We've never been to Heritage Square Museum before, so this was our first time as we attended Street Food Cinema's Boo-ze, Bites and Frights: Half-O-Ween event. Their VIP parking was down a one-way dirt road at the entrance, but we opted for general parking across the street at the Heritage Square metro station. Part of the event was touring the Victorian houses, which was pretty interesting to see. Each house had guides to give insight into how people lived in the olden times. We also got to check out the giftshop for Heritage Square Museum which had souvenirs and mementos if you wanted to support them. Street Food Cinema hosted a special outdoor screening of Sinners. There were two screening areas so don't worry if you can't find a spot at the first one - juts walk aways further and you'll find more seats for the other screen (the movie plays simultaneously on both). Fyi - you don't need to bring your own chairs as they provide lawn chairs for screenings. There's several specialty things to see so it's worth coming early so you can take it all in. There was a Spookeasy with a musician playing songs from the movie, an Oddities Bazaar that offered tarot readings and aura photography, vendors selling goodies/clothes/etc, and of course plenty of food! We had delicious pizza from Angeleno's Wood Fired Pizza, had some cookies from Brady's Bakery, and topped it off with hella strong drinks! It was a 21+ event and they sure had heavy pours! Of course if you don't drink they also offered water, soda, and mocktails. If you get the opportunity to attend an event at Heritage Square Museum, don't miss out on it! The grounds are well-maintained, the employees are all informative and friendly, and we had an absolute blast! Two more things to know before you go - (1) it gets seriously cold at night, so bring a blanket and bundle up. Pro tip: it also comes in handy to secure your seat while you walk around. (2) Outside is mostly dirt and it gets windy, so dress accordingly and be sure to blow your nose thoroughly afterwards because you're going to be breathing it in! read more

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I went to Heritage Square Museum for a movie screening and was genuinely surprised because I didn't even know this place existed. It's actually pretty interesting to walk through and see a piece of Los Angeles history preserved like that. I'd say it's especially worth visiting if the event or entry is free, since it's a nice way to experience something different without committing a full day to it. The staff were extremely friendly and very enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge, which honestly made the experience better. You can tell they care about the history and enjoy talking about it. Some of the homes did have a noticeable old house smell, which isn't shocking given their age, but it's something you'll probably notice as you walk through. Overall, it was a cool and unexpected experience and a nice reminder that LA has pockets of history hiding in plain sight. read more

Heritage Square Museum - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A great Holiday experience for all. My first time visiting the Heritage Museum. Many wonderful Victorian homes to tour. They had a good variety of merchandise and food vendors. A Wonderful Christmas theme and music being played. They also showed classic Christmas movies. Rating: 5 Stars read more

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It is my second time visiting this place. It is worth the tour for $16 per person. Some houses are not in the best restoration, but shows how they were when the owners donated to the museum. It is interesting to know how the houses are improving during the time. The first mansion doesn't have kitchen and bathroom. After, it is adding to the houses. Now, the tour guide explains to you. Go one day in your life, it is the Los Angeles history. You can buy tickets directly. read more

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Some of The best memories have been here. Beautiful location. Street parking is easily available or you can pay. The homes are beautiful. Bathrooms are not accessible. The ones that are are covered in poop. However it's a cute place to visit read more

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Highly recommend attending any event that takes place here. Went to the sinners event. It is suggested to check out the parking area is prior to attending. You do have several options if the allotted parking lots are filled up. read more

Always a great experience at the Heritage Square Museum!! From the food vendors, Christmas decor and amazing customer service. HSM is the place to be to bring the Holiday Vibes. read more

