james j hill house

1Bustrav

This was an interesting tour but it was very annoying for the guide to constantly say "this can be seen on the nooks and crannies tour"I understand she wanted to sell this but Nooks & Crannies tours are offered June-August so it was a bit annoying to repeatable hear about something unatainable

diane_StPaul

Walking down the grand staircase gave one the real feeling of what it must have been like to be one of the Hill daughters. It is truly impressive in both size and opulence.

Rod_Minnesota

Well-led tours (MN Historical Society representatives). Beautifully preserved home which is continually well-managed by the MN Historical Society. Would recommend a little online research before going - to help you understand the large influence James J. Hill and his family had on shaping commerce here in Minnesota and throughout the western states (Great Northern Railroad). Great stories of the everyday goings-on of a household of this type and interesting security precautions built-in to the homes design.Go! Allow yourself 2-3 hours (or more) Imagine yourself in another era (it's easy to do here).

LASS4

From the pipe organ to the kitchen, there is so much to see here and to learn. Even our young grandchildren were fascinated by the place. Hill is a very interesting man to hear about.

LincolnD_12

The history of James J Hill's influence on the growth of St Paul and the expansion of the railroad is, in itself, well worth exploring. The home on Ramsey Hill is a close-up experience of what life was like for this family. Small group tours, reasonably priced, and well-informed tour guides make this a worthwhile stop. Plan to spend about 90 minutes.

1livd

The house is beyond beautiful with the most gorgeous stairway! Good information for history buffs as well as architectural geeks. The tour guides are great and you are not rushed through. Very neat to see!

830kimberlyk

This was one if the most beautiful houses I have ever seen. I really enjoyed the tour, tickets were reasonable priced, and very educational for people of all ages.

Valora24

It was all dressed up for Christmas! What a beautiful house. I liked the beauty of the Christmas decorations!

kristylouise78

Must see for a history buff. Gorgeous woodwork. Great tour guide as well. Interesting story of this large family.

EngelkingCGMN

The tour was really first rate, our tour guide was very educated about the history of the home and family. For such a huge home, I was surprised at how much of the home we were able to see. The tour took 1 hour and 15 minutes and we moved pretty quickly. I have been on some tours where it seems like you only see a small portion of the property. This is one of the 26 sites that are part of the Minnesota Historical Society. As a member (about $100 for the year for a family), my daughter and I got free admission to the tour. We came for the standard tour (they have special events scheduled periodically) and the only downside was that there wasn't really anything interactive so it didn't really hold my 7 year old's attention.

travelingqueenbee

This is a massive house to tour. It displays the wealth as well as the thrift still of some of the wealthiest people of the time. Hill was ahead of his time with engineering the house and the tour talks about the construction and the life of the house. Very interesting to take visitors to and showcase MN roots. Well worth spending an afternoon in St. Paul.

219Marie

We toured the James J Hill house. It was very interesting and helped us better understand the history of Mn. What was disapointed was that the only language offered for the tours was English. If your english is not good, you will not understand too much. Pre recorded tours in foreign languages should be available.

katdod50

After attending a fabulous Don Irwin piano concert in the art gallery, the historical society staff gave us a guided tour (evening) of the home. The concert price included refreshments and the tour. The guide was very informative and pleasant. We got a real 'feel' of what it was like to live in the home in the evening, as the lighting duplicates how the home was lit when the Hills lived there. Photos of the interiors are in nearly every room and the historical society is slowly replicating every furnishing. The wood carving is spectacular in several areas of the home. The concert was a very intimate way to use and enjoy the mansion. We will watch for other events like this and go again!

seang25

I did the Holiday tour where actors take you through the house as servants. I was expecting a dry historical tour, but I got a delightful surprise. The actors were excellent, it was almost like walking through a Downton Abbey episode with real history about the Hill household. The house and the history are fascinating.

215lindseyt

Our family got a guided tour by Carol Reed and she was fantastic! The Hill House is spectacular and Carol really knew her material. We totally enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot!