Pasadena

The Gamble House Launches a Fresh Tour

The Gardens & Gables experience gives fans of the world-famous Craftsman home the chance to explore the grounds.

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What to Know

  • Pasadena
  • $15 for an hour-long open-air tour
  • Safe practices are in place, so please review before booking

Eagerness to enter the Gamble House?

So many Craftsman aficionados have felt that zing of discovery, the anticipation of entering a home that is truly a walk-through work of art.

The Pasadena landmark's living spaces, from its grand and wide entry to its cozy, wood-rich bedrooms, regularly attract fans who are eager to explore the masterwork of Charles and Henry Greene.

But the outdoor areas of the 1908-09 gem are also part of the fabulous whole, a flowery, stone-lined complement to the historic house's iconic interiors.

Many visitors to the Westmoreland Place destination do walk the grounds, following an inside look-around. But the gardens stand in a fresh spotlight, due to the temporary closure of the Gamble House's enclosed spaces.

That spotlight has grown brighter thanks to the new Gardens & Gables tour, an open-air, docent-led stroll that takes around an hour.

During that hour you'll learn about the house's design, yes, even as you stand beyond its walls and not inside. "The development of the gardens, landscape, terraces, and porches as a setting for early 20th century outdoor living," will also be a tour topic.

And if joinery is your jam, that, too, will serve as a focus, dear architecture buffs. The Gamble House is, after all, a nexus for satisfying joinery, a timeless craft that reached a zenith in the home's exquisite interior staircase.

The cost is $15, and there are safety protocols to keep in mind, like face coverings and physical distancing.

If you'd like a fresh face covering, you can find them at the Gamble House bookstore.

The store is only open to online orders and curbside pick-up at the moment, keep in mind, so you want to procure any Gamble-related goodies well before you go, or plan on buying after you return home.

Due to air quality issues, please confirm that tours are running before visiting the Gamble House, or any open-air destination.

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