What a fun bit of Des Moines history that I've never heard of before! We had just finished up at the Art Center and my Mom mentioned the Salisbury House. I had no idea! We got to see it all gussied up for the holidays since we stopped in the week after Christmas. All of the different designers did a fabulous job of decorating each room differently. Plus what an amazing house to begin with. A touch of Art Deco because of the time frame it was built plus Tudor and Gothic inspo from Europe. Just amazing! The history of the family was interesting as well. What an interesting venue to rent for a party! read more

I had no idea the Salisbury House was even a thing until a little over a month ago. Although not the "ideal" time of year to check it out, I was very pleasantly surprised. After making an unintentionally dramatic entrance, I was greeted by two smiling ladies and a beautiful painting. After an informative session and pamphlet push, got the blessing to proceed with the self-guided, bottom-floor-only tour. This place is really cool, and structurally somewhat reminiscent of the missions of California, minus the religious element. Lots of old heavy wood, stone, ornate masonry, narrow hallways, cornices, etc. As steadfast as I am with respect for the rules of historic property, I had a reaaaaaaaally hard time keeping my hands to myself. I could feel that itch to touch everything I passed, so I mostly just had to keep my hands firmly clasped behind my back. A crackling oil painting is a very hard thing to not touch, as is a massive piano, as is a giant...hmm...what are those rotating cylinders with the tics on them that you wind up and they play a plinky music-box type song? Whatever those are, Salisbury has a big one, and you can hear it yelling play me play me play me! I really really wanted to see inside the library, because the collection sounds truly impressive. Worth a visit for sure. I'll definitely be back to get the full tour so that I can see the rest! read more

Salisbury House & Gardens - Museums Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Nice place to tour on a quiet Saturday afternoon. You purchase admissions at the cottage before entering the home. We did the self-guided tour for $8 each person (card accepted). Admission price comes with an informative brochure that guides you along your tour. The docent guided tours are a few more dollars and with it, you gain access to the library; however, a guide was kind enough to let us peek inside when a group just so happened to be leaving the library. The guide told us the main reason why the library is secured is because it's climate controlled. If you have the time, I'd say catch a guided tour. All the guides that we met were so kind and seemed very passionate about the history of the home. I love anything history related so of course I enjoyed visiting the Salisbury house. My boyfriend, on the other hand, regaled me and the baby with comments like, "Oh wow! I didn't know they had blue painter's tape in the 1920s too!" and, "Why do they have ropes along all the chairs?! How am I supposed to test them all out properly when there's a rope in my way!" However, I was a little disappointed that the master bedrooms were roped off during our visit. I'd suggest calling in advance to make sure that all the rooms are open if it means enough to you. It seems like they close off rooms frequently for maintenance. Strollers aren't allowed within the home. We were able to leave ours in the cottage where you pay for admission. read more

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Last year, my son and I were in the De Moines area for my birthday and discovered this unique place. Since that time I have told many people about it and that they should take a day trip to visit. The tour is definitely worth it because not only do you get extra knowledge about the house, family and content but you get access to extra areas in the home including the library! It was cool learning about the convent advances this home had that seemed more modern but have actually existed far longer than I imagined. Next time I am in Iowa, I hope to return. read more

WOWIE ZOWIE what a night! I got to record a live album on the Salisbury House's 1600's piano that Steinway built out of old out houses and shipped over seas for the house! One of the most valuble pianos in the country this was quite the experience. Salisbury House & Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa, is home to library, fine art, rare book, historic document, decorative art and musical instrument collections of international significance, as recognized by appraisers, peers in the museum field, rare book librarians and collectors, and prominent media outlets. Signed books and documents by Abraham Lincoln, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Charles Dickens, Queen Elizabeth I, Joseph Smith, D.H. Lawrence and many others tangibly bring history to life. This beautiful building is full of crazy history you would not expect in Des Moines! You should definately take a tour or go to an event here! You will not be sorry! read more

Salisbury House & Gardens - Christopher Ford about to perform at Salisbury House - Museums Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Right after our tour of Terrace Hill Historical building, we were feeling an urge to experience more Des Moines history, so we drove a few minutes over to Salisbury House to participate in their tour! One big difference right away we noticed between this and Terrace Hill is there is much more staff here and the grounds/building is much bigger! There are plenty of visitor parking on the grounds so parking is not an issue. Follow the signs to get to the staff member who will be able to set you up with a tour of your choice, self or guided. You can check on their website for the price differences and tour times (they are set). For the guided tour you have access to a couple of exclusive rooms and get the history of the house explained to you. We went with the guided tour and did not regret it. The tour takes just over an hour and it was a very educating and fun experience! We actually began our tour the same time as another group began their self-guided tour. About 20 minutes into our tour, the self-guided group left the building. Without a guide, you just take a look at the historical building and the rooms without knowing their stories so the tour is quick. The staff members are very friendly and funny! Knowing what history of this building allows me to feel educated about the city I live in and sometimes I just can't believe this is actually in Des Moines! If you have not toured here, come and take a guided tour! read more

