Hearthstone's Horrors of the Household

As beautiful as they were, Victorian homes could be deadly… as there were perils lurking in every room. Poisonous wallpaper, adulterated food, killer cosmetics, even exploding plumbing were just some of the dangers that filled gorgeous Victorian mansions like Hearthstone.

Back by popular demand, this tour, which sells out every year, is led by Hearthstone’s Executive Director George Schroeder. The 90-minute tour follows a day in the life of Henry and Cremora Rogers as they move through their beautiful home and encounter hidden dangers at every turn.

The tour is alternatingly horrifying and hilarious as guests wonder aloud, “What were they thinking!?”

As a backdrop, Hearthstone will be decorated to feature many of the practices Victorians followed when they mourned as part of its Victorian Mourning exhibit.

Tickets are $17. Members in 2026 receive a 15% discount with the code in their emails.

Please note:

To fully participate in the tour, guests must be able to climb a set of stairs from the lower level to the first floor and a long set of stairs to the second floor.

The parking lot fills up quickly with these tours but there is ample free parking one half block away from the museum on State Street.

Because of high demand for this event and the potential for overcrowding, all tours tickets must be purchased on-line through this website.

Tickets are for specific dates and entry times as listed on every confirmation email (please make sure that your email address is accurate when buying tickets).

Tickets can not be changed or refunded after purchasing.