Victoria Mansion

I went for their Christmas event and it was so worth it! The employees were so informative and you can tell they’re very passionate about the mansion and its history. I learned a lot by talking to them. Parking can be a little tricky and it’s in a congested area of the city, so come early to find street parking. I found a free section of street parking about two blocks away.

Visited during the 2025 holiday season. Decorations were beautiful throughout. Self guided tour with knowledgeable docents in each room of the house. We all enjoyed it and learned so much about the unique features of this gorgeous home.

Absolutely go see this gem! Lovingly restored and kept, the workmanship is incredible. The decor is lavish. The docents were all so knowledgeable and friendly; and shared so much interesting information that really brought our visit over the top. We spent about an hour here. Be sure to ask about the restoration of the smoking room; specifically the fabrics. It’s an amazing story.

Christmas is a great time of year to visit the decorations are very festive and done by local artists. A few were a bit over the top. Some of the volunteers were very friendly and knowledgeable. Watch out for Judy greeting at the door. She yells at everyone when they enter. The rules are completely expected and understandable but the way she spoke to us as if we were “naughty children” was inappropriate.

This was a lovely mansion located close to the Old Port. It's standouts were the ceilings and glass inserts on the doors and windows. Its an hour guided tour. The docent was very informative and friendly. We toured the first two floors. The mansion was well kept. It was fun and interesting.

I took a guided one-hour tour in September 2025 -- Our group was small and the wait short. The mansion is exquisitely decorated with detailed wall paintings and ornate, elaborate, well-preserved fixtures and original furnishings. Our docent -- Tom or John(?) -- was extremely well-versed and absolutely delightful in how he shared small details. At the start he stood on a small raised cement slab near the curb in front of the house and explained that the slab he was standing on was purposely placed there in the 1800's to make it easier to climb up into the carriages back in the day. True story! As we walked in front of the carriage house, he said if we listened closely enough we might be able to hear the faint clip clop of horse's hooves which passed back and forth over this very spot pulling carriages daily. I could almost hear it! Very enjoyable tour and an hour well-spent. Highly recommended if you find yourself in Portland.

When searching for things to do in Portland, we came across this. It is definitely worth a visit, as it is a Victorian mansion that you can view almost all of. All of the workers were very knowledgeable and friendly, and it was really neat to be able to see the main floor and the upstairs. The third floor was closed due to fire codes, but we saw a lot more than what you usually get to when you see an old house.

Nice and knowledgeable staff, and enjoyable touring the interior of this old mansion. Well preserved in its original state, and had some themed decorations in the floor area of some rooms, for Christmas. Very cool! Walked in and bought tickets, as opposed to buying online in advance.

What an impressive place to visit! The history is fantastic and I'm glad it didn't get torn down during the last 100 years. We bought tickets during Christmas time to also see the amazing decorations. At $20 a ticket it was a good deal. It is a self guided tour so you can spend as little or as much time as you want. They do have people stationed at certain spots where you can ask questions and they give you some history. It was a beautiful and def something worth trying at least once.

**November 2025: Friday Morning Visit** I saw that the Victoria Mansion was just a 10 minute walk from our airbnb and that Black Friday was the start of their Christmas overlay! It sounded fun and for $19.25 (Adult Admission) I was excited to see how they would implement the Nutcracker theme to the home. Guests enter through the gift shop and while we arrived at 10:10am or so I was really surprised at how many visitors they had checking out the home. As a National Historic Landmark, this summer home was created by Ruggles Morses, sometime between 1858-1860, and as a hotel entrepreneur Morses implemented many of the lavish hotel designs to it. The home itself is original and over 90% of the interiors and furnishings remain original to 1860, including furniture, carpets, draperies, textiles, which was really impressive. I think I spent about 45 minutes admiring all the home details and reading the placards, and there were friendly informative docents at pretty much each section of the home These photos don't even really do it justice, but the decorations were extremely elaborate and each room focused on a different act in the ballet - ie. Spanish Chocolates, Mother Ginger, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, etc. There was significant care given to each room. Overall, I had fun time!

