I stopped in for a tour last week and unfortunately they were only having self-guided tours where you had to scan each QR code with your phone for the details. But the history of the home, the Bellamy family and enslaved workers were fascinating. The home is beautiful. I want to return around Christmas time for a guided tour. read more

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We did the self guided tour of the mansion and slave quarters. The original building that had the space for the slaves was quite remarkable. It gave a glimpse into how life for them really was. Very eye opening. The mansion was large and had very unique elements. It was interesting to go in all the rooms and see the lifestyle. The children's floor was interesting too. The kids were given a lot of space to live and play. We also enjoyed walking through the gardens. If you are in the downtown area, take in a visit. We went in August, and the top floor of the mansion and the building for the slaves was very hot. We couldn't stay in there long. It is worth a tour, admission is a little high, but it keeps the museum going. read more

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This is worth the $15 self tour or $20 guided tour admission. The home is very well kept after several restorations. The slave quarters were difficult to tour, especially juxtaposed to the grand, spacious and opulent mansion. All of the stories are well-documented since there were memoirs. The history, even some of the ugly parts, are shared on the markers. We spent a good amount of time touring the place, and it was very beautifully decorated for Christmas during out visit. Picturesque. read more

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The Bellamy Mansion has a layered history. The architecture is grandiose in the main building, and you can see how some of the building was made in a few exhibits that expose the layers. You will learn a lot of details with the guided tour which I recommend. We toured yesterday, and our guide explained details you wouldn't get otherwise; you can also get a behind the ropes view of a few normally off limits areas. The Christmas decorations this time of year put a unique element of decor into the space; whomever decorates does a phenomenal job layering unique elements; take a look at the themes of each room. The mansion has been restored well and thoughtfully after fires and deterioration in years past. The non profit Preserve North Carolina owns it currently. read more

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We really enjoyed the guided tour of the house and property last Sunday. We were able to see all of the floors from bottom to top. Excellent guide! We toured multiple houses that weekend and Bellamy was the best tour. read more

Bellamy Mansion Museum - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Tip: (12/19/24) Thursday to the weekend I believe there will be no entry fee and there will be a little holiday special-- so call and ask to confirm! It's an amazing piece of history-- the house itself was crazy to see its architecture and Dean the tour guide was so nice showing us the windows of the house and how they are so unique. We did a self tour and I feel like $15 for a tour was a bit steep for something that takes about an hour to get through but it was still worth a trip. I think the guided tour would have probably been worthwhile although it was more expensive. read more

Bellamy Mansion Museum - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I enjoyed seeing how amazingly opulent the rich lived back in the day. I hadn't seen a slaves quarters like this one before. There is a lot of history in this house. It's definitely worth the trip - especially since the last family occupant and an escaped slave wrote memoirs. The stories you get are true! read more

I loved visiting this mansion. There is so much history within the grounds. I was in awe the whole time. The grounds are incredibly maintained and the house is in various stages of repair. It was fascinating to see firsthand how people lived back in the 1800's and read the stories of all the amazing people who lived and served on the grounds. I am grateful history has been capture there as it is so important to remember. The tour guides were darling, all volunteers who were eager to talk and answer questions whether you are on the guided tour or a self directed one. Parking was easy in the side lot. Pay inside at the visitors center before touring the grounds. read more

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The Bellamy Mansion offers self guided tours on your smartphone and QR cdes so you can tour at anytime rather than on the hour like the other historical houses. This house does have a free parking lot so that makes it convenient to visit. Again, the house is not handicap accessible for tours but they do offer a video of the history for those that cannot use the stairs and there are a lot of stairs. The antebellum house was built in 1861 and is the largest of the three homes at 10,000 sq feet. It has a few architectural styles from Greek Revival to Neoclassical to Italianate. The buildings you can tour are the carriage house; urban slave quarters and the 22 room mansion. I preferred the guided tours over this self guided one as I like the interaction and hearing the docent explain the history. The self guided tour did provide some of that and hearing the stories of the black craftsman who built the house and seeing the deplorable conditions they lived. I'm glad this aspect was included instead of trying to be covered up. I did enjoy going up to the Belvedere as that wasn't a feature I've seen before and it had great views. Dr. Bellamy's money did not come as a physician but from his plantations where they made tar, pitch and turpentine. One years profit paid for the Bellamy Mansion. The upper floors do not have much if any furnishings. The gardens that go around the house are nice. The mansion provides a good bit of history but I'd take the guided tour if offered. read more

