Following a four year, multimillion dollar restoration, The Queen Anne Mansion will open as house museum on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 10 AM. Museum tours feature fanciful American Queen Anne style architecture, one of the most impressive collections of 19th century decorative arts, and stories of The Queen Anne Mansion’s first family and their distinctive houseguests.
Location: The Queen Anne Mansion House Museum
115 West Van Buren
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
Hours: Thursday-Monday, 10 AM-5 PM & Wednesday 7 PM- 9PM
Tickets: Self guided tours $15, Docent led tours $25 (by reservation only)
$2 of every ticket in May goes to the Eureka Springs Art Council to support future art exhibits.
Built in 1891 by decorated Civil War veteran and mining industry businessman Curtis Wright, The Queen Anne Mansion was a modern marvel of the 19th century and a work of art. From the personal touches including mineral covered gables and limestone facing to the superb craftsmanship of hand carved stone and stained glass, The Queen Anne Mansion remains magnificent in scale and artful in details.
The Architecture
The Queen Anne exemplifies style inside and out. A wraparound porch, moon windows, an asymmetrical roofline, multiple shingle patterns and balconies all work to create a distinctive exterior while the interior showcases a skylight to illuminate the main staircase, massive pocket doors, intricate metalwork, and hand carved woodwork by German and Italian artisans.
The Collection
The Queen Anne Mansion is home to a private collection of 19th century decorative arts which include works by some of the most famous of their craft including works by John Henry Belter and J. & J. Meeks among others. Similar works can be viewed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. The Queen Anne Mansion provides Mid-America’s most coveted access to such craftsmanship with intimate look at these works of art in their intended setting.
The Gallery
Intimate viewing of art is not restricted to 19th century works. The Queen Anne Mansion features a state-of-the-art gallery that will host rotating cultural exhibits throughout the year. The first such event, coinciding with May Festival of the Arts, is the First Annual Eureka Springs Invitational Art Show during the entire month of May. The show features accomplished artists living in Eureka Springs. The Queen Anne will donate a portion of museum ticket sales to benefit the Eureka Springs Art Council. Future cultural events planned for The Queen Anne Mansion include touring exhibits from respected cultural institutions like the Smithsonian.
The Lore
The Queen Anne Mansion has no shortage of stories from family, friends and remarkable feats. Tours introduce guests to the Wright family and some of their famous friends including Buffalo Bill and best selling early 20th century author, Harold Bell Wright while also recapturing the history of The Queen Anne Mansion’s move. (Originally built in Carthage, Missouri, The Queen Anne was dismantled, moved, and reassembled in the current location in the 1980’s.)
The Queen Anne Mansion House Museum is the first major attraction to open in Eureka Springs in over a decade and has been well received by the Eureka Springs community dedicated to the principals of preservation, accessibility to the works of the 19th Century and a commitment to the art and cultural community of travelers.
Here at the Bridgeford House Bed & Breakfast we plan on including the Queen Anne Mansion in a new tour package, along with the Crescent Ghost Tours and the new Underground Tours. Watch our website for that new package!
Warmest regards,
Jeff and Nadara (Sam) Feldman – and Sophie, too!
Average tour time is about 1 hour and 10 minutes. We had an awesome tour guide, named Angie, who knew everything about the cave and a ton about its history. The Cosmic has several known underground lakes, including one that contains Rainbow Trout, and the cave is a cool 62 degrees all year round. Definitely bring your camera because there are some spectacular photo ops.
Cosmic Caverns now offers their Wild Cave Tour! This tour is offered after hours and by reservation only. There are other special requirements and supplies needed for this tour, as you are going “off the beaten track”. Mud is involved, we hear.