Edward Gorey House
Edward Gorey House
4.5
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Edward Gorey House celebrates and preserves the life and works of Edward St. John Gorey, an American author, illustrator, playwright, set and costume designer. In honor of his legacy, The House, owned and lived in by Gorey himself, displays his diverse and extraordinary talents and reflects his distinct personality. The House also honors Gorey's passion and concern for animals, raising awareness about local and national animal welfare issues. As a dedicated commemoration to Gorey, the House strives to educate and inspire its visitors, offering a unique introduction to Edward Gorey, the artist and person.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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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
229 reviews
Excellent
174
Very good
44
Average
7
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Brian L
Chicago, IL535 contributions
Jun 2021
The splendid house that once belonged to Edward Gorey. I had made plans on two separate occasions to come here but not until thrice did it finally happen.
Sweaty and hot in my black attire from the sun's harsh rays and all the way from Illinois, I was pleased to have been admitted as there are certain preferences made for guests to come at designated time slots to avoid overcrowding in the time of corona. This was the second day that guests were allowed to go maskless.
Oh, Mr. Gorey must have been a most splendid man. This house is so charming and seeing his various collections couldn't help but bring a smile to my face. There is an incredible amount to see, and you may be unable to see everything lest Greg throws you out! Come again. Come multiple times. You will be sure to catch something new and interesting each time.
There are prints for sale! I was most tempted, but the gift shop alone had moths flying out of my wallet.
If you are a fan of Gorey, you will adore this place. For casual passer-by, it is unknown.
Sweaty and hot in my black attire from the sun's harsh rays and all the way from Illinois, I was pleased to have been admitted as there are certain preferences made for guests to come at designated time slots to avoid overcrowding in the time of corona. This was the second day that guests were allowed to go maskless.
Oh, Mr. Gorey must have been a most splendid man. This house is so charming and seeing his various collections couldn't help but bring a smile to my face. There is an incredible amount to see, and you may be unable to see everything lest Greg throws you out! Come again. Come multiple times. You will be sure to catch something new and interesting each time.
There are prints for sale! I was most tempted, but the gift shop alone had moths flying out of my wallet.
If you are a fan of Gorey, you will adore this place. For casual passer-by, it is unknown.
Written June 6, 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.
kay-cee-1138
Houston, TX486 contributions
Sept 2022
This reviewer remembers long ago reading ghost stories that were illustrated with the spooky drawings of Edward Gorey. So when driving along Route 6A on Cape Cod, it was impossible to not make a short detour to the Edward Gorey house in Yarmouth and pay homage to the artist of the strange and macabre.
Stepping inside the side door of the house itself, one is confronted with a mix of wierd and mundane. It is obviously his preserved residence, with knick-knacks all around, but it appears to has also been dressed up in places with additional odd displays, such as in the kitchen.
We arrived as a staff member was starting a group tour. We elected to not join the tour but rather to just wander around the house (first floor only) on our own. The number of items (check out his fur coat....) and photos and works of the artist on the walls were plentiful and engaging. In one room, a TV was on and showing a loop of Gorey's animated intro for PBS's Mystery Theater.
Just inside the main entrance (which is not the house's front door) is the admission desk; there is a modest fee to enter, and souvenirs themed on Gorey's works can be bought there too. There is limited free parking in the yard and a foot ramp up to the porch.
The Gorey House is on Strawberry Lane; in fact, you can see it from the main road. But the street to get there is one-way. Fortunately, our nav system knew that and directed us along the west side of the little nearby park and around it counter-clockwise to get to the house.
Stepping inside the side door of the house itself, one is confronted with a mix of wierd and mundane. It is obviously his preserved residence, with knick-knacks all around, but it appears to has also been dressed up in places with additional odd displays, such as in the kitchen.
We arrived as a staff member was starting a group tour. We elected to not join the tour but rather to just wander around the house (first floor only) on our own. The number of items (check out his fur coat....) and photos and works of the artist on the walls were plentiful and engaging. In one room, a TV was on and showing a loop of Gorey's animated intro for PBS's Mystery Theater.
Just inside the main entrance (which is not the house's front door) is the admission desk; there is a modest fee to enter, and souvenirs themed on Gorey's works can be bought there too. There is limited free parking in the yard and a foot ramp up to the porch.
The Gorey House is on Strawberry Lane; in fact, you can see it from the main road. But the street to get there is one-way. Fortunately, our nav system knew that and directed us along the west side of the little nearby park and around it counter-clockwise to get to the house.
Written October 22, 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.