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During the last Elite event, I finally got to experience the grounds of the Heritage Square Museum in person, though I lived near it for a considerable time. Devoted to the architecture and history of SoCal between 1850 and 1950, the Museum is comprised of eight structures: seven distinct and elaborate homes and the Lincoln Avenue Methodist Church. Normally, ticket access to the small neighborhood that is the Museum is seven dollars for adults. They can only be bought in person and cannot be reserved. However, this does not include access to the building interiors. If you want to tour the insides of the structures, you MUST book in advance. These tours are available on Saturdays and Sundays The exteriors of the home were certainly very interesting and showed a distinct character. I've seen home of this nature in Northern California and it in certain areas on the East Coast. They are quite different from most of the older homes in the Greater Los Angeles area, I got to see the interior of the deconsecrated Methodist Church. I was really quite fascinated by the exposed beams and wood work that I assume would have been cleverly covered when it was in use. I would have loved to have a docent provide additional details about the building. However, it was very festively decorated for the Yelpies. I did get a chance to go by the gift shop which certainly had a cool array of fairly up-scale (but still affordable) gifts. These included some of the Spitfire Girl products, which I'm a fan of. Lot of candles and postcards and fragrances. This is definitely a spot I would be up to exploring again, but really only if I had booked a tour. Seeing the exteriors was interesting for about half an hour. But after that, assuming there weren't a bunch of vendors about, I'd probably be ready to leave. So, I would definitely suggest booking a tour if you are interesting in architectural history. read more

Heritage Square Museum - Methodist Church decorated for the Holidays. - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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We went to the HSM for the Boo-ze Bites and Frights event and we had a great time. We were able to enjoy touring the homes which are so beautifully maintained. We had some snacks and drinks and walked around the park observing all the Halloween decorations. We watched a part of the movie that was being screened: X. We did some trick or treating and my fiancé won LA Kings tickets! We also visited the gift shop which had so many cute, unique items. Definitely a worthwhile experience. Oh, and I bought these super cute earrings from one of the vendors also. Overall, it was a fun event and I definitely recommend it. read more

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Overall very interesting and a worthwhile visit. My only observation would be that I'd like to hear a lot more about the houses and not so much about the people who lived in the houses or the furnishing in the house. The Octagon house was the big winner. Our tour started about 20 minutes late. read more

i actually found out about this place due to watching a ghost show on youtube. I was excited because it shares spooky and historical elements but if you are looking for a ghost hunt do not look any further... they are very much dismissive to the fact that this place is ghost friendly and has been used for a-lot of ghost hunting shows. You could tell a few other guest were also there for that same reason and all we were met with was a " sometimes " answer when asked if the house was haunted. I feel like they should lean into a little bit, maybe they would get more visitors like Winchester. The tours are very confined, you see the first floor and select rooms. One out the two tour guides were lovely and full of knowledge. I think this is a seen it and thats it kinda scenario. read more

Beautiful place to go. The houses are impressive reminders of an beautiful era. They have street vendors and fresh beverages to enjoy . movie nights with pop corn waiting for you to visit... is Good for the entire family! read more

Heritage Square Museum - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

It's been over 20 years since visiting here. 1st time was due to the opening of the gold line metro rail and the museum had an event about it. Fast forward to 10/18/24 and I'm here again for the SFC and Paramount scares cinema event. Self guided tours were available, I think guided tours would have been better. I got to visit the Hale house, Octagon house and Ford house. Whole premise was full of Halloween decorations. Gift shop on site and gravel parking in the front. Take the metro rail, stop is right across the street! read more

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5 STARS JUST FOR BELLE BOY, THE RESIDENT ORANGE CAT! An absolute must for some neat SoCal history! I've been here during the holiday season, for both Halloween and Christmas. These were for their Street Food Cinema events where they show some holiday classic movies with some entertainment and dining/drinking experiences, as well as for their Carnavale de la Lune spooky swap meet event. During one of the Street Food Cinema nights, they were also holding the historical house tours which was super cool because we actually got to go inside! Really interesting since a lot of the history was from as early as the Victorian Era and these houses were physically transplanted from other areas in SoCal to where the Heritage Square Museum is. Pretty cool to learn about the original residents of the houses, what furniture and decor they had, what they wore, their professions, etc. The different houses also belonged to people from different socioeconomic backgrounds so that's neat to learn about as well. During October, I believe they have ghost tours as well. Last year they had an immersive play/experience with the witch theme and I would love to try to get the tickets for their vampire one for this year! Entertainment that I've seen has ranged from Christmas Carolers, old timey marionette shows, and even a sad clown performance. I also LOVE the gift shop that they have here since a lot of it falls into occult or spiritual theming with a vintage/historical twist. The actual merchandise for the museum is nicely designed and themed as well. Lots of neat gifts for cat lovers as well and this was where we were lucky enough to see Belle Boy napping! Just know that unless you have ADA parking, I believe that most people park at the lot and walk up or at the train station and walk up. So make sure to wear comfy shoes since it's a dirt path. Always a great time here and can't wait for the next event! read more

