I just didn't like it. I brought my non-New England girlfriend here because it is unique and gave us an excuse to spend half a day in Gloucester. For what it is, the $10 admission was a bit steep. We were warned to use the map because it's easy to get lost. He was right, and the map wasn't that helpful (it didn't clearly mark that some of the rooms were on a different floor... and it didn't show where stairs were, etc). The place is architecturally interesting and Hammond himself is fascinating (I was particularly interested in his work with organs and music; she liked the radio connections). He just collected a bunch of stuff, then built up a unique modern castle to store it all. Be forewarned, though: it's just a bunch of stuff piled together, without much rhyme or reason - or explanation. Don't expect to learn much about this stuff; the few information labels were type-written in the 1940s (full of horrible typos and the worst use of apostrophes I've seen outside of MySpace) and are yellowed, overly-wordy, and not particularly informative. The layout is a bit tricky, not just because it's easy to get lost. Maybe I missed the warning that stairways in particular are dizziness-inducing, some doorways are barely big enough for full-grown adults, and certain hallways do not allow anyone who's not skinny to pass. Oh, and if it's busy, expect to be even more confused as people get in the way. I wonder if a guided tour would be more interesting but I don't think that's an option; only self-guided, so far as I know. Oh, and I have to say, the indoor pond or lake or whatever it was supposed to be was cute - but it also made half the place smell like mold and dankness. I bet kids would love the place though. read more

So we came here on Mother's Day and what a really cool place to see. Makes you dive a little deeper into who John Hammond Jr. was. Really cool and interesting artifacts that were on display just very walkable and quite big so there is plenty to see. Just cost 10 dollars for entry and your in no crazy restrictions unless they say or if the door is locked. The views of the sea is what makes this place so beautiful so best come on a wonderful day outside to take pictures because we definitely did. read more

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We came for the spooky walk-through during October. Was way cool! It tells you on the website where to park, then they bus you over to the castle. Super nostalgic to be on a school bus, lol! Profits for this is to fundraise, which is really cool. The local high school kids are the ones running this event, and they are good! I'm so used to Halloween Horror night houses, which just provide jump scares with tons of people in your line and a security around every corner. This was much better, it was dark and through the dank castle, with a cast member guiding you through. They have decorated the place as an Asylum and the cast is very much into their characters and trying to scare you! They do get near, but don't touch you. A few small and spiraled stair cases to make it through, otherwise it's a breeze! Loved this so much! Highly recommend! read more

We had our wedding at Hammond castle and it was amazing! Linda has her rules but she did her best to make our wedding one for the ages! The castle is such a unique venue, it transported our guest away from the city of Boston to a magical evening. Linda was around but not obstructive. We even shared a dance :) The castle is not designed for weddings so to make it work you should plan carefully and be transparent with Linda. Trust her! She has seen hundreds of weddings at the venue. Also take multiple trips to verify any plans or expectations, we did this and it paid off in an unforgettable night! We only held our reception here which felt like the right amount of time. I believe hosting the reception and ceremony may have felt rushed, I would not recommend. We had a guest count of 130. Great memories! read more

It was my first time in a castle museum and I must say I was quite impressed with what I saw. First it is REALLY nice to walk by yourself ¸, I mean not having to follow a group or a guide is fantastic! Pictures were allowed wich is really nice too. They have a big collection and it's really interesting to see all of it. The interior garden is really pretty and the chapel ( i guess) is impressive. And the ocean view too, wow!!!! read more

Hammond Castle Museum - Museums Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

This is one of my favorite places to visit any time of year. Hammond was an inventor (Hammond organ, remote control) and there are a lot his patents and inventions on display here. It also really cool just to think that this guy built a castle for himself and his wife. It is in a wooded area, but one side of the house faces the ocean. Ideally I would love to get married here in October, but that is a busy time for the castle. They host haunted caslte nights during the Halloween season. I have been multiple times and some years have been better than others, but the castle itself is great no matter when you visit. Cool place to take visitors and kids! read more

I photographed a wedding at the castle. Wow. Wow to the staff to the location to the whole experience. Great day for the couple and for me. Thanks for making this an amazing place to have your wedding. read more

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Really interesting. Self-guided tour. Definitely worth checking out. read more

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This castle is a beautiful specimen of history. While going through the castle you get to learn a lot about the history of who had it built, why it was built, and the artifacts that the museum holds. The castle also has a beautiful view of the gulf of Maine. read more

This is one of the coolest places I have ever been too. A castle! This place had an awesome tour and it is completely worth the visit. Come here! This place would have been awesome to live at. It was pretty cool to learn the man who built this place and it has to much history to it. read more

absolutely gorgeous definitely worth a trip! beautiful scenery outside and the second you go inside it somehow gets better, only major downside is the air inside is pretty hot and smells considering a lot of stuff there are really old read more

Hammond Castle Museum - Museums Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

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I looked all over for the entry cost but seeing that there was nothing on their website and a few other reviews said the entry for adults was ranging from $10-14 I decided to drag my family with me. I was so Disappointed when I arrived There was a sign in the parking lot saying the cost for adults was $20 and children was $10. Was not expecting that what so ever, however the exterior view of the grounds was nice (and free). read more

Went Halloween. Total waste of money. Tour over in less than 11 minutes. Very small portion of castle utilized. Disappointed!!! Disappointed!!!!! Disappointed!!!! read more

We found Hammond Castle for our intimate micro wedding through our photographer and it could not have been a more perfect venue. Although we only had 12 people at our wedding due to COVID-19 there was still lots to coordinate with a full ceremony and reception being held on site. Working with Deb and the team there was so easy and enjoyable. They suggested on site meetings with our vendors to make sure everyone knew the lay of the land which was super comforting and helpful. They always responded quickly, were extremely flexible with our party and wanted nothing more than for us to have the best day ever. We only had 35 days to plan our event and they were beyond accommodating, even helping me coordinate entry and exit for my grandmother who is not able to walk without assistance. The castle's history is fascinating, the location with the view of the water in the distance is so incredibly gorgeous and its worth a visit even if you aren't planning an event! It was an absolutely perfect day and that would not have been possible without the help of the Hammond Castle staff and the beyond beautiful backdrop that made it feel like a fairytale. read more

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Review of Haunted Castle (with lady companion) 2010 This past Halloween I decided to take my latest lady friend up to the famed Hammond Castle for the haunted tour. I pretty much figured going on this hokey excursion would seal the deal. (Results were not immediate and are still pending...) Aiming to beat the rush, my lady friend and I arrived at 7:30pm at the shuttle area to the Castle. Already there was a huge line that ran through the parking lot. We got in line, thankful to be wearing our down jackets on that blustery night. There were several rowdy 12 year old boys jumping around, bragging about punching people in the face and otherwise being an annoyance. Standing in line amongst the company of obnoxious children is the fate of arriving early. We were in line for about 20 minutes before we were able to board the school bus which drove us to the Castle. Once there, I waited in line to buy tickets (and for my girlfriend with a small bladder to find the bathroom and pee) for about 20 more minutes. Tickets in hand, we got in yet another line. This one the actual line for the haunted house. The line was deceptive. At first glance it seemed that we would enter the stone fortress in only a few hundred feet, yet once we advanced we saw that the line, in fact, extended all the way through the back yard in a zig-zag fashion. In this line, we waited for well over an hour, again surrounded by unchecked northshore tweens. Occasionally the morose face of a Gloucester-pregnancy-pact style teen would loom near and try to scare guests. The tactic didn't really work and I think I spotted an older gentleman trying to pick up one of the high schoolers. (Nat Dogg, was that you?) At this time, my date was starting to get very impatient, cold and irritable. Not liking to be in the company of a fussy woman I quickly placated her by whipping out my large and very capable iPod touch. Thank god for this piece of technology from my parents. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) My equipment kept the little lady busy for quite some time. I highly recommend bringing entertainment of this kind to occupy your woman- or kid if you happen to have one of those. Also, a good idea might be to get a snack before getting in line. (They have concessions stands at the start of the line.) When we finally entered the castle for our haunted house tour the experience felt very rushed. I estimate we were only inside the castle for about 10 minutes total. That was it. I admit, what we saw was very well done, beautiful and creepy... but it was about 10 minutes! When we exited back into the front area of the castle my date turned to me and exclaimed, "Not long enough!" Never a good thing when a woman says this... To mollify her disappointment on the shortness of the haunting, I did what any noble boyfriend would do, and bought her a big oil marinated hotdog. That's right, oil marinated. It goes down better that way. At that point, it was about 9:45pm and the line for the tour had about doubled in size. I'm guessing the patrons who got there later had about a two to three hour wait for their 10 minute jaunt through the castle. We made our way back to the bus that would take us to the car, and thankfully there was not a wait. In the parking lot I was expecting a little in the way of return from my date. It didn't happen. So, for the effectiveness of the Hammond Castle on my lady friend I can only give 2 stars... (I'm giving one star for the beauty of the castle and one star for that hotdog.) Notes for your trip, if you dare. 1. bring a warm coat, you will be on a wind-whipped hill by the sea. 2. come early and expect to wait in line for well over an hour (maybe two or three) 3. beware of northshore families 4. beware of pregnancy pact teens 5. bring your i-pod, snacks, bongos or skin flute- whatever will occupy yourself and your guest 6. make sure to pick up one of those delicious hotdogs- in my opinion, they were the best part of the trip. 7. borrow your moms car with heated seats!!! After standing outside on an October night for hours you'll appreciate them! Steve plans on coming back to the castle with his special lady (if she's still around) in the Spring, when the castle re-opens and he can see its unique beauty in the daylight. (Hopefully without violent 12 year olds cavorting around.) read more

This is an amazing eclectic castle a la Heast or Gardner. Beautiful grounds, and they also open up as a haunted house at Halloween!

This is a great place to visit. It's right on the water and the castle is out of a movie. Lots of cool spaces. Great for a day outing or a place to bring the kids. I think they have tours but we walked around ourselves. read more

Went to the 'Castle of Madness' at Hammond last night and was disappointed. I've been previous years and it's progressively gotten worse. The first time I went many years ago it was actually kinda eerie, now it's not scary at all. No one jumps out at you and I guess they're not going for scary. The worst part was they rush you through and you miss out on seeing most of it. I was annoyed at the characters who kept saying "move along!" if you paused at all to look at what was going on in each room. The rooms and characters are pretty well done, plus the castle iitself is amazing (gets a star), but we were herded through so fast you couldn't see much of it. In previous years, there used to be a lot of monsters and props outside, but this year, I saw only one. The castle and setting has all the makings to be a very cool haunted house, but the company that is putting this together is missing the opportunity. There were less people, no lines this year (which gets a star), but it's gone downhill. I almost asked for a refund and won't be going back. read more

The site is stunning and the castle has some interesting history. I would take the tour as the guide we had was able to provide the anecdotal history that is necessary. Hammond was a practical joker and very eccentric as well as an astute businessman. He knew all the well known people of his day and many stayed in the castle at one point in time. Read up beforehand as there is a lot of history that cannot be told just on a tour. For instance he had a friendship with Tesla etc.... read more

Pictures don't justify the view and detail that Dr. Hammond put into his castle. You must visit this yourself to enjoy the beauty that someone has put into building such a wonderful and interesting structure. read more

Maybe because I went on 2 "guided tours" at other historic homes the day I visited but Hammond Castle was big disappointment.with a confusing layout and little information offered. First, welcoming staff offered little information.. After purchasing the admission at the gift shop counter a confusing "map" with a layout of the rooms with multiple exits on multiple floors was given .The arrows drawn went in multiple directions often to and from each room but without a clear flow or direction to tour room to room and change floors. Possibly offering signage by the entrance of each room might help as I was not the only one trying to find rooms labeled on the map Second no guided tours were available. When I was inquired if tours were available I was told maybe one would be offered later in the afternoon but a single staff person was located in the house to answer questions. Needless to say,I could not find him or her in the crowd. A ready identifiable guide in each room or at least on each floor would have been great if tours can't be given. Third, an introductory video would have been most helpful to understand the history and story behind the house. The exhibit room off the gifts hop which had a television screen which was blank. If a visitor introduction is available the staff did not suggest or inform me. In closing, Hammond Castle has many interesting items to view and is a nice building. The staff was polite too. Yet, as some reviewers stated the displays are in no real particular order. While I usually don't mind self guided tour a guided tour in this case or more information, though an introductory video and signage would have made the rambling environment more enjoyable to me. read more

This was an excellent place to visit for fun day. The kids had a great time learning about the castle and the history surrounding it. I recommend getting a tour because otherwise you end up walking around the castle without a clue. I had a great time and hope to visit again. read more

Very informative and friendly tour guide. My boys 13 and 11 enjoyed the tour. Many great photo opportunities. Would recommend to others.

Visited in mid may, a must see if in the area. A true treasure. The museum staff exemplify customer service.

This is an honest to goodness American castle. A great wink at European style. French Gothic construction with elements from areas across the British isles, Europe and Rome. Very affordable and excellent quality artists rendering of an ancient castle. A brilliant man who left a brilliant and sometimes funny gem for all of us to enjoy. Thank you to all involved! read more

Beautiful exterior - full of great views and panorama. The interior was closed when we arrived, but it was amazing to see how a person focused their attention to the medieval look. read more

One of the things I love most about Hammond Castle is that it looks like a real European castle. I did a report on Hammond last year and the curator, John Pettibone, was immensely helpful and friendly. He is extremely passionate about Hammond and is often the one to lead the tours. He'll definitely be able to answer any questions you have. Having curated the castle for a long time, he knew some of Hammond's servants and they told him many interesting stories about Hammond. The castle is definitely moth eaten and run down but the architecture is still very much intact and extremely fascinating. The Great Hall with it's wondrous resonance is probably the most amazing. The Castle also does a haunted house which can be very frightening depending on the year and the kids working on it. Definitely check this place out if you're visiting. read more

It's beautiful and it's right on the water. I had a really great time exploring the castle. My boyfriend told me there used to be a guided tour but it's now a free for all. I kind of liked exploring it at our own pace but I am wondering what the tour would have entailed. There were so many doors I wish we could have gone in to that we couldn't though lol. They are having a Halloween event we may check out. The castle is just beautiful to explore. It is a bit cluttered inside and it's definitely not handicapped accessible or for anyone who has any difficulty walking. Lots of windy narrow stairs and narrow hallways. read more

This place is definitely showing its age, but it's still a hit with kids of all ages, and for good reason! Even though the admission price was fairly steep, you can easily kill two hours here since the tour is self-guided. You're free to take your time, and even walk through again, as much as you please. Definitely a neat "off the beaten path" alternative on the North Shore! read more

It's been a few years since I toured this beautiful place, even more since I went to halloween at the castle. Have to say I was a little underwhelmed. There wasn't much to the physical set up of the haunted castle. Apparently there was a theme but it was fragmented during the tour. The setting is perfect for a haunted walk but a little on the ho hum side this year. Is it worth the trip, I still think so especially for a group of friends. I have to wonder if they were trying to make it more little kid friendly? read more

NOT a must see. If you think that you will never get over to Europe in your life then try it but if you've been abroad and know what Medieval looks like don't bother. So many different types of architecture that you really can't put that label on it. It's $10 and no. The best part is the view of the ocean and that doesn't cost anything. This was a house of a rich guy who liked some medieval things but did not even try to keep everything accurate. For people who have been in legit castles it broke your heart to see this. read more

Such a disappointment! My friends have been going up to the castle for years for the haunted house and loved it and always wanted a group of us to go so we finally did. The castle is absolutely beautiful and the setting is perfect.. The staff and event not so much! The tour guide was horrible.. She walked so fast thru castle and kept giving us dirty looks because we were TRYING to have a good time with what we had to work with. The staff didn't even scare people.. It was totally not worth the $15 a person or the long drive from Southeastern Ma to Gloucester. Save your money and rent a few scary movies with friends!!!!!! read more

Hammond Castle is honestly the most beautiful venue I have ever seen and it was a privilege to have our wedding there. We knew we wanted something original other than the typical country club or hotel wedding. The second my husband and I saw Hammond Castle we knew it was the one. We decided to have the ceremony inside the grand hall and the cocktail hour/reception outside under a tent. The reception was truly magical with the twinkle lights under the tent (we used Seacoast tent rental) and the waves crashing on the rocks just next to us. I can confidently say all of our guests were in awe of the venue. For many, this venue isn't possible because it has a maximum capacity of 120 people. For us this was perfect because it meant only our closest friends and family were there. Also, it means that it's a venue that's not used too often which still makes it original. My one main complaint with the venue is they won't allow you to go onsite the day of the wedding until 5pm - ceremony starts at 6pm. This leaves barely enough time for pictures and it's such a beautiful site I would of liked to have gotten more pictures at it. We ended up doing our first look nearby though. The only other complaint was that the function director, Linda, told us that there was an event there on Friday so we had to do our rehearsal on Thursday. This meant that people had to spend more money for an additional day at our hotel. Right before the rehearsal, she asked why we weren't having it on Friday which meant that she either lied about the event that was scheduled or it was cancelled and she didn't bother to tell us. Other than that it was the perfect venue and we couldn't have been happier with our choice. read more

I went to this years "Castle of Madness" this past saturday. The haunted house is very disappointing. It is progressively going downhill... A couple years ago the props were better and more pop-outs. Now they are going for a story line that is very hard to understand. I believe they are aiming towards "creepy" now. Who goes to a haunted house to see creepy? Here is a run down of what I believed the rooms were like (that I can recall). The dining room - Had a lot of moths. Im guessing, myself being a fanatic of horror movies, that it had to do with silence of the lambs. It wasnt that scary, because the character in that room had only a mask. A cheap one, I would say. Pool room - Didn't understand it. This room is too pretty to be scary. Bedroom #1 - Idea was good; did not portray it well. Bedroom #2 - The girl did jumpscare me when she screamed. I would say this is one of their better rooms-- it had an eerie atmosphere. Little girl room - This was probably their best room-- I wasn't expecting to get jumpscared, but the characters in that room sang "Ring Around the Rosey" and fufilled their duty of making me jump-- twice. The room was a very cheesy idea, although. Kitchen - This room was pointless. It did not fit in with the rest of the story they were trying to portray. Dungeons - These could have been a lot scarier... Maze -They had a white maze-ish sort of thing, but nothing even happened in it when it should have. Whoever ran it this year obviously has no idea what they are doing. Dont waist your time. read more

This review is specifically about Hammond Castle as a wedding venue. I had my wedding at Hammond Castle Museum in August and, while the venue is absolutely stunning, my experience was completely ruined due to an enormous amount of miscommunication (specifically on the part of the venue rep, Linda Rose). Let me start out by saying that if you want to hold a wedding at the castle and plan to go through all of their preferred vendors, you will probably have a great experience. The castle allows you to pick your own vendors as long as you share which vendor will be doing what. Instead of using a traditional caterer, we decided to have Indian food brought in and serve it buffet style. Now, Linda knew about this for three months before the wedding date. FOUR DAYS before the wedding, Linda calls me up and tells me that normally the caterer is in charge of cleanup, which includes breaking down all tables and chairs, removing all trash, sweeping, etc. Since we did not have a caterer, this now falls to us, including paying a $400 cleaning deposit. Four days is not a lot of time to resolve this dilemma. We ended up hiring someone off of Task Rabbit (who was great), but unfortunately, was not enough for the high standards of Hammond Castle. When we arrived, one of the first things Linda said to me (the bride) was that I should have hired a staff of people. Again, I had four days to plan this! We had a series of problems throughout the night and Linda was incredibly rude the entire time. Yes, a lot went wrong and I can understand why she was frustrated, but being rude to a bride and groom who are paying quite a lot of money to be at your venue (which doesn't include anything besides the location itself) is really unprofessional. She was scowling all night, wouldn't communicate during clean up so we weren't sure what exactly needed to be done, and was short with me and even openly bad-mouthed me to her colleague. We were doing our best. My family and friends were removing trash, breaking down tables in their gowns, and sweeping. And still, nothing but coldness from Linda. After the fact, Linda cashed our $400 because one trash bag was left behind and a couple of beer bottles were left outside on the premises. My husband sucked up to her and we eventually got $200 back. So all-in-all I would recommend Hammond Castle Museum for a wedding if you are able to pay the exorbitant prices the preferred vendors charge (although, I might now understand why the charge so much to partner with the castle)! Just be ready for loads of miscommunication... read more

We drove over an hour and a half to visit after reading great reviews online about it. Upon arrival, walking down the staircase...it looked like it was going to be amazing! Once inside, I must say that everything was very lack luster and had a bit of a cheesiness to it. The authenticity was questionable for sure. It presents as a midevil castle, but it appears that over the years mis matched modern-ness was added. There were drop ceilings, lots of dark places that didn't make sense, a modern kitchen in the basement (was the castle turned into apts at some point?) and a lot of the castle is not viewable to the public. There is a gorgeous garden in the center with a pool...that looks run down and murky. I think a really good grounds keeper is in order. Plants are untamed....pathways are over grown...hoses strewn about the property. This place has sooooo much potential to be as amazing as it once was, if only the caretakers would start the process! I would have to recommend saving your $10.00 on admission and checking out other local places like the Beauport Sleeper McCann House across the bay. The castle could take some pointers from there! read more

love this place.truly a gem and extremely interesting John Hays Hammond, Jr. built his medieval-style castle between the years 1926 and 1929 to serve both as his home and as a backdrop for his collection of Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts. In addition, the building housed the Hammond Research Corporation, from which Dr. Hammond produced over 400 patents and the ideas for over 800 inventions. Second only to Thomas Alva Edison in number of patents, John Hammond was one of America's premier inventors. His most important work was the development of remote control via radio waves, which earned him the title, "The Father of Remote Control." Visitors to Hammond Castle Museum are welcome to explore the castle on a self-guided tour of eight rooms including the great hall, indoor courtyard, Renaissance dining room, two guest bedrooms, the inventions exhibit room, the Natalie Hays Hammond exhibit room, the tower galleries, as well as several smaller rooms and passage ways. you may also enjoy the beauty of the castle grounds and a view of the Atlantic shore line. lots of history close to Boston. it will amaze you. read more

We attended the Hammond Castle Haunted House this year - it was fun! For me this was the right balance between spooky and scary - they had some good moments where they made us jump, and some great creepy tableaux, but nothing horrifying or gruesome. A big part of the fun is seeing the castle all dressed up for Halloween. We also had a nice chat with a Mr. Lecter before the tour, he had interesting proposition regarding fava beans. However, after the tour we opted instead for the various deep-fried goodies available (dough, potatoes and - yes - hot dogs), as well as some hot cider, all of which perfectly hit the spot for a chilly October night. We came early in the evening and there was already a good line - come prepared for a bit of a wait. It was worth it! We definitely plan to come back during the regular season when we can explore the castle more fully. read more

I've been EXTREMELY pleased each time I have come here. I discovered it on a scenic drive by accident one fall when it was closed. We got out and looked at the beautiful castle and the views. Finally I came back with my fellow history buff mother, who loved it as well, and then again with the children I was a nanny for. What I love most about this place is that you get to explore the grounds and castle at your leisure. I believe they do offer guided tours, however, with three rambunctious little boys...that would have been a struggle. The kids loved being able to run room to room and back into their favorite rooms as if it was their house! I enjoyed the freedom of not having to keep them quiet while a tour guide was talking and worrying that they would be disruptive because they just wanted to see/explore everything. You can easily spend all day here exploring the different rooms, walking in the garden, or just hanging out by the "pool". It's also fascinating. Did you know Mr. Hammond was in competition with Thomas Edison for the amount of patens he had?! You do now!!! read more

I can only speak for the Haunted House (although I had been years ago for a field trip during the day in elementary school). I was part of a group of four and we got there early. A school bus brought us from the park to the castle, then back. There were lots of people waiting for other busses or behind us once we bought the tickets. I am not sure how much it would be worth the experience had you been waiting for an hour, but if you can get there early it's all good fun. I was thoroughly creeped out (in a festive, Halloween way) by the old man in the trench coat and top hat pretending to be Hannibal (I think). He knew I was scared of him and picked on me the whole time we were waiting to buy tickets, much to the approval of my friends and those behind us. The little girls inside the castle were super creepy, but everything else was more amusing than scary. I kept waiting to get scared during the 25 minute tour, but I only was spooked once. Not too scary but definitely fun! read more