Explore the lives of turn-of-the-century Washingtonians on a tour of the historic home of brewer and immigrant Christian Heurich. Step back in time to the year 1894, and see things from the eyes of household staff, Heurich brewery workers, the craftspeople who built his home, the brewer himself, and his wife Amelia. Afterwards, grab a Senate Beer - the historically accurate revival of the brand that ruled DC for 100 years - at the museum’s backyard biergarten.
Public Tours
Please note: regular house tours have concluded for 2024 and will begin again in February 2025.
During November & December 2024 various dates are available for 30 minute tours of the first floor decorated for the holidays as part of Maker Month and Christmas Markt.
School Group Tours
The museum is not offering school tours at this time but check back in the fall.
Imagine you’re headed from the Chr. Heurich Brewing Co. in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood on the Potomac River. In your horse drawn wagon for your afternoon delivery route, you arrive at your first stop. You recognize Mr. Heurich who is walking down to the brewery. He waves hello to you. You walk up the stone steps, ring the doorbell, and while you’re waiting you realize this must be the Heurich family mansion. You’re greeted by the butler, he tells you that deliveries should be made through the entrance on Sunderland Place. You catch a glimpse of the ornate details and furnishings in the front hall and hear the children playing upstairs with the governess.
When you arrive at the side door where the maid is there to greet you, she’s carrying fresh linens and tells you the Heurichs are having friends over tonight for a game of Skat. As you continue on your delivery route you see who you think to be Mrs. Heurich in the garden and think to yourself “My entire home is about the size of the front hall, I wonder how a fellow immigrant like me was able to build this?”
We're a teaching museum!
Our guides are graduate students and giving you a tour is part of their education. By attending this tour, you are supporting the museum’s Education Fellowship Program and helping us teach future museum professionals!
"I loved that the tour included stories and humanity, rather than a list of names and dates!"
-Attended tour in February 2023