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Disrespectful to people on the block. Speeding through the dirt, dirty people's car and they are inhaling it. When they bring trucks for events, they hit people's car and drive off without letting them know. They only care about money and the lady in charge is so disrespectful to people that live on the block and keep speeding on the dirt road, she treated people on the block that she will called the cops for standing up against them speeding on the dirt road. I wish I can give -10. Sometimes the security(some of them) they will be disrespectful. They live there not you. Hopefully, you are reading this and made a change in your life. Stop supporting this place. Please stop this behavior. They deleted my post what a joke read more

I went here for Street Food Cinema's Half-o-ween, and they were showing Final Destination. So it was great being in the space and checking out the museum of old houses that were moved there to make the museum. I saw most of the buildings, and because of the event, it had a Halloween kind of feel, so it was a bit special. They have a gift shop, which was cool. They had tour guides in each house for this event, so I'd be curious to go during its regular museum hours since this was a special event. read more

I just heard that they are having another immersive experience event coming on May 22,23 and 24. Terrifying stores was an absolute BLAST! I can't wait to see this new one! read more

Thoroughly enjoyed the guided interior tour on Saturday at noon, led by the clever, funny, knowledgeable and informative Erica. So much history of LA to be appreciated through these amazing architectural wonders--we were delighted to be able to see the interior of 5 of the buildings. The staff were all welcoming and friendly, from the gift shop to Erica our tour guide. Street parking was plentiful. We arrived 45 minutes before our tour and wandered around, reading the signs to learn a little about the buildings before our tour. Restrooms are available. I look forward to returning some time when a special event is occurring! read more

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You can park on the street, or in a lot. Since the lot is very narrow, it's basically one-way. You enter it near the gates, but there is an exit way down at the other end. As for the houses, they were pretty much what you would expect. I found the drugstore to be the most interesting place you visit on the tour. There is a streetcar that seems out of place, and a couple of other buildings that are not open to the public. I would have given a higher rating, but there are two factors that brought my opinion down. The admission price is much higher than at similar historic house sites. When I visited, there was just one restroom available that accommodated a single person. Another one nearby was not in a usable state. There are restrooms at the back end of the drug store at the far end of the park which were locked. read more

For those of you who appreciate architecture that leans into the fanciful with lots of fine details from a bygone era, Heritage Square Park will scratch that itch. Docents are delighted to spill all the tea about each historical home on the property and the people who occupied them, and it is breathtaking to take in some of the grandeur of these well maintained beauties. The pharmacy is a trip, as it is filled with period accurate medicinals and potions, with a few wild prescriptions that are illegal now. During my many visits to Heritage Square I have experienced a faux funeral with a casket set up in the parlor of one of the homes with an actual living human pretending to be a corpse while an actor performed the eulogy prior to the funeral march with pallbearers to the church. (just a fun random event we happened to become a part of) We also came for movie night, where they showed horror movies on an erected screen on the grounds while we sat on the grass. I've also attended a gardening event where we learned about the crops raised in their garden, which was pretty neat. All around a fabulous museum to visit over and over, and for the price of entry you may as well get an annual pass because it doesn't cost much more. read more

This place is HORRIBLE need to explain their parking clearly when having big events.

