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    Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

    4.5 (117 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 3:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House Photos

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    Emilia R.

    Beautiful historic home in buffalo that is well preserved. My only downside to the tour was how slow it went because our tour guide was older and this older woman that also worked for the museum joined our group and became the gestapo on people in our tour group. Other than that they are knowledgeable of FLW and his works. And the home looked amazing

    Garden
    Annette C.

    This is an architectural gem of the city! We took the 2 hour tour and our docent, Steve, made the visit special and unique with stories of the property and the design detail. He went out of his way to answer questions from the group and was a wealth of knowledge. Loved the tour

    Mr F G And Mrs M S.

    One of us, the Mrs, is a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's work. Our tour guide were extremely knowledgeable. It is a very interesting home. If you love his work, this is definitely a must place for you to visit especially if you happen to be in Buffalo.

    The Barton house, built for Darwin Martin's sister.
    Susan S.

    Today's tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me. I became aware of the house 60 years ago as a child. Riding my bike to the Buffalo Zoo, I was stopped dead in my tracks by the magnificence of the vacant house with the overgrown lawn on Summit and Jewett Parkway in Buffalo NY. My too-long wait is finally over and I was fortunate to take the 2 hour Martin House Plus Tour today. This is an exceptional value which includes an introductory video documentary in the administration building followed by a guided tour of the restored Martin house, the Pergola, Conservatory, the Barton House, Gardener's Cottage, and the Carriage House. We took advantage of a Senior discount; there are several packages from which to choose. The tours are well organized and carefully designed to provide keen insight into the relationship between FLW and Darwin Martin as well as a birds-eye view of their influence in the world at that time. The docents are very engaging, thoroughly knowledgeable and accommodating to guests. The Gardener's Cottage is available for private catered events. It's very easy to imagine a beautiful bridal shower spilling out onto the garden area. We learned that the horticultural tours are extremely popular in the summer, and not to be missed! I do plan to visit the Graycliff estate of Isabelle Martin in the summer time and take advantage of the beautiful lake views. A thoroughly pleasant adventure for this long-time FLW fan! I would highly recommend a visit to this stunning site!

    Gerald H.

    Stopped here on our way back from Toronto, in an attempt to close out the Frank Lloyd Wright NY stops. I ordered a tour for 10am and we were there with ample time. There is a visitor center where you checkin and upon the start of the tour, a glass screen that projects a welcome video with some background. Probably the most high tech FLLW we have been to. Our tour guide was nice enough - information was good, and of course the house was very nice. I would put this in the top 5 of must-see places along with Taliesin, Robie House, and Fallingwater above it.

    Exterior view of Martin House
    lisa j.

    Martin House is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's best earlier works. It is worth a visit if you are in Buffalo. General tour is 1.15 hrs, $25 for adults and the only way to see the interior. It is mindblowing to learn the original house only cost about $150,000 to construct, but more than $50 million to restore! Our guide, Eileen, was very knowledgeable and friendly.

    Lara C.

    I've always been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's work, so I was eager to take a tour of Martin House, and I was NOT disappointed! Tip: The duration of the shorter tour is around 1.25 hours. It was a very memorable experience to see this sample of FLW's architecture, and to learn a bit about what went into the creation of this house.  The tour was exceptional, and now I look forward to visiting and touring some other FLW buildings in the not-too-distant future :-)

    An extension of the living room, the Veranda is reached by 5 art glass doors. The ceiling beam's lines are a hallmark of the Prairie Style.
    Dustin M. R.

    The first destination (Day 1, Venue 1) of our Western New York family vacation was Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Complex in Buffalo. It was my 4th, my wife's 2nd, and the kids' 1st FLW building. Being both history buffs as well fans of interesting architecture, we had pre-ordered the two hour Martin House Plus Tour. Like all FLW tours, it was expensive, but putting it into perspective, it was cheaper than Taliesin West, but more expensive than the FLW Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois. The two hour tour included everything on the basic tour (both floors of the Martin House, plus the Pergola, Conservatory, and Carriage House), plus the Barton House and the Gardener's Cottage. Things we liked about the tour included the in-depth history on Darwin Martin and his wife, plus their deepening relationship with FLW. I was also fascinated by the gradual evolution of the Martin House Complex, starting with the construction of the Barton House -Martin's 'test' to see if FLW could do a project within budget- then the Martin House itself, and finally the Gardener's Cottage. My wife especially enjoyed all the art glass windows, while the kids -this being their first FLW experience- loved all of Wright's fine details, like the hidden bookcases in the library room. We were also struck by the Martin's loss of the house due to the Great Depression, and its rapid decline during subsequent decades, including the 1960s demolition of the original carriage house, conservatory, and pergola and their replacement with a pair of apartment buildings! The conservancy certainly did an outstanding job restoring the whole property to its 1907 grandeur! The things we did not like about the Martin House were all operational in nature, like the prohibition on indoor photography or the lack of parking, which resulted in me having to park on the street three blocks away. I also was not wild about the tour minder, aka the staff member at the back of the tour who was constantly hurrying us to keep up with the main guide, when some of us were trying to drink in the details of a particular room or space. Overall, our family absolutely loved touring the Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Complex, and would be thrilled to return to this Excellent attraction in the future!

