Bishop’s Palace — Attraction in Galveston

🎥 Bishop’s Palace – Galveston’s Grand Victorian Treasure 🏰✨

Hey y’all! If you’re wandering around Galveston and think it’s all beaches and seafood—think again. Tucked right on Broadway Avenue is one of the most jaw-dropping mansions in Texas: the Bishop’s Palace, also known as the Gresham House.

This place isn’t just historic—it’s Gilded Age opulence on full display. Built in the late 1800s, the mansion survived the 1900 hurricane, and it’s a testament to both solid craftsmanship and Victorian extravagance. We're talking stained glass windows, carved woodwork, and hand-laid tile mosaics that make your jaw drop at every turn.

And let’s be honest… if you love creaky floors, winding staircases, and a good ghost story or two, this place will absolutely give you the chills—in the best way.

The self-guided audio tour is fantastic. You’ll learn about the original owners (hello, Colonel Gresham 👋), the Catholic bishop who later moved in (hence the name), and how the house played a role in Galveston’s complex and fascinating history.

💡Vlogger Tips:

Go early in the day if you want great natural lighting for your photos—those stained-glass windows glow like something out of a movie.

Bring headphones if you’re doing the audio tour—it’s rich in detail and worth soaking in without distractions.

Pair it with a stroll through the East End Historic District for the full old-Galveston vibe.

It’s a perfect stop on a rainy day when the beach is a no-go.

🎒 The Bishop’s Palace isn’t just a mansion—it’s a portal to another time. Rich, mysterious, and absolutely photogenic, it’s a must-visit for architecture lovers, history buffs, and anyone who appreciates the finer (and slightly eerie) things in life.

🏛️ 10/10 – a timeless gem hiding in...

My husband and I came here from out of town at 4pm with our friend who had her emotional support dog with her. The ladies at the reception desk were incredibly rude and had an attitude from the start when our friend tried to explain that he was her emotional support animal. A simple “I’m sorry but he’s not allowed in here” would have sufficed but the manager was very unfriendly about it. We didn’t even have a dog, but we were still offended by her attitude. Our friend had him in a stroller and everything, so he wouldn’t have even been walking around the place so I don’t really get what the issue was. But the manager refused to let her go on the tour with us. It was very upsetting because our friend wanted to see this place and we were only going for her. The manager also told us to make sure we ended the tour by 4:45pm even though the website says the touring is supposed to end by 5pm, so this left my husband and I feeling completely unwelcome since right away it seemed like they were rushing us out. This also didn’t give us the option to take our friend’s dog back to the hotel since they were trying to cut the tour short. It’s too bad they were the ones running the place because I saw a lot of nice looking souvenirs in the shop I would’ve wanted to buy, but I did not want to give them any more of my money. As it was, I was already upset that my husband still paid for our tour when it meant leaving our friend behind. The house wasn’t even worth seeing for $15 a...

Definitely worth a visit with the kids. Bishop’s Palace is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the U.S. state of Texas.