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One of my favorite things we did in Wilmington! Beautiful and informative home - learned so much about the history of the family and area. The slave quarters were really interesting - especially since so few still exist like this. Definitely a place you must visit if you're in the area and have the time. read more

Had such high hopes due to the outside, but what a let down inside, has no Personality as compared to homes Like Poplar Grove, Burgwin - Wright etc. The one thing I did appreciate was the slave quarters being preserved. If you see the Burgwin-Wright Home you can skip this place all together. read more

Wonderful guides. Beautifully decorated for the holiday season. Historic space worth the visit.

I have been to the Bellamy Mansion for two occasions. One was for a wedding and the other for an overnight paranormal experience The wedding held outside was absolutely beautiful and a lovely place to have a wedding. The mansion itself is really not that interesting. It is 4 floors and the top one was the children's floor. That was interesting to see. It is very active as far as paranormal activity which is cool. Just touring during the day I would probably give 3 stars, but I have 4 for my experience at the ghost hunt. read more

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My friends and I loved spending the afternoon learning about some of the Wilmington history. We did the self guided tour and it was nice. read more

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This was an enjoyable day at the Bellamy. We did the guided tour with the audio. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. What I like about that is you can hear the tour anywhere you are. The house history was interesting. The rooms had artifacts in them. The tour gave me great incite on everything going on in that period of time. There was art, stories, and opportunities to learn alot about a typical day living in the Bellamy Mansion. Place is well kept. Location is walkable and close to the shops and fun of Wilmington. It's totally worth the visit! read more

Bellamy Mansion Museum - Bellamy Mansion - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

An impressive ante-bellum home in Wilmington, built in the pre-civil war era when slavery was still extant in North Carolina, the the exhibits are heavily weighted to denigrate the original owner for his extensive holdings dependent on slave labor. With emancipation, the economic foundation in the Deep South was overturned, but nothing in the mansion's exhibits address the challenges of a freed populace -- largely illiterate -- handed rights of freedom which they were ill equipped to exercise responsibly. This was the challenge of post-Emancipation, and on all sides they struggled to make it right. Finally the existing white power structure threw up its hands in frustration to deny blacks any participation in public life. read more

My wife and I stopped by the Bellamy Mansion during our vacation in Wilmington to take in some history and enjoy the tour. First of all huge shoutout to our guide Scott. He was clearly passionate about the history of the home and family and it poured out as he told us about it during the tour. Scott took something that was already interesting and engaging and made it that much better, he's a real asset to the team. The mansion is seeped in rich history and just walking through the house you can feel it all and take it in. It was a moving experience and really worth the cost, I'd highly recommend checking it out if you're ever in the area. read more

Very interesting history and beautiful architecture. Love learning and seeing a piece of the past

A piece of history. I don't necessarily "enjoy" visiting plantations but I did it for the sake of my children so they can learn American history. We walked through in about an hour and a half for the self guided tour. I have been to the Whitney plantation in New Orleans so it gave me a point of reference for comparison. read more

This place was great!! We visited on a weekday in March so it was not crowded. There is a small free parking lot in the back in of the property off the main street to park your car that they share with the building behind them so look for that. Once you enter the grounds, follow the signs to the farthest away brick building that is the gift shop. There you can pay your admission, get your sticker, and they provide a scan code for your phone so you can play the recorded guided tour on your phone as you walk around. Don't skip this part, the recorded audio is essential while you are here. Otherwise you will just wander through the property aimlessly and miss so much!! The audio is super helpful in learning about all the history of this home. Inside the main house was a delightful docent, a retired gentleman and his friend that answered some questions we had about the house. I don't want to give anything away about the history of the home, you will have to visit for yourself, but is truly fascinating for sure. This was definitely a pleasant surprise for us and so glad we were able to visit. Note: You will be walking up MANY flights of stairs during this tour so if you are with some that struggles with stairs, don't bring them. read more

