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    Banning Residence Museum

    4.3 (45 reviews)

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    The banning residence museum
    Sunday B.

    Amazing historical home! I learned so much about the port and the banning family, it was fascinating! Alice our tour guide was so knowledgeable and nice!!!

    Isobel L.

    My docent Alice provided an exceptionally informative and entertaning tour of this stunning home and museum. The Banning house is the only remaining Greek Revival style home in California; the other one burned down. How ironic that the fire alarms went off during my tour and all of a sudden three tall burly fireman were checking the property for any possible flames! Good to know that the alarms are working. The home has been decorated with many Banning family personal items and historically accurate pieces of family furniture. It feels like the family just happened to have stepped out for a moment and allowed you, the visitor, to wander through their home. It's a wonderful experience. There's a Visitor's Center with more information. Don't forget the Rose Garden and the stables. You'll learn a lot about Los Angeles history and the fascinating life of Phineas Banning, the Father of the Los Angeles Harbor. $5 suggested donation. Street parking.

    Shemei W.

    We were fortunate to have Alice as our docent- she provided us with an informative and engaging tour. (If you're reading this, Alice, thank you so much for a lovely time!) The Banning Residence is beautiful, especially around Christmastime with all the decor in the house. As other Yelpers have said, it is helpful to visit the Drum Barracks for a same-day tour before coming here. We went on the Drum Barracks tour and then came to Banning immediately after. We would've walked, as others have suggested, but it happened to be pouring today. Anyway, make reservations ahead of time- they keep tour groups small to be safe during these Covid times. Also, no pictures are allowed inside the residence, but we took mental snapshots of the beautifully decorated rooms and unique and original furniture pieces. So glad we visited and learned more about the history of these parts! We'll definitely be back for their events!

    Original sliding barn doors.
    Lianne K.

    I didn't grow up in Southern California. Had I, I'd probably have learned a little something about Phineas Banning before last weekend. Considered "The Father of the Port of Los Angeles", Banning played a significant role in many aspects of L.A.'s development in the 19th century. Dear Hubby and I received an amazing tour of the Banning House (really a four story mansion). It was just the two of us, guided by a very knowledgeable docent. She brought to life the setting of the era, including living conditions, politics, amusements, and transportation options. Not only did Phineas establish the Port of L.A., he also founded the town of Wilmington. He built the first railroad in the Southland, as well as numerous other endeavors, like a candle factory. His entrepreneurial successes allowed for the construction of his stately home, for which he likely also served as its architect. In a time of wide-spread Californio ranchos with their single story adobe homes, the Greek Revival mansion would have been a standout. The Bannings entertained frequently, bringing together important people of the day. Fortunately for modern day visitors and history lovers, the Banning descendents sold the house and grounds to be maintained as a park and museum. On the museum grounds, a large barn houses carriages and their gear. A school replica is part of the complex, too. The rose garden, with its ancient wisteria vine, were a great place to relax and absorb the overall vibe after our tour. Another highlight of the tour is in the walk-out basement. An extremely well done series of exhibits depict the history of the Port's development from tidal flat to major shipping hub. Depiction of rail lines and other transportation methods of the times complement the displays. Took a long time to discover this gem, but glad we got to experience it. They offer a community event in the summer to celebrate Phineas Banning's birthday, which sounds like fun. We might check it out.

    Jean L.

    I've been living in the South Bay area and never knew about this wonderful piece of history until last week at their Holiday Open House event. Free self-guided tours of the residence. I learned a lot about Mr. Banning and how Port of LA came to existence. The open house event was lovely as all the staff members and volunteers dressed into specific era of history. Complimentary trolley rides were available as well as tasty snacks. I also enjoyed the local mom & pop vendors in the back courtyard. I love to support local businesses! There's a railroad/train exhibit on the 1st floor and that was neat to visually see the transportation logistics of goods and such. There was another building to watch a historical video. Small, but beautiful rose garden in the back. Since I was in a time crunch, I breezed through everything in an hour, which is definitely NOT enough time. I vow to be back again to reach each placard. Limited hours for tours. Suggested donation of $5, which I'd happily donate when I come back.

    Grounds - special event booths
    Jenn J.