Beautiful house for history lovers to visit. Despite the owners not being well-known. Their house was a great example of Victorian splendor (although Victoria herself had no association with the location, but still a great name - fun fact: they used the name to write to Buckingham Palace and got a painting from Victoria as a gift). Tours are pretty frequent, but I would still recommend buying tickets in advance in the summer. The inside is beautiful, and the tour guide went over the artwork, architecture, and furniture highlights. There is so much to look at that that eye doesn't have anywhere to settle. The walls were hand painted and some of the art was created with the space in mind. Both of the main families who lived here were discussed. It's lucky that so many of the original furnishings were recovered to accurately represent living here. It was very interesting to learn about these 19th century people and see a beautiful and thoughtfully planned interior space. Great for the history lovers, the art lovers, and people looking for an indoor activity to do together. Definitely a gem in Portland.

It really was breathtaking inside. Contains the last remaining murals of a famous artist and 90% of the original furnishings. I've toured many historic homes and was impressed with this one. It was worth the time and entrance fee.

This place has been on my bucket list for awhile now and I can finally check it off. I did buy tickets ahead of time and you may not have to, but I would recommend it. It is sooo pretty inside. The walls were hand painted. Our tour guide, forget his name, was wonderful. He had so much knowledge and was truly passionate. The tour was about an hour long but did not feel long at all. They also had a really nice gift shop with all sorts of things and an adorable cat on property! I would definitely recommend if you are in the area.

I've been waiting years to see their Christmas display and, finally!!! Yay !!! I grabbed four other friends to join me And it was extraordinary! The history: the beauty: each room with a theme from Maine designers: I loved everything about it, so plenty of pics for my Yelpers! Merry Christmas!

While my travels are usually heavy in food explorations and discoveries, I also like to take in the culture and history of wherever I'm traveling outside of food. My most recent trip to Portland was no exception, and after a little bit of research I discovered Victoria Mansion. The pictures online and the reading up I did on the place piqued my interest, so I purchased tickets and made plans to attend. As soon as I approached the house I was struck by the grandness of the house. We were directed over to the carriage house in the back that was converted to a gift shop so we can check in and wait for the tour to start. The house itself has an interesting history - I won't give away too many details but the house was passed to a few different families and has been a tourist attraction since the 1920s. The house is beautifully preserved and has such intricate details - there's a lot of eye candy to take in. The tour lasted around 45 minutes, and we finished back where we started so that we could do a little browsing in the gift shop. Staff was great and our tour guide was super knowledgeable; it was awesome learning about the history of Portland and take a deeper dive into the architecture of the mid-19th century. This was time well spent and would definitely consider it when planning one's itinerary.

we walk from the cruise terminal to the Victorian mansion, and when we got there, the unfriendly ticket agent told us that we could only go with a guide which would be in another hour. She said they only do self tours in the morning. I didn't see that in the website, so I was very disappointed and I didn't like her attitude and I really wanted to see that house and we were here just for the day not a way to make people that visiting your city feel good about wanting to come back

Lovely little mansion. What stands out at this mansion are the ceilings and glass work in the windows and doors. They were beautiful. This was guide tour only. The docent was very informative. You see only the first two floors. The third was used as the mansion's offices. It was an hour tour. I enjoyed the house and even found unique glass ornaments for Christmas at the gift shop.

The Victoria Mansion is beautiful, well kept and clean. The folks that work here are in almost every room to give you details, history, background to learn about this lovely home. These are the types of homes that take you back to 1858 and give you and idea of what life was like back then. From the call room to the parlor to the turkish themed cigar room. Super fancy and fun.

Nice tour of an incredible building. The wealth the family had to build it is amazing, and the painstaking restoration is remarkable. The tour was a little over an hour which was perfect. Our guide had a wealth of information to share. My only suggestion to them is to keep the groups to 6 guests. We started out with 6 and it was nice as we all fit in the rooms. 2 people arrived late, and then it was crowded to see everything.

