Beautiful museum! Former home of a wealthy family, full of original Victorian furniture maintained in an excellent state. It's like stepping into a time capsule. The tour guide is a passionate speaker who can tell you the greatest stories about the family and what it was like to live there in the 19th century.

– Bryan Nathalia

Five stories, so a lot of stairs, and you need to book online in advance. There are no walkins.

The Gibson’s made their wealth off of sugar trade and then cotton (so, lots of slave labor). When the senior Gibson died, he left his wife a lot of money, and she had this house built right along the newly filled bay of the Charles River (that’s why it was called Back Bay).

She had children and they had children, and the home was occupied for generations, until Charlie. Charlie had male partners, but no wife or children. He did not work a day in his life, and mooched off his sisters to feed his extravagant and “bohemian” lifestyle. He valued class, and very much wanted something to remember himself by. Since would have no kids, he left his house to be a perpetual museum.

It is a lavish 5 story building in Back Bay, with the only surviving coal shed in the city.

The cool thing is that it’s all as it was when Charlie left it.

– Kristy Johnson

I thought this was a unique activity in Boston! I'm a local, so this was a fun way to learn about the city and experience something new. Great value for price and the tour guide was knowledgeable. Definitely would recommend!

– Michaela Hagler