Really enjoyed the Victorian home tour with a docent! We came here on Saturday at 12 and we had Michelle as the tour guide, she was very informative and articulate. Felt like we went through time travel because we were able to witness old fashioned interiors and antiques. Some of the furniture were still there since the 1800's. Amazing. Intrigued. Intricate details on the doors walls and furniture. Learned that Riverside was a very affluent city from oranges. Sugar was very valuable back then and Chinese servants worked at the Victorian mansion. Makes me appreciate how much technological advancement there has been to make the modern life more efficient and convenient. read more

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Riverside historical heritage house hosts community events throughout the year. You can hang out on the courtyard and enjoy some live music with local musicians, ice cream and crafts for kids. The house tour takes a few groups at a time while you can learn about the history of the home. Will require stairs. There's also the back shed area with historical items and tools, vehicles. Welcoming and friendly staff. Parking lot across the street is usually open for community events. read more

Heritage House - Museums Near Me - Riverside, California

This was my second time visiting this beautiful house. It's so beautiful and the docents are so friendly and welcoming to everyone. It's great to see history restored and appreciated. Great motivation to keep the community alive. If you have not been able to visit yet, add it to your list and visit multiple times because each docent presents a different view and different perspectives so no tour is really the same. I still have to go back to visit the Gift shop. read more

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Great tour. Loved the moulding and beautiful woodwork. Lovely Chinese art and collector's pieces. Unique 1890s features and collectors pieces. Fascinating story of the original owner and her family, and society at that time. The grounds were very well kept and serene. Very nice gift shop. Knowledgeable docent volunteer on a beautiful Superbowl Sunday. Glad we made the impromptu decision to travel to see this gem in the middle of modern neighborhood. read more

Heritage House - My favorite feature of this house - Museums Near Me - Riverside, California

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What a great 1hr tour of this beautiful historical Victorian house. I love open houses, especially learning about the history while viewing the beautiful decor of older houses! The tour guide was personable and very knowledgeable, encouraging questions from the group. I made reservations online but they didn't check the tickets. It's a free tour but they gladly accept donations! read more

Sunday, May 5, 2024: My dear friend Nancy had kindly invited me to Queen Victoria's Tea at the Heritage House in Riverside, where she volunteered as a docent for years. All the tables were set beautifully. We sat at a table with some of the sweetest & friendliest women. Our server was Kelly and she was the absolute best! All the food served was delectable & presented in a quaint fashion! The host, who was in period dress, explained the history of this beautiful Victorian house in Riverside and the celebration of the Queen tea. We had so much fun as we took in the ambiance and the amazing weather! So grateful to have had this experience and can't wait to be invited again! read more

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This is such a nice piece of history. If you are in the area please give the nice staff a visit and take a tour!! It's such a amazing experience seeing all the rooms and old fixtures read more

I just had to visit again during the Victorian Christmas Open House event! Past the entrance of the gate, there was a gentleman handing out orange wedges. A beautifully dressed docent was at the front porch greeting each visitor. There was a short line for the tour of the first floor of the house. Each fireplace was adorned with garland. There was a docent, in Victorian attire, in each room. Onsite was live holiday music! Father Christmas was strolling the grounds! Behind the Victorian house, hot cider and cookies were being distributed. In addition to the gift shop (small and narrow), there was a booth outside with merch. There was also table setup with crafts (gift wrapping and orange decorations). read more

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I've never heard of Heritage House. I saw that they had an open house and I had to swing by on a Sunday afternoon. This is a yearly event with hundred of visitors. It was very well done. The Riverside museum had orange tasting, free cider, free cookies, kids art and a gift shop. They allowed visitors to go through the bottom part of the house for 5 minutes. Even though it was rushed, I felt it was very nicely done. They say on weekends it's 11/2 hour tour of upstairs and downstairs. I think it would be too much for me, 5 minutes was perfect! read more

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We went to the Christmas open house tour of the Heritage House in Riverside. It was great. There were refreshments, live music, samples of different oranges, and a short "teaser" tour of the house. It is a must see. read more

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We were pleasantly surprised on what a lovely museum this is. So much to learn and be wow-ed by. Staff of volunteers are friendly and are proud of the house. They know so much! They ask for a $5 donation for a 45 minute tour which is nothing compared to what it takes to upkeep this house. They also do a lot of fun community events. It's worth a visit! read more

Heritage House - Museums Near Me - Riverside, California

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Our family had a lovely time touring the Riverside Heritage House. The former farm house of a 40 acre citrus grove, this Victorian house is filled with interesting items from the time period of 1880-1918. Period furniture, antiques, and objet d'art fill this old residence and serve as discussion points for local history. My seven year old son was able to track what was going on and asked many good questions. A fun place to visit if you are in Riverside, CA. read more

