If you're into American history, Gunston Hall is worth a tour to learn more about Founding Father George Mason. The author of the Virginia Bill of Rights, Mason was contemporaries of George Washington and James Madison. Gunston Hall does a good job of bringing Mason's history to life. The visitor center includes an exhibit about his life, including areas for people of all ages to interact. There's even a dress up area that kids love. The house tour is $10 and it's the only way to go inside the 18th century mansion. The tour lasts around 45 minutes and they don't shy away from the fact that Mason enslaved between 100-300 people on his plantation. The garden behind the mansion is worth a visit as is hiking the trails, one which leads to the Potomac River. Mason and his first wife are buried near the mansion. read more

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For history buffs who have an hour or 2 to kill, Gunston Hall is highly recommended. While George Mason did not sign the Declaration of Independence nor the U.S. Constitution, but he was a major political influencer during those revolutionary times. For $8-$10, you get a full guided house tour that last about an hour. You also get to walk the grounds and a small museum. With several other nearby attractions undergoing renovations thus limiting areas you can see there and still costing way more than $10, Gunston Hall is a great value. Strangely, the highlight for me was being able to walk the narrow spiral stairs that the "help" (yes, slaves) were mandated to take as part of their household duties. read more

A must see in the DMV. This is a circa 1700's home of one of our Founding Farmers, George Mason. You begin inside the visitor center/museum with an admission ticket. The staff/volunteers are helpful and will answer any questions you have. The artifacts are interesting, informative and memorable. Mr. Mason played an important part in VA history (e.g., VA Declaration of Rights). This is a family-friendly (and dog friendly) place that welcomes all. The grounds and home have been meticulously maintained. The surrounding structures and cemetary have also been well preserved. The outdoor area is picnic-friendly in areas close to the visitor center. Anyone interested in learning more about this country's history (and Virginia's) would enjoy Gunston Hall. The area is beautiful and a nice getaway from the hustle & bustle of the city. read more

If You don't know the Bill of Rights this is where You need to start!!! James Mason is the original author. His words are used throughout the world to establish the rights of it's citizens. The acerage is gorgeous....worth the time to walk the plantation area. read more

Gunston Hall - Gunston Hall...George Mason's home - Museums Near Me - Mason Neck, Virginia

Nicely preserved historic mansion and grounds. We were wanting to see the visitor center and if it would be interesting to return one day with the grandkids. Small visitor center and gift shop. Disappointed to be charged full admission to look around in the visitor center. read more

My wife and I visited Gunston Hall on President's Day for the first time. It's a ways off of US1 down a two lane road but a pleasant little drive. It almost looks like you are driving out in Fauquier county it's so undeveloped. There's plenty of construction taking place at the Visitor Center and house but our visit was still enjoyable. Guided tours take you through the first floor of the house which is surprisingly large on the inside. You are free to tour the second floor on your own and to use the super skinny staff/children's stairs to get there instead of the main staircase. We especially liked the lack of rules when visiting unlike some other famous homes in Virginia. It made the visit more relaxing and pleasant. If you haven't been, I think you need to visit at least once. We learned quite a bit more about Virginia history in the process. Oh yeah if you visit around lunch time, keep in mind there's no food there except peanuts and chocolate in the gift shop. read more

Gunston Hall - Museums Near Me - Mason Neck, Virginia

This is a great, historic tour of a Founding Father that doesn't get a lot of attention. The house is a little secluded down a small road, but it's worth the visit. You first enter at the visitor's center which includes a small film about George Mason and then an exhibit space. It's mostly targeting towards children about different issues with the Constitution and when I went there were several volunteers that were ready to show kids some crafts. Unfortunately on my tour there were no children, but I appreciate the effort to be family-friendly. At the allotted tour time, the tour guide brought us down the path to the house. Since there were only about 6 of us on the tour, it was easy to ask questions. The house looks great and the tour guide explained a lot about the rooms about about Mason's family. After the tour was over, there are a few little buildings right near by (kitchen, a slave quarter, school room) that you can look at as well. It's got a view out to the river and a lot of scenic walking. I think some people come just to picnic and hike (everything is free outside of the house tour). I think outside of more famous Founding Fathers, this is less crowded but a worthwhile experience to do as well. Great for any history fan. read more