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This was an amazing mansion and absolutely beautiful. The art alone is worth it. However next time I am going on the guided tour!!! Staff here is super friendly and checks in on you with the self guided tour. It was a slow day so we ended up with a partially guided tour. This place is huge. Plan at LEAST a few hours to get through it and admire the details. Especially if you are an art or architecture junkie like me!!! read more

Salisbury House & Gardens - Going up the drive to the Salisbury House. - Museums Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

After a whole year of discussing a visit to this historical Des Moines attraction, we finally made it! (pats self on back) I am so glad that we finally squeezed the Salisbury House in to my weekend visit itinerary. We set aside an hour to explore all 22,000 square feet of the 1923 home located just outside of downtown Des Moines. From the lavish tapestries to the Egyptian artwork, the Weeks family didn't cut any corners in building their plush residence. The home was modeled after a mansion they saw while visiting Salisbury, England (hence the name). If you're like me, you're wondering, how did these folks pull off building a 3million dollar home in the 20s? We can thank Mr.Weeks for inventing what is today known as lady's foundation/makeup concealer. Huh, right? The home has dozens of rooms modeled after French and English architecture and interior design surrounded by beautifully manicured landscaping beds. I was very impressed by the guide booklet that is included with your $8 adult admission to the house. It offered a room-by-room description making it easy to tour the home on your own. Note that guided tours are also available by appointment. read more

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I have but little time. Soon I am away to my parents' house for a day and night of Christmas festivity. I wanted to write at least one review before I left, and this just happens to be the first suggestion that popped up. So here I am. Salisbury House was a bit strange, in that it seems to be modeled after a Tudor Castle, but the items housed inside have no rhyme or reason as to their placement. Some rooms were empty all together. It seemed the only real through line in this place was the very vague scent of soup wafting through the corridors. I'm left wondering if this is a remnant left from the building's days as a home, or if it's coming from the offices buried deep in the museum's belly. I may never know. But while we're on the subject, I would like to point out how very overwhelming the idea of this place as an actual house is. We walked through many single rooms that were bigger than my entire living space. Which is all the more imposing when you consider that some of these rooms were probably used for no more than an hour out of the day. That is an embarrassment of riches if I've ever heard of one. In any case, I did find myself thinking loftily of the opening sequence of Atonement when the little blonde girl was walking through the labyrinthian maze of her home. This place seemed quite similar. As for the aesthetics, the surrounding gardens were quite beautiful, and I imagine they would be even more so had we gone during the spring or summer rather than the fall. The outside facade, while being very charming in a very old and very British kind of way, did evoke many an image of college campuses... or, at the very least, school marms. I think this place was definitely worth a visit, though not quite what we've envisioned for our wedding... Nevertheless, it's quite the interesting destination. read more

This is not your typical historic home museum - it is so much more wonderful! No antique daily appliances to make us wonder "how did people manage to read anything by candlelight?" or "so glad I have a stove instead of a fire grate!" etc... This home is instead packed with amazing art from many different periods and cultures! Yes, there are some interestingly antique home furnishings, but it's the craftsmanship of the building itself and the beautifully curated paintings, books and decor that are the real treasures. When visiting Des Moines, this is the perfect cultural counterpoint to The Machine Shed, and an absolute must-see! read more

This multi-use mansion is a gem found in the heart of Des Moines. The mansion itself is a historical wonder packed with treasures from Europe, including the ceiling from a chapel that Shakespeare stood under. I'd highly recommend the guided tour for an inside look at this beautiful piece of history. Besides a relic of the past, I've also attended a wedding here. The Salisbury House served as a beautiful venue and backdrop for the wedding. I'd check it out if you are considering it. They also have many events throughout the year. Most recently, I attended Shakespeare's "King Lear," which was set across the grounds. I had a wonderful time, and it was a lovely night. Attend at event here or just come for a tour. You won't be disappointed! read more

Finally got around to seeing this today (5/5/18)! Its a nice part of Des Moines history. This house is massive to say the least. It shows of a family of six who lived in the early 1900s. The only disappointment was the lack of a kitchen. I think the booklet said they took it out in the 1950s to make office space... I also didn't get to see the library. Maybe all the rooms weren't open today? read more

