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    Gunston Hall

    4.5 (33 reviews)
    Open 9:30 am - 5:00 pm

    Gunston Hall Photos

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    Gunston Hall...George Mason's home
    Rita G.

    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.

    Michael K.

    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.

    He was definitely right on the money!
    Keegan Z.

    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.

    Slave artifacts discovered at Gunston Hall.
    Andrew L.

    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.

    Gunston Hall - family home
    Greg C.

    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.

    Marie K.

    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.

    Christmastide at Gunston Hall is something you don't want to miss!
    Kate Z.

    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

    Keep within compass and you shall be sure to avoid many troubles, which others endure
    Daniella S.

    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.

    Noelle H.

    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.

    Beverly L.

    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.

    Beautiful
    Kevin M.

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

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    13 years ago

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

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    Review Highlights - Gunston Hall

    The tour guides are very knowledgeable, and we walked away with a newfound appreciation for George Mason.

    Mentioned in 20 reviews

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