This place was not at all on my radar when I planned our trip. We had driven up to Windsor to see another museum, and the lady who sold the tickets there talked to us about our plans and recommended this place as very worthwhile. So, after lunch, we crossed a semi-narrow wooden bridge and drove a mile or two to this site. You park in a small lot (there was a sign for overflow parking too) and either pay there (if a ranger is on duty) or proceed to the visitors' center (where you can also pay). Augustus Saint-Gaudens was an American sculptor in the late 1800s and into the very early 1900s. I was not specifically familiar with him, but his work and that of those who trained with him was featured on a lot of U.S. coins at the time. It seems like a lot of the older coinage (before the models used now) was related to him. He also designed the Shaw Memorial on Boston Commons (related to the 54th Massacusetts regiment of black troops - see the film 'Glory' for background). From the visitors' center, there are several other areas to see. The ground slopes down towards the Connecticut River in the distance. Facing that, there is a small gallery and courtyard featuring some sculptures to your right. There is also a large sculpture of Lincoln. As you proceed towards the river, there are some works housed in spaces bordered by high hedges (including a copy of the Shaw Memorial). These end at the border to Saint-Gauden's original house, which is sometimes open for tours. When we visited, the sign just said 'wait for docent to open the door'. We later learned that this only happens between 2 - 4 p.m., which would be helpful to add to the sign. A bit below that is the studio building, which has examples of the sculptor's work and exhibits on the process of creating some. Maybe 300 yards further down is a memorial (sort of a small Greek temple) where the Saint-Gaudens' ashes (and those of several family members) are buried. It was a pretty site especially if the weather is nice. The sculptures, especially those which are outdoors, make for good photos. They also offer periodic ranger-led tours. We tagged along for part of one, but had already seen some of the areas, so we broke off and continued on our own. If you are in this area and have any interest in sculpture, this is very worthwhile. read more

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Beautiful grounds and entertaining story about artist and a local artist colony. It's only about an hour to 90 minutes to enjoy it. So not really worth making a big detour for-But it is a lovely stop if you're traveling through New Hampshire or Vermont. read more

Saint Gaudens National Historic Site - Quiet little place on the grounds - Museums Near Me - Cornish, New Hampshire

This place is beautiful. There is an art gallery and studio inside. Beautiful garden and sculpture. read more

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This was a pleasant visit that I took on my way back down from visiting the White Mountains. This historical home was the home of and don't laugh at my explanation, a French guy who grew up in NYC. Augustus Saint-Gaudens died in 1907 and lived here for 7 years til he died. He was a sculpter and he created the gold coin called the Saint-Gaudens double eagle, a twenty-dollar gold coin, or double eagle. This is the only way I knew who he was because I have seen this coin referenced in books and online when I was young. The house is a nice pleasant stroll in the late 1800s early 1900! read more

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Definitely worth a visit nice grounds , great scenery & sculptures . Guide for the house precise . Decent price

This is a surprisingly cool NPS site. Grounds are very well maintained. A lot of reproductions of his work all over the grounds. Great interpretative content. Good junior ranger program. This place is worth checking out. read more

This is a great treasure in the National Park system. We really enjoyed the experience and love Saint Gaudens work. We have been followers of his art work and really like the layout at this historic site. Very enjoyable. read more

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Good little stop to experience some classic Americana. The only National Park of NH. Beautiful grounds and staff/rangers are very well informed/knowledgable on the sculptures. There are plenty of gardens to sit in and I noticed it was relatively ADA-friendly. Dog-friendly too but not inside the buildings. read more

Saint Gaudens National Historic Site - One of the gardens (lily pads and frogs) - Museums Near Me - Cornish, New Hampshire

This is a jewel in the National Park system honoring the life and works of one of the country's most prolific public sculpture personalities. And as well, the perfect place to spend a beautiful Fall day admiring the foliage, architecture and culture of the site. Arriving at the expansive site, the visitor center welcomes you and one can make reservations for the house tour, well worth it. Then the walkers visit the sculpture garden and the workshop. To the initial observers to Saint Gaudens' work, the surprised faces abound when they become aware that some of the most well known sculptures in our major cities as well as monuments of national significance were products of the amazing creative genius of Saint Gaudens. The workshop is equally amazing. The next item to visit once the tourists have reservations is the home, Aspet. Quite a lot of history although it is a shame only the lower floor in the unique mansion is open to the public. Lastly, the sprawling gardens are worth visiting especially during the Fall, as the property location commands a spectacular view of the area as well as the piedmont of the Green Mountains. During our visit, the expansive apple orchards were producing countless apples which the staff encouraged visitors to pick or else they'd rot. Worth a visit. Scenic, historic, pleasant. read more

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Very interesting to see the detail Saint Gaudens put into Hs works. Tours were great. Wouldn't take kids. They would be bored. read more

