Seward House Museum

An amazing tour! Our guide was a master at using the Seward family stories to give a concise, though robust for slightly over 60 minutes, and entertaining snapshot into the history and culture of the time! Amazing commentary in almost every dimension exploring the life of the man who should have beat Lincoln for the presidency, but thankfully did not, and also became his friend and confidant. Moreover, the enlightened story of his Quaker in-laws, who so uniquely in their time and that part of New York, valued the minds and education of their daughters, equal rights and the abolition of slavery. One of the highlights was seeing an actual room on the Underground Railroad. UPDATE: We were eager to see the home in evening light and Christmas trimmings, and were not disappointed! Although not meant to be the same as the usual day time tours, nor as comprehensive, the staff and volunteers did a great time filling in what we had seen and heard before and adding flavor with story telling, and journal and letter reading. It was a little more comfortable and intimate than the original tour -which we loved- and still felt special and worthwhile!

The William Seward house, which actually, was his wife Frances Miller’s family home, is a historic treasure! We had an amazing docent who told us so many interesting anecdotes about William & the family. William served as NY State Senator, Governor of New York, a U.S. Senator, & as Secretary of State in the Lincoln & Johnson administrations. This family was very progressive, influential and fascinating to learn about - anti- slavery, too, & helped Harriet Tubman. Highly recommend this tour. This NYS patriot deserves more recognition in NYS history books & 4th gr curriculum, in my opinion.

I was not able to tour the house, but the grounds were spectacularly maintained. There were thousands of flowers in a variety of different species. I walked through the area five or six times over four months and was amazed how nice it was kept. Reviews here say that house tour is very good if you have time to participate. The picture is from their website.

Today I was part of a field trip to the Seward house. I am a teacher, but I came on this trip as a parent. I was so impressed with the authenticity of the house...but I can't say enough about our tour guide, Mr. Sam. His storytelling kept the students (and parents!) engaged for the entire time of the tour. We walked away with so much more knowledge of The Seward family and a deeper love for history! Thank you for a wonderful visit!

I travel and go to many museums with staff guides. This was one of the best in my opinion. They were very engaged and covered a great deal of material. The house is well preserved and represents our history spanning a transformative period. There is an abundance of furnishings and pieces that have been saved by the family and the institution; each with a story. The tour covers the family and the era they lived in with care for the subject and attentiveness to the attendees. Bring your teenagers. Fun and informative. Very highly recommended.

Very interesting! The staff is so knowledgeable and passionate about their work. It's a guided tour only and was very informative. They give you plenty of time to look at everything and ask questions. The house and contents were beautiful!

We were so very impressed with the knowledgeable tour guide (Sam) as well as the very engaging tour and the care given to both preserving and interpreting this site.L and bringing to life Seward and his family. Among the best of the historic house museums we've visited.

What an impressive museum! Incredible exhibits .Excellent very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide ..Bernetta.What a jewel of a place .Highy recommend. I kept saying ,"wow" as a listened and saw for my own eyes.

Interesting art pieces displayed. Staff in gift shop shared information about some of the exhibits which was much appreciated. Highly recommend a visit to this museum.

William Seward could have been the US President instead of Abraham Lincoln at that time - did you know that? Lincoln was selected by their political party to run. Candidacy was not in Seward fate. True. Yet, after the election Mr. Seward worked alongside President Lincoln. Much unrecognized credit goes to Seward for promoting forward thinking policies at the time. Seward may be best known for his contribution as US Secretary of State in the purchase of the Alaskan territory from the Russian Empire in 1868. Termed "Sewards Folly" as at the time many skeptics who thought it unworthy for the US to purchase Alaska for $7 million dollars. Seward went to his grave firmly believing that one day in the future it will prove to be a very good decision. Alaska, rich with oil and natural resources, later was appreciated as an asset. Willam Seward held office as a governor of New York and Senator of New York. He was also a US Senator. And a US Secretary of State. This and many other interesting and historical facts are to be learned when you tour the Seward House Museum in Auburn, NY. Our tour-guide was enthusiastic. Fantastic wealth of knowledge. He gave us so much information in a fun and lighthearted way, about Mr. Seward, his family members, his political involvement, and his contributions to ending slavery. Amazing tour, and beautiful historic home where almost every artifact is the original. Beautiful wood work in the home. Lovely China dishes and stately decor. Did you know that the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman had a stop in the basement of this now historic home? It sure did. The Seward family housed and protected slaves seeking freedom right in this very home. Harriet Tubman, a slave from Maryland who became a famous freedom fighter, finally settled in Auburn, NY in 1859. Harriet Tubman practiced her faith and continued to fight for human rights and dignity until she died in 1913. There is a National Historical Park dedicated to Harriet Tubman in Auburn that would be worth visiting on a future trip.