Samantha H
4 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
Such a fun museum! The scavenger hunt is a must do. A fun blend of art, info, and random objects. The guide was knowledgeable and did a wonderful job. However I do not recommend being in the last tour of the day. We were told we could stay and enjoy the museum until it closed but their actions said otherwise. We were clearly being told to leave without being asked to leave. Lights were turned out in rooms with over 15 minutes left and they started pointing out all the scavenger hunt art we had missed without a request for help. Nothing awful but definitely made the experience noticeably less enjoyable and more stressful. Definitely go, just make sure to go early.
Written July 14, 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.
Monica M
2 contributions
Aug 2021
Very interesting and quirky artist/ author. Learned so much about him in a short amount of time and found his life and work fascinating. They had a scavenger hunt that my 8 year old was completely absorbed by. Gregory, the docent that checked us in and gave the tour was incredibly informative, humorous and welcoming. However, the incoming "clerk" for the gift shop that arrived about 30 minutes later was rude and antagonizing. I hope she does not give tours because she needs to take a chill pill. When my son finished the scavenger hunt and went up for his "prize", she completely ignored him until I came up with him. Very unfortunate that what started as an incredible outing left us with a sour taste because of the employee's poor attitude.
Written August 18, 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.
AcademicCompanion
Arlington, VA86 contributions
Apr 2021
The Edward Gorey House reminds me of the old houses I so admired when I would visit that East Coast as a child with multiple stories, A-line roofs and quasi-Victorian architectural details. The downstairs area is small but packs in a lot of material that is well chosen and arranged. The curator/guide gives a short talk about Gorey at the beginning and then patrons are free to explore the exhibit. I learned new and interesting facts about Gorey and came away with a greater appreciation of the man and the artist. I was especially impressed with the contributions he made to community theater in Cape Code.
Written April 11, 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.
Sherry K
Ithaca, NY3 contributions
Oct 2021
The "tour" and insights the docent offers are worth the time. You should definitely do the Scavenger Hunt, especially if accompanied by children! I particularly enjoyed looking through the Children's decorative envelope art (in binders.) Great gift shop with all kinds of stationary options to remind you of your visit and help explain the Edward Gorey House and his art to others.
Written November 4, 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.
hrs
Boston, MA224 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
What fun. Interesting exhibits. Excellent and amusing presentation. Fun interactive activities. This visit they placed replications of hapless children around the house to find. Next year the focus will be on Gorey’s love of the ballet.
Gorey was a fascinating genius with many talents and interesting odd collections. Definitely worth stopping by if you are on or near the Cape. Nice place to spend a couple of hours.
Only negative was the strong smell of cat pee on the cushions of the chairs on the front porch. Apparently the whole house used to have this smell but they seem to have cleared it out except on the front porch. Gorey lived with a lot of cats.
Gorey was a fascinating genius with many talents and interesting odd collections. Definitely worth stopping by if you are on or near the Cape. Nice place to spend a couple of hours.
Only negative was the strong smell of cat pee on the cushions of the chairs on the front porch. Apparently the whole house used to have this smell but they seem to have cleared it out except on the front porch. Gorey lived with a lot of cats.
Written October 10, 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.
JAN222
JAN22274 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
I always liked Edward Gorey's work but after seeing its breadth and learning more about the artist, I now LOVE Edward Gorey's work. Some of his work is laugh out loud funny. Tip - if you visit in the off season and have some flexibility, call first to see if there are any guided tours. Not necessary at all but the docents do make things come alive. Also small but fantastic gift/book shop. Really, go there, even if you're not sure who he was you will probably recognize the work!
Written September 11, 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.
everyones-a-critic
Boston, MA102 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
Rude staff. Edward Gorey House is a little gem. We have been to the museum and every year we visit the gift store. This year the woman on staff was rude and confrontational. The tone makes the music we like to say, and the tone of this woman was hostile from the get go. It is possible to say "can I help you?" without making it sound like "what the heck do YOU want?". It is possible to ask someone to use a mask without yelling at them to "put it on OUTSIDE". The words please and thank you do exist. You have an ignorant person working at your lovely little museum. Its sad and we wont be back ever.
Written September 29, 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.
Linda F
3 contributions
Oct 2022
The tour guides was interesting and knew a great deal about Mr Gorey. The exhibits were fascinating, especially the featured one on Gorey's love of ballet. I had not realized how much work he had done besides the Dracula set and the Mystery theater animations. Lots of fun and a great time
Written October 31, 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.
About how much time did you spend in the house?
Written December 12, 2018
I would agree with the others that you need between one and two hours for the tour. You can leave after th guided tour or you can hang around and do the game. You are given a copy of the drawing of the alphabet and asked to find the items in each of the rooms. That will add a little time to your tour.
Written December 12, 2018
Mary Ellen S
South Mountain, Pennsylvania
the address of the edward gorey house/museum?
Written August 20, 2018
8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth Port, Mass.
Written August 20, 2018
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