Gibson House Museum
The Gibson House Museum is a Victorian house museum at 137 Beacon Street in Boston's Back Bay. Three generations of the Gibson family lived in this brick and brownstone townhouse from 1859 to 1954, and the museum keeps its rooms, furniture and everyday objects much as the family left them. Visits are by guided tour only, and a tour runs about 45 minutes. This page covers where the Gibson House Museum is, what you will see on a tour, tickets and times, and how to fit the visit into a Boston Sightseeing hop-on hop-off day. Beacon Hill is the next neighborhood over, so the house pairs well with Boston's historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, and it is one of several historic homes in our guide to museums to visit in Boston.
Location And Accessibility
The Gibson House Museum is at 137 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02116, between Arlington and Berkeley Streets in Back Bay. Because the street is called Beacon Street, many visitors expect Beacon Hill, but the museum places the house in Back Bay.
For the T, the museum lists Arlington Station on the Green Line as the closest, about a nine-minute walk. Park Street and Charles/MGH are farther away. By bus, our Stop 5 at Cheers is on Beacon Street too, and Stop 7 at Trinity Church is the other one nearby. We have not measured walking times from our stops, so check a map before you set off. Parking in Back Bay is metered and very limited.
Access is the main limit on this visit. The tour climbs several flights of stairs across four floors, and the museum says the building has no elevator and no air conditioning. There is one public bathroom. If stairs are a problem, email the museum before you book to ask what it can offer. The house also has no lobby, so you wait outside until the guide opens the door, and the guide waits no more than 10 minutes. Late arrivals are not admitted and do not get a refund.
A Glimpse Into The Past
The house has a clear story, and most of it comes down to one family and one woman's plan for her son.
A Widow's House On New Land
Catherine Hammond Gibson, a widow, bought a lot in the newly filled Back Bay in 1859, and the house was built in 1859 and 1860. At that time Back Bay was being reclaimed from marshland and mudflats, so the land under the house was new. A museum curator has said Catherine hoped a fine house would help her son find a suitable wife.
Three Generations Of Gibsons
Her son, Charles Hammond Gibson Sr., married Rosamond Warren, and they had three children. One of them, Charles Gibson Jr., was a poet and author who never married. He wanted the house kept as it was, and after his death it became a museum. It opened to the public in 1957.
Architecture And Landmark Status
Published histories credit Edward Clarke Cabot with the design, and the exterior is brownstone and red brick in an Italian Renaissance style. Cabot also designed the Boston Athenaeum, which sits farther along the same street at 10½ Beacon Street. Published histories list a 1992 Boston Landmarks Commission designation, and the house became a National Historic Landmark in 2001. The museum's curator has called it the only Back Bay residence that keeps its original architectural elements.
What To Expect
A visit here is a guided walk through a family home, so the details below decide how smooth it feels.
Inside The Museum
The tour moves through four floors of period rooms. A Harvard Magazine profile of the museum describes Japanese leather wallpaper in the entrance hall and a second-floor music room in the Aesthetic style. The kitchen has a soapstone sink and an 1884 cast-iron oven, and the dining room holds a mahogany table and china. Charles Gibson Jr.'s study holds his books and coats of arms. The same profile points out the house's ventilation and heating systems, which many visitors do not expect to find so interesting. Collections and displays change, so ask your guide what is on view.
Tours And Times
Tours last about 45 minutes. The museum lists tours Thursday to Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m., although its own pages differ on Thursdays, so check the booking calendar before you go. Times are subject to change. Tour size is limited, and you reserve online through the museum.
Tickets And Admission
Adults pay $15, seniors aged 62 and older pay $12, students pay $10, and children aged 6 to 12 pay $5. Tours are not suitable for children aged 5 and under. Members are free, and the museum also lists free tickets for EBT cardholders. These are the museum's own prices, not Boston Sightseeing bus tickets. The museum has also listed specialty tours, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, an architecture tour and The World of Little Women. Their dates, times and prices are separate, so check the museum for the current schedule. Tours that include the fifth floor pause in July and August because of the heat, and summer tours can be canceled when the temperature tops 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Photos
The museum's visit page does not list photography rules, so ask your guide at the start of the tour before you take any pictures.
Nearby Attractions
Back Bay's best-known sights are a short walk away, so a tour here fits easily into a longer afternoon.
The house is a short walk from the Boston Public Garden, where the swan boats and shaded paths are the obvious next stop. Newbury Street's shops and cafes begin a few blocks south, and Trinity Church faces Copley Square. Our guides to Newbury Street and things to do in Back Bay cover the area in more detail.
Beacon Street continues toward the Cheers Bar, which is also our Stop 5, and the Massachusetts State House. The Boston Athenaeum and the Nichols House Museum, another historic home, are both on or near Beacon Hill. For more ideas, browse our list of the best attractions in Boston.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gibson House Museum?
It is a Victorian house museum at 137 Beacon Street in Boston's Back Bay. The Gibson family lived in the townhouse from 1859 to 1954, and visitors see its period rooms on a guided tour.
Is the Gibson House Museum in Back Bay or Beacon Hill?
It is in Back Bay, at 137 Beacon Street between Arlington and Berkeley Streets. The street name causes confusion, but Beacon Hill is the next neighborhood over.
How much are Gibson House Museum tickets?
The museum lists $15 for adults, $12 for seniors aged 62 and older, $10 for students and $5 for children aged 6 to 12. Members are free. Confirm current prices and book on the museum's website.
Does the Gibson House Museum offer tours?
Yes, and tours are the only way in. The general tour lasts about 45 minutes and runs Thursday to Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m., with specialty tours on a separate schedule.
Can you visit the Gibson House Museum without a tour?
No. The museum is open to the public by guided tour only. Tour size is limited, so reserve online through the museum.
What days is the Gibson House Museum open?
The museum lists tours Thursday to Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Its pages differ on Thursday times, and tours that include the fifth floor pause in July and August, so check the calendar before you go.
Is the Gibson House Museum accessible?
The tour climbs several flights of stairs across four floors, and the museum says there is no elevator and no air conditioning. Email the museum before you book to ask about options.
Can you take photos at the Gibson House Museum?
The museum does not publish photography rules on its visit page. Ask your guide at the start of the tour.
How do I get to the Gibson House Museum on the Boston Sightseeing bus?
Get off at Stop 5 at Cheers on Beacon Street, or at Stop 7 at Trinity Church. Any ticket that lets you hop off includes both, while the Single Ride Pass is one loop, so check its ticket page first.
Planning Your Tour
Because tours run at set times, the simplest plan is to pick your tour slot first and build the bus day around it. Tours start at 1, 2 and 3 p.m., so spend the morning on other stops, ride to Stop 5 on Beacon Street, and arrive at least 10 minutes early. A Boston Sightseeing double-decker bus ride then carries you on to the rest of downtown.
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