I lived in Highland Park my entire life and never been to Heritage Square Museum. I finally had the opportunity to visit when I attended the Yuletide Cinemaland event that was being held here by Street Food Cinema for the Holidays. Heritage Square Museum is an open-air architecture museum that features eight historic So-Cal buildings from the periods of 1850 - 1950. These beautiful homes were rescued by the Cultural Heritage Foundation of Southern California. There is also a vintage train car and a trolley car on site. The holiday lights and décor made everything so festive. The Victorian homes were stunning. However, only two were open for viewing. The tour guides were lovely and provided a wealth of information on the history of who built the house, its former location, and answered questions. The houses were relocated from parts of L.A. and Pasadena. One house was originally located down the street from where I live. The Palms Depot is an old train station that has been transformed into a cute gift shop where you'll find number of fun & unique items in addition to an adorable resident cat named Belle Boy. I also got to spend some time inside the Lincoln Ave Church. The drywall has been removed so you can see the structure underneath. I definitely want to come back to take the full tower. They also host various events throughout the year - such as a Vintage Fashion Show and a Spooky SwapMeet, so check out their website to stay informed. (heritagesquare.org) *Comfortable shoes recommended. It was difficult navigating the gravel and uneven ground in heels. *Conveniently located next to the Gold Line. *Free parking read more

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Amazing houses and so much history. Various events throughout the year. Love this place.

First and foremost thank you so much Kori for answering all or our questions about the history and tours. Hubby and I are huge fans of Ghost Adventures, American Horror Story and different types of shows. Once I saw Jack Osbourne and his family visited the Heritage Square Museum and then Zak and his crew I knew I wanted to check out the Octagon house here. I highly recommend you take a stroll and see all the beautiful houses you can read the history right outside of each house and feel the need to take pictures. The scenery is gorgeous and Tours are offered. Take advantage of visting the nice gift shop there's a lot to chose from. I purchased a lovely hand lotion that reminds me of my travels around New Orleans' French Quarter. Come to find out one of the trains was brought from New Orleans on this property. I did walk around all the houses and noticed the Heritage Square is kind enough to also have restrooms inside one go the houses. Very clean all over the property. It would be a good day trip and ask permission for a photo session perhaps in front of one of the houses. They also have night tours I believe the one I was looking at was in October around Halloween. Thank you again Kori!!! read more

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What a wonderful venue! Especially for the annual holiday festivities that street Food Cinema puts on here. Halloween and Christmas. Fabulous decorations, wonderful movies are being played and tasty food trucks. A lot of visuals and beautifully decorated houses. The church is playing old Hollywood scary movies with a nice bar with fun spooky drinks. Just a real good time! read more

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The museum explores the settlement and development of SoCal during its first one hundred years of statehood through historic restoration and preservation. The eight historic structures were constructed during the Victorian Era, which were saved from demolition and now serve as the background to showcase the public about the everyday lives in one of the most expensive houses back to the old days. From the simplicity of the Longfellow-Hastings Octagon House to the opulence of the William Perry Mansion, the museum provides a unique look at the lifestyles of the people who contributed to the development of the modern LA. read more

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Incredible experience when you open your mind to it. My bf and I had so much fun and enjoyed the house tours and ghost stories. Thank you! read more

Heritage Square Museum - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We had a great time at their Halfway to Halloween experience last weekend! Will definitely go again.

Much obliged to YelpLA/YelpSGV and 'Heritage Square Museum,' for hosting and introducing me to this event~ 'Yuletide Cinemaland' event on Monday, Dec/19/2022! I thoroughly enjoyed the Tix Giveaway event with my friend, 'Net A,' of YelpIE. I'm also rating this venue 4 stars was due to lack of tours and odd Gift Shop operation hours as well as proper restroom issues i stated from my other review from the main event page. When we wanted to shop there, we had to return going elsewhere first because the staff went off to their dinner which I suppose was very understandable, but then when we returned, it was still not the right time so we ended up Yelping the wait time on the bench. I badly needed to buy just a souvenir tote bag to place all the other souvenirs I bought from the event. I will return to add pics of all the items I bought from the entire event because I can't wait to use them. Thanks to my friend, 'Net A,' for my new Christmas gift, a pair of dark blue gloves from the 'Music Hall,' section of the venue. I'll May return here again for another event because I had a blast going around all the vendors this time and I just may go shopping at the gift shop here again. The sales ladies I met here were sincerely friendly. One of the sales ladies ended up giving me complimentary post cards from the Museum (2 copies) after I supported them buying their tote. That made all The difference and they provided some free prints that you can take to Lakeshore, Pasadena to laminate as wall decoration! read more

