Villa Montezuma Museum
Villa Montezuma Museum
4.5
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Built by musician and spiritualist Jesse Shepard, this 1887 Victorian mansion is a museum that features lectures, special events and educational programs.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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gormer
Arizona100 contributions
Okay, okay, so it's not in the absolute best part of town. And it's rumored to be haunted. But if you can handle a fairly benign neighborhood of Victorian fixer-uppers and a ghost story or two, you'll be glad you came. It is worth the extra mile or two outside of the tourist loop.
The grounds need some work, but the interior and exterior of the 1880s house are stunning. The historical society has done an amazing job of matching beautiful, ornate period pieces to known descriptions of Shepard's home and its contents. The docent on the day we visited had an extraordinary wealth of knowledge about the original owner, the history of the house, and several of the pieces on display. Jesse Shepard (later Francis Grierson) was a charismatic, fascinating man, and the house reflects his personality and San Diego's "boom" days very well. Unlike the Whaley House and other historical properties in the area, nothing is roped off in the Villa Montezuma, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
The grounds need some work, but the interior and exterior of the 1880s house are stunning. The historical society has done an amazing job of matching beautiful, ornate period pieces to known descriptions of Shepard's home and its contents. The docent on the day we visited had an extraordinary wealth of knowledge about the original owner, the history of the house, and several of the pieces on display. Jesse Shepard (later Francis Grierson) was a charismatic, fascinating man, and the house reflects his personality and San Diego's "boom" days very well. Unlike the Whaley House and other historical properties in the area, nothing is roped off in the Villa Montezuma, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
Written June 14, 2005
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.
Traveller1234321
Toronto, Canada139 contributions
Feb 2014 • Friends
I failed to do enough research to realize that this attraction has been closed since 2006. The architecture from the outside is extremely interesting and the view of the downtown from the street in front of the building is very impressive. I would have ranked it higher if there was an opportunity to see the interior also.
Written February 23, 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.
Therese M
Victorville, CA7 contributions
Oct 2021
The Villa Montezuma Museum is now open for tours! Staffed only by volunteers, it is open for tours three days a week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 1, 2, 3, and 4 PM). The volunteer guides are knowledgeable about the home, its original occupant Jesse Shepard. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as we were taken through each room, especially the beautiful art glass windows. I had been fascinated with the home since childhood when I thought it was a fairy castle. And no, there are no ghosts in this home. As the volunteer said, "It's not haunted, it's enchanted.
Just note the building, built in 1887, is not ADA compliant (they're working on it) and no photography is allowed inside the home. It's a great place to visit to learn about a slice of San Diego's history.
Just note the building, built in 1887, is not ADA compliant (they're working on it) and no photography is allowed inside the home. It's a great place to visit to learn about a slice of San Diego's history.
Written March 21, 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.
bess32355
Encinitas, CA136 contributions
Oct 2013
Amazing whimsical old building with great history;
Admire it from the street!
K St and 20th also offers a panorama of Downtown with the new library dome
Admire it from the street!
K St and 20th also offers a panorama of Downtown with the new library dome
Written October 14, 2013
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.
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