Nice museum but be warned that tours are on the hour or were when we were there. You cannot tour it on your own. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Great place to go with one caveat. The tour is over an hour and there is no place to sit during it.

After multiple visits, I'm still always learning something every time I visit! Visited the museum today with my parents who are from out of state. It was all decorated for Christmas and absolutely gorgeous inside. Our tour guide, Emma was absolutely fabulous, incredibly knowledgeable and very well spoken. The building is impeccably kept, and even if you've been here before it's worth another visit as the grounds change depending on the season and sometimes they'll have new, limited-time exhibits. The seasonal tours, including the haunted tour and the candlelight tours during Halloween and Christmas respectively are a ton of fun too!

I've been here a few times and this is such a great place! I loved learning about the history of this place and I think it's wonderful that this property is still being maintained. I highly recommend this place!

This was a great place to visit for their special 12 nights of Christmas tour. The guide was very informative and we enjoyed hearing the rich history and stories of how Christmas was celebrated in the Seward family. The house was kept in immaculate conception of the time period with lots of original home furnishings. We didn't know much about Seward except for the fact that he was Lincoln's Secretary of State so it was good to learn about the background of his family and future generations. Definitely worth a visit if you visit Auburn!

I haven't visited the Seward House since I was in grade school! I remember coming here A LOT as a child- various school field trips and fundraisers/events with my mom. I even had my photo taken on the staircase of The Seward House for the cover of a local magazine. So needless to say, I have some very special and fond memories here. It was an overcast afternoon and raining off and on. They have AAA discounts on tour group tickets! I'm so happy we decided to take the tour instead of wandering on our own. The tour guides are very informative and always have been, so I'm glad that hasn't changed. But the house itself HAS changed a little bit. I remember it being more of an old school feel- darker, more original or older wallpaper and paint. It's much more modern feeling. It is nice that there is so much preserved in here though, so I suppose in the scheme of things, a coat of paint is nothing. It's FANTASTIC to see that The Seward House is still open and giving tours! It's a must see if you're touring through Auburn. And don't forget to walk through the garden before you leave!

I am originally from Auburn, NY and I cannot even imagine how many 1,000's of times I have passed by the Seward House, without visiting! If you are a history buff (particularly American History), this is a must! William Seward was President Lincoln's Secretary of State and there is a fascinating "Lincoln Room" that you must allow enough time for, which is one of the last stops on the tour. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and are very open to questions. We were first brought downstairs to the "kitchen/bathing/dining area," which also served as safe haven for those traveling through the Underground Railroad. Mr. Seward and his wife were strong Abolitionist's and worked closely with Harriett Tubman. As I took the tour during the holidays, the Christmas decorations were such as to replicate how the Seward House was decorated when the Seward's resided there, based upon the diaries of their children. You will also be shown Mr. Seward' Library, his carriage, and his study, which still holds the desk he used while in Washington DC.. On the second floor, you will find pictures hung all throughout the landing, which were with him while in the White House. The pictures are numbered and you will be given a brochure, outlining the person in each picture. There is also a tribute to his contributions to the purchase of Alaska. While in the "Lincoln Room," (also 2nd floor), you will see a piece of the blood-stained sheet from the brutual attack Seward endured in his home, on the same night that Lincoln was assasinated. You will also want to take note of the certificate/frame which was presented to the Mr. Seward from the Lincoln Family, which has pressed-flowers outlining it, from the Lincoln casket. I would recommend reading/researching as much about Seward prior to your visit (including "A Team of Rivals"), as he was a fascinating man and will make the tour more interesting. Small children/teens may struggle with the tour if they are not interested in history, and there are some stairs involved if there is anyone who has trouble walking (you can still appreciate the home if you cannot make the stairs). Overall, this is a must for history buff's! Their are discounts for seniors and college students and parking is located behind the house.

