I've driven by Gore Place a hundred times and I recently got a chance to finally walk the grounds! It's located right on the Waltham/Watertown line but it has tons more land than what you can see off the bat from the street view. It's a popular venue for weddings and other functions, but you're allowed to walk around the grounds from dusk to dawn. My friend has been running here and stopping by to visit sheep and other farm animals so she showed me and our 3 other friends that area. It was so cool! This is the kind of place where you don't feel like you're in Waltham anymore. We saw lots of sheep, some chickens, and a rooster. Apparently there's tours you can go on and a gift shop you can browse in but we only went to the farm animals. :) read more

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Came here for the arts and craft festival, which is very cozy and family oriented. Lots of handmade crafts. Gore place usually has a lot of these type of events on occasion. This is my first time here and it was delightful. This mansion was not open at the time, but they are tours, and we also visited the sheep and the chickens. It's very nice. read more

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Took my granddaughter to see the new baby twin lambs and it was amazing. The grounds are just beautiful this time of year. It's a must visit for children and adults. Visit the farm stand too for fresh eggs. read more

Gore Place is an amazing 50-acre spot right on the Watertown/Waltham line, it is pretty much hiding in plain sight but you should not miss this awesome spot!!! Everyone is free to walk around the property from dawn to dusk, and in addition to the amazing looking home, carriage house (available for rentals) and grounds, there are also adorable sheep living in their new barn. You may also see Rocket the Border Collie running around at - of course - rocket speed! I was also here for an employee summer outing years ago for 200 people, so if you need space for that many people that has parking and is convenient to transportation (the 71 bus stops right in front), this is your place. There are lots of events throughout the year, watch their website and follow their Facebook page (FB page also has cool "this day in history" updates detailing what was happening at the farm on that day in the 1800's). They also have cute sheep photos and the occasional sheep pun; everyone needs those. There is a small gift shop inside the house where you can get a gift that is totally unique. I stopped by yesterday after noticing they were having a summer sale and bought something for myself (3 heavy cotton dishtowels, not the crummy kind in regular stores but good, heavy ones which will last for years). Gift shop is open M, W, F & Sat from 10-1 (double-check hours in case other things are happening), nice employees too that can answer all of your questions. read more

Update: I have been notified by the business that the place is a venue only and guests choose their caterers...so with that I would say as a venue, 4 stars. Its nice just not as good as where our wedding was :P. We were invited here for a wedding. The food is average, the area is ok, the service for the cocktail hour was rather slow, so much so, that when a waiter for come out with ordevres, the guests would almost look like they were attacking them so the dish was almost empty by the time the waiter moved away from the entrance. In order to get any food we had to move our party to stand near the entrance. What is good is that it is closer than where we had our wedding in nashoba, so it was ready to get home after, but I still prefer out Bennie for the sights and the service. They do have ample parking. read more

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I came to Gore Place due to Soul Pose yoga being held on the lawn behind the mansion. They let all attendees of Soul Pose tour the first floor of the mansion for $5. I enjoyed the tour and hope to come back to take the full tour in the future. The house reminded me very much of the Adams house in Quincy, MA - which makes sense since they're from the same time period. read more

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This location was our second choice for a wedding venue. I was extremely pleased with the way Catie went out of her way to answer questions we had and the time she spend with us showing us the site. She even gave us suggestions and told us what others have done and how they used the space. Gore Place is a historic home and the home is only open for the bridal party to help the bride get ready, etc. There is a neat carriage house, which can hold up to 100 people. For larger groups they have a permanent tent with a carpeted floor and full sides. They also have tables and chairs for 100, if you're looking at a bigger number you'd need to rent but most caterers can help with that. There are also large open areas and an English style garden as well, which could be nice for cocktail hour. Really the only reason we decided not to go with this location was because we're having the wedding in the Fall and were somewhat concerned with the weather. The other location we were deciding between also included catering and some other things which we didn't have to seek out. After the location/venue search on my own I was a bit frazzled and the idea of someone taking care of almost all the rest of the planning was too much of a temptation. Still, this is a beautiful location. The fee for renting was for 8 hours! Which is rather unusual. If you become a member of the Historical Society they will also give you a discount on the price. The tent can accommodate 200 buffet style and 350 for a sit down dinner. Honestly, I would recommend this place, based on my meeting with their event planner and seeing the location. This place is also open dusk to dawn for the public to enjoy. Wonderful lawns for picnicking, large old trees and paved paths for walking or biking or strolling (or ambulating). ;) There is also a farm on the property. A very pretty swath of land on the edge of Waltham and Watertown. read more