    I've lived in LA for over 15 years and had never heard of the Banning Museum. This weekend, we visited for the first time with our toddlers during a Christmas event and had a blast. The event, grounds and facilities far exceeded our expectations - we planned to be there for 30 min but stayed for almost 2 hours! That's a LONG time for little people ages 1 and 3 - speaks volumes for how many different things there were to do on our visit. GROUNDS Green as far as the eye can see... er, well, green for a pretty impressive stretch that the eye can see. The museum property includes large swaths of green grass and about half a dozen buildings (visitor center, main building, auxiliary building, etc). The grounds are fenced in, enveloping the better part of a very large block. Beyond the fence, there is yet more greenery as the property borders another large park, named Banning Park & Recreation Center. This is definitely a gem within a neighborhood of mixed quality. HOUSE The Banning House is a handsome white Victorian house of grand scale. While it looks impressive in pictures, it is even nicer in person. The experience is pretty immersive as you enter the house up these steps, walking away from a very large grassy quad full of tall old trees. Unlike the Civil War Museum just a few blocks away, this house isn't sitting in a modern neighborhood with track housing and Toyota Corollas parked on the sidewalk. The basement of the house hides a modern transportation museum that has informative panels describing old locomotives, horse carriages, steam trains, sailed ships, cargo ships, etc. Again, my boys were drooling at all the cool models figurines. SPECIAL EVENTS We came for a special event where there were gentlemen and ladies dressed in fine Victorian garb. They spoke in character with old English and told us how to use old everyday items within the house. Very neat for kids who only see this kind of thing in books and on TV. There was also a couple of horse draw carriages - my toddlers were so excited they cried when our rides were over. Carolers and choirs sung Christmas favorites. Food and craft vendors sold lunch, snacks and knickknacks. Only bad experience we had: We were waiting 20-40 min in very long lines for the special event horse carriages. I didn't mind the orderly wait but only complain about the staff not doing anything when a non-English speaking family of 6 walked up to us at the front, shoved us and cut in when it was our turn. Staff watched it all and didn't say a thing. I didn't vote for Trump but I was seeing red and looking for the DEPORTATION POLICE!

    Adriana K.

    Finally got a chance to visit the Banning Residence during their Annual Victorian Christmas Open House. I love a chance to get dressed up and tour historic places... and in the LA area, there are only so many of these that survived. The house was beautiful. The Bannings were a prominent family at the time of the Civil War, so the museum gives you a sense of that lifestyle and time period. I wish I could have posted photos, but they do not allow pictures to be taken in the house. It was decorated for the holidays and I fell in love with how elegant everything was. The museum captured a moment in history, even if not everything is original to the location. The tour reminded me of a plantation home that I toured in the south. The docents working that event didn't really know how to answer a lot of our questions, and said we needed to come back for the full tour instead of the self guided walk through. They have a gift shop and historic museum/displays under the house and a barn and schoolhouse in the back. Just a few blocks away is the Drum Barracks military Civil War museum, which you should also check out if you are in the area. They are a part of the Passport to History group, so make sure to buy your booklet and collect your sticker from both museums! With respect to the Victorian Christmas Open House. I highly recommend keeping an eye out for this and other similar events at the location. While they did not have a lot of booths, I spent more than I expected because they had really good stuff. They had horse drawn carriages that took you back and forth to the Drum Barracks, ornament making in the barn, working blacksmith, historic dancers, letters to Santa in the Schoolhouse. It was super cute. My mom LOVED it.

    Raffle winner!! Candlelight dinner for 10 in the Banning home.
    Lorraine B.

    The Banning Museum is one of my favorite historic homes to visit in California. My first time visiting was on a school field trip when I was in Elementary school over 40 years ago. When my daughter was in Elementary school, I took her to visit the Banning Museum and she fell in love with the home just like I did. We have been back to visit during their Victorian Christmas and I have been back many times with other friends and family to share this beautiful home with them. I attended their mother daughter tea several years back and won the raffle which was dinner for 10 in the Banning house. This is the only time the Banning Museum has ever done this, and I won!! The dinner was a 3 course candlelight meal in the dining room at the table that belonged to the Banning family. This was one of the greatest experiences for me and one I will never forget. The Banning Museum holds a special place in my heart that goes back over 40 years ago on my school field trip. If you're in California or visiting, make sure to stop by and tour this beautiful home. The docents are very informative and friendly, and I am sure you will fall in love with the home just like I did.

    Teej T.

