history then you will love it here. Stepping into the house feels like it takes you back in time to a simple life. You will learn a lot about the history of Galveston as much as you do about the house itself

This is a wonderful museum. It was quiet when I went on a Sunday morning. If you're worried about Covid, this was perfect. The audio was helpful. This is a beautiful facility and it's worth a visit.

Great place band the history is amazing it's nice to walk around this big house I love very nice place

On two occasions when we were cruising out of Galveston we spent the night Before the cruise and the night of return at Moody Gardens. The hotel is wonderful and they have a lot of special activities for children. The food in the restaurant was amazing also. We were also able to leave our vehicle in their covered garage during our cruise.

It's a beautiful home with an amazing story. The self guided tour was easy enough to follow and the history was absolutely fascinating. That being said, the woman who sold the tickets was beyond rude and callous. I was very excited to purchase tickets and the way she spoke to other guests almost turned me away. We went ahead and bought tickets, and went to the door. The gentleman at the door seemed nice when we entered but we hadn't been in the mansion 3 minutes before he yelled at a teenager through the door because he had knocked and not rung the bell. All of the customers within earshot seemed to tense up considerably. For a woman who was very clear about wanting to share her home with others after she passed, the staff was less than inviting.

Love this place it was so cool to go to. It was really educational to go to and learn about how the family had to live.

This is a beautiful mansion Bobbi explained a little more about the house she was very sweet. My only complaint would be that they need for replace the lady who is at the ticket purchase place, she was very rude not only to me but to my husband. Unfortunately I did not get her name but she was an older older woman.

My daughter and I really enjoyed the self-guided tour. It was like taking a step back in time. The detail was exquisite. I loved the crown molding and silk walls. The stained glass was marvelous and the staircase was beautiful. Too bad the third floor is not open to the public. I'm curious!

I used to visit Galveston regularly with my family in the '90s, and we always stopped by Moody Gardens during the summer. I never gave a second thought about who the Moodys were. Fast forward 20 years later, and thanks to my interest in historical house tours and the power of social media, I made it a point to visit the Moody Mansion during my short stay in Galveston. The house is well-maintained and the self-guided audio tour is very extensive. You have a choice of listening to straightforward facts about the house, or a more colorful view from the perspective of Mrs Mary Moody Northen, the lady of the house. You can definitely spend a few hours here, listening to stories and checking out every detail, but with a fidgety infant in tow, it wasn't possible for me. If you want exclusive access to parts of the house that are off-limits to the public, you'll have to sign up for a docent tour (usually takes place at 4pm.) Fun fact: Conrad Hilton (great-grandfather of Paris Hilton) once took out 2 loans from W.L. Moody Jr to keep his struggling hotel chain afloat. Thanks to these loans, Hilton was able to expand and become the world renowned hotel chain it is today!

Extremely informative self guided tour (audio) about the Moody family and their rise to prominence in the Galveston area (and USA). All the staff are super friendly and want to ensure that you enjoy your visit (tickets cost $15). Lots of history, facts and amazing furnishings to take-in. Don't miss the antique cars in the garage outside by the ticket office. The audio guide was very informative (went with Mary's guide) but it was too detailed and we were somewhat strapped for time so we missed a few of the rooms - going through every room with the guide will take 2-2.5 hours. Beautiful house and history - pictures are also allowed in the house. Rated it 4/5 as I think $15 may be a bit steep for the ticket - $10 would be more appropriate.

House is beautiful and worth the visit. But the staff seems uptight, angry and intolerant of everyone. I accidentally walked in without ringing the door bell and a man showed up and rudely said "didn't they tell you to ring the doorbell"? Okkkk. Also seem bothered by questions. My father a 79yr old talker had the woman selling tickets visually irritated. Its these kinds of things that keep you very nervous and tense as you walk thru this beautiful house.

When in Galveston stop by the Moody Mansion. It was worth visiting and spending the morning there. The tour gives one an insight into what life was like for folks in Galveston in the early 1900s. The Moody family had some strong family values and ethics. The mansion is in incredible shape and all around well taken care of. Oh yeah, there are some cheeky signs throughout the mansion telling one not to touch, etc., but they are pretty funny. Definitely visit if you are in the area.

We enjoyed it. Kids learned about the house and history of Galveston and life in 1900s. Nice activity in Galveston instead of pleasure pier.