The Traveller from Allegheny should be ashamed of himself. Don't ready his review, he doesn't know what he's talking about. The docents here (and I overheard several), are very knowledgeable and this house is an absolute treasure trove of antiquities and memorabilia from several generations of the Seward family. The only complaint I might have is that I would have liked a bit more time on the top floor to review some of the photos which Seward collected in his travels. A great man and a great testament to all that he accomplished for this country, the house is definitely worth a visit. One caution, however. It's not air conditioned and the house is bloody stifling in ther summer. I would highly recommend a visit in the Spring or Fall, not in the heat of summer. It was 80 outside when we visited and I'd venture it was 85 inside.

The Seward House may appear unassuming from the street, and even a bit plain when looking at the grounds, however the stories and history are beyond incredible. The docents are very knowledgeable and so kind and helpful. To come in and look at a Victorian Home and the furnishings, would be interesting, again, however with a docent telling the stories of the history, and the politics and the murders, and the attempted murders and more make this a double wow - you must see and hear the stories to fill in parts of history most of us may know only a small portion. This place is a real eye opener when you take the docent led tour!

I find it hard to find any more to say about the Seward House than what Beth and Brian have written. We went with our 7 year old granddaughter who found the tour interesting especially seeing where those traveling to Canada on the Underground Railroad, staying in the basement. The gardens were so beautiful and well cared for that I wished someone would operate a tearoom, so we could have had afternoon tea there. This is a wonderful bit of history seeing this Seward House after touring the Harriet Tubman Home-farm. Mr Seward sold Harriet Tubman her farm and I was impressed with both of the two properties. Plan on entire day to see both historical places within a few blocks in Auburn.

How many times can you say FANTASTIC? Everything about this treasure is magnificent and the attentive staff and guides make you feel so at home and comfortable. Just a wonderful experience. Best place to visit in the City of Auburn.

Was pleasantly surprise when we had some downtime while in Auburn and decided to visit the Seward House. The AAA rate for the visit was only $10 each which was well worth it. Learned some history facts that was never mentioned to me in school. Beautiful house with lots of treasures given to Seward from around the world. Recommend that you take some time to visit.

This is an amazing museum!!! I had no clue how influential or important this man was before I visited the museum. My guide was a tall, strong and fine looking man with a remarkable intellect. He really brought the history of the man, the home, and the artifacts together in a perfect maelstrom of education and storytelling. Each room in the house had a unique feel, yet they all fit together as a whole. I loved how my handsome guide used the paintings and artifacts to illustrate the historical contexts and personal stories of the various family members and players. I would recommend this house museum to anyone looking for an enlightening journey through time. A pleasure for those interested in history or not!

Worst house tour I have ever been on in my life, and I have been on plenty. If I could give no stars, I would. The guide spoke fast, he carelessly handled the very old and priceless artifacts, his delivery was full of pantomime pausing and overacting and "wait for it" commands before he told us facts. He changed statistics as he went on. He laughed uproariously at the idea that someone had died. He told us over and over and over that Seward was filthy rich, hated his wife, and was pals with Lincoln. We knew he was rich, why he was and what he did with that wealth would have been more interesting. I have seen nowhere else that he hated his wife and spent has much time as possible away from her - the still existing letters suggest otherwise. The details of the relationship with Lincoln would have been far more interesting than the dropped-jaw astonishment that LINCOLN WAS HERE! The web site said he helped shape the nation - no information on that was forthcoming. Nothing about Alaska. Nothing about the underground slaves. He told us Seward drunk brandy without pause from 5.30 am till midnight - I don't believe it. He was dismissive of a question from another tourist (which we thought was an interesting question) I complained to the museum and they said "give your address and we'll give your money back". Not even an apology or "we'll look in to it". I told them to keep the money and spend it sending him to the various other museums round about with guides who know how it's done. A disgrace.