Casa Blanca Museum
Casa Blanca Museum
4.5
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 11:45 AM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
About
Built in 1521 as a home for Governor Juan Ponce de Leon, today this historic landmark contains two interesting museums of Indian and colonial artifacts.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
170 reviews
Excellent
83
Very good
61
Average
18
Poor
3
Terrible
5
David H
Memphis, TN85 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We went to the museum today. It was decently interesting, and the views were great. Then we wandered the grounds which have some pretty gardens. The sign said they closed at 4. We went to leave at 4 and every gate we tried was locked. We spent nearly an hour looking everywhere for an employee or an unlocked gate. No luck. We called the number but got no answer. Eventually we climbed out which was a pain since we had a child with us. We didn’t stay late and even if we had most places are going to make sure they’re empty of guests before they lock the doors. If it wasn’t for that, I’d be pretty happy with the place. But getting locked in when we left on time is extremely annoying.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stork90
Mount Juliet, TN1,400 contributions
Jan 2021
We thought the wall cut-aways covered in plexiglass were an interesting way to show the different methods of building, as well as to show how the house has grown "organically". All signs were in both Spanish and English. Even though it's pretty small and bare as far as museums go, we found it very interesting to see the period furnishings from the 17th - 19th centuries. The grounds are peaceful and gorgeous, giving you a secluded feeling despite being in San Juan.
Written January 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jehenson81
Washington DC, DC24,896 contributions
Nov 2021 • Solo
This house was originally built for Juan Ponce de Leon, however he never got the chance to live there. His son on the other hand did. Over the course of three hundred years, the house expanded and changed purposes. From house, to military installation, back to a house and then finally a museum. I was fascinated that it was the home of the US military commander on the island for a time. They have done an excellent job of restoring it and the first floor is laid out like a typical house for the time.
Written November 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Strider2030
Reston, VA76 contributions
Feb 2020
The building, walls and gardens are in excellent condition. The wall plaques explain the history of each room. There is a lot of detail and I wanted to understand it. I walked through all the rooms once to understand what was added when. Second I repeated my room tour in the sequence that the rooms were built over about 400 years. We spent just over an hour visiting the casa and accompanying gardens.
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trella S
55 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
We finally made it to see this historic residence on our third trip to OSJ. We were there for maybe 30 relaxing minutes. It was $5 each. There is ancient architecture, history, a beautiful view of the ocean, and a lovely garden. A few of the Save a Gato cats were roaming. In fact, one served as our guide of the house. The garden is peaceful and lovely with fountains, and we waited out a brief rainshower in a little chapel area where the public restrooms are. Worth a stop if you have time and love old buildings ...this one was started in 1524 I believe.
Written February 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura R
Guttenberg, NJ322 contributions
Apr 2022
This is a small house that was originally built for Ponce de Leon. The grounds are well kept, and the flowers are beautiful. The museum is a few rooms, with some furniture. The views are beautiful. It takes about an hour, at most. Well worth it.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maxpaste
Mechanicsburg, PA1,143 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
This is a hidden gem that we really enjoyed. It’s not huge but the history inside is amazing. The view from the house is great, as are all of the artifacts inside. They’ve done a nice job preserving this house that was intended for Ponce De Leon
Written July 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susanc1906
Boston, MA2 contributions
Feb 2015 • Family
If you like history, make a stop here. You can see the house on top of the hill from down by the San Juan Gate, but to get there you first walk through the extensive grounds, from the end of Calle San Sebastian. The grounds and house are self-guided, so your visit can be as short or long as you like. Staff was on hand to answer questions. An exhibit showed the changes to the building and history of the site, there were great views from the grounds and the upper floors, and it was peaceful, because there were only a few other people there!
Written April 5, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KDonley
Pleasant Ridge, MI17 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Of all the sites in Old San Juan, this one was a nice surprise. The oldest house in the Americas still in use, it was built in 1521. A simple stop between El Morro and Ponce de Leon's statue. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. They have a nice mix of original and representative pieces of furniture, art, weapons, etc. Since my wife is a descendant of Ponce de Leon, we were especially excited to see the original crest of the Leon/Troche family on the walls, and carved into furniture. There's a nice walkway in front of the house where you can get a peak of the harbor from a balcony.
Written April 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vivian C
Louisville, KY29 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
We were the only ones in the museum which made it feel more special. On a hot day it was a relief to stroll through these rooms soaking up the ambience of 17th century life in Old San Juan, if you were a member of the Ponce de Leon family. The grounds are equally enthralling - with the sea as backdrop. Very worth the $3 entry fee.
Written April 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not entirely. The ground floor is but i don’t recall seeing any alternative to stairs to go upstairs. But go anyway - most the gardens are accessible and free.
Written March 5, 2024
What is the condition of the grounds? Are the fountains working?
Written March 4, 2018
I was there Jan 5, 2018. The main house was fine but I don't recall any working fountains like what I see from the historical photos on Trip Advisor. There is more foliage in these historical photos than what I saw but the grounds looked fine to me. There is a secondary structure on the grounds to the west and north of the main house that was undergoing rehab but I don't know if that work was hurricane related or a scheduled restoration. There was no public access to this secondary building. I'd go back to see it again.
Written March 5, 2018
What can you tell us about the use of the house by the US Army as the home for the commanding general? What years did that use cover, who lived there?
Written November 8, 2017
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