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Self guided tour was well marked and included QR codes with audio. Nice touch. We loved hearing the dialog. Provided free wifi! We took our time and spent 60-70 min, beautiful March weather. read more

We wanted to do something a little different, and decided to stop by the Bellamy Mansion, such an awesome experience. When we paid we were given the option of a self guided tour on audio, paper, or have a tour guide. Thanks to the COVID - 19, there were a few tour guides who seemed eager to show us around. Normally we like to explore and learn on our own, but by stepping outside of our comfort zone, we learned so much and had a great experience. A lot of history, beauty, and an overall amazing experience. Our tour guide was John, who did a phenomenal job. Incredibly outgoing, knowledgeable, and told the story of the house and family as if it were his own. Highly recommend!!! read more

I visited on a Sunday at 2:30pm. It was not crowded. I did the self guided audio tour. It was very thorough and organized. It took you through each room of the house as well as the slave's quarters. It was very informative and I enjoyed learning about the history. They have guided tours and I wish I had done one, but missed the last one of the day. Wilmington is rich in history and I would highly recommend you check this out. read more

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If you are in wilmington stop by and do a self guided tour of this place. Very affordable and you can enjoy at your own pace. great photo opportunities read more

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Recommend you take earbuds so you can enjoy the self guided tour. My wife reads reviews and thinks ahead so we shared hers. It was nice to walk around while listening to the tour and take our time. It is a beautiful home with so much history. I highly recommend it. read more

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Happened to stop in for a self guided tour during a time when people were taking down Christmas decorations. No one got in our way or was loud. One employee even explained one of the rooms we happened to find ourselves in. I love history and learning about how the people lived during that time in that house was so cool to me. read more

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Very interesting historical tour that you can follow at your own pace on your own phone by YouTube audio or by written handout. It is not a large property, but be prepared to climb a lot of steep stairs in the residences to be able to see everything. The good news is that there's several places to sit and rest or just enjoy the scenery. There's a great little gift shop on site, too, and friendly, helpful staff. Don't forget to sign the guest book. read more

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Tour guide BethAnn is the best! Her extensive knowledge of the home, the Bellamy family and Wilmington in general are beyond impressive. Her anecdotes and stories are shared in such a way that, at times, I felt as if I was cast back 100 years to experience what life was like back then. The 90-minute paid tour is a must for anyone truly interested in immersing themselves in Wilmington's rich history. read more

We had a great visit and volunteer was very helpful! I highly recommend! Beautiful day to visit!

I went here with my friends while on vacation and absolutely loved it! We bought the 3 house pass in order to see all 3 house museums, the Bellamy, the Burgwin-Wright, and the Latimer. It was well worth the $30 cost. Our tour guide, George was a long time volunteer (20 years!) and he knew everything! I will say that he is not the best choice if you are in a rush because the tour took almost 2 hours but the history nerd in me thoroughly enjoyed it! He had so many interesting stories about the house and the people who lived there. If you are in Wilmington, I definitely recommend this museum! read more

This was a great museum to visit. Everyone wants to be able to see into an amazing plantation house you could only dream to live in! Cheap price--$10 for being a college student and she didn't fret when I said I didn't have my ID on me. We did the audio tour, which kinda sucked. I wished we had done a tour with someone so we could tailor the tour to us and ask questions. Either way, it was a great piece of history to visit. I wish the house itself had more stuff in it because it seemed so empty! The slave quarters was interesting to see, but I also wish more information was provided. read more

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Great experience in this historical and beautiful house. Came in for a nightly event where we were able to explore the house untethered and it was very interesting to read the family histories and see pictures from an age long gone. Highly recommend that you get over to see it I was surprised to see that people that live close to it have never stopped in. read more

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This should be must see. The guides in the house were the best. The history about this house was so interesting ! Every historical aspect of the family and its history was fascinating. read more

Great self guided tour. The art gallery was also a nice touch. My family and I enjoyed our visit on Sunday morning after breakfast. If you like history, architecture, and or art this is a great spot to visit. read more

We bought a combo package of this tour and the Wilmington water tour tour it was worth it. But I don't think I would come here just for the mansion. I think we should have done the mansion tour but we missed the cutoff time. We walked around all levels on our own. I think the most memorable part was the slave quarters and how we used to treat our fellow man. We need to be reminded of where we came from . read more

I just had the displeasure of visiting. My first steps inside this evening 12/22/2018 about 6pm, in the first room with a ~50 year old white woman who's name I wish I got, is explaining a little bit of the mansion's history - all is well. We're beginning to exit and she blurts out OH MY GOD I ALMOST FORGOT! Do not miss the slave quarters, its amazing! So my blood is boiling because she's talking about slave quarters with a smile on her face like she's telling us to stop by the gift shop on the way out and its sooooo very disrespectful to me. Maybe i'm thin skinned. Maybe its me being the only black woman standing in room full of white people. I don't know. But I'm so mad I could smack her across the face. We're just about out of the room when she says it really is very nice. And I quote at a loud enthusiastic volume "IT IS THE TAJ MAHAL OF SLAVE QUARTERS!" It had windows! No, it was the slave quarters of slave quarters where slaves lived and died,after a lifetime of hard work - by force. Wipe the smile off your face and bring your voice down a few octaves and show. Some. F*cking. Respect. When you're talking about them. Those are "amazing" slave quarters I will never see on account of that lady. Absolutely do not recommend. read more

What a lovely tour! And an absolutely gorgeous home. They don't have a lot of furniture because they want your focus to be on the architecture, but what they do have in there is original to the family...pretty cool. They also have one of the only original urban slave dwellings in the country. I was in town for the Navy Birthday Ball and had some time to kill before my hair appointment. This did just the trick. Educational AND interesting. I can't get over how cute Wilmington is! I want to move to this town! read more

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Free parking at the house! Bring your headphones for the audio tour!! So glad we did- great customer service and easily to follow audio tour. A lot of information given. House is interesting and enjoyable. Not a long tour either. Lots of stairs and I can't imagine bringing small children. The Belvedere and the porches were my favorite. read more

My husband and I were driving around the downtown area when we came across the Bellamy Mansion. It is open to the public and for $10 per adult, you can tour all 5 levels on a self-guided or guided tour. The tour lasts 45 minutes and starts with a 10 minute video. Each tour starts at the top of every hour. We were impressed to see each level. We were really impressed with the architecture of the 1800s. Overall, it was interesting and a nice tourist attraction. read more

Bellamy Mansion Museum - View of Bellamy Mansion - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

We walked by this place a few times on our trip to Wilmington and every time I always looked up at it in awe so finally on Saturday afternoon we stopped in for a tour. Tours are $10 per adult. At first were were going to do the self guided tour but before the movie portion started we were told there would be a guided tour as a larger group showed up wanting one. Really glad we took the guy up on that! He said he didn't normally do the tours there but WOW was he a fountain of knowledge! (Not too bad on the eyes either) Though the house is not as fully furnished as I expected I was amazed at how well preserved the true antebellum architecture was given what has happened to this house over the years. Rarely do you ever get to tour EVERY level of a home like this but we saw it all. Basement level all the way up to the look out deck above the third floor. I could image how great the pamoramic view must have been (till the church was built and block the view of the port). A rare piece to this home is that the slave quarters was still the orginal building. Usually these are recreations as original structures have been torn down. If you are an architect nerd or just love history go check this house out. As we were leaving there was a wedding being set up for that was going on that evening. I think this would be a wonderfully romantic spot for a wedding. Almost wanted to wedding crash just to check it out! read more

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