    Not bad for a gardeners cottage!!
    Linda M.

    If you're a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) then you must visit this house. If you're not a fan you probably should visit anyhow and possibly become a fan. This past winter we attended a seminar that focused on the recently completed landscaping project that was designed to recreate the gardens as they originally were. As stated in their brochure, the Martin House landscape is unquestionably the most comprehensive domestic landscape ever designed and created by FLW. This was done at the end of a $50 million dollar restoration project on the entire property. We took the self guided tour but we should have taken one of the guided tours because you can't go in all of the buildings on the tour we selected. That's what I get for not doing my research in advance! Currently, as with many places during COVID restrictions, you have to purchase tickets in advance. The tour starts in the visitor's center with a short film about FLW and Darwin Martin, who he built the house for. Here you can see designs of the house along with a history of the building process and information about the Darwin family. If I thought I was in awe walking around the grounds, nothing compared to finally walking in the front door. The dramatic view just pulls you in! The wide open spaces, beautiful woodwork, amazing fireplaces, ceilings, and floors. The windows to me were the highlights of the house. Not only beautifully designed but functional. There was light coming in from everywhere. The windows and building are designed to reflect all available sunlight. Then when I though I saw it all we walked into the pergola that connects the house to the conservatory. Stunning! There are several other building on the complex including a carriage house that is now a gift shop, the Barton house which Darwin had build for his sister, and the gardener's cottage. Outside we got to admire the new landscaping along with a visiting art exhibit called The Space Between created by Jun Kaneohe. This exhibit ends Oct 2021. Buffalo is lucky to have a few FLW houses and structures. The FLW Filling Station, Fontana Boathouse, Larkin Building, and Graycliff. Our next stop, Graycliff!

    Deb B.

    Graycliff is best seen in warmer months but they do run winter tours. We did go inside the home and the views are spectacular. Full of light (as it was designed to do) and FLW furniture. We were allowed to take photos (unique opportunity in a FLW home). Absolutely gorgeous fireplace. Designed to burn logs upright in the Nordic fashion. This home is not filled with art glass. Frank was on a budget but has beautiful water features. Built right on the lake. Must see and not too far from Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo.

    Chris B.

    Beautiful example of Frank's Prairie style design in Buffalo . Different tours available so check the website. Keep in mind Frank didn't design any of these homes for wheelchair access. However this house does have wheelchair access . The fine wood work and details in this house are beautiful.

    Hannah L.

    I don't know how I've managed to be a lifelong Buffalonian without visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House! My best friend was in town and she had two vouchers for the one-hour tour of the house, so she suggested we go. The tour begins with a short video on Frank Lloyd Wright and Darwin D. Martin. From their, your guide takes you on a tour of the property. Our guide was knowledgeable and kind, and was super to make things a little more fun for a few young kids who were on our tour. The property is BEAUTIFUL. It's truly stunning. It really made me think about the Americanized architectural styles that most houses fall under, and how I wish the Wright style would have carried over more. The windows, the woodwork, everything was just gorgeous. I'd suggest coming in the summertime when the wisteria is in bloom, also because a portion of the tour is outside! If you haven't stopped by this Buffalo landmark, I highly suggest you come in for a visit!

    Darwin Martin House's Carriage House seen from the Pergola

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    Review Highlights - Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

    The movie is about 10 minutes long, but gives a great overview of the relationship between FLW and Darwin Martin.