This was a wonderful educational experience about the home of one of the most patriotic men in the United States: George Mason, a man so in love with freedom that he felt the constitution did not go far enough to protect the rights of the citizenry (eventually paving the way for the bill of rights to be established). His home is beautifully preserved and well-worth a visit. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and great at helping us to understand how challenging it was to perform basic household functions in Mason's time. Additionally, he was very good at painting the portrait of a family man who was dedicated to ensuring that others could also pursue lives of freedom and self-determination in the future. The views of the Potomac River were impressive, and I would imagine this to be a great place for a picnic on a nice day. Definitely a great way to get outside and fulfill your vitamin D needs. I was impressed by the gift shop as well, featuring a multitude of well-crafted items from Virginia microbusinesses. It's definitely worth checking out before you depart. Overall, I strongly recommend Gunston Hall for those who enjoy learning about history and/or are looking for a nice outdoor activity. Overall: 5.0 stars ----- Pros: - Well-maintained historical site with plenty to learn about and see. - Beautiful grounds make for a great place to walk or have a picnic. - Nice gift shop with unique offerings. - Tour guides are knowledgeable and engaging. Cons: - Younger children may have a harder time staying interested in the largely text-centric museum, so having some distractions planned for them to run off some steam would be wise. read more

Gunston Hall - He was definitely right on the money! - Museums Near Me - Mason Neck, Virginia

Gunston Hall, on Mason Neck in southern Fairfax County, VA, is the home of George Mason. "George who?" you may ask. Not as well known as his neighbor, George Washington, George Mason nevertheless played an important role in American independence. He wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, antecedent to the Bill of Rights. Documents from the Declaration of Independence to the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights found inspiration in Mason's writings. Like most of the American Founding Fathers from Virginia, Mason was a planter. Gunston Hall was both his home and, as a working plantation, his business. A visit to Gunston Hall introduces the visitor to a Georgian house and architectural conventions, life in 18th century Virginia, and political ideas of the American Revolutionary period. The house is furnished and décor and displays reflect the Colonial American lifestyle and sensibilities. For example, in the entry hall, there is a false door, put there just to give the required balance and harmony to the other three real doors. Outside, an extensive formal boxwood garden leads down to Gunston Cove, an inlet of the Potomac River. Visitors can walk through the gardens and down a hill to the bay. There are also preserved outbuildings in including workshops and the schoolmaster's house. Reenactors frequent the grounds and you never know who you might meet. The visitor center contains displays on archeology at the site and on Mason's role in American independence as well as the situation of the slaves who lived on the plantation. A visit to Gunston Hall can easily be included when visiting George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. We enjoy the annual "Seeds of Indepedence" lecture and film series held in February. This series focuses on the African-American experience on Mason Neck and the relationship with Gunston Hall. read more

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Worth a visit to the home of George Mason - a forgotten founding father. $10 for a ticket. Guided tour through the home. Because crowds are much smaller than other sites such as Mount Vernon, the tour is smaller and more personalized. There is less to see than larger historical homes such as Mount Vernon or Monticello. My tour guide was excellent. Small museum exhibit inside the visitor center and a 10 minute biographical video is seen there as well. If you want to learn more about George Mason, it is worth an hour or two to stop at Gunston Hall. read more