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Stopped in today for my 2nd time (went to their Halloween festival) but this was the first time that I did a guided interior tour. Natalie the guide was very knowledgeable, polite, and a pleasure to listen to. While waiting I was able to hang out, sat and pet the resident cat Bell; he's a beautiful Main Coon or something close to that. He will sit on your lap and loves neck scratches. We saw all the buildings on the outside but were able to enter 4 total buildings. It was really nice to hear the history of who built the house and the former location of it as all of the houses were in other parts of LA and Pasadena before being relocated to this site. Each one is very different than the other so it did not get repetitive at all. In total the tour took about an hour and it was a pleasant mix of being in the sunshine and the shaded interiors. It would be a nice date or family outing or for anyone interested in history or especially LA history. Also been used as a filming location for many movies and shows. In fact they were setting up for outside Christmas movies and were showing Elf tonight. I will be back for that as I love movies in the park or rooftop or anything outdoor honestly. It was $15 per person and parking is plentiful if you're willing to go into the dirt area to park. The street leading up to it is very narrow and cars are parked on both sides so that can get tricky with oncoming traffic so communicating with the other driver is key. read more

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I've been here once before and what brought me back was the Spooky Swap Meet taking place in April. I didn't expect it to be so busy as many of the weekend entrance slots were sold out - who would've thought. We were glad we went back to visit these amazing historic homes plus the horror flick atmosphere of the event. The houses were not open for tours due to this special event. If you want to see the interior of the houses come by on a regular weekend. read more

Heritage Square Museum - Macabre event 2023 - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Five stars for history and the perfect pandemic outing. Heritage Square provides a safe haven for some of Los Angeles' most beautiful homes and buildings. Most of them were about to meet the wrecking ball until they were rescued by the Cultural Heritage Foundation of Southern California. The buildings are in a lovely area of Los Angeles, right next to the Arroyo Seco, and just off the 110. Heritage Square is actually like its own little town, to be honest; there's a church, a drug store, and a depot as well as the collection of beautiful homes. My favorite home, by far, is the John J. Ford home featuring his carvings on the exterior of the house. Mr. Ford was famous for his wood carvings and his work is featured in the California State Capitol as well as the Ioliani Palace in Hawaii. His home was his castle and he decorated accordingly. Pandemic modifications: timed tickets are required to be made in advance, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/self-guided-walking-tours-tickets-107387340426 The buildings aren't open during the pandemic but there is much to be seen outside. Brochures explaining the history of each building are included with the price of admission. Free parking. read more

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Heritage itself is beautiful, a very old Colonial neighborhood feel, the houses are well kept, the tour guides are very knowledgeable and their little shop is stocked with fun items. It is a great spot for events. I attended Yuletide Cinemaland featuring Edward Scissor Hands. Fun concept: good trucks, entertainment room, vendors, giant movie screens and tour of historical homes. A bit pricy, $32 admission plus you need to purchase food, drinks and parking. Easily walk out spending to much. VIP parking is $30 and General is $20.. the distance is literally across the street! I was kinda upset a waste of money. This review is solely for Heritage. BEAUTIFUL! Cinemaland is to expensive read more

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Was really excited to check out some vintage homes thought I'd get a tour of every house but I was wrong. All you do is walk around the first floor and just peak over into some rooms. Then you're out in about 4 min. The vendors out there super overpriced Disneyland prices. Anywho I still recommend to check it out. read more

Heritage Square Museum - The Hale house - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This is one of the most fantastic aggregations of architectural gems tucked away in an unexpected Los Angeles neighborhood. At least five types represented along our one-hour tour. Most homes are accented with matching period furnishings and other interior decorations. I used to work in pharmaceutical and can say that the highlight is an extensively furnished 1930s pharmacy at the end of the tour with vintage health, beauty, and medical supplies and a soda fountain. It was like stepping a century back in time. Our tour group was led by Miles (recommended for her extensive knowledge and passion for the story of each structure). She wrote the guided tour script, so request her if you can. See my photos below. There was a haunted tour and a winter-seasonal Christmas stories event happening the same day we visited so the houses featured additional decor. This non-profit museum (and the ongoing beautification of these historic structures) subsides on our donations, so I look forward to returning and supporting them through future tours and events with Heritage Square Museum. read more