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A national historic art park. Beautifully landscaped grounds and displays of many pieces of sculpture by the great artist. Not far from the CT river in Northern NH, up a long driveway with parking for about 20 cars. It is then a short walk to the rear of the property up to the visitor center where you pay your admission fees. There are composting toilets in the parking lot and full facilities in the visitor center. The sculpture is congregated to the back of the property in a gallery type area. There are many buildings on the property - the actual house ASG lived in, a studio, barn, stable, ice house etc. there is a "temple " on the opposite side of the property where Augustus was buried, alongside his wife Augusta. I kid you not - those were their names. Not sure why they named their son Homer - Augustine seems more appropriate The grounds are beautifully landscaped, yet lacking of formal gardens. The highlight is a tree lined walkway with access to the Shaw Memorial and the Adams Memorial. No food service on site. They have a limited number of events. There is a summer concert series which results in over flow parking in the field, cancellation of house tours, and the property being over run by large families full of screaming children. Really let's bring the kids to a concert where they shall runaround and scream and drown out the music. What could be beautiful picnic grounds become overrun with brown baggers. My fault for not doing my research before I went. I will definitely be back. Just not on a summer Sunday read more

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St Gauden's is the former home of the famous scupter Augustus Saint Gaudens. His home is now a national park and museum in Cornish, NH. The estate is open to the public and has beautiful gardens, and grounds. The house and most buildings are only open during the summer months but the land is open all year round and has beautiful views of Mt Ascutney. They also have tours and educational classes, music ,and all kinds of special events in the arts. I have been going there to hike the trails for over 25 years and its a beautiful and free place to enjoy nature and art. read more

Saint Gaudens National Historic Site - Museums Near Me - Cornish, New Hampshire

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Okay, I'm biased. I work for the NPS and enjoy visiting other sites when on the road. I've been aware of St. Gaudens for a long time and relished the chance to finally visit.Through academic work, I am familiar with St. Gaudens work and impact, so was thrilled to finally visit. Although the historic house is interesting (only the ground floor is open and must be seen on a guided tour), the gallery spaces, film and outdoor gardens are the highlight. There are three garden "rooms" with major casts that are also nice. The piece he created at the end of his life for Henry Adams is stunning. The views of the surrounding area are quiet spectacular, with a wonderful view of Mt. Ascutney. God for the art, soak up the history, and enjoy one of the very few National parks dedicated to America's visual arts. read more

I've been here spring, summer, and fall and no matter what season this place is just magnificent. You really get a feel for how amazing it must have been to live there and have this grandiose estate. The huge trees, vast grassy field, beautiful flower gardens, and wooded surroundings make you feel like you're living in The Secret Garden. The people who work there do a fabulous job of keeping it in tip top shape. I haven't done too much in terms of exploring all the buildings, but for the most part have been surprised at all the beautiful nooks and crannies I've found just around the corners. Be sure and check them all out. I loved it here so much that I decided to get married here last year. As far as that went, nothing could have been more perfect on that day and I can't say enough good things about their staff (especially Greg) making it seem flawless, providing wonderful advice, and being so laid back to anything we needed. read more

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This place was really nice. Bunch of historic art pieces, statues, etc to look at. They have the historic house to tour as well. Bunch of great views and trails. Nice place to spend an afternoon read more

The grounds are not as spread out as the map appears. In late summer, its beautiful and green with flowers. The house tour is very informal. Use the NP app on phone for the phone tour. It gives you info on each area. Loved the art! The Shaw memorial was exquisite! read more

What a random treasure in the middle of New Hampshire! I've lived here for two years and just heard/visited this place. The grounds are meticulously well-kept and the exhibits are simple but informative. I love the Roman and Greek-influenced architecture and seriously would consider coming back with a good book and just sit by the reflecting pool to read. Being a city-girl, it's been hard being away from arts & culture here, but having this nearby is such a treat. Saint Gaudens was a prolific artist and the sculptures dotted around the estate are testament to his craft. The only drawback was that we came on a particularly muggy and buggy day, which made enjoying the outdoors a little difficult. Would love to come back here on a crisp autumn day. read more

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Must be one of the prettiest spots in all of New England....how cheesy of me to say. But ' tis true dammnit! The sculpture parks are beautiful to wander around in, the grounds are expansive, and they are pretty chilled out in terms of allowing you to explore, picnic, and pretty much just wander around at your leisure. The tour of the house was short, but informative. They allow doggies! Bring your doggy, they will love running and rolling around in the grass here. read more

Wow, this place is amazing!!! Sooo many sculptures to see here. Plus, you get a really nice tour of the place with a ranger. Nice landscaping here and you can easily spend the day visiting the house and all the gardens here. read more

Not very helpful staff. Office hours should be until 4:30 and it's only 4pm but they already "closed" the register and wouldn't want to exchange a pass. Very disappointed. read more

Lovely park site. Costs $5 per person to get in, but counts for multiple days of admission. The road up to the parking lot is narrow and steep so be careful. The art is awesome. It isn't ed everyday that you get to be surrounded by such great works. read more

This place is a gem that makes the Upper Valley globally relevant. We are blessed to have this National Historic Site in our backyard. So much wonderful programming. Go visit. read more

