What a great visit! The home is lovely and our tour guide was excellent. She had so many fun stories and unique things to share with us. It's a little bit of a walk from the ticket area but pleasant if you are able. read more

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While in town, and with a checklist of FLLW houses to visit, this was a short trip to Woodlawn. I will say it's kind of convoluted as to where to drive and park and check-in, but for a rare occasion we were a little early so we had time to figure things out. Smaller house, quick tour, but the tour guide was friendly and informative. You are allowed to take photos which is appreciated. read more

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We visited the Pope Leighey house the other day on our day off. We ordered tickets ahead of time online and they were $15/person. They have discounts for seniors, military, and children. You have to check in at the Woodlawn home and then walk down to the Pope Leighey house. Our tour guide was very detailed and informed about the home and its history. She was engaging and was able to answer all of our questions! We throughly enjoyed visiting this home and seeing the unique architecture and sustainable design. We had a great time and would definitely visit again! read more

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We did a Holiday Night Tour and it was beautiful l. Tour guide was great, knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter. Would recommend to anyone looking for a unique holiday activity to enjoy! read more

The Pope-Leighey House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Beautiful Christmas tour of a Frank Lloyd Wright home led by Shawn. The house was decorated and appeared like it would be in the 1940s. Very Inspired by Wright's use of wood, light, and space. Very reminiscent of Japanese architecture and very minimalistic. Wright emphasized the living room as a center of the family home to create social cohesion. Everything in this home he built emphasized purpose and simplicity. The floating roof for the carport was impressive and the entrance area for the tour. Hot apple cider was provided while we waited for the tour to start. Sean provided detailed and sentimental information of the past owners of the house, its history, and how it was a "home". It was very enlightening and heart felt. The staff was very professional and courteous. The price of the tour was $15 a person and the gift ship items were fairly priced. Bathrooms were a walking distance from the tour area. read more

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This relocated and recreated Frank Lloyd Wright home is a treasure that has been rescued and restored. Do not miss visiting if near Mount Vernon. Buy tickets online. Tour groups are small, about 8 people max. Those familiar with Wright's work as well as the uninitiated will enjoy this rare opportunity to tour a Usonian home. As a FLW fan, and former docent of one of his homes, I can say that this is an excellent tour. The guide was well informed and engaging. The home has been beautifully recreated here on this state-owned property after being slated for demolition when a highway was designed to go through its original location. The design and details are of course exquisite. Each of the architect's creations are a work of art and this is no exception. The play of light, the textures, the lines. It is a little jewel which two families enjoyed for many years. Now we can appreciate it and stand in awe of this beautiful home. read more

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What a unique experience in the Alexandria/Mount Vernon area! I was trying to find some other things to do in the area after a tour of George Washington's Mount Vernon a few weeks ago, and lo and behold: A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. I'll admit to being a bit of a FLW fan. If I'm in a city with a house of his that the public can tour, I'll usually do it if I have time. This house, while small, was such an interesting and special tour! FLW began focusing on middle class rentals in the 1930s, and this house was commissioned by Loren Pope, a journalist in Falls Church in 1939. The Pope family loved it but it was sold (too small for their growing family) to the Leighey family in 1946. When the expansion of Highway 66 would have led to its destruction, Mrs. Leighey (now a widow) fought to preserve the house. She succeeded and it was moved to its current site, where she continued to live in it until her passing in 1983. (It was also moved 30 feet in 1996 due to soil issues.) We arranged for and paid for a tour of the house online. Our tour guide met us in front of the house, and it turned out to be a private tour - just us, the tour guide, and his wife (another tour guide who also knew a lot about the property). Because it was just us, the tour was probably longer than it might otherwise have been (I asked a lot of questions). It was also just really special. We really took our time since it turned out to be a private tour. The house is amazing. It has a lot of the FLW classic details: an L shape, a flat roof, natural building materials, indoor/outdoor living, a cantilevered carport, and more. The unique patterned, cutout windows were a highlight of this home for me! The house is open for tours from April to December, Fridays through Mondays (at least for this 2022 season). Tickets for the tour of the house are $15 for adults, and getting tickets online was really easy. (You can also tour the Woodlawn Mansion - the Pope-Leighey House sits on its property - or do a combo tour package of both!) As one of three FLW homes in Virginia - and the only one open to the public - this house is certainly worth a tour if you're in the area. Our tour guides were great, and the house - while on the smaller side - has enough interesting design to keep you busy for an hour! You can take pictures (not true of all FLW properties) and stay inspired by the architecture of this home even after you leave it. Check it out! read more

