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October 2024 by A R
We did this tour on a Saturday. I believe the guides name was MaryBeth. She was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic we had a great time and learned a ton during our one hour tour. She answered our questions really well and we really enjoyed our time with her. Such a great historic and literary treasure here in New England. There is so much to do in the area and downtown Concord is close by for food or activities before and after you take a tour. This is a must, highly recommend.
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October 2024 by Erik
The Old Manse offers a great tour with plenty of fascinating history, especially about the authors and public figures connected to the house, which I really enjoyed. However, I do wish they had gone more in-depth about the battle, as it felt like that part was only briefly mentioned. That said, it’s still one of the better tours in the area by far, with a lot of interesting insights you won’t get elsewhere. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!
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August 2024 by E L
I recently had the pleasure of taking a tour at The Old Manse in Concord, MA, and I can't speak highly enough of our guide, Rachel. From the moment we started, Rachel's passion for history and deep knowledge of the site were immediately evident. She brought the stories of The Old Manse to life with a warmth and enthusiasm that made the experience truly unforgettable.
Rachel's ability to weave together the historical significance of the house with engaging anecdotes made the tour both educational and entertaining. She took the time to answer every question with thoughtful detail, ensuring that everyone in our group felt included and engaged.
Her storytelling skills were exceptional, painting vivid pictures of the lives of the people who once lived there. Rachel’s genuine love for the history of Concord and The Old Manse made the tour not just informative, but also deeply inspiring.
I left The Old Manse with a newfound appreciation for this historic gem, and I have Rachel to thank for that. If you're planning a visit, I highly recommend requesting her as your guide—you won't be disappointed!
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July 2024 by D G
The house is interesting but the tour guide we got was very rude. He insisted we all come very close (while he was coughing the entire time) but was also monitoring how close everyone was to the objects in the room and calling out individuals who he thought were too close. I’ve never seen a tour guide repeatedly speak to members of a tour in a way that embarrasses them. I understand that they don’t want any objects being touched—in that case he shouldn’t insist we get so close to one another. Maybe the tour group needed to be more limited in order to ensure people had space to stand while also being as close to him as he insisted. We hand a really great time at Minuteman National Historic park and then this tour kind of ruined our day.
Cool house/history if you can get a tour guide who is kind and reasonable.
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June 2024 by Z Peverill-Conti
Great tour!
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May 2024 by Lisa Stephenson
It's a charming building from the Revolutionary War period. There are guided tours, which I didn't take but have heard it's a great tour. There is a small gift shop with books about the area and the role it played in history. Definitely at least stop by the bookstore and look at the area around it. The people who work there are very friendly, helpful and full of information.
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November 2023 by Tony Ruvolo
Just incredible history in this house
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October 2023 by Alexander H. Spano
Oh we love going to the Old Manse!!! Rich with history! Differently one of our happy places!
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October 2023 by Lilian H. Chang
The old house full of colorful stories, the Emerson family's residence, and the lawn next to the house are also ancient battlefields where the American militia launched the Revolutionary War. Hawthorne once lived here, and his short story collection "Moss in the Old House" was written on the small table in the study room on the second floor. Today's tour guide was an elegant old gentleman, who gave a very vivid explanation of this old house - the people who lived here, their life anecdotes, and the stories of the objects in the old house. The content is rich and interesting. Well worth a visit.
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August 2023 by Wem Nilme
Great house and property maintained very well by the Trustees, definitely worth the visit if you are at the North Bridge/Concord Battlefield area, as it is only a short walk away. Free to visit, but taking the tour is 20 bucks for an hour if you want to explore the building. If you like Nathaniel Hawthorne, any of the other New England authors, or even colonial architecture the full tour would be worth the price. The gardens leading to the bridge are very beautiful and naturalistic, well kept by the Trustees members.
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June 2023 by Rev. Daniel Gregoire
Lovely historical site with very knowledgeable and enthusiastic docents. I'm looking forward to visiting again. A great spot to connect with Unitarian history and Transcendental American philosophy.
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June 2023 by Kay A.
Great tour of such an important time in America. Thank you to the Trustees who are the stewards of this piece of Concord history. Our tour guide Tim was well versed in the timeline of the house's residents. We were enlightened with what we learned on our tour. You all do such important work..,,... thank you for carrying history forward for us all!!!!
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May 2023 by Deb D.
Do not skip out on visiting the Old Manse! You absolutely need to visit this place! The Old Manse is immersed in history and literature, and I bought a tour ticket on the recommendation of a local tour guide. I'm very grateful I followed her recommendation! You can see the old North Bridge from the same room where Emerson and Hawthorne wrote some of their works. The guide let me play a little Chopin on the parlor piano. All the staff were very kind and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
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October 2022 by Jenny Johnson
I love it! So peaceful to walk around. Gorgeous.
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October 2022 by Jason Macey
The Old Manse is packed with both literary and revolutionary history, making it one of the more important historical homes in the US. If you're a fan of US history, Emerson, Hawthorne, and even (to a lesser extent) Thoreau, the Old Manse is a place worth visiting.