We went on an amazing whirlwind 30 day driving vacation this summer to the east coast. Prior to arriving here we had the pleasure of seeing many of his completed scultures in person. This was even better. The grounds are so beautiful. We were lucky to arrive on a cool beautiful June day. It was in the low 60's. The exhibits all over the property were amazing. There was also a walking path in the woods that led to a beautiful stream. Loved it all. Recommend wearing sneakers. Lots of walking read more

Saint Gaudens National Historic Site - Museums Near Me - Cornish, New Hampshire

I went expecting great things. The staff would be 5 stars, especially Justin, the ranger, who gave the tour. However, the place was much smaller than I expected, there was little original work of St. Gaudens, and parts of the park were already closed for the season, even though fall foliage season had not yet even begun. We were rushed out of the main residence because it was closing at noon. My most disappointing experience at any of the many national parks I've visited. read more

Stumbled on this National Historic Site and decided to stop in. What an incredible find! Learned so much about Augustus Saint-Gaudens and his life. This is why we must continue to support our National Parks. Definitely a must see when here. The $10 admission fee includes parking, introductory movie, house, and all the various places to see his art. A must when visiting the area! read more

A beautiful National Historic Site resplendent with sculpture gardens and well landscaped environs. They have rotating artist exhibitions and on site sculpters. During the summer months they have a concert series in a pavilion located on the grounds. It is a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon with a picnic lunch on the grassy ground listening to the music. read more

Have not been here during regular season, but did a lot of snowshoeing around the grounds. If you are a pokemon go player, this place is littered with gyms and pokestops. The art is beautiful and almost everything is different (although I am not an art critic). read more

I will admit that prior to visiting Saint Gaudens, I had never heard of the artist - we made the trip up there from Connecticut because we knew that it was a national historic site and thought that we would find it interesting. I will admit to being underwhelmed by the buildings; but the art is spectacular. We could have sat and looked at some of the sculptures all day, they were so amazing. We all learned a little bit about history - US coins, in particular - and really enjoyed looking at the various sculptures. Our youngest earned her junior ranger badge - the park rangers made a big deal about swearing her in as a junior ranger, which was really great. I definitely recommend a visit to Saint Gaudens. read more

Fabulous!! Gardens so beautiful, the art work was so beautiful. We enjoyed the tour house and learned so much about this talented artist.

Saint Gaudens is magic. It is the 19th century New England equivalent of a little country estate in Britain. Unlike many similar destinations, Saint Gaudens still feels intimate and lived-in, as though the artist and his friends have only been gone a few years and might return some weekend soon to stroll through the sculpture gardens sipping wine, or delight one another with their own amateur productions of classical plays. Consider bringing a picnic to one of the musical performances held there. read more

Beautiful, peaceful site showcasing the home and sculpture of Saint-Guadens (even if you've never heard of him, you're familiar with his work). Most of the works are outside in the gardens surrounding the home. Even if you're not an art or sculpture fan, it's worth a stop for the way the pieces are integrated into the landscape. Run by the National Parks Service, it's open every day and it's free. read more

This is a great afternoon and lucky us, we came on free fee day AND got to catch their last summer concert. The house is pretty and a small walk to see some statues. I noticed 2 walking trails behind. But, bring your walking sticks and walking shoes. It's not an easy walk, as its elevated and down a hilly path. I just wish they had more statues, only a few really. Nice time to spend a casual morning. read more

Beautiful art set in a picturesque setting. They have versions of most of his favorite works, including Lincoln, Farragut and Sherman. The studios show how much of it was created. Scenery is gorgeous. read more

We took our kids to Saint Gaudens (ages 6-10) and they had a great time here. The art is amazing. The art guide was very knowledgeable. The college interns were kind and informative. The guide for the house didn't seem to have much to say but did her best. The grounds are well kept and fun to explore. read more

The Augustus Saint Gaudens Historic Site in relatively obscure,but attractive Cornish is a fine place to enjoy Saint Gaudens' statues,stone reliefs,and busts.I especially appreciated Saint Gaudens'"Shaw Memorial With Heroic 54th Massachusetts Regiment" and his work,"Ceres,Goddess of Agriculture".In addition,I enjoyed visiting Aspet,the home of the Saint Gaudens and learning about the life of this eminent sculptor and the history of the Cornish Art Colony.There is a pleasant ravine nature trail on the premises and from Aspet,there are fine views of Mount Ascutney and the Connecticut River Valley.In the summer,there are are occasional concerts on Sundays-so inquire. read more

Gorgeous, very interesting! Very relaxing nice and quiet perfect for art of all kinds. Overall a please try experience.

If you love art, history, and nature you'll be thrilled by this place. Learning the stories behind works of art that decorate iconic parks in major cities was great. Walking across the same brick paths and worn wooden floors as St. Gaudens and the other great artists that populated the Cornish Colony was highly memorable. One of my favorite parts of the gallery space were the drawers containing sketches and proofs, surrounded by completed works. It was such an intimate way to experience the works of an important artist. The grounds are gorgeous and most of the period artifacts on display were owned by St. Gaudens and his family. The energy of the Cornish Colony lingers around the property. The staff was informative and friendly. I highly recommend a visit! read more