Nichols House Museum | Boston Tourist Information Guide

The Nichols House Museum is a historic house museum at 55 Mount Vernon Street on Beacon Hill, Boston. The brick townhouse dates to 1804 and is attributed to the architect Charles Bulfinch. Rose Standish Nichols, a landscape gardener, writer, suffragist and peace activist, lived here from 1885 until her death in 1960, and Time Out gives 1961 as the year it opened as a museum. You can only see the inside on a guided tour, so it helps to plan ahead. This page covers the house's history, what the tour shows, tickets and tour times, how to reach it from a Boston Sightseeing stop, and what else to see nearby.

Location

The Nichols House Museum is at 55 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108, on the slope of Beacon Hill. Mount Vernon Street is a quiet residential street with brick sidewalks and Federal-style rowhouses. The nearest T station is Park Street, which the Red and Green Lines serve. The streets are steep and narrow here, so wear comfortable shoes.

From our buses, two stops put you on the hill. Stop 8 is at the Massachusetts State House, and Stop 4 is at Boston Common. Both are a walk from the museum, so check our tour map for the shorter route before you set out.

History

The house is older than the museum by a century and a half, and its story has three parts: who built it, who lived in it, and how it became a museum.

Who Built The House

Jonathan Mason, a Federalist politician, built the rowhouses at 51 to 57 Mount Vernon Street in 1804 for his daughters and their families. The design is attributed to Charles Bulfinch, one of Boston's best-known early architects. In 1807, Mason settled his newly married daughter Elizabeth and her husband at number 55. In the 1830s, Elizabeth added the Greek Revival portico. The result is a Federal brick townhouse that the museum's history calls the best-preserved of the early Beacon Hill row houses.

The Nichols Family

Dr. Arthur Nichols and his wife Elizabeth bought the house in 1885. Their daughter Rose Standish Nichols (1872 to 1960) grew up here and inherited the house in 1930. She became a landscape gardener and writer, and she took part in the women's suffrage and peace movements. Boston Magazine lists her as a founding member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, which was founded in 1915.

How It Became A Museum

Rose planned for the house to become a museum after her death, and Time Out gives 1961 as the year it opened to the public. Time Out calls it one of the few Beacon Hill homes still open to visitors. Today the museum uses the house to tell the story of women's history, decorative arts and daily life in Boston around the turn of the 20th century.

What To See

The tour is the only way inside, and the rooms are set up as the family lived in them, not as a gallery. Several guides and writers describe what visitors see:

• Oriental rugs, Flemish tapestries and American, European and Asian art, according to Time Out.
• Objects Rose collected on her travels, according to Frommer's.
• Examples of her needlepoint and woodwork, according to Lonely Planet.
• Period rooms that reflect the tastes of the Nichols family and their circle of writers, artists and politicians, according to the museum.

The Architecture

Even before you go in, the house is worth a look from the street. The Federal brick front and the later Greek Revival portico are the two layers of its history. The house sits on the same hill as the State House, so you can pair the two on one walk.

Accessibility

The museum is spread over three floors and has no elevator, which matters for visitors with limited mobility. Ask the museum about access before you book.

Visiting The Nichols House Museum

Tour times and prices can change, so treat this section as a guide and confirm on the museum's website before you go. These details were checked in October 2026.

Tour Times

The museum's website lists tours on Tuesday through Saturday at 10 am, 11 am and 12 pm, and on Sunday at 11 am, 12 pm and 1 pm. Another page on the same site lists a different schedule, and Time Out lists Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm. Because the sources disagree, use the museum's booking calendar as the final word.

Admission

The museum's website lists adult admission at $16, seniors (65 and over) at $13, and students and educators at $8. Children 12 and under are free. Several groups, including museum members, get in free. Prices on older guides are lower, so check the current rate before you budget.

Events

The museum also runs programs, including walking tours of Beacon Hill. The museum was one of the historic sites on the 2024 Beacon Hill Holiday House Tour (December 8), according to the Beacon Hill Times. Check the museum's events page for current dates.

Nearby Attractions

A visit here pairs well with the rest of Beacon Hill, because most of the neighborhood's sights are a short walk apart.

Acorn Street is a cobblestone lane that is often called one of the most photographed streets in the country. Louisburg Square is a private park ringed by townhouses, and you can look at it from the street. The golden dome of the Massachusetts State House marks the top of the hill, and the state offers tours, so check its schedule. Boston Common and the Public Garden sit at the foot of the hill. For a longer route through the area, see our guides to things to do in Beacon Hill and the Black Heritage Trail.

If you want to see more historic homes, Boston has several other house museums. Boston Magazine lists the Otis House, the Gibson House and the Prescott House among them. Each one is run separately, so check hours with each museum.

Planning Your Boston Tour With A Double-Decker Bus

Boston Sightseeing runs hop-on hop-off double-decker buses with 15 stops across the city, and our tour map shows each one. For a Beacon Hill morning, use Stop 8 at the Massachusetts State House or Stop 4 at Boston Common, and walk into the neighborhood from there. Stop 5 is at Cheers on Beacon Street, which is also on the hill.

Every ticket that lets you hop off includes these stops. That covers the All Day tour (Stops 1 to 8, $41.55), the 2-Day tour, the Boston and Charlestown tours and the Cruise Terminal tour. The Single Ride Pass is one narrated loop and your ticket ends when you step off, so pick a hop-off ticket if you want to tour the house. Prices were checked in October 2026, and you can compare every ticket on our tour packages page.

Once you are back on the bus, the day can head downtown or across the river. The Boston and Charlestown tour adds the USS Constitution Museum at Stop 10, and Faneuil Hall is near Stop 1. Want help planning a full day around Beacon Hill? Learn More about our tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Nichols House Museum?

The Nichols House Museum is at 55 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108, on Beacon Hill. The nearest T station is Park Street.

Can you visit the Nichols House Museum without a tour?

No. The museum says the only way to visit is through a guided tour or a museum program. Check the museum's booking calendar for tour times.

How much are tickets to the Nichols House Museum?

The museum's website lists adult admission at $16, with lower prices for seniors, students and educators, and free entry for children 12 and under. Confirm current prices before you go.

What are the Nichols House Museum's hours?

The museum's website lists tours Tuesday through Saturday at 10 am, 11 am and 12 pm, and Sunday at 11 am, 12 pm and 1 pm. Sources differ, so check the booking calendar.

Who was Rose Standish Nichols?

Rose Standish Nichols (1872 to 1960) was a landscape gardener, writer, suffragist and peace activist who lived in the house from 1885 until her death. She planned for it to become a museum.

Who built the Nichols House?

Jonathan Mason built the house in 1804 as one of several rowhouses on Mount Vernon Street. The design is attributed to Charles Bulfinch.

Is the Nichols House Museum accessible?

The museum is spread over three floors and has no elevator. Contact the museum before you book if you need step-free access.

Are there other house museums in Boston?

Yes. Boston Magazine lists the Otis House, the Gibson House and the Prescott House among Boston's house museums, and the Nichols House is one of two Bulfinch-designed house museums on Beacon Hill, according to Boston Magazine.

How do I get to the Nichols House Museum on the Boston Sightseeing bus?

Get off at Stop 8, the Massachusetts State House, or Stop 4, Boston Common, and walk into Beacon Hill. Check our tour map for the shorter route. Every ticket that lets you hop off includes both stops, and the Single Ride Pass is one loop without getting off.