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I'm not sure why I waited so long to post a review of this scenic, historical spot. We visited over the summer, just after the house had undergone restoration, and on a day when so many other sites were likely packed with visitors, we had the pleasant experience of easy parking, personalized interactions with the docent and tour guide, and a peaceful walk around the grounds. Did I mention that there is an active archaeological site on the grounds? Yeah, you can walk up and talk to the researchers and observe the dig. Gunston Hall isn't as fancy or packed as other historical locations, and the prohibition of photography inside of the house is a bit of a downer in the Instagram era. People will just have to believe your stories of the elegant hand carvings and bright paint and wallpaper throughout the house. The grounds are fairly naturalistic, and you can stroll through the wooded area to the cemetery plot, view where orchards used to be, sit under a large tree, or examine other buildings on the estate without being bombarded with signage or noise. I couldn't recommend this spot more highly if you're looking for a scenic and convenient exploration of American history that's a little bit off the beaten path. read more

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Christmastide at Gunston Hall is something you and your family don't want to miss! One day a year George and Anne Mason open their home for Christmas festivities for kids and adults alike. Be sure to stop by the kitchens for samples of some amazing colonial desserts and foods! And if that doesn't fill you up the bake sale certainly will. There's even a "snowball "fight for the kids! The actors are superb and give you a wonderful educational experience without making you feel like you're in school. So grab the whole family and don't miss out on this wonderful Christmas experience read more

Gunston Hall - Christmastide at Gunston Hall is something you don't want to miss! - Museums Near Me - Mason Neck, Virginia

I've been to a ton of these homes. Mount Vernon (and his mother's home) and a dozen plantations (Bacons Castle, Arlington House (General Lee's homes), Magnolia in Charleston, Berkeley, Sherwood Forrest, Oatlands Stratford Hall, Appomattox, Ferry Farm, Rosewell, Lee Hall, Washington and Monroe's birthplaces, Chippokes, Shirley, Kenmore, Menokin, Westover, Endview, Monticello, Montpelier, Poplar Forrest etc). Anyway, this one is about in the middle of the pack but worthy of visiting. You really learn the importance of this George Mason and his contribution to the Virginia and US constitution (or Bill of rights actually). His contribution is important. It was his and many other voices that made this come to be. The house itself is typical, the out buildings moreso. one room inside is a standout with it's unique moldings and wallpaper choice. The room is super elegant. It's worth a visit if you are into molding details. Short of that it's pretty middle of the road but also know he IS buried on the property. They are doing some archeological digging to find more buildings and looking for more details. However, there are a lot of blank stones on the ground and they think slaves were buried there or unknown people lost to history. I hope they find out who! Nobody should be lost to history. But it's lovely grounds, nice trails, a small visitors center and a good place to go. Not the best but certainly not the worse and so worth the history of Mason himself. read more

An off the beaten path, this country house, home to George Mason - wordsmith for the Declaration of Independence - based on his Virginia Declaration of Independence- is a sweet cozy reproduction of what a colonial, what his colonial home looked like. The only remaining building of the original buildings is the home, built with Flemish Bond Brick laying and the other homes around the area are reproductions of the pantry/hearth, school house, etc... A beautiful garden to walk down to the Potomac and a path of Magnolias so magnificent you should visit when blooming in Spring. All things in the home are also reproductions in what is a careful recreation of what the designers and historians figure they had in their home. The docent, Terry Dunn, did a marvelous job in detailing information about the home and although some thought it was much ado about nothing, if you are a history buff this is a little gem of history not to be missed... and quieter too to enjoy all the more. read more