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    Buffalo Theatre District - Train

    Buffalo Theatre District

    4.2(5 reviews)
    3.4 miDowntown

    I recently saw a concert at Town Ballroom on a Sunday night. I parked across the street in a lot…read more When I walked over to the venue, I saw theatre signs everywhere. It wasn't until I decided not to jaywalk after the concert that I saw the official sign, welcoming me to the Buffalo Theatre District. As you can tell, it was my first time here. It was my first concert in Buffalo. So many cool firsts. This theatre district is concentrated. It has a bunch of live theatres, movie theatres, eateries, shops, art galleries, and more. I also saw the Buffalo Visitor Center, which would have come in handy for this tourist if it were open. I had to line up to get into the concert. I saw an art gallery, a hostel, and Alliance Française de Buffalo. It's a diverse, eclectic area. There are parking spots along Main Street. However, it's paid parking and when I was there for a concert on a Sunday night, there weren't any parking spots. I did paid parking at a lot, which was wonderful and cheap for a theatre district when I compare it to Toronto's. The only pain point is that there weren't any eateries that were open nearby. After the show, I found one many blocks away from this area with, once again, no parking spots on the street. It could have been because it was a Sunday night. Still, it needs a good few restaurants along Main Street to complete the theatre district vibe of taking in a show and dining out, in whatever order you'd like. It was nice to finally visit this area. I've never taken in a musical or show. I should the next time I'm here. (144)

    Buffalo's Theater District reminds me, of a small sample size of NYC's Times square. You have…read morebright lights, live theaters, movie theater, restaurants, retail shops, and some art galleries. There is literally something for everyone here. Downside with anything down here is the parking. It's very limited, you may end up walking a few blocks to find a spot.

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    Buffalo AKG Art Museum

    4.1(167 reviews)
    1.4 miBuffalo State/Museums
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    For a solid year, I wanted to go to a first Friday at the AKG. I didn't want to be there one to…read moreattempt Buffalo driving (we circled around to parallel park at 430) and needed someone to echo my musings. Well, I finally made it! We went through check in, where you had to fork over a suggested donation (instead of the usual 22 dollars). They take card, though we gave cash, which seemed like an easier way to exercise the discount. They offered an extra paid section to opt into for an extra 8 dollar charge that we turned down, taking our tiny tags. They're dinky and reusable and gotta attach somewhere to your person. She had also given me a wristband for the strap of Duckles, which had to be checked by a second girl who warned me that I could not wear my knapsack on my back. Could make it a tummy sack or an elbow purse to avoid bumping things, which is how I ended up cradling a stuffed duck around the museum. We hadn't nabbed a map and thought we could wing it. There are qr codes scattered about for info beyond the placards and finding where you have landed. We lucked out and scored a paper map abandoned on one of the numerous benches (there's also chairs and pull out chairs hanging for your resting pleasure) that we attempted to read. My directionally challenged self asked one of the security to send us off to the bridge, given two choices of route. We dodged the scenic way for a temporary outdoor escape, passing more art. Popping back inside we absorbed even more subsets of time and genre, respecting drawn boundaries and only touching things that said we could. There were things that touched us, our souls, that we could take photos of. There were also bizarre things and a bit of nudity. It's all art, including the special presentations and live music and everyday artists sketching in the hall. There was an interactive exhibit in the main that we skipped in the name of rumbling tummies, though we didn't try the cafe. Also avoided the gift shop, cutting out as the crowd began to swell around 6. The place was impeccably clean despite the abundance of windows and smudge worthy doors. It was worth coming out, though I'm unsure how often the exhibits rotate. Come see an authentic famous few and many more that'll have you saying the Albright is pretty *alright*.

    The Buffalo AKG Art Museum is our local pride, and requires no advertising or persuasion to visit…read more Believe me, it's a fantastic destination. It's a beautiful space with a nice collection of fine arts. There is a new, three-story extension, a whole new building actually. So, be sure to have plenty of time to explore everything. Their website is very informative and easy to navigate. Check out the current special events and exhibitions. Currently, among others, on display is the "One with Eternity" by Yayoi Kusama, which includes her two Infinity Mirror Rooms and "Pumpkin", a giant orange pumpkin in an orange room covered with black dots. Tickets for this exhibition must be purchased separately and are valid for specific time slots. If there is a big crowd that day, wait a little and don't come from the beginning of your time slot (or figure this out by yourself). We had to leave and come back after a ridiculous experience. Waiting twenty minutes in line to see the actual installation for forty five seconds!? It was very confusing, and I believe there must be a different way to actually enjoy Kusama's work. We came back to see the second room with no wait, but still, with the forty five seconds rule. Ugh... Yes, let's loop if this is the only way which works. Don't forget, the general museum admission is free on the first Friday of the month, and I like that price.

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    Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House - museums - Updated May 2026

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