If you like old mansions, architecture, antiques, history, etc., you will find this place delightful. I love all of the aforementioned and we decided to visit on the spur of the moment while we in town for a quick visit. The family that built the home made their fortune in cosmetics. Inspired by a manor house in England, they returned to Iowa to build a similar home. Many of the materials and furnishings were part of a home in Salisbury the owners had deconstructed and then reconstructed on their Iowa home site. Some of the furnishings and artwork date back to the late 1500s. We paid a lower price for a self-guided tour (it's about half the price of a guided tour). A booklet is provided that explains major details, and I like being able to go at my own pace. Unfortunately, 2 rooms (the India Room and the Library) are off limits unless you pay for the guided tour. Although I did find myself wishing I'd paid for the guided tour (because I wanted to see the library!), I wasn't disappointed and there was still a lot to see and experience. The gardens are also included in both the guided and self guided tours, but we didn't tour the gardens. Still, we ended up spending the better part of two hours touring the house. Learning about the family that lived in the home was quite interesting too. I highly recommend taking the time to have a look around this beautiful, unique home. It's probably about as close as you can get to experiencing a "castle" outside of Europe. read more

Pretty cool place to spend an hour or two. Did the tour on my own which I liked so I could go back and look at my own pace. They give you a guidebook (which was a little out of date, hopefully they replace). The cottage was out of commission due to construction or something which was disappointing. Otherwise very interesting if you like old architecture. read more

Salisbury House & Gardens - Back of the house with turn around driveway - Museums Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My husband and I were in Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair and we wanted to tour an older home. We learned about the Salisbury House. We opted for the private tour which was I think $8 per person. Our tour has about 10 people on it. Our favorite room was probably the library where there are several really, really old books. I could have done without the rat skeleton, though. There is an old piano in one of the rooms and for an extra fee they allow you to play it. The tour took us through the rooms and told about the history of the home and its first owners. There is a lot of artwork and the house has a lot of really wonderful old architectural pieces from England. The grounds outside are landscaped and border on nature. Due to a foot injury, I wasn't able to tour the grounds as much as I would have liked to. There was a small place where you could buy souvenirs. The house itself is located in a very nice neighborhood with beautiful older homes. The staff were very nice and one of them even shared her granola bars with us since we were really hungry and I couldn't walk that far to go get a snack. (The closest convenience store was over a mile away and we had taken a cab to get there.) The staff even took a photo of in the house, which was really nice. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Salisbury House & Gardens - A view of Salisbury House - Museums Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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My fiancé and I had an amazing tour with Dick. He was very kind and told us all about the history of the Salisbury House. We had a wonderful time here and would recommend to anyone visiting the Des Moines area. read more

A hidden gem in Des Moines! I highly recommend a guided tour - especially with Stuart if he is available! Perfect for architecture and history buffs. The house and its history are fascinating. read more

I was very disappointed. The house is cool looking on the outside. The interior was very sparse and cold. $8.00 was too expensive. Go to the Terrace Hill Mansion for a $5.00 tour to see a beautiful and richly decorate house with original furnishings! You won't be disappointed! read more

This is a review of their event services. I would never recommend someone get married at Salisbury House. Let's just say there's a reason they have "dates still available this year!". I had a wonderful wedding day because of all of my other fantastic vendors (which you can read reviews on), but I could go on and on about awful situations and circumstances Salisbury House put me, the bride, in. SH costs more than any other venue in Iowa and that the fee comes with nothing. I want to stress this - you get nothing in return for your money except being able to physically walk on the property which you will still likely be yelled at for. Our guests - and us, the bride and groom!! - were routinely chastised, rebuked and lectured during our wedding, enough so that I'm still hearing from our guests about Lori, SH's so-called "guest experience manager". Their security guard, which I also had to pay for, banned my 90-year-old grandmother from coming inside in 95 degree weather because she had a sealed bottle of water in her hand. We were forced to dispose of hundreds of dollars of wine because staff wouldn't let guests walk through the Salisbury House with any kind of drinks, even water, despite the contract stating otherwise. 15-minutes after being married, Lori berated my husband and I for being in the room that Bonnie told us to be, in which she grabbed the flower-end of my bouquet and threw it. We were told SH would provide a dolly for my aunt to move 120 chairs from one end of the house to the other in the heat, but they did not provide it and when she asked about it the staff refused to get it. As if that wasn't bad enough, the planning itself was almost worse. Salisbury House made it stressful and traumatic, not fun and enjoyable like most vendors who work with brides make it. They have no amount of flexibility, will help you with nothing, and line-items you have in your contract will not be followed through on. I have also been in contact with people from the State of Iowa regarding SH's ethical issues/non profit status, but suffice to say I do NOT recommend. Thankfully Iowa has an abundance of excellent, professional vendors to choose from and you would be better suited elsewhere. Literally any-where-else. read more