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As I continue to be a tourist in my own backyard, I found my way over to Gunston Hall one gloomy Saturday afternoon. The house and grounds is part of the original Gunston Hall Plantation owned by George Mason (who I learned did NOT sign the Declaration of Independence, but rather was the author of the Virginia Declaration that they used as a model for the real deal). I have to wonder if this place is more crowded when it's warm. I hope so, because this historic home and surroundings is truly a national treasure. Upon entering the education center, my friend and I were greeted very warmly and everything was explained to us. The grounds are self guided tour, the house is a 30 minute guided tour. There was a lovely gift shop and all kinds of great information on early Virginia history. We made our way over to the house for our tour and marveled at how lovely it was (and the fact that it was almost 300 years old). Our tour guide greeted us and started us on a wonderful tour full of information and interesting stories. What was supposed to be 30 minutes turned into close to an hour because she indulged us in questions and extra tidbits. The inside of the house has been painstakenly cared for and preserved amazingly well. If you take just a moment, you can actually picture the way life was at one time and what it was like to live in that house. After the house tour, we wandered the grounds. Lots of old boxwoods (I love the smell of the English Boxwood), some outbuildings and a path that leads about a mile down to the Potomac river. There are even some barn animals on the property - some sheep, pigs, and a HUGE bull. OVerall, I highly recommend this tour to anyone who has an interest in our nation's history. It's a very well done tour and worth the $7 admission fee. There's also a 12 minute movie about the land and George Mason, but we didn't have time to watch. I will definitely be heading back to Gunston Hall again soon - in the summertime for sure - to see what the grounds are like in full bloom. On another note, I always recommend doing tours like this one (or Mount Vernon, etc.) during the winter months. Sure it's colder, but there's no one around and the tour guides tend to be more sharing with their information. And you're not fighting with 95 other people for pictures. read more

I love history, and more specifically, American history. I love studying architecture, and there's no shortage of things to appreciate at Gunston Hall. One of the smaller plantations, it still offers plenty of historical perspective and prominence in Virginia's history. George Mason, who authored The Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, influenced other important Americans, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Later that year, Jefferson would draw on its principles to write the Declaration of Independence. Madison did the same when writing the United States Bill of Rights in 1789. Some may be offended that Mason owned slaves, but he was known to have said it was a "slow Poison" that "is daily contaminating the Minds & Morals of our People." Take these statements as you wish, I'm only stating facts. read more

Visited with a group of 4th graders. We arrived on time but the staff did not seem prepared for our arrival. Overall the tour was interesting and educational. The children enjoyed it. read more

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Gunston Hall is the beautiful historical home of George Mason. Its amazing to visit the home of the one who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights (US Bill of Rights). The site is located in Lorton, VA. Its 30 minutes away from D.C and 10 minutes off of I-95. My family and I visited Gunston Hall on a Wednesday around 10 am (June 15). Once we walked in, they made us feel welcomed. The general admission is $10 but I received a student discount so I ended up paying only $14 for my mom and I. My niece and nephew got a free admission because they are under 6 years old. We arrived at a perfect time because not many people were at the site, so we got our own private tour. The site is great for all ages. However, if you have small children you have to watch them at all time once your inside the house. Inside the house you're not allowed to touch anything and no pictures. Outside of the home, you can definitely take pictures. It is a beautiful site for pictures. The landscaping behind the home is a great spot to take pictures. I really recommend this site to anyone. Its budget friendly and beautiful. read more

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I drove down to Gunston Hall while visiting the Alexandria area during the summer of '09. The home of George Mason, this small plantation is often forgotten (like the man himself) by most people. Compared to nearby Mount Vernon where you see numerous buses and hordes of tourists, I found myself to be the only visitor on a beautiful summer morning. If you're interested in history, politics, architecture, or just want to spend a day out visiting a beautiful place, Gunston Hall is worth the trip. It is a short ride from Washington D.C., located just off of Route 1. A small museum provides artifacts and a brief video about Mason's life. The tour of the house will give the visitor a glimpse of the architecture, how the plantation was operated, as well as the daily family life of the Masons. The tour of the plantation house usually lasts 30 minutes, but on the day of my visit, my guide took the time to answer my questions and gave me a lot of extra trivial information about George Mason. The visitor can take a self guided tour of the grounds, which include a farm, slave cabins, school, garden, and the family burial ground. read more