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This place has been on my radar for a few years now but I never had a chance to venture out to Waltham for the magic of these grounds. The Adult Swim on the Green Tour had made its New England stop here. Driving on the grounds was very nice & the free parking was much appreciated. The lawn was very inviting & was a nice setting of the food trucks, lawn games & the animated fun of the night. The lawn itself was well manicured & held up well to the wear & tear we put on it. The background of the mansion was a gorgeous icing on the top of all the night's fun. Meeting some friends for a nice, safe night in a great location. Now that I know this place exists I will make it a point to drive down the Mass Pike for another event here. read more

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The venue and grounds are gorgeous but ultimately not worth the hassle of actually holding an event here. Communication with the event coordinator was certainly not fantastic, it took a lot of back and forth to get straight answers. A lot of the "nitty gritty" permitting & licensure was pretty confusing and not well communicated to us. It was difficult to plan our event here. Waltham apparently has a lot of new legislation that makes having alcohol at the event complicated and expensive. Despite the frustration of holding our event here, day of, the event did come together and the space was lovely. I would not recommend this venue, there are just too many hoops to jump through and the poor communication with the event coordinator resulted in a negative overall experience. read more

I visited Gore Place for the 23rd Annual Sheepshearing festival. It's hard to believe this place is right in Waltham. The grounds are beautiful and immaculately maintained. The festival itself was fantastic. I can't believe they put such a huge event together for only one day a year. It's so professional- it looks like it should be up for weeks. There was a herding demonstration by a shepherd, which may be one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I want one of those dogs. I tried to make my cats herd things, but so far, no luck. The food was delish. Burgers cooked by boy scouts, homemade ice cream. . . perfect fair food. The one downside was the sheepshearing itself. While ridiculously cool to see it done, it was pretty hard to see. Everyone was crowded around a tiny space and there was a lot of pushing and shoving. If everyone was asked to move back, it would have been easier to see and more pleasant for all involved. read more

I was hoping there was a little more to the place after reading on their website the grounds are 45 acres and they highlight snowshoeing. I have a new pair of snowshoes so I thought I could try them and get an outdoor workout instead of going to the gym. Maybe I just don' t know what 45 acres is, but I had to loop the perimeter twice and also do some laps back and forth some of the fields to get in an hour of exercise. Also, my desire to be out in nature was squashed by the view of the big Walgreen's and Shell signs over the wall, houses that abut one side of the property, and the zoom of vehicles that were still a bit audible over my iPod. Either way, it fit the bill for my intentions today, but I'll have to look for somewhere more woodsy for next time. On the plus side, I only saw one other person on the grounds the entire time I was there. They rent snowshoes for $5, but I think it is only Monday-Friday. Who this is good for: -People who want to try snowshoeing or cross country skiing without having to go far and want a flat area to practice -Families, since they have some kids programs -People who live close by and just want a little outdoor space for some fresh air. -Small kids who want to sled-there is a little slope behind the mansion Not good for: -Outdoor enthusiasts who are looking to spend significant time outdoors or a nature experience -Dog walkers since there is a no dog sign read more

I wanted to review the house itself, not just the grounds or its use as a rental facility. As a historic house of a fairly important person in history (Christopher Gore, one-time governor of Massachusetts and major donor to Harvard), the building is deceptively large - it just doesn't look that big from the outside. And I mean it's show-offy large. The first floor ceilings must have been at least 15 feet high. The artifacts are all authentic to the period, but not necessarily Gore originals. Still, they have enough from the Gore family to intrigue a casual visitor like me. The guides wear simple period outfits that are not distracting or cheesy and they don't draw attention to it. Because the house went through an interesting history (it was the seat of a country club at one point), a lot of information disappeared as ownership passed along. Some of the "we don't know the answer" details (i.e. how each room was originally used) add a certain charm, rather than a frustration. I was able to take one of their "full moon" tours - an evening tour scheduled on the night of a full moon. Part of the tour is showing true evening life in the early 19th century - which means no electricity. They lit using real or electric candles and it was an amazing experience. Here and there, they still turned the lights on so we could get a good look at the room and the furnishings but, to be honest, I'd have been perfectly happy if they hadn't. read more