Nice tour of Victoria Mansion with the tour guide. Lucky for us, it was a very small group that we ended up getting our own personal tour. While waiting for the tour, walked around the gift shop, where you can purchase items a souvenirs of your visit - books, cards, candles. soaps. Didn't know that there is a language based on the way one holds a fan...very interesting. Was able to get AAA discount with AAA membership card. It was a good tour, however, no picture taking was allowed during our tour in order to preserve the rooms, artwork, etc. I guess for others it was (or at least no flash photography)....

You will not leave disappointed. The history in this building is filled to the max. Well worth the time and fee to enter into the past.

Bottom Line: The architecture, furnishings and décor of this ornate museum are incredible but the tour format just doesn't do it justice. The Victoria Mansion is a magnificent 162 year old home that was technologically advanced for its time and ornately furnished. I enjoyed seeing the museum in person and I encourage those interested in architecture, history and lavish lifestyles to visit. Here are some of the reasons this historical home, originally belonging to Ruggles and Olive Morse, is amazing: - The Morse's summer home was finished in 1860 just before the Civil War broke out. While the average American lived in a simple structure without plumbing, the Morses enjoyed extremely modern conveniences of hot and cold running water, flushing toilets, central heating, gas light fixtures and a servant call-bell system. The home was purposefully built to be near Portland's sewers and gas lines. - Not only was the house functional but it was incredibly ornate! The fancy finishes include hand carved front doors and trim, hand painted walls, stained glass abound including a 25' foot long skylight, etched glass, novel plate glass, wall-to-wall carpet (very fancy for 1860) and lots of gold gaseliers and light fixtures. - 90% of the home original furniture and décor is in tact! Wow! Some historic homes I've visited didn't have any original furnishings left so 90% is incredible especially since the home was lived in by two families over a approximately 60 year period. - There were a few famous and significant names involved with the building and furnishing of this home. Henry Austin was the architect and the Victoria Mansion is considered one of the finest examples of the Italian Villa style in America. Gustave Herter was the interior designer and he was one of the most influential designers in the country during his time and this property is the only one of his projects that has survived. I guess he was the Chip and Joanna Gaines of his day. Most of the first and second floors of the mansion are part of the tour. The third story and tower cannot be toured by the public due to their being limited egress. Also, the kitchen is not part of the tour since there isn't any documentation on what it looked like. Drats, I sure do love a historic kitchen. It would be neat if there was a video or photos of what the off-limits spaces look like. Some parts of the home have not yet been fully restored yet. I appreciate this because it shows how much work, resources and time must go into a full restoration of each room. I also enjoyed learning about some of the restoration challenges like not knowing what the kitchen looks like or figuring out how to restore walls that are painted with water-based paint. The carriage house has been converted into a lovely gift shop and proceeds benefit the museum. I enjoyed looking at jewelry, ornaments, stationary, and other pretty little things. Non-flash photography per personal use is permitted and I included a few photos with this review but the pictures don't do the home justice. I was so thankful that I was able to get on the last afternoon tour on a Tuesday. Tour groups are limited to nine people and that felt like a few too many to me since the whole group could not necessarily fit in the same room where the tour guide was talking. Also, at times, it was hard to hear our masked tour guide especially when we were outside and when one guest was shockingly talking on his cell phone nearby. For those reasons, I think a handheld audio device and a self guided tour with a docent or two near by would be better but I understand that takes more resources. The sign of a good museum is when I leave feeling curious and wanting more and I certainly got that from Victoria Mansion. I have since been binging on all of the Victoria Mansion YouTube videos. The Victoria Mansion Tour (recorded 10/28/20) is my favorite because of the details and behind the scenes look. It is a lovely compliment, but not a substitute, to touring in person.

Absolutely loved this place. Really cool history and awesome architecture, furniture and art. Both the kids (9&15) enjoyed the tour. Check it out. Well worth the trip

Sumptuously decorated mansion paired with an informative tour. The Victoria Mansion is filled with intricate decorations and is in the process of being fully restored after a long period of neglect. Even in the mansion's partially-restored state, it is well worth a stop to see the opulence of each room. The tour guide provide plenty of information and was happy to answer questions. I would definitely recommend a stop at the Victoria Mansion for fans of old buildings.