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I haven't given reviews in a while but here we go! The Heritage Square Museum is not a welcoming a place for asians to tour. This review is specifically about an uneducated and unprofessional tour guide lady. Throughout the tour, she called me "little girl" and "little one". I'm 30 years old. During the tour, she used the word "Orient" (a word that reflected anti-asian discrimination and violence throughout American history) and referred China as the Orient. She was commenting on how the whites would go to the Orient and bring souvenirs, good-luck charms for happiness. After the tour when everyone dispersed, she came up to me and asked if I had more questions about the houses. I already didn't feel welcomed from her persona so I kept the conversation short. She said unnecessary things like well, I hope you enjoy the rest of the time here [looks at her watch] and says "well, until it's 5 PM closing then we gotta throw you out". Yes, she said "throw you out" to a guest who paid admission for the tour and walked away. I didn't say back in regards to her micro-aggression . It wasn't worth my time. She's keeping up with her "times" anyway. You can imagine what kind of staff and community is congregated here. read more

I visited the Heritage Square Museum during Museums of the Arroyo Day and they surely have done a nice job to prepare for the event! The Heritage Square Museum is a great idea for preserving LA's history or a slice of it since 1969! Various (eight) historic Victorian era houses were saved from demolition and brought here from different parts of the city, Bunker Hill being one of it! They all have interesting stories behind, they've been well preserved and re-constructed here at the Heritage Square. For the Arroyo Day they had docents in cool 19th century or early 20th century costumes, they explain you the history of the house and the families that lived there once you go inside. They also tell you cool facts about various objects on display, how life was in that era. Some places you can see more inside than others. You can't take photos inside, I managed to take a few. There's a nice vegetable garden on the property and they had fun activities for the day, especially for kids to learn about the past. The gift shop is nice and full of fun items, great souvenirs! It was a free day when I visited, otherwise admission is $10 regular, $8 seniors and $6 kids. 11,30 - 4, 30 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They do events here, plays and movie nights so check their site for a calendar of events. Free parking. I took the subway here, got out at Heritage Square Museum but that's a 15 minute complicated walk. So, if you take the gold line, prepare to walk and do directions, it's not very straight forward. But you pass by Lummis House on the way to Heritage Museum Square, so if you do both in the same day it's perfect. A very nice surprise, an enjoyable visit, great architecture to be discovered and admired here, a nice spot that's off the beaten path but totally worth visiting. It takes you back in time, when our city was different. A nice era to peek in even for a couple of hours or so. read more

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I fell in love with this museum after just one visit. I was assigned this museum for a school project. I dragged my (at the time) boyfriend with me, who ended up enjoying the home tours as much as I did. As a joke, we asked how much it would cost to have a wedding here...to our surprise it was completely on budget. We had wanted to get married but till this moment had yet to find the right place. This was shocking because everywhere in Los Angeles was over priced and never had half the character this site had. Heritage Square Museum combines my love for architecture and my husband's love for the past all in one place. This museum is a magical place to visit for home tours and an even better place to throw a memorable wedding! We really appreciate all that the museum did to make our dream wedding a reality. This museum will forever hold a special place in my heart. I'm already mentally planning our 30th wedding anniversary here lol. read more

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In general, I liked pretty much everything about this place. Parking was a breeze. The look and feel of the place was spot on, it felt like you were living in the past, and the past was a very appealing place to be. A nice collection of buildings to explore. Our guide was great. She was very knowledgeable, and I never felt we were rushed through a house. Well worth a visit. read more

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some of the prettiest homes in LA county. this is victorian home heaven. the most charming houses that have been preserved in a secluded area. each one is so unique and historic, it's like going through a time machine when you walk into the square. the people who work at the houses play such great characters. they're super educational and friendly. overall, highly recommend! read more