    I may definitely be a bit biased, but this place is an INTENSE throwback to childhood, and far too much of my adolescence. Years before I found out that I wanted to spend the rest of my life teaching history and sharing the crazy joy of the past with people in the present, I found myself drawn to the Banning Residence Museum. The BRM is housed in a mansion built in 1864 by Phineas Banning, founder of the Port of Los Angeles, and one of the original builders of the American Los Angeles that flourished in the early twentieth century. The mansion is a singular example of the elegance of spacious and expansive Greek Revival Architecture, and is a stark contrast of Victorian elegance in the midst of the economically depressed harbor community in Wilmington. BRM is surrounded by a massive community park, and part of me is immensely amused by the historical juxtaposition of a stately mansion surrounded by a very urban park, with men hawking ice creams and teenagers playing soccer. Here's where the crazy nerdy side of Teej's life come into play. As an eighth grader, at the age of thirteen, I decided I wanted to be one of the many docents, or tour guides, that volunteer at the BRM. As I am not a female retired teacher over the age of 55, I immediately fell out of their demographic brackets, but the volunteer committee felt that it'd be an okay experiment to allow a thirteen year old to join the staff of volunteer tour guides. And that's how I found myself at the age of thirteen, wearing polo shirts, khakis, and loafers, walking up and down narrow staircases, and booming information about the history of the Port of Los Angeles, in my squeaky adolescent voice telling all about the story of the building of L.A. and the intimate family matters of all the inhabitants of the mansion. I spent two weekends a month as a docent, the only young man of color in a sea of older white female retirees, dispensing information wrapped in a compelling narrative to entertain whatever people would be foolish--i mean AWESOME--enough to enter the museum. I have countless awesome memories of this neighborhood location as I walked up and down staircases, showing someone else's home to people, telling silly anecdotes about Victorian California life, and making the overall history of the area. The Victorian Christmas every year is spectacular--imagine the three story home filled with gaudy period-appropriate decorations, Christmas carolers, a strange woman playing the harp--it's an amazing, all encompassing experience. Finally, I left and went off to college in San Diego, saying goodbye to the South Bay and my weekends at the mansion. However, the next summer I had the opportunity to work with the Getty Museum as an intern at a local cultural site. I picked--you guessed it--the BRM, and was rewarded by working as a curatorial intern, preparing prints to be reframed, catalogued, and cleaned before being hung back in the mansion. It may not interest you, but this crazy, afro-headed intern got to blast music in an old nineteenth century bedroom, working on old photographs and mass produced print art with latex gloves. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a summer. Today, I think fondly of the BRM, it's kitschy charm, and it's pleasantly inviting welcome from its white colonnaded porch, a historical landmark in the midst of the L.A. Harbor.

    Victorian Christmas at the Banning Museum
    Erika J.

    ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! A hidden gem! A must see for historical & architectural fanatics! I can't wait to visit this beauty again soon. Besides a very rude and grumpy male volunteer, the location and experience was something to treasure. I loved it!

    Banning Museum Annual Valentines Day Tea 2019
    Simie S.

    Banning Residence Museum is a most to see. If you enjoy history this is the place for you. They have so many wonderful events to enjoy. Victorian Christmas, Valentine's Day Tea ( the best in south bay) Wisteria Regale, Phineas Bannings birthday and lectures. Been to them all and had a great time. Check out their website for up and coming events.

    Queen Victoria travels across the pond and through time to visit the Bannings at Christmas!
    Bryan W.

    Banning Residential Museum caught my attention by offering a two day "Very Victorian Christmas" on 12/7/2013 and 12/8/2013 where the property is buzzing with re-enactors in period dress (including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert), Carolers, a holiday mule-drawn trolley, hot apple cider, and kids activities. Throughout the Christmas holidays all of the 23 rooms in the Victorian mansion are decorated. Opportunity to learn about life in the 19th century which is a lot rarer in California than on the East Coast. And all this was FREE!!!

    Front of the house

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    8 years ago

    Great place! So much to see. Come for the Christmas celebration. Worth taking a tour and visiting the grounds. Like stepping back in time.

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    8 years ago

    Victorian Christmas is a must; horse carriage rides from the Banning museum to the Drum Barracks is fun, but early arrival suggested!

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    Ask the Community - Banning Residence Museum

    Do they by any chance do weddings?

    You would need to contact Michael Sanborn Banning Museum Director his contact # 310-548-7777. He can answer any question you may have on events at the museum. I can send ya some photos of weddings that have been held there.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Banning Residence Museum

    They offer a community event in the summer to celebrate Phineas Banning's birthday, which sounds like fun.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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