Our tour guide Pat was very knowledgeable. She loves what she does and it shows. The detail in this house for the time it was build gave us the Wow factor! I totally recommend this venture. The inside of the house is beautiful and the way they've brought it back to life is simply amazing.

Fun visit with the family! If you have a love for Victorian homes this place is for you. It's breathtaking really. All the tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable. When we were welcomed in the gift shop the lady (visited on 12/29/22 @ 1pm) was kind of rude towards myself and family especially when she rudely asked us if we had masks. Her welcome really turned us off and others too as I witnessed while shopping in the gift shop. Hopefully someone in charge will see this review and speak with her regarding her lack of hospitality. Otherwise this place is worth checking out!

This mansion is know for it's architecture being on of the best in the states. Coulda fooled me ***military discount - FREE*** Thank God, because I wouldn't have paid $14. It was crowded and there was a tour guide who didn't even know who one of the accent art pieces in the room was. She asked another worker who said it was a nymph (totally not who my husband and I thought it was. She looked like the Virgin Mary). One the other tour guides I encountered was sitting down reading a magazine and when we asked questions about the room, she was less than excited to share. It felt really awkward. Not a placed if you don't like stairs or if you can't use them. As a millennial, not my thing.

absolutely fantastic tour by Enrich, very funny and knew every detail in the history of the house. definitely recommend visiting.

Super interesting and cool place to visit! It's a very small museum and a lot of the artifacts are not preserved. Expect to see a lot of "work in progress" pieces but overall still enjoyable! Our guide Patti was knowledgeable but I felt like she was rushing through the tour a little bit. However, she was open for questions and shared some of her own interesting opinions. Super enjoyed the tour and def will recommend anybody with some time to kill in this small city!

Well worth a visit. Take you about 30 minutes. Price is affordable. Would like to see audible tour added to it for thorough history. Beautiful decorated for holidays.

This is a must see. They're doing a great job to restore to the original furniture and decor. If you love history this is worth an hour of your time.

Victoria Mansion...owned be a guy name Ruggles Sylvester (Morse). Local history...now that's what I'm talking about! Factoid - Ruggles Morse's 10k sq. Ft summer Italianate brownstone Villa was sold to JR Libby for $20k in 1893 ! ! ! A must see for hunters of past treasurers. The Gustave Herter woodwork alone is worth the 45 min tour...simply spectacular. We paid AAA at $14 each. Family is $35. My only "beef" was that they had to many guests on our tour. We had about 13 people which was about 5 to many. It's worth seeing....but with less people.

Our guide (Linda) was excellent. Place was magnificent except that the third floor was kept close to the public. This place is worth the drop by if you're in town.

This was a wonderful place to visit. The tour was very thought out and I love the attention to details that were pointed out in the house. Also all my questions were answered very well. The inside is beautiful and after the tour, I learned a lot about this house, but also learned about small details that can be found in other mansions like Victoria's mansion. Definitely worth a visit if you are ever in Portland!

Seeing this place made me feel as if I was back in Rhode Island touring a Newport mansion, when in reality I was right in Portland, Maine. There were small, intricate details everywhere you looked. Absolutely stunning! Forever obsessed with the library-room that needs to be seen in person (I took pictures, but wanted to not post an insane amount incase people wanted to visit). Definitely recommend seeing this beauty if you have the time and are in Portland.

Gorgeous Mansion with authentic and preserved furniture. The tour guides were extremely informative and helpful. The furniture are all polished and seems as though it was left the same from the old days !!! There are no pictures or touching allowed in the mansion. You'll probably spend about 30 mins here.

Completely worth a visit A pocket sized mansion built just before the civil war, the Morse-Libby House (aka the Victoria Mansion) is exquisite. The finest materials and craftsmen were put in the service of Gustave Herter - who later became one of the preeminent designers of the Gilded Age. Perhaps what I most enjoyed about the Victoria Mansion is the state of repair (or perhaps disrepair) it currently is in. The conservators are painstakingly going through room by room restoring the property and so you really see the effects of time. I also very much appreciated that almost all the furniture and other artifacts are original to the home. And that unlike some of the Newport properties the size of the home makes for a not so overwhelming experience. Lastly, we were on a tour of 8 people which while not unmanageable turned out to be two too many. A number of the rooms are roped off so that six and the guide fit in the space - we were constantly shuffling about so that the two 'leftover' people could see. We looked with envy at the person entering as we were leaving - she was the only person in her tour.