Having spent my career working in the heritage industry, I'm always searching out new places to explore. I'm drawn to historic houses, in all of their stupefying glory. Although I tend to be rather critical of these places, since I'm in the biz, I'm drawn to exploring how others lived. I am fascintaed how homes represent their era, their owner's status in society, and their place in history. Fortunately, New England is saturated with these institutions and have been exploring them since moving to MA in 2007. I came to Gore Place to check out the organization's plant sale and decided to stay for a tour of the home. The grounds and house remind me of properties I've seen and studied in England. Turns out that the Gores spent time in jolly old England prior to building this, their country home. The interiors also reminded me of similar sized English country homes. The ground floor spaces are grand and very Continental; very fitting for a family of their stature. I was also struck by the American touches: local materials and the design elements tied into running an efficient household, tres American! I wish the tour spent more time of connecting the house and the Gores to the era they lived in; knowing the context creates understanding concerning why you see what you see. Still, the house is magnificent and a beautiful example of architecture from the early 19th century. Look forward to returning with fellow historic house geeks. read more

Came out for the annual sheep shearing festival and had a great time. Normally at these things I spend the whole time grumbling about a $20 entry fee and then every activity costing more money. Not so at this festival! We watched sheep getting herded and later shorn, we interacted with amazing border collies, the kids got a hands on experience weaving, we saw alpaca and baby lambs, there were fun kids games and the vendors were top notch. I'm excited about this lanolin/honey cream thing I got to minimize my wrinkles. Fingers crossed. The food was also pretty spectacular. Local ice cream and old fashioned soda, incredible kettle corn made on site in this huge fire and drum thing and an apple pie guy who shut before I could try any crisp. Clearly I need to return. We didn't even get around the other side of the festival to see all the acrobats or visit the inside of Gore house. Good thing this happens annually! Also, the bathrooms were pretty decent with those little portable hand washing stations outside and plenty of trash cans so the place felt pretty tidy. We will be back! read more

Gore Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Last month our company hosted a party at the Carriage House, something of a reunion of employees over the years. We were looking for an open space that would lend itself to mingling, and this venue was perfect. While we were planning, we imagined a glorious spring afternoon with the carriage doors spread wide and the party flowing outside. As it were, the day was cold with pouring rain, but the venue was still perfect! One of the surprises was the AV equipment available to us. We wanted something for a slide show of pictures, but the Bose speaker system was so great we used it all day for background music. During the planning, we visited the Carriage House three times. Linda, the function manager, was always great. She never rushed us or grew impatient with us as we tried out different configurations for the room layout and test-drove the AV equipment (okay, we tried it out twice ... no surprises on day of!) She was also there on the day of the party and was so helpful directing guests and coordination with the caterer. She made everything easier. Some of our guests toured the main house prior to the start of the party. The tour was at noon, and the party began at 1:00. They enjoyed the tour and arrived at exactly 1:00 in a festive mood. It was an instant party ... what a great way to begin! read more

We went here today for the 23rd Annual Sheep Shearing festival, and I felt sheepish since I've never been before. Ewe should make the trip to Waltham, and enjoy Gore Place and it's relaxing grounds. You can't even hear car horns bleating when you curl up under a shady tree and have a picnic. read more

We just had our wedding at Gore Place and I had to leave a review. I am still overwhelmed at how helpful Gore Place was in helping us organize our wedding. Marjorie helped recommend caterers and activities for our guests. She set up the favors/guest book table for us on the day of and made sure there were special tours of the mansion. The estate itself is gorgeous. There are 2 venues - the carriage house for parties under 90 (which we used - it was FANTASTIC!) and a huge tent that can accommodate many more (250 or more?). They will only rent out one venue at any time so you know you are the top priority for your event. As an added bonus, since we are Waltham residents we got a huge discount. It was a fantastic day and my guests all raved about the venue. I highly recommend! read more

I was there on a Friday evening for the "life before electricity" tour. Fascinating! I'm definitely coming back during the day so I can have a good look at the house. Great spot! read more

Open daily to the public, the Gore Estate is an inviting place for a walk, picnic or even sledding in the winter. It hosts public and private events throughout the year including weddings, sheep shearing festival, sleigh rides and plant & flower sales. Kids can also do a scavenger hunt on the grounds in the summer time, a butterfly garden and a small farm with animals to visit. If you do take a tour of the home on the property, it's by appointment only and I wouldn't suggest bringing the kids. The carriage house is also open during certain events too. read more

We went on a warmish winter day in January and were able to appreciate the grounds before the tour. Our tour guide, Prentice, gave us an extraordinarily detailed tour which we very much appreciated. A must see! read more

It seems to be nice but not as much as you would expect to be, since it was owned by 8 fellows owners which is seems to be reasonable since it was built in 1804! read more

