Historic house museums aren’t just for Early American revolutionaries, pioneer settlers or Victorians any more. Yes, as appreciation for mid-20th century architecture has grown, so has the number of historic house museums. Kate and I have been working for several weeks to research and prepare what we believe is the first conclusive list of mid-century and modern historic house museums that you can visit and see. In the USA. In your Chevrolet, even.
Our list includes 59 mid century and modern house museums. A number of these are iconic, architect-designed “mid-century modern” masterpiece houses. But we also were somewhat liberal in including other early- and mid-20th historic houses that played key roles in the evolution of mid century residential architecture and the “modern” way we still live today. There are quite a few houses by Frank Lloyd Wright that fall into our “extremely influential” but not really “mid-century” category, for example.
Houses generally become “historic” for one of two reasons (or both): (1) Their architecture is special, or (2) Someone historic lived there. Reflecting this, the houses in our roundup are there for a variety of reasons — and we believe this diversity helps illuminate the story of mid-century America. In addition to the houses that are important examples of mid century and modern residential architecture, our list includes celebrity houses where Elvis, Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong lived… a number of “biographical” houses including from Russel Wright, Georgia O’Keefe, and Jackson Pollock and Louise Krasner… There are two presidential estates… and we dug and dug and dug to find two Lustron houses open to the public! We take the research all the way to one “post modern” house, a 1982 design by Frank Gehry. Don’t be harassing us, please, if you don’t like the way we sliced and diced the list; be nice; we were trying to show the love for 20th century modern and modern-esque houses that haven’t quite made it onto others’ formal lists yet. Also, we started to get cross-eyed after a while of hashing what’s “in” the list and “what’s out”. We kinda wanted to be done already.
If so, please let us know!
with lots of “bonus” photos you won’t find on the house websites
by clicking here.
Trystcraft says
This is fantastic! There are more within driving distance than I realized!
albrt says
The David and Gladys Wright house in Phoenix is only open occasionally for now, but it has a pretty cool virtual tour.
http://davidwrighthouse.org/interactive-floor-plan/
Jenny says
I just toured Cedar Rock last week in Quasqueton, Iowa. It is Frank Lloyd Wright house built in 1950 and now a state historic site with daily tours.
Sam R says
Two more Frank Lloyd Wright house museums for your list:
https://ebsworthpark.org/
http://crystalbridges.org/frank-lloyd-wright/
Julie says
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower in Bartlesville, OK had residential apartments as well as office spaces. It’s now been turned into a hotel. My husband and I stayed there on our anniversary in one of the old apartments. It was amazing! They were 2 story units with their own elevator shaft, 1.5 baths, and tiny galley kitchens. I’ve been told it’s FLW’s only skyscraper and I believe the only FLW structure you can stay the night in. There are guided tours available but we didn’t have time. They had intact pink bathrooms and original swinging kitchen door! Our room had a special book that included a young 1950s bride’s story about starting her married life out in her Price Tower apartment, which happened to be our exact hotel room. It was magical!
Pricetower.org
Matt says
the Doo Wop museum in Wildwood, NJ has a sample living room setup with all the furnishings.
http://www.doowopusa.org/museum/inside.html
The rest of the museum is worth checking out too, along with the astounding collection of intact roadside motels and their attached neon signs.
Lynda murray says
#39 The Dymaxion house in Dearborn mi. Is a really fun place to visit. It’s in the Henry ford museum. The museum is open all year, you could spend the whole weekend there. It’s so interesting. They have great programs for Halloween and Christmas. I made costumes for the museum for many years. Totally worth the trip for the whole family!
pam kueber says
Note to file: Meyer May house in Grand Rapids per Sally http://meyermayhouse.steelcase.com/
Rita says
The former Krauss home in Kirkwood, Missouri, is a FLW Usonian home built in the mid century. It is a part of Ebsworth Park, I think, and can be toured by small groups. It has been restored and is spectacular!
Jim says
Lynn Hall was built by the chief contractor at Falling Water. Interesting relationship between FLW and Mr. Hall. For years Lynn Hall was overgrown and in disrepair but now is being restored privately. Worth a visit. Visitors are welcomed. http://www.smethporthistory.org/port.allegany/toport/lynnhall/lynnhall3.html
Jim says
Another web site for Lynn Hall. http://www.lynnhall-restoration.com