Ten stars for Victoria Mansion and that this is a true gem worth preserving. It's a tradition to go every year during the holiday season for many locals and I so appreciate it! Please do not let the following deter you from visiting this holiday because the house is still beautiful and they need our support to keep it here for generations to come 1 star for Christmas 2016. First of all, for some decorators there may seem to be a fine line between opulence and the garish. The Victorians enjoyed the former. Spinning party lights--there was one in the library hidden behind something, and while I was there other people commented on it as in what the heck are those moving lights on the back wall--have no place here. Hanging plastic snowflakes so that they obscure the stained glass skylight was another poor choice in my opinion. What is the deal with the large things that look like pond lilies in the library? Finally, I had to point out to the docent that one of the painted white branches of a display appeared to be touching the antique painting, and if it wasn't, maybe you could slip a piece of paper between it and the artwork. I don't think any artwork should be obscured or have something so close to it. There are other things that I personally found to be unattractive but only wanted to mention those that I felt really detracted from appreciating the house. Opinions vary and others may really like the very showy modern decorations like polyester batting spread on a floor to look like snow. I understand that the mansion does not create the holiday displays; instead select local businesses generously donate their time and decor. However, the mansion has final say and there are some things that in my opinion should not have been approved.

Wow. The things you learn. How the rich lived. Amazing. Try to miss getting behind a bus tour. Parking ok. Don't miss if you like Victorian era.

I lived a block away in '92-'94 and never went. Went up for a visit in 2017 and did the tour. Now, it's not a Newport Mansion by and standard, but it is still a damn fine tour, and lovely home. My favorite room was the smoking room! So small and red. Parking on street.

A must-see on any Portland itinerary. More than 90% of the house's interior, including furniture, fixtures, and more are originals from the mid-1800's, recovered from past owners' descendants. And a bonus is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable volunteer in every room. You can walk from downtown Portland.

I'm not going to lie, Portland was pretty boring and this tour helped take up an hour of my time for which I am very grateful. Beautiful, haunting mansion with tons of history. Over 90% of the house is original. Listening to our tour guide speak and seeing the actual pieces really transported me into the 1800s - I could almost see the former owners of the mansion living about their lives some centuries ago! Absolutely gorgeous and incredibly interesting. I wish we could've entered the third floor but unfortunately it is restricted. I'd absolutely recommend this tour, however I would not pay full price for admission. Check out Groupon for 50% off!

This place has incredible historical value to Portland, ME and overall American architecture and history. Interior are incredible and blow your mind with it luxurious masterpieces and furniture. I absolutely enjoyed the tour and the history of the place. The only reason I'm not fond of is that I wasn't allowed to take a picture. Anyhow, this place is a must visit to everyone who happens to be in Portland Maine. Another positive thing is it wasn't overcrowded with tourists which left the room to enjoy the architecture.

Liked the tour way more than I thought I would. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and the house is very well taken care of. I would strongly recommend stopping here when in the area.

This building was beautiful and jaw-dropping no matter where we looked. Absolutely beautiful woodwork that has been lovingly maintained all these years. Each room's pieces were amazing, and the restored walls and ceilings really brought out the beauty of the original intent of the designers. The chandelier in the grand hall is a work of art. The staff there are all extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Fee was only $14.00 with AAA, and a book of the house was only $15.00 at the gift shop. We even got to chat for a few minutes with a few of the women restorers, and we knew that this was also an act of love for them. Even they admitted to their surprise to the colors that emerged as they removed the years of age on the walls. Before you leave, drop some money into one of the donation boxes so that they can continue the restoration work; c'mon, it's not going to kill you.

This place is beautiful, and beautifully kept! Staff in polite and very knowledgeable! Couldn't have had a better visit! Would love to come again.