What an incredible house! It's a 38,000 square foot house, but visitors only tour the ground and second floor. Unlike the Bishop's Palace that we toured the day before, you must go on a guided tour of the Moody Mansion. The house is interesting and beautiful - and our tour guide was a very lovely lady. However, our tour was almost an hour and 45 minutes, which is way too long. A very fun piece of Galveston history that is not to be missed!

Ignore Jaire's review. How mean can you be to a historical association after Hurricane Ike? The house had five feet of water on the ground floor during September so being re opened by December is a minor miracle. Dec. 27, 2008- my parents and I went to see the Moody Mansion. The ticket takers are currently operating out of the parlor which has suffered some ceiling damage from the hurricane. The mansion also suffered some windows being blown out but allt he windows have since been repaired. Admission is 7 dollars per adult and they can take debit now. Their website has a coupon good for buy one admission get one free. Manuel, a spry gent in his 60's, was our tour guide. He started us on the porch and explained the story of the Moody mansion coming into existence and a bit about the Moody family. He told us about the granite and tile and the woodwork. We went in to the house and Manuel told us stories in every room on the first and second floor. I saw three gorgeous Christmas trees. The conservatory was decked out in poinsettas and Christmas cactuses. I even got to see LIbby Moody's pickled snake in her bedroom! Mary Moody's bedroom was very pretty. Go see the Moody Mansion on a Saturday morning and hope Manuel is your tour guide. He will regale you with great stories and make you feel at home. This place is worthy of your tourism dollar.

Only 10$ per person to tour inside the historic mansion, not a bad deal! There is a 30$ admission fee if you decide to see additional section of the mansion which is close off to the public. My wife and I had an incredible experience looking and learning about the moody family history, the rooms and furniture are kept in good condition after 100 years! Cool thing is that they give you an audio device that you can listen to the history of every room while you are looking around. Another cool thing is that they let you take pictures! It's worth going if you love mansions and history. Makes me want to be a part of the moody family.

My spouse and I enjoyed the self-guided tour of the Moody Mansion. The architecture is stunning. However, I only gave it 3 stars because the staff at the ticket sales desk were extremely rude. There were two old ladies selling tickets and giving overviews of the audio devices, and they made it their mission to control everyone within their sight. One of the ladies scolded two children with another family accusing them of not listening to her. They told her they were listening, and she insisted they repeat back the information. The children were able to do it flawlessly. Once we had our audio devices, we didn't feel a need to hear the instructions since we are smart enough to know how to use them. One of the old women then yelled at me in a room full of people when I told my spouse we didn't need to stay for instructions. She shouted, "Sir, you need to listen to the instructions." When we returned the devices after our tour, she asked with an attitude, "Did they work ok for you?" I replied that they worked just fine even without instructions. Everyone else we encountered was friendly, but I would not return after the ticket sales ladies felt the need to shame people.

We bought our tickets online at 3:30 p.m. this past Sunday with the understanding that the last self tour ends at 4 p.m. with the actual house closing at 5. We walked into the gift shop at 4:04 p.m (we were a couple of minutes behind because of weekend traffic and parking) and the EXTREMELY RUDE lady working the counter told us that the ticket office is closed and that she couldn't help us. I calmly started to explain that I had already paid for the tickets and we just wanted to know where to start the tour... she then became even more aggressive and told us to leave immediately in front of the other patrons which was quite humiliating. What a horrible first impression to have a person with such uncouth behavior working to greet your guests. After reading the other reviews it seems this is a common reoccurrence which proves that this issue has not been addressed or resolved which is quite disappointing, especially for such a historical landmark in Galveston. NOTE: This is NOT the only mansion nor only tour in Galveston... so save your time, energy, energy and money for a place that treats you with common respect.

It was very neat to see such beautiful history. The mansion is beautiful and very well preserved. However, I do wish there was a guided tour or some sort of audio giving an explanation of the rooms. You basically walked into a room and read a very short excerpt about the room. I would've liked more history on the rooms and the people who have occupied them.

Beautiful, and a great history lesson as you explore the island.

Visited this local historical home yesterday. It was a beautiful place, well maintained, and the guides were helpful and friendly. I enjoyed learning about the Moody family, their roots in Virginia, and their success in Texas after the Civil War. Interesting subject that is well preserved in the Moody Mansion. Worth your time and money to visit. Loved the self guided tour format. It leaves you to set the pace and tone for your venture. Recommend the experience.