The place itself is interesting. Our tour guide knew his stuff-everything from the paint used on the walls to the little cracks in corners. There was even one of the wash bins in a bedroom which people used before toilets existed. There's still some places in the mansion which weren't open to the public, which was kind of disappointing. Overall, the tour was alright and our tour guide seemed pretty cool. However, we went for the candlelight tour. We obviously expected the tour to be lit by nothing other than candlelight. It was pretty disappointing that there was some artificial light here and there. If the entire tour was just by candlelight, I'd give the place 4 stars. It was still an interesting experience, and a good tour. Would recommend. Not that expensive, and a nice hour or so to spend casually walking through an old mansion. read more

We were only able to tour part of the ground and the exterior of the house because a special event was scheduled for the night. 3 star due to not able to see the inside. The outside was beautiful. read more

Linda was awesome!!! We rented the carriage house for a baby shower. Linda was so helpful always there to allow us access for decorations and layout. She always responded immediately and was a pleasure to work with!! Highly recommend their venue!! read more

My son and daughter-in-law hosted a party in the Carriage House last weekend and it was wonderful! The big open space was perfect because we could set it up just as we wanted. There were plenty of tables and chairs and full, adjacent kitchen in which to store the food and drinks for the party. They were given ample time for set-up and clean-up and the entire day went perfectly as planned! It was so great to have a beautiful location in a neighborhood setting with plenty of free parking rather than having to fight traffic going downtown. Excellent venue! read more

You must have your wedding at Gore Place. Call them right now and go visit. First and foremost, the event coordinator, Michelle Caruso is fantastic. She is so accommodating, young, fun, and gets it! She wants to do everything she possibly can to help out and was a big help on the day of. We even asked her to help organize our ceremony for us so we all knew when to walk. Aside from Michelle, the venue is beautiful and affordable. We did our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception here and they have so much space for all 3 to feel like they are in separate areas. You get all of the grounds to yourself for the whole afternoon/evening and a massive tent (with a floor) comes with the cost. The grounds are also so stunning, full of green and flowers. We loved everything about this venue and working with the people at Gore Place - you should definitely hold your wedding here!! read more

I really enjoy walking thru the grounds of Gore Place. It's such a bucolic spot in the town of Waltham. The best thing about Gore Place is the beautiful views of the sunrise & sunset. Highly recommended. read more

My partner and I recently had our wedding at Gore Place and could not have been more pleased with the venue and Catie Camp - the property's wonderful event manager. Catie was remarkably kind, patient, and accommodating - her recommendations for vendors made the day go off without a single problem. Our guests loved the place, as did our photographer. I can't recommend Gore Place enough for a wedding or other event venue. I've also attended the sheep shearing festival and will be making it an annual April tradition - what a wonderful, peaceful spot just outside the craziness of the city! read more

Perfect Party Location! In 2017 I planned an evening party for 80 at the beautiful, recently renovated Carriage House, and we had such a great experience that I'm planning our second event there to be held this April (2019)! Linda, the event coordinator, was wonderful to work with...so pleasant and easy going. She answered all questions immediately, or researched quickly if I was asking something out of the ordinary. She met me to visit the location and scope it out, and she was also there in the background throughout the evening of the event. Linda arranged a tour of the mansion for our guests, which our folks really enjoyed! After the tour they walked over to the carriage house for our party. The layout of the Carriage House is perfect for a party - with a smaller area that's great for reception or dancing, and a larger space that worked so well for our dinner. There are also some cool antique carriages in horse stalls on one side that are interesting to check out! Very important: Tons of parking! Summary: if you want a great and unique party space and an easy planner to work with, I highly recommend Gore Place. read more

As most people do, I have amazingly wonderful memories of our wedding, and in my case, some of that is due to the venue. It is simply beautiful. Natural and graceful, with a gorgeous enclosed rose garden and sweeping fields. The guests didn't use the house because it was a hot summer day, but 8 of us got ready in the bridal room and it was perfect. Lots of space, light, and power outlets for the hair and makeup people. Catie, the site manager, was helpful and accommodating, and worked very well with our caterer (Cuisine Chez Vous -- amazing). The venue was surprisingly affordable, too. A couple of small issues: The grounds are dark and we had some older guests who had a hard time getting to the parking lot after the reception ended. We were also inundated with bugs and stupidly had not thought to stock up on bug spray. I did wish the venue had mentioned the bug infestation and/or had some bug spray handy, but we had our planner race to the store to get some. Just a word to the wise if you're planning a summer wedding there. Anyway. We were really happy we ended up choosing this spot for our big day, and we love going back to visit. read more