People, let me tell you; I am an old house enthusiast. I have toured house museums across the country, from South Carolina to Pennsylvania to Colorado. I've seen all sorts of houses in varying degrees of decay. Ya'll, I am serious about my old house touring habit. I'm a pro. This being said, I thought the Victoria Mansion was as good as it gets. This house is an incredible glimpse into grandiose 1850's living. Almost every article in the house is original, from the paint on the walls to the furniture to the stained glass in the windows. It's absolutely breathtaking. It's basically a baby Biltmore Estate, get excited.. It took about 50 minutes to tour the whole thing, it's worth every minute. Tour guide was very knowledgable and professional and answered every question. To all ya'll complaining about the price, quit it. Just quit it. It takes alot of money to upkeep such a gorgeous piece of American history. Suck it up, dish out your $15 and come see some of the finest architectural work up North.

Because we live in a historic district, we enjoy visiting historic places while on vacation. Victoria Mansion was amazing! Their guides were extremely knowledgeable about the history of the place and all the furnishings which for the most part are all original and if not they had taken the time and energy to make sure it was all period appropriate. There was on street parking which happened to be close and we highly recommend the tour.

Pretty, old Victorian-era mansion saved from a wrecking ball by good folks who cared about architectural legacy. Unfortunately, the mansion isn't quite restored or evolved enough to justify the outrageous price you pay to enter, $15 a head, $13 with a Triple-A membership. The entire third floor is closed and inaccessible to visitors, leaving the otherwise very small first and second floors to the self-guided visitors who pony up the entrance price. We visited on the opening day of the 2012 holiday season, and while the staff was friendly, none of them seemed prepared or trained to answer even the most basic questions. The management/leadership here appear to be M.I.A. when it comes to preparing the staff/volunteers to welcome visitors or explain what your fees are going to help with. Rooms are elaborately decorated during holiday time and while glitzy and pretty, not quite what you'd expect (or believe) was the norm in Victorian society, even among the wealthy. (Not sure the Victorian era crusted everything in electric Christmas tree lights and glittered-up faux roses and ornament balls). It was also apparent that most of the interior has yet to be refurbished or cleaned-up, with many walls and baseboards still in the condition they were in as the house lay empty and dormant for decades. Money seems to have been spent primarily on the exterior and period furnishings, which may be the right choice; though I'd be curious to know what sort of salaries the curators/director makes considering the pricey entry fees vs the site's overall condition. Yes, this mansion is a nice way to spend about 30 minutes, but while most folks prone to visiting sites like this would expect to receive a little context and background on both the property and its original inhabitants, none is offered. What you get is a smiling seasoned citizen at the door, anxious to collect your money, a pamphlet full of advertisements and rooms with signs shilling the local businesses who've paid for the craft store decorations adorning each room. We walked out feeling more like we'd been bamboozled by an old world snake oil salesman instead of getting a taste of Victorian Maine. Nothing very elegant or educational about that. :-(

This is so worth the cost of admission! First, they gave me the student discount (1/2 off) even though i left my college ID back in MD - this was so appreciated because i did not have the money to spend on a regularly priced ticket (not that its too much, i just didn't have it). This place was mesmerizing! So beautiful and authentic - 90% of its original status, both inside and out! They even had some of the original rugs from 1858!! The tour guide was a bit monotone, but so very knowledgeable and informative. I liked him! The tour is between 45min - 1hr long depending on your guide. You gotta see this place if you are in Portland!! Parking on Park Street is free 2 hour, so catch a shady spot and enjoy!

I wasn't quite sure what to think when I first stepping in to Victoria Mansion... I was there for a holiday work party for my boyfriend's job, and was more worried about being introduced to his coworkers & friends than I was about the fact that I was going to be in a mansion... but I stepped in to this incredibly elaborate & elegant venue and was blown away. The decor is GORGEOUS, and man oh man, the trees they had up for Christmas. I was so excited to poke around & take it all in. My biggest recommendation is that you MUST go around the holidays. The mansion basically rents out the different viewable rooms to local designers, is given a theme, and then the designer is basically allowed to decorate the room in whatever fashion they choose (as long as it fits the chosen theme, naturally). The museum staff were absolutely wonderful hosts to us, and they were so informative! I'm a bit of a knowledge junkie, so listening to people discuss how over 90% of the furnishings are original and the history of the family who lived there, was absolutely astounding to me. Since the holiday party, I've been back to the Mansion to tour around at my own pace, and it was just as wonderful an experience as the first time. And to think: It's just tucked away in little ol' Portland, Maine.