I went to Gunston Hall on 3/25/18 with a friend. Gunston Hall had been on my "to do list" for a while. Although Gunston Hall is not grandiose, it is very informative. I had very little knowledge about George Mason when I arrived. I left with a much better understanding of why his name is so prevalent in Northern VA. The museum is free. George Mason's home has an admission fee for a guided tour. We visited on a cold and cloudy day so I had no problem finding a space in a guided tour. On a nicer day you might want to call ahead to check their availability if you're interested in a guided tour. The grounds are also beautiful and I would consider coming back in the fall to take some pictures. In a nutshell, a nice museum to learn about someone we don't know much about in history. read more

Hidden gem, explore this beautiful colonial plantation! On the Potomac River, Must see!! read more

Gunston Hall - Beautiful - Museums Near Me - Mason Neck, Virginia

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I went to Guston Hall today (5/7/18). It was pretty easy to get there with directions and signs leading to the site. The visitors center was very friendly. He answered all our questions and was very knowledgeable about what they offer. It's free to roam around the visitors center; they have historic sections with information: declarations of rights, about George Mason himself, The Federal convention and my favorite called "A Women's Place." Which was all about the women during this time and most important front and center Ann Eilbeck Mason (George Masons Wife). The visitors center within itself is full of information and greats sites. To be able for a full tour of George Masons house which happens every 30 minutes there is a fee which you can see with my picture attached. I consider this a mixture of a monument, building and park. It's full of land with multiple buildings/ monuments to see. This is great for a family trip, fun adventure, field trips, or even a wedding (yes the do weddings here)!! The point of this historic site is to educate about George masons life but how it was like living during this time. They do re-enactments, and have pointers around the site to explain what was happening on the land. The front desk guy said they are planning to renovate the area, having a preschool, making his garden again etc. I gave this review a 5 because they were personal, very friendly, knowledgeable, not that busy for a Sunday morning and the historic site was great! It was just enough to see and tickets weren't even that expensive. Highly recommend to check out this great site! read more

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Gunston Hall is worth the visit. It's the colonial home of George Mason, whose thoughts on individual liberty are the basis for the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, as explained in the Visitors' Center exhibit. The home is beautiful, and the surrounding grounds offer lots of options for outdoor activities, including a walk through the woods to the Potomac River. Only 20 miles from downtown Washington DC. read more

I'd love to have seen the Gunston Hall so highly reviewed on here, but I went yesterday and was sorely disappointed at how horribly unkempt this place was. A man was mowing, but only cutting the grass to 5-6" height, so at least ankle high if not higher. Trails are horribly overgrown, and all the ground is just covered in dead grass you have to literally trudge through to get anywhere. Sad we paid to walk the grounds, I feel like they should have paid us, it was quite the itchy adventure. I expected well maintained grounds similar to Mount Vernon, and that was DEFINITELY not my experience. Very sad how run down it looked. No hedge maze, no trails. Nothing. read more

Having gone to George Mason University I sought out his historic plantation, in nearby Mason Neck, Virginia (in Fairfax County near Pohick Bay park). I'm also a history buff that has visited many historical properties around the country. Gunston Hall ranks right up there with Mount Vernon in terms of preservation and importance as a showcase our nation's history; particularly the colonial period. While not as large as Mount Vernon there is still much to see, without all the crowds. The gardens and outbuildings (reproductions) are well presented and the staff is very friendly. It's definitely a much more serene experience. George Mason was the father of our Bill of Rights and a well-respected patriot. If you love our nation's history as much as I do be sure to visit this treasure of our region. read more

My husband and I visited Gunston Hall today. Although most of the Museum exhibits are under construction and the one-acre garden has been torn out for a total redo, we toured George Mason's home and thoroughly enjoyed the wealth of knowledge that our guide Jackie imparted to us. We are looking forward to returning in a year or so to see the the new garden. read more

Gunston Hall is the best kept secret in Fairfax County. The home and grounds are beautiful. The tour guides are very knowledgeable, and we walked away with a newfound appreciation for George Mason. Even better, there weren't any crowds of insane tourists! read more

The staff was very knowledgeable and the movie and tour were a lot of fun.