This beautifully cared for Victorian house is a vintage lover's delight. Although not all the furnishings and decor are original, they look right at home in this large manse, a typical house of monied Victorians. The knowledgeable, patient, and helpful volunteer docents give tours at designated times, throughout the day. Although admission is stated as free, donations are highly encouraged, starting with a suggested $5 for adults. There's ample, free parking in the back of the house, down the driveway off Magnolia. Simple, park-like gardens surround the house, perfect for a quite afternoon of reading or reflection. One room houses a little gift shop with some unusual items. Worth a stop. read more

Absolutely gorgeous place to visit and photograph. Wonderful and knowledgeable docents and people around

Beautifully preserved home with knowledgeable docents. The home itself is incredibly well preserved & furnished with authentic (But not the original) furnishings to the period. The docents are very well informed & enthusiastic to share the history of both the home & traditions of the period. The home is a look- don't touch (to be expected) but the rooms are not corded off so you're able & encouraged to walk about and see/experience it's beauty to an entirety that is a rare opportunity. I ordered a ticket on Eventbrite as the site informed was required, but it wasn't asked for. Admission is free, a donation is recommended (bring cash). Keep in mind the delightful docents are volunteering their labor! If you like watching things like house hunters or enjoy learning about historical living you should go! read more

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Beautiful Queen Anne style home that's been well preserved. We had a nice tour by one of the volunteers today. They don't mind you taking photos inside. You cannot sit or lean on anything. The house was hot, especially upstairs. Just be aware of that when coming. Masks must be worn inside regardless of vaccination status. read more

Heritage House - Outside - Museums Near Me - Riverside, California

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Heritage House was built during 1891-92 for independent, strong willed Mrs. Catherine Bettner, widow of an early citrus pioneer and engineer back East who moved to Riverside at the suggestion of his doctor due to his failing health. It was designed & built after the death of her husband by architect John A. Walls of the Los Angeles firm of Morgan & Walls. This elegant, two-story, 4,000 square foot home is situated on Magnolia Avenue, a prominent thoroughfare at the time of the house's construction. Heritage House is restored to reflect the design and lifestyle of wealthy turn-of-the-century Riverside. Primarily Queen Anne in design, it includes Moorish, Georgian, & Chinese elements. We lucked out accidently when we fell into an old fashioned ice cream social à la 1890's. Many of the volunteers wore turn of the 20th century garb which was in recognition to the Victorian décor & architecture. It was like being time warped in a Twilight Zone TV episode. To make it even more surreal, there were American colonial "minutemen" with tricorn hats, muskets, and other 18th century gear for an interesting mishmash of history. Only the first floor of Heritage House was open to the public. The knowledgeable, informative docents wore sartorial dress appropriate for the rather formal setting in the parlour, dining & drawing rooms. I recognized one docent in the parlour as Michael Bosée who is a native and long time resident of Riverside and does an outstanding performance leading the tour of the Mission Inn Hotel in downtown Riverside. Family oriented fun where entertainment is geared to young & old alIke. The volunteers all were smiles and welcome at this festive event. 4+ Yelp stars. PS Not open during the torrid summer months. Refer to website below: https://www.riversideca.gov/museum/heritagehouse/default.asp read more

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Gorgeous Victorian Home Tour in Riverside! Free tour on weekends, but be respectful and leave a cash donation to ensure upkeep of this home and not get haunted by the original owner Ms. Bettner. The docents give you a lovely historical tour and history of the home and period. You have to reserve a spot on Eventbrite prior to arriving. read more

Beautiful house very well kept up museum. The ladies that were working in the gift shop were very nice and welcoming. It was very disappointing that we had a tour guide that didn't have much knowledge of the history and discussed the special 1920s costumes which we came for. we were very excited to go on this tour, but our tour guide made the guest feel uncomfortable and even called people out in front of the other guests for not being squished together in a small space. some people would like to look around in the room or take pictures and she would scold them. This made it very uncomfortable. read more

The beautiful Queen Anne style home designed by architect John A. Walls of the Los Angeles firm Morgan and Walls in 1891 for Catherine Bettner whom was a widow of Mr. James Bettner. Mrs Bettner followed proper Victorian etiquette right down to making sure her ankles did not show in her full sized mirror in the master bedroom. She also wasn't very pleased after the home was built once she found out the home was not equipped with a servants staircase. She took the builders to court and they came to the agreement that she had to pay 50% of the cost of the servants staircase. After the servants staircase was finally built and finished she still wasn't pleased because the stairs covered a small portion of the window in the kitchens pantry. Loved all the details in the furnishings of the house and the pieces that were owned by Mrs. Bettner. Tons of great history with tour of home. Definitely recommend! Follow their Facebook page to see upcoming events. read more