This is a nice tour of a very well-preserved Victorian mansion from the Civil War era. The house isn't too huge, so it only takes about 40 minutes to tour. Tours are a tad pricey at 15 dollars, but you can save a little money with your AAA card. The tour guide was an older man who told stories, showed pictures and generally made you feel like you were stepping back in time. He did a good job. I was a bit disappointed that the kitchen and servants' quarters of the house did not appear to have been preserved or restored, but the rest of the house was in great shape and fun to see, even with a slight distraction from some tents left in and around the house from some type of fundraising party the night before. (I would have rather the tent inside the house at least been taken down. How long does it take to remove a tent and if necessary put it back up? ) Although they advertise the house as being "preserved rather than restored", when you get inside you find that various things have been restored due to damage or rot over the years, particularly fabrics, carpeting and a glass ceiling that was damaged in a hurricane. The fact that some things were restored didn't take away from my enjoyment of the house, particularly since much of the house actually has been preserved, but maybe they should qualify the statement at the start of the tour since clearly "everything" in the house has not been preserved..

Leave it to your drunk husband to pick up random tourist pamphlets while waiting for your luggage at the airport. One of which was for the Victorian Mansion. We decided to do the tour. With our AAA card we even saved and both did the tour for $25 total. Yippee! The house was stunning and almost all of of the furniture was the exact same furniture that was in the house. The amount of detail that went into the house is simply amazing. It is a fun tour and not something one would expect to find in Portland, Maine.

We decided somewhat arbitrarily to knock this off our Portland activities short-list, and it was the final sightseeing venue. The tour is a bit pricey, but well worth it in my opinion. It was just me and the SO on the house tour and our guide was very knowledgeable and sweet. She had some interesting thoughts and opinions on some of the finer details, and this made the walk around the mansion more engaging. Definitely recommended if you're into period homes.

Good place to visit while in Portland if you're looking to do something different. It's normally pretty pricey ($15/person), but we bought a Groupon for a group of 4 for $30 which was a great deal. Although the house is gorgeous in its own right, it's not worth the full price tag. Taking pictures were not allowed at all which was kind of disappointing. We bought tickets on a Sunday and were told we had to wait 1 hour for the next guided tour, since they only allow 12 people max per tour. We already bought our tickets, so we were fine with waiting. The tour lasted for about 1 hour; it started from the outside of the house and moved to the first floor, and finally the 2nd floor of the house. the house itself is small for a "mansion." I've visited many victorian/colonial houses before, and although this house was interesting, it doesn't beat other places like the Casa Loma in Toronto. During the tour, we stood outside each of the rooms for 10 minutes at a time listening to our tour guide, Muffie, describe the rooms in detail. The highlight of the tour was our tour guide. She spoke passionately about the structure and design of the mansion, and it was hard to deny that this house was quite charming. Another nice tidbit is that 97-98% of the mansion is still intact from when the mansion was first built in the late 1800s. Love that this place is still preserved so well and history is being kept alive!

Pretty nifty...especially when I found out active duty military GET IN FREE! I was sold. An interesting and comprehensive tour, the docent seemed to be pretty knowledgeable on the history of the place all the way to the methods used in creating the coup d'oeil paintings all over. 90% of the furniture is original, so worth a look into the way the Victorian sub-culture lived. Crazy!

The Victoria Mansion is a beautiful gem in Portland Maine. Built just before the Civil War, by Ruggles Morse, a Maine native who made it big in the hotel industry- and wanted to show off!:) I was a volunteer tour guide here some time ago so bear in mind I'm prejudiced- but it's an amazing place. Went here with family for their annual Christmas event- it was like walking into a beautiful Victorian dream.