Gunston Hall was a great experience! I decided to visit on Sunday (5/7/18), Started our way at the Visitors center looking at the exhibit there, walked through the grounds to see the reconstructed buildings and the exterior of Masons house. The museum is free. George Mason's home has an admission fee for a guided tour They offer tours which seemed very fun, but not enough time for me to attend one. Gunston Hall seems like a great place for everyone In the family who's interested in learning about the history of George Mason. They also mentioned that they offer wedding options there also! I'd say this site consist of monuments, parks and buildings like The only remaining building which is the home, built with Flemish Bond Brick laying and the other homes around the area are reproductions of buildings that were built around it originally. Great place to walk or have a picnic! I'd say the mission of this place is to build everyone's knowledge on the history of Mason and what his life was like, which is truly successful. There was an extensive formal boxwood garden that leads down to Gunston Cove, an inlet of the Potomac River. Visitors can walk through the gardens and down a hill to the bay. I think the landscaping during the visit seemed not up to date. A lot of tall grass and weeds in areas, which kind of made the experience not as "Beautiful" as pictures make it seem. For that reason I went with four stars! They did mention an upcoming renovation so I'd definitely keep an eye out for when that happens before you visit. Other then that I had a great experience! read more

1. Where is the site? The site is located in Fairfax, VA 2. Is there a fee? Yes, for adults there is a $10 rate (different rates for different age demographic) 3. Who is the site for? George Mason- one of the founding fathers of United States 4. What makes up the site (is it a single monument? A park? A historic building?) The visit to the site starts with a film about George Mason and his works. Because it is the actual house where George Mason lived, visitors get a tour of the house including the kitchen and other rooms in the house. A view of Potomac River and the gardens also is included and accessible to visitors. 5. When did you go? I went in November 7th, 2015 6. Why did you give it the rating you did? I gave the Museum a rating of four starts just because it s not very interesting; however, visitors do get a beautiful view of the Potomac River. read more

My husband and I were looking for something touristy to do in the area and Gunston Hall is perfect for history buffs. It is close to Lorton and is near Rt 1. The house was built in 1755 and is in good condition. The driveway has so many gorgeous magnolia trees too. There is period furniture and a few authentic Mason items. GMU students should definitely come here! It's sad that the textbooks have forgotton Mason since he refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights and he thought it gave too much power to the federal government. He was a famous man in his day and good friends with Thomas Jefferson. You can view the Potomac from the house as well. The tour guide was informative and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. We lucked out and saw 2 huge groundhogs run past us as we walked back to our car. The property is quite large and dogs are allowed on leashes-always a plus! read more

I have been making a point to study American history and enjoying all there is to offer in the DC area. I very much enjoyed my experience at Gunston Hall. The house tour is superb and the staff exceptionally friendly. When I walked in I noted 3 school buses and a whole lotta 4th graders running wild in the fields and eating lunch. So the staff was slightly frazzled but thrilled I was not a teacher bringing another class. Other than that the place was empty save some senior citizen tourists. It was $8 admission - they started me with the movie then I perused the museum on my way to the house. My tour guide, Ed, has been working there 30 years. So he knows his stuff and constantly invited questions. I found that I admired the grounds even more than Mt Vernon as it features several nature trails and beautiful views of the Potomac. On my way out I filled out a survey and was given a small gift for doing so. They are very interested to know what could be done to further enhance the visitors experience. I'll definitely be back as I left some of the grounds and buildings unexplored. I also recommend checking out Masons Neck State park down the street while you're in the neighborhood. read more

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Not really All That. We arranged a group tour and were asked what we'd like the tour to focus on. I thought that was fabulous because my son is very interested in the revolutionary era because of Hamilton the musical. However the tour guide (lady with long white hair) did not really talk about the man or his politics at all. It was a perfectly acceptable tour, just not terribly fascinating. She talked a lot about what they used different rooms for. read more