Peel Museum & Botanical Garden — Attraction in Bentonville

Beautiful Garden. Very long tour.

The garden was beautiful and I can imagine it is really fantastic in the summer. It was easy to get to it by bike which is a great bonus.

However, the tour was superficially nice. I found it lacking depth being far too long for what it was. The tour took over an hour and provided cursory information about the grounds and the family. Reference was made to Peel being a confederate but no details. Similarly, reference was made multiple times to the buildings that would house the "help." Does this mean that the help was slaves and former slaves? I wouldn't know because the tour didn't provide any information. I didn't want to ask questions as the tour was already over an hour long. If this was a slave owner's house I think some acknowledgment and honesty around the topic would be great. If he wasn't a slave owner then clarifying it would be beneficial as well. Rather than focusing on making Peel seem like some great figure it would be best to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think it would also be great to learn more about the Black man to whom Peel left some belongings when he passed. It kind of read like they were lovers but it was unclear.

There were some signs up that you could take a self-guided audio tour but this was not given to us as an option, instead, we were told we could only enter the building with a tour guide. I would much prefer to do this so that we could enjoy at our own pace.

As a final side note, I do think that the tour guide should be more careful with the way they describe the house when it was abandoned. Saying that "transients took it over" with such a negative tone is strange when the house was abandoned. Surely it is a good thing that the house was providing someone shelter when no one else...

Visiting the Peel Family Museum was an lovely experience and one of the highlights of my time in Bentonville. The historic home is beautifully preserved, offering a fascinating glimpse into 19th-century life and the legacy of the Peel family. Every room is thoughtfully curated with period furniture, artifacts, and stories that bring local history to life.

What truly made the visit exceptional was our tour guide. She was not only knowledgeable but also passionate and engaging, sharing details and stories in a way that made everything feel personal and memorable. You could tell they genuinely loved what they do, and their enthusiasm made the tour even more special. I walked away having learned so much and with a deeper appreciation for the area’s history. Due to its history with the Walton family its right in front of the 100th Walmart and beautifully maintained. Also love the garden, another hidden gem in...

My family and I have visited Peel Mansion several times. It is beautiful at all seasons. We visited during the day and enjoyed all the flowers during the spring and summer. We just went to the Peel Mansion’s Open After Hours Christmas Event. It was gorgeous at night. They had outdoor lighting and the house decorated for Christmas. One of the highlights is the Christmas tree wrapping up the staircase. The historical home and gardens were beautiful lit up at night! There were free photos with Santa, and even a food truck, Crackerjack NWA as there! Not to be missed at any time of year, there are guided tours, or audio tours. There is handicapped parking available, there are wheelchair accessible paved trails around the gardens. There is a wheelchair accessible ramp into the mansion. There is no elevator to the upstairs floor as it is a...