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Just visited today for the annual Heritage House Christmas Festival and had a wonderful time. Didn't tour the house (didn't have a reservation), the grounds were in great shape and the event along with all the volunteers were fantastic too. This is a must see when you have some time on the weekend (check for reservations on the website). Weather today was also in synch with the day, event, festival and the House. Thank You Heritage House for this year's event. read more

This is beautiful historic home in Riverside was built in the 1800's.. If your interested in history, antiques, and learning about the early Riverside area, you must try this tour. It is a 45 minute guided tour with hundreds of interesting facts about the way affluent people lived during this early time period . You may take pictures, but please don't touch anything (everything in there is an antique). This tour may not be suitable for little toddlers or babies due to the length and them having to listen and not touch anything. At the end of your tour you may go into the cute little gift shop which use to be a sun room. Also you can enjoy the garden and have tea and cookies. read more

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SO good for a free museum experience! You walk in and a tour guide in costume greets you immediately and takes you on a private, informative tour. I was expecting to just wander around the place alone, but it was a fully guided 40-or-so-minute tour. Lots of interesting info about the time period, even if you're not super into history. Definitely worth donating a tip at the end. read more

Found the Heritage House online and decided to visit this history Victorian House. Outside of this house looks old, but I was amazed inside of this house. The tour guide was friendly and knowledge. No entrance fee but they take donation. If you are local residence, this is a must see place and learned the history Highly recommended- read more

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I love this old Victorian home. It's grand for someone who used to live here by herself. My tour guide, Kelly, was great! All the questions I had about the Bettner's she answered. It's a great place to visit. Especially to know some of the history of Riverside. Side note: looking at Mr. McDavid's photo it appears he could fit in to this time. What a stud! read more

Enjoyed Queens Tea today at Heritage House. It was wonderful, delicious and did not disappoint one bit! The volunteers wore Victorian costumes and served graciously. Heritage House is a jewel to the City of Riverside. The harpist was delightful too! God save the Queen!! read more

When visiting Riverside, this is a must do. The home and grounds are beautiful, but the history you will learn of Victorian Era and Riverside is great. Private tours with passionate and knowledgeable docents are included. read more

Super fun place to visit on those days when you have nothing planned and wanna learn a little history or Riverside and Victorian lifestyle! I loved the tour and the house was so beautiful. Make sure you get there at least 45 mins before closing because the tour takes 45 mins. And parking can get a little hectic but I was able to find parking in the street right away! The experience is free but you are able to donate $5, and they also have a first shop of vintage looking decor/accessories. Definitely recommend this place to everyone! read more

I went during the 'Victorian Christmas' event and fell in love! The place is run by volunteers dressed in period clothing. There were even a few that I mistook as being "staff", but they were just dressed in cosplay for fun Anyways, we walked in and were immediately greeted by a man who gave us a rundown of what to expect. Father Christmas was there giving ornaments to all the children and, when I saw home, I wept and had to get a hug from him! He was precious. They had some citrus to sample that were era appropriate, they had complimentary cookies and cider, a barbershop Quartet was singing carols, there were ornament craft tables set up where the children could make Victorian style ornaments (with music sheets, oranges & cloves). There was a cute little gift shop that was surprisingly NOT overpriced ($13.50 for a pocket watch). The inside of the house was elegant and grand! There were tour guides in each room with a plethora of knowledge. $5 suggested donation per family = totally worth it! read more

Thanks for the free Chinese moon festival event. That was a nice treat near home! We didn't get a chance to go inside but maybe at whatever your next event is! read more

Great for the historian in me. Feels like you just traveled in time when you step into the house. I must see if you are in the Riverside area. read more

We were in the area and decided to stop by on a Saturday at about 12:30pm. As we walked up to the door, you turn a knob to ring the bell. We were greeted by an older woman dressed in Victorian clothing influenced by the late 1800's. She was very welcoming and cheerful. She gave us a tour through the entire house with lots of information about the first owner, Catherine. The house was exquisite and the history of it was interesting and educational. My teenagers loved the experience. We will make sure to come back around the holidays. read more

Hoped to check this piece of history out but just missed it! Hours are Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12-3:30pm. We will be back!

This home is such a gem! I've driven past it so many times over the years, it's much more beautiful inside than you could imagine. Jo was our docent and she gave us a lovely and informative tour! I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in the history of Riverside visit this home. I also hear they decorate it for Christmas close to the holidays so I will certainly be returning to see it! read more

Went here in 5th or 6th grade with my school. Even then i was so impressed with the beauty that is the home and every detail about it's structure. This house probably got my love for old stuctures & houses going. If youre in Riverside stop by, it's not far from the fwy. read more

I was very impressed with the house! It was like if we traveled back in time. We live right down the street but had not had a chance to visit due to the limited hours (make sure you check the hours before visiting). If you are in the Riverside area, this is a great place to come and check out for an hour or two. Lots of history and very friendly tour guides. read more