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Cyndy's Bottom Line: A brilliant Frank Lloyd Wright design *Putchase tickets online *Tours may include Woodlawn *Picture taking inside and out permitted *Parking available The Pope-Leighey House tour was interesting and informative. Great information on both Frank Lloyd Wright and the owners of the home The Pope-Leighey home is an example of what Wright called a "Usonian" home. The architect coined the term Usonian to stand for the United States of North America, and designed them as affordable homes for America's middle class. Our tour guide was enthusiastic, engaging and provided interesting facts about the home. Highly recommend. read more

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We discovered this site using the Internet to find local things to do. We received a guided tour of the house. It was built in 1939 in Falls Church but had to be moved because of Route 66 construction. It was different than other Frank Lloyd Wright designed residences; it was small and designed for a family of modest means. The guide provided the history of the house and pointed out many interesting architectural features. We arrived early and found the gate shut. The sign said to check the Woodlawn website for hours, but we could not find them there. A staff member did arrive to open the site shortly before our scheduled tour. We walked around the Woodlawn Plantation grounds after. The building was impressive but we did not take its tour. read more

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Visited on a very hot 4th of July. As locals, we had been intending to visit for a long time and finally made it! Chelsea offered an outstanding tour for our group. Very engaging as well as knowledgeable. We have visited several FLW houses across the US. This one, while small, did not disappoint. Looking forward to a nighttime illuminated visit in the near future. read more

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Probably my favorite Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) house! The geometric patterns throughout letting natural light in captivated me from the first photograph I saw. Fast forward a year later and I get to see them in person!! This story holds numerous FLW features that he was known for. Perhaps the single unique thing is the document story of him breaking in and sleeping at the house just to yell at the homeowners to not change anything. read more

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Enjoyed this a lot. Toured the other historic home as well next to it. It's in a secluded area, nicely wooded as are most Wright houses. The docent was outstanding. He really knew his stuff. We got to see the house (kind of small) but it is in perfect condition, and it a prime example of a wright house. I enjoyed walking down a little early and sitting on a bench to wait in the woods and walked around all sides of the house to take photos from all angles. Very peaceful. I'd recommend if in the area. read more

Took the Pope-Leighey House tour, and our guide was friendly, informative, and made my first Frank Lloyd Wright house visit a great experience! The grounds are beautiful and well-maintained, and tour proceeds go towards the conservation of Virginia historic sites. Would definitely recommend visiting and the tour! read more

Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "The architect should strive continually to simplify; the ensemble of the rooms should then be carefully considered that comfort and utility may go hand in hand with beauty." Wright's ardent feelings on matters of space (just because you have it doesn't mean you need to fill it up) are made clear in this 1200 square foot Usonian house. Not only did Wright design the house, he also crafted all the furniture inside. Folks interested in "green" design will be especially intrigued by how ahead of his time Wright was when building his Usonian homes - none of which feature garages nor an abundance of storage or square footage. The design of the Pope-Leighey House, and others like it, was meant to foster seamless interaction between the person living inside the house and the world outside. Wright considered himself in the practice of organic architecture. I could be very much at home living in a space like the Pope-Leighey House. I was particularly fascinated by how many of the elements I'd want in my own dream home which were present in this one including: Radiant heating. Rather than having heat emitted from vents or radiators, the heat comes from underneath the floor. Meaning that when you wake up in the middle of a cold winter night to relive yourself, your toes touch a warm floor. Lots of natural light. Wright's known as an organic architect not simply because of the materials he used but also because his designs were very much informed by the natural world. He once said, "I believe in God, only I spell it Nature." Thanks to the many windows in this house, the resident gets a ton of natural light. Emphasis on communal space. Rather than a split up living room, family room and dining room, Wright allows one main space to serve all of these purposes. The majority of the space in the house is dedicated to communal space. The bedrooms are quite tiny but clearly this would be a great place to entertain. A short and gorgeous drive from Washington, DC, the Pope-Leighey House may be the best testament to Frank Lloyd Wright's mantra: "form and function are one." read more

A hidden gem in the DC area. After passing the sign for the Pope-Leighey House on I-95 about a hundred times, my Wife and I decided to spend a sunny afternoon checking out FLW's design for the middle class. Two things really popped out at me when visiting the PLH: 1. So often we spend our lives in homes that are little more than spaces. Sure, we dress up those spaces. But usually those spaces aren't really thought out. The PLH is a little different. Visitors will immediately notice the small bedrooms, with very limited storage space. Then the comparatively large living room.... meant to bring everyone out of their individual spaces into a shared space. 2. With the very small storage space, FLW limited the amount of material possessions of his houses' inhabitants. No walk-in closets here, ladies. Compared with homes today, it's a big difference. I strongly recommend a trip to the PLH. It's a great use of $7.50. It's a great time for anybody even remotely interested in architecture.... and also a great jumping off point for those learning about Frank Lloyd Wright. I'll add some of my own pics later.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope-Leighey_House Highly recommend!! read more

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Frank Lloyd Wright house is about philosophy. No need for a garage - it just serves to collect stuff - a car port at the entrance is the solution. Tiny hallway - no need to enlarge it since it is just a passage. Small bedrooms - sleep, see nature when you wake up and go to live in living room. Living room - lot of light and connection with the nature, floor radiant heating and no need for the artwork as the natural wood beauty cannot be replaced or covered. No need to have a light fixture - it takes away from other things - all light fixtures recessed. Open space but rooms are defined by the ceiling height - 11' @ living room and small kitchen and 8' @ dining room. It is very interesting, maybe inspiring place - you may be motivated to clean up your house and get rid of things that you do not need (he had very little storage in his houses). The whole place makes you think about what is important in life and living - is it important for the house to have a big entrance and smaller living room or like in his case, a small entrance and big living room? You will not find this museum in the travel books, so we can call the 1,200 SF museum a hidden gem. read more

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I'm not sure if this is well known that we have a Frank Lloyd Wright's house right in VA. The Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope Leighey House in located in Alexandria (off Route 1 on Richmond Highway). It is only Frank Lloyd Wright's house in Virginia that is opened for public. Guided tours daily on the half hour from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed in January and February. $7.50 adults, $4 seniors and students. After you park your car, you actually needed to go over to the Woodlawn house first to get your admission tickets. And walk across the parking lot to the Pope-Leighey house. I think the tour is run every 30 mins. I had an awesome tour guide that gave us the history of the house. The tour is about 45 mins long and can't take pictures inside. See photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/karmanlee/sets/72157602326173165/ read more

The Pope-Leighey House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

What a beautiful, fascinating and totally impractical place. I doubt I could live in it - it's just too cramped - but what a great example of the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright on a modest, affordable scale. Our guide, Hilaire, was fantastic - knowledgeable and engaging. She made the place come alive. Highly recommended! My only complaint: The site isn't very easy to navigate for someone with mobility problems. A long walk to the Woodlawn ticket office, then a long walk back through the parking lot and down a hill to Pope-Leighey. Even the Woodlawn bathroom is hard to get to, down a flight of steps. It would be good to add signs showing the handicapped parking near Pope-Leighey. Wish we'd known they were there. read more

Both houses closed until March 1. 2015 rates: Tickets are $10 adults $5 kids. Discounts for military ad seniors. $8. Kids under 5 free. Combo tickets for Woodlawn and pope are just a few dollars more. $15 adults. $8 kids. read more

The Pope-Leighey House is the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in the DC area open to the public. That alone makes this house a worthwhile stop, but come with managed expectations because this is no Fallingwater. Built for a middle-class budget, this 1200 sqf. house is full of Wright's many special touches, but it's a quick tour with your knowledgeable guide. I was somewhat taken aback by the many cobwebs; housekeeping could have been stronger. A short walk away is Woodlawn, an old house from George Washington's family. Both houses are worth a visit and each house's tour lasts an hour. Admission is $10 per house; sadly no discount is given for visiting both houses. read more

A hidden gem that used to be in city of Falls Church before they moved it to its current location. It is well worth the drive to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house which is a very intimate tour with knowledgeable docents. read more

IF/THEN --IF you have ever lived in a house, apartment, igloo, teepee, trailer or dwelling of any kind, THEN you will find the Pope-Leighey house to be interesting. --IF you feel you've done all of the sights in the Metro DC area and if you have visitors from out of town but cannot stomach the idea of traipsing through another musuem, THEN the Pope-Leighey house is for you. --IF you are looking for a cool wedding location, THEN check out the grounds of the Woodland Mansion, which are the lovely grounds on which the Pope-Leighy House is located. --IF you have an extra $8.50 to spare, THEN support the local economy and see something interesting by taking a tour of the Pope-Leighy House. --IF you've ever wondered where the GW Parkway ends...THEN drive to the end of it to check out PLH and Woodland Mansion. --If you've just picked someone up at National Airport, have time to kill and find Mt Vernon and Old Town Alexandria to be too crowded, THEN keep driving until you come to the end of the Parkway ... and take some time to learn about the most famous American architect and one of his creations. I cannot recommend the Pope-Leighey House highly enough. I hope more Yelpers check it out, as the tiny amount of reviews prove that this is truly a hidden and mostly undiscovered gem. read more

After seeing Taliesin West last year in AZ, I'm now on the lookout for FLW houses whenever I travel. I want to see as many as possible! When I found out there was one nearby DC, it was added to the itinerary immediately! We grabbed a picnic lunch in Old Town and ate it at one of the picnic tables on the estate which was really nice. We visited on a Monday afternoon and were greeted by three older ladies who seemed really happy to us! They were very friendly. There were only three people in our tour group, which was great. It felt intimate and our guide was great. I'm not sure how bigger groups fit in this house- it's on the small side. Our guide walked us through the house and told us about the history and the architectural details. Husband was blown away by the "disappearing corners." FLW had designed a wall of windows that opened and folded up like a Japanese screen. Once you opened the panels that meet at the corner, there's no corner and it's open to the outside! Lovely. When we were in the kitchen, our guide pointed out the small closet and said "we're not going to open that today because there's a snake inside." Duly noted. Seeing this house makes me long for a unique, well-designed house of my own. If you are in the area and are a fan of design, be sure to check this place out! The tour was only $7.50!! We didn't even tour the Woodlawn Plantation :) read more

Took our tween/teen kids to this tour of a local Frank Lloyd Wright house, followed by "the house of the future" which was only on display in Alexandria for a short time. I personally loved doing those two tours back to back. Both were about futuristic, affordable design from the perspective of their era. The tour guide was excellent on this tour. read more

Okay, so my husband and I aren't exactly "Wright people," or architecture people....but we DID have $17 between us and we DO only live about 30 minutes from the Pope-Leighey House, which made it perfect for a short Sunday afternoon trip. It's a great little house. And it's a gem considering that there are only three Wright homes on the East coast that are open to the public. If you're in the area to visit Mt. Vernon....or if you live less than 45 minutes away, then yes....it's a must see. Compared to other Wright homes, I wouldn't say there is anything particularly cool or unique about this one, but it is pretty nifty to be reminded of someone so far ahead of his time. read more

The pictures do not do this place justice. I knew going into it that it wasn't going to be a Fallingwater and the pictures of the exterior were kinda blah. But I had no excuse not to go - it's right in our backyard about 25 minutes south of DC. Pope-Leighey house was originally built in Falls Church but was moved to its current location in Mount Vernon when 66 was being developed and the house was in its path. The house is really interesting and I am so glad I went. It is cantilevered and in Wright's organic style. It's made out of this beautiful cyprus wood and everything is in horizontal lines. My favorite part of Pope-Leighey house is the fireplace. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take interior photos and I don't know how to explain it so you'll just have to go see it for yourself. There are lots of windows that open up in a very unique style so you can get unobstructed views of nature surrounding the home. The house was never meant to be impressive - in fact, it was designed for the masses and was expected to be available pre-fab. I'm so disappointed the house never caught on! Admission for adults is $7.50. We got there for the first tour at 10:00AM today (Saturday) and we were the only ones there - it was great to get a private tour. Tour lasts for an hour and then you're welcome to walk around the exterior and take pictures. read more

Very beautiful house. To appreciate this house you must understand the architect and the architecture. Our tour guide was extremely welcoming and had a wealth of knowledge about not only this house but other structures built by the same architect. The only complaint I had has nothing to do with the house. It is very confusing to get to the house. There is minimal signage and some of it is blocked by poor placement or foliage. Also, there is construction on the main road areas which makes it confusing. Overall we really enjoyed our visit! read more

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The Pope-Leighey House, located within walking distance of the Woodlawn Plantation, was designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright for a site in Falls Church in 1939 and was later relocated to Woodlawn. It is a 1,200 square-foot, one-story house made of wood, brick, glass and concrete and designed with the middle class family in mind. When you walk through the home, you think how stylish and simple it is--and how difficult it would be to live in such a small home! We had a one-hour guided tour of the home. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly in her explanations of the materials used, the problems with the architecture (e.g., the flat roof with no gutters, lack of insulation), the uncomfortable seats, the old-fashioned kitchen appliances, etc. Tours cost $8.50 for adults and $4.00 for children. read more

We had a wonderful experience at the Pope-Leighey House. Our tour guide Dave was very knowledgeable about Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and made us feel very welcome. We had a very peaceful and informative visit. read more

Beautiful little historic house tour. If you are a fan of Wright, this is a must-see. This is not the original site of the house, but is faithful to the lot it came from in its woodland views and orientation. We went on a special tour highlighting the Japanese influences of the home. It's small but wonderfully designed. Go for the Woodlawn manor tour at the same time and save a little $. read more

Tour guide was very knowledgeable and excited about his job, as an architecture grad student it was a nice little field trip!

Totally my favorite place to go in the metro area when someone comes to town to visit. The tour guides are the best-friendly, informative, passionate. PC W has all the F-LW stuff right below. It is a beautiful masterpiece. It shows how we can all live simply and artfully all at once. read more

This is a sumptuous house in a wooded setting. The friendly yet erudite tour is a unique opportunity to have a very close up encounter with a prized example of Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian house design. I will never forget this gorgeous Red Cyprus and brick house. I've been to many FLW houses, and this is one of most memorable. You can imagine yourself living in these comfortable spaces. I plan to return when they have a night tour, so that I can see the Aztec inspired windows lit up at night. read more

Do not believe this web site. The houses were closed this afternoon although signs said they would be open. Some other people and I were walking around in blustery cold trying to find anyone to talk to to let us in. read more

Such a magnificent hidden gem. I recommend this to all my out of towers as it's such a unique site in DC. Besides the obvious awesomeness of an FLW house, you really get a two for one deal here! It's really fun to tour the neighboring Woodlawn Plantation first and then the Pope-Leighey. Seeing the similarities and differences of living between two centuries is really fun and SO unique. They are located on the same property and I believe you can get a discount for touring both. The guides are wonderful and so full of interesting facts. It is really rough to get here if you don't have wheels, but it's totally worth the Zip Car rental!!!!! read more

Definitely worth the trip - this is your chance to get to see one of FLW's Usonian houses (I never knew there was an FLW house right in Virginia, though this one isn't exactly in its original location which was in Falls Church). And if you're hitting up Mt. Vernon, the Pope-Leighey house isn't far away. Two small suggestions: first, the tours tend to fill up (especially on weekend afternoons) so if you're planning for an afternoon tour, budget some extra time. You also have to buy your ticket in one place and then walk 5-7 minutes to the house - so I'd recommend getting there about thirty minutes ahead of the tour you actually hope to take. Second, I do think the guides vary a lot - we were in a bigger group with a not particularly charismatic guide (we overheard some of the other guides and they were *fantastic*) - our tour wasn't so much a tour (it's a 1200 sq foot house, so fairly small - and we were a big group) as it was a guide telling us a few (and few is the operative word here) facts about the house and then answering questions. I was glad I had read a bit about the house before the tour. That said, I do think this is an often overlooked treasure that's worth the trip - it makes for a nice weekend outing. read more

Took a tour of this and Woodlawn together. This is a beautiful house (and Woodlawn is gorgeous too, in a very different way) so I would recommend taking them both together. Our guide, Kate, was very knowledgeable. It seems like Wright was a hard man to work with, but at least he created some very interesting ideas. It was about an hour tour, and I never got bored. If you are tall, it might be cramped in some areas. Definitely felt like a giant in this house. read more

Great tour, do this and skip Woodlawn - guide was super knowledgeable and fun; I gained a ton of info and insight into FLW from this tour. Highly recommended read more

Our docent, Susan was amazing. She brought the history of the house to life with details of Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural decisions and designs. She inspired us to make a weekend trip to revisit Falling Water and the other Wright houses nearby. Thank you Susan. read more