From the second you enter the massive front doors till the moment you exit through the rear you're eyes are over indulged with an overabundance of collectibles from around the globe. Precilla the guide did an outstanding job! You can tell she loves what she does. Best of all you're touring the home of a VERY eclectic family with WAY to much money to spend and to recoup their investment they've filled this place top to bottom with unusual collectible, antiques and un-namable items that you won't believe and charge us all to see it. Couples, families...young and old will ALL enjoy this fabulous old mansion. I'd say for the price this is a MUST do while in Charleston. Don't expect any applicable decorating tips :-) read more

This was such a pleasant surprise! We decided to tour this mansion on a rainy day when there wasn't much else to do in Charleston. It turned out to be one of the best things that we did on our trip. I highly recommend taking the tour with the curator of the mansion - I can't remember his name, but he has been there for quite some time, so do take the time to ask for him specifically. He is incredibly knowledgable about everything in the space. One other tip - if it's been rainy, bring your bug spray! The mosquitoes were really aggressive. read more

This mansion is stuffed to the gills with the current owner's impressive antique collection. If you are truly into antiques I would tell you to book a tour. Otherwise skip it. The collection has naught to do with the house or it's history and the lack of cohesiveness in the collection is a bit unnerving. The most interesting pieces remain behind velvet ropes, making them hard to enjoy. We're this house filled with less valuable things one might be tempted to wonder if a hoarder lived there. read more

I love this place. I have sent hundreds of people here over the years ( own a b&b in Mt Pleasant) and i have only positive things to say about Calhoun Mansion. Yes, there are a lot of antics and stuff but that is what sets it apart from all the other houses. I always tell my guests that there is a lot of to see but if you just look at the things You like and concentrate on those you will be amazed. The guides are fantastic and this house is a must see on my list. I have never had a complaint about it and i will keep on recommend it to all my guests. Be open minded and look for the beauty in this old house and you will have a wonderful time. Wenche at Da Noi. read more

Overpriced tour of a some rich family's home. It has no historical or no educational value. It's crammed full of antiques in some disgusting display of affluence. There is no history of the Calhoun family or Charleston. The antiques are packed into every inch of the home with no regard for their own historical value; these items don't deserve to be used by some rich family. They should be sorted by era, kept in a museum and at least have placards with information about the item. I felt conned by this tour. read more

I don't normally post a review but our tour guide today was AMAZING. Young girl named Kelsey. Full of confidence, spirit and amazing detail on the history! Thank you Kelsey! Happy Birthday next week!! read more

Interesting tour and house history. Tour would be improved with pictures/timeline presentation of house's history. Current owner seriously has a hoarding problem, so you are kind of overwhelmed by the vast amount of items that clutter all rooms. read more

We visited several historical homes in Charleston and this one was the one we liked the least. It was also the one we paid the most expensive admission price at $17 per person. It is more a building housing an overwhelming amount of articles from the Gilded Age. We are more interested in architecture and interiors of historical homes. This place is filled with so many items, it reminded me of a warehouse or a collector's paradise. But I am sure there are many expensive, unique, one of a kind items from all over the world, but it was just too much to really appreciate. To each their own! read more

We visited Calhoun Mansion after a local recommended it as the "one" house to tour in Charleston. Not sure it was a must see but it was certainly OMG when you walk in... the interior itself is less of an attraction but the antiques and collection of items from around the world in the home is certainly worth seeing. As you've read in previous reviews.. its so much stuff that it's hard to take in but wow.. what a collection. The guide was just OK.. read more

Great tour guide. Tour was nice. Alot of antiques. I feel like it was a different take on a traditional house museum but brought other time periods into the tour. Its cool that the owner current still lives there after the tours are over. You don't get to go into the rooms very much but I didn't expect to. read more

The Calhoun Mansion is the most interesting place I have seen in Charleston! Frankie, our tour guide, was not only a great story-teller but extremely knowledgeable about the history, architecture, and contents of the house. I felt as if I was being welcomed as a valued guest by the owner himself. I saw furniture and decorative art pieces that I had never seen in person before. Even though I am a die-hard minimalist, I am fascinated with the eclectic collections of the owner. We took the "Grand Tour" ($50/1 1/2 hours) and it was well worth the time and the dollars. We were able to even see the view from the cupola with its commanding 360 view of the city. Be sure to check out the gift shop - gems the likes of which I have never seen at other house museums. We will return the next time we visit the city. The Calhoun Mansion is Charleston's best kept secret. read more

Save your money and check out some of the other lovely mansions in town. This mansion is packed with the owners high end pieces and it is difficult to even see/appreciate the restored home. on this tour you are only able to check out a few of the rooms in the house. I couldn't figure out if this man just wanted to show off his home or make some money off tourists. The tour was far too pricey for what I got. I much prefer the Nathaniel Russel House to this one. read more

I quite enjoyed visiting this magnificent home in Charleston. Not only is the house beautiful architecturally, but each room has fabulous art, antiques and artifacts from around the world. Definitely a gem of Charleston and well worth the trip! read more

I've been on a lot of house and plantation tours over the year, and this is definitely one of the best. The house itself is amazing, but what really sets it apart is the current owners collection decorating the house. There are pieces all over the house...literally, that are legitimately priceless pieces. Seriously, the Smithsonian has been hounding the owner to get some of his collection. The guide was as good as it gets and I'm guessing either a history major or just a history buff himself. Either way he was impressive. To hear all the different transformations and the road it took to get it back to where it is is absolutely amazing. The gardens are immaculately kept, and will have you posing for pictures constantly. It take about an hour to do the whole tour costing $16 per person, and worth every penny. In fact, as I was waking out some people asked me about it, and I almost pushed them through the door insisting that they go. A piece of remarkable history that few are able to compare to. Do yourself a favor and visit the best house tour in Charleston. read more

Incredibly opulent. Two floors jammed packed with antiques. Price is $16. Not worth it. The gardens are beautifully manicured and they are free. If you are an art history major or interested in antiques go. The house had nothing to do with Charleston or with president Calhoun. Just a very rich man who likes to collect things and your entrance fee helps him to continue and upkeep his hobby. So walk the gardens and save your money. read more

I'm really surprised by reading the some of the low rating reviews for this museum. All I can do is chalk it up to visitors being poorly educated. Some of the reviews even said they expected to find an antebellum house. Well guess what, this house was built in the 1870's. Antebellum means "before the war" as in civil war. Sorry. Too late for that. This one rose from the ashes after the bombardment, general destruction and chaos of the war. In my opinion, this home is the most fabulous gilded-age urban mansion in the South--which is remarkable when you consider how wiped out and broken Charleston was from its utter defeat from 20 months of bombardment, surrender, federal occupation and years of reconstruction politics. The house is remarkably intact. The original woodwork, doors, ceiling, Tiffany stenciling and most spectacularly, gasolier chandelier light fixtures are still there. The mansion has a fantastic collection of gilded age decorative arts. Showy, opulent, rich and crazy--it was, after all, the gilded age (when the British collected all the crazy junk you can still see in England's attic--the British Museum). I've been to museums all over the world. This is a great one. I'd venture to bet it is the finest collection of gilded age decorative arts that is also sitting in a real, major-league gilded age house in North America. It's fabulous. And guess what--gilded age people were collectors of everything--the polar opposite of the black and white "clean" modern and post-modern emptiness you see just about everywhere today. read more

It's worth the $15 admission just to see how much a family can put in one house! They obviously have very eclectic and expensive taste. It is certainly a house you'll never forget! read more

A nice garden and as others have said the house is crammed with collectable high end items. Talk about conspicuous consumption. But, I agree that the price is steep for a short tour where you don't get to see more then one and a half floors. Plus, the owners name is apparently a big secret not to be revealed. All these dates and facts but you are not allowed to know the current history...? Odd, I think no one in Charleston is allowed to know or if they do, to reveal this great mystery. LOL. I understand people like to have their privacy but if they are opening their house to the public with a expensive tour why is the owner a secret....? read more

My wife and I just got back from a visit to Charleston. I loved the city and the history. The Calhoun House was fantastic, except for being over packed with the current owners stuff, lots of stuff. The home has been refurbished and looks great, needed a lot more time to take in the house itself and a lot more time to enjoy looking at the owners collection of art, silver, clocks, you name he has collected it. I guess it's ok to horde things of the quality if you can. Really did enjoy my tour of the home, just needed more time to take it all in. Tour guide did a good job with the time allowed. Not for the claustrophobic. read more

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELLS LIKE A LITTER BOX FROM THE CAT THAT LIVES AT THE HOUSE!!! YUCK Wish I would have stopped to look up the yelps on this house before we just happened upon it while already in downtown!!! Was excited to learn about the history of this Charleston house but all they focus on is the over abundance of collected clutter!!! There is "collected" clutter EVERYWHERE.........not sure if it is all expensive pieces gifted or purchased by the owned because I believe when I was visiting my grandma I saw a couple garage sale pieces in her house that look very similar if not more expensive!!! The Hispanic tour guide was very arrogant and acts like he is a long lost relative and you can tell that he doesn't get along with the other tour guide that was an older lady trying to stay quiet and out of his way!!! If you want an amazing tour go visit some of the beautiful historic plantations they have in Charleston (Drayton Hall) WILL NOT BE BACK!!! read more

Very cool place to visit. It was used in The Notebook as the interior of Allie's summer home. Definitely a place to visit if you're in Charleston. read more

Magnificent home filled with some magnificent pieces but hard to enjoy any of it because it feels like little more than an overstuffed antique store. No rhyme or reason for the decor and it is hard to imagine that anyone actually lives in this building. It hardly feels like a home. If there was a "hoarders" type show for the rich, this place would be perfect. I wonder about the owners' reason for opening this monstrosity up to the public. They certainly do not need the money. Could they be showing off? I would check this out from the outside and keep on walking. If you are into period homes and furniture, there are many such examples throughout the city. Save the $15 and 30 minutes as both could be put to better use elsewhere. read more

My husband took the day off from work so we decided to do breakfast and an adult field trip. We went to the Calhoun House. The "gift shop" should have been the first red flag. It smelled musty. Probably because they were trying to sell expensive antiques. I assume after seeing the house that these are items the owner has picked up along the way. $17 later we are given a brief history in the entry before being taken into the home which, as others have said, is complete sensory overload. I was totally disappointed. There was stuff everywhere. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling. Any flat surface is covered in stuff. The first room contains nothing but items from churches, including an alter. In the foyer on top of a table is an Asian suit of armor. What? This is Charleston. I don't appreciate paying money to look at what someone else likes to collect. I do not hesitate to let my friends know that the Calhoun house is a waste of money. I went on a field trip with my daughter and we went to the Old Exchange, the Powder Magazine and the Washington-Heyward house for less money. All of which was way more interesting. read more

Disappointed. I suppose I should have read the reviews first! Beautiful home architecturally speaking, but it's hard to see the grandeur of the home as literally every square inch of the home is stuffed (and I mean stuffed) with antiques from around the word. The tour guide tried to tie in this nonsense by imparting trivia on countless antiques like, "this mirror was gifted to America the same year the House was built, or "that cradle was built for the czar of Russia, maybe a royal baby slept there in Russia when this house was constructed." It's overwhelming. It's suffocating. It's right out of hoarders. We were told that after the 69 yo owners death that all the artifacts were going to proper museums. Um. Ok. The house is simply a storage area for these pieces. I expected a more Mt Vernon experience where you are taken back in time. No. To make matters worse, you cannot go into the rooms. The doorways are narrow so you have to view in a single file line and there are literally thousands of things to try to take in. It's madness. read more

I thought the Calhoun Mansion was great. There are so many beautiful pieces to look at. I especially liked the blackamoors and the Russian jewelry box. I would like to take the tour again. I wonder if there is a tour where I can see more of house. I would love to meet the owner and thank him/her for restoring Charleston history and inviting us to tour your home! read more

I was so excited to go see this house... Yet very disappointed when we were done.. Not what I expected at all.... Could have showed more of the house.. It's very beautiful but you wouldn't know because they don't show you anything really... I could have found something else better to spend my $15 on... Would not recommend to any one... Very over rated read more

We were in Charelston over Easter weekend 2015. My daughter wanted to see Calhoun Mansion becasue she had read that some scenes from The Notebook were filmed there. I did not expect to pay $16 per person. The guide lured us from the street - said we could pay later. He had a very heavy accent so it was hard to understand everything he was saying. A man in the group challenged alot of what the guide was saying. It was distracting. The interior was filled with expensive junk. I was mad I paid as much as I did to see the inside. Would not do it again! read more

Started out with high ticket price for what you see (two floors of clutter). When we started, the tour guide wasn't friendly at all and majorly sarcastic. Scolded us for not hearing him when he asked to turn in tickets. The house itself is tacky, packed full of antiques not original to the house. Not to mention, there is a lady who follows you around the entire time to make sure you don't steal anything. I don't like crowds, so I would stand back until everyone had viewed something before stepping up to see it myself. I guess she thought I was trying to be sly and kept following me to stand behind me. Trust me, I didn't want to take home that stuffed monkey on the wall. Overall, this is a pompous display of wealth. Don't go unless you're really into viewing the current owner's cluttered antique collection and being treated like a common criminal. It's not really about the history of the house or Charleston, and I regret wasting money on it. read more

I read the reviews and I was skeptical. Luckily I ignored the negative reviews. The tour cost $16. Seems high at a glance, but it is worth it. The gardens are impressive and that is coming from a professional landscape designer. The house is amazing. There are folks on the yelp that say the house is cluttered and not to period interior design standards. I would agree to a degree. The house is cluttered with amazing pieces of art and history that each have a story and are incredibly unique. It is a lot to process. The interior furnishings are much more interesting than period interior design in my opinion. There is a unique story here. The house has been restored to its original opulence. I have done research on the current owner and HIS story is just as intriguing as the original builder of the home. I would consider the interior furnishings just as interesting as the architecture of the home. You will learn the history of the home as well as the history of the owners antique collection and maybe a little bit about the current owners history if you are lucky. Supposedly the furnishings are worth 1 billion. We toured 7 other period homes today and this was by far the most interesting. I think it is very special piece of history with a great story. The little $16 tour fee doesn't even cover the $7000 cost to air condition and heat this home not to mention the upkeep, staff, and 100k property taxes on this home. The owner is basically sharing history and his personal antique collection with the general public. I highly recommend this tour, and that is coming from someone that visits Charleston 4-5 times a year. read more

Last night I went to a great party at the Calhoun Mansion with my friend Governor John Polk and his friend Matthew. It was hosted for people in the Charleston tourism industry and featured food from the mundane (deviled eggs) to the more exotic (carnitas) as well as wine and beer. The house is the largest private residence on the peninsula and is quite impressive. People who remember the mini-series North and South may recognize it as the Hazards' home in that film. The house is of great architectural interest and houses an absolutely fabulous collection of art and furnishings. The only problem is that the tour guides cannot identify many of the artists for the guests - for insurance purposes. The answer was generally, "If you think it is, it probably is." Shelby, Tom, Vicki, and Sandra were very well informed and could answer most any other question about the house and furnishings. The collection is very varied, and I doubt that a very large percentage of it has anything to do with Charleston, but it really is a must see for any visitor to the city. Our tour included a trip to the cupola (not generally open to the public) which had wonderful panoramic view of the city. It helps to have friends with influence like the governor! read more

01-01-2015-11:00 am We had 6 adults and 4 children in our party. We waited 20 minutes for the tour guide to open the doors. One child was crying and Franky(I was told he is the manager) was very clear that this child was not going through the home and rigidly let us know that whoever was staying out of the tour could get a refund. Very matter of factly. We are very conciderate people and would not have allowed this child to cry through the tour. When Franky handed an adult a ticket to leave with the child and get a refund I refused to take the tour and we all walked away and got our refund. I work in customer service and this was not a good way to handle this. I would still like to take this tour one day but as long ad Franky is there I never will. Larry J. Calhoun 813-223-3303 I left revues other places so that others can see what we went through. If being this strict is common when a child is crying maybe you should make it a policy to NOT allow children in the house. read more

My family and I decided we wanted to see a historic home in Charleston. We had heard this house was the best resource for the history in the town, so we paid the $16 each it costed to find out we would be touring a house full of an overly rich individuals irrelevant collection of gaudy antiques. We heard a brief history of who owned the house at the beginning, then the tour guide (an arrogant and rude individual) went on to tell us about nothing but the current owner's collection. We held onto hope that the next room might retain some sort of historic Charleston information, but sadly each room contained nothing so rich except the disgusting display of elephant feet turned into stools and ivory used as an art piece. So if you don't care about hearing the rich history of the town you came to visit and desire to look at the house of a tacky, rich hoarder, then look no further. As for me, I'm highly disappointed that they're allowed to market Charleston history, give you a tour of ugly art and tasteless furniture, and virtually steal your money. read more

Love Halle T. and Heath A.' s reviews of this tour, and I echo much of what they say about the tour and residence. I don't have a problem with a $15 entry fee, as that's pretty par for the course for this type of tour. Given that I paid $10 to see the Sorrell-Weed house in Savannah which is in HIDEOUS condition compared to this house, $15 seems a bargain! While having the owner in residence precludes seeing many of the upstairs spaces in the mansion, it also means that he will take excellent care of the structure and its contents, and he has. I too, would have liked to see a more "historic" restoration of the house, but much of it has been treated in this way, particularly the woodwork, wall coverings, light fixtures, and window treatments. The house has been decorated with a bow to High Victorian sensibility, which included a hugh array of periods and styles and an insatiable desire to show it all off...at the same time. If the bathrooms and kitchen have been updated in a modern manner for actual use (these spaces were not part of the tour the day I went, but can be seen in the souvenir book for sale in the museum shop), it is an understandable accomodation for an actual residence rather than a museum. The history of the house, especially since the Stock Market Crash of '29 that destroyed the Calhoun fortune, includes such historically devastating changes and neglect to the structure that it's a wonder any of it survived at all. I truly appreciate the current owner's ability and desire to maintain this house in the style to which it at one time had become acccustomed, and that he allows us to see its wonders. it's fascinating to see how the "other half" lives, both then and now. And on a side-note, "Tom", our tour guide, was a HOOT! He obviously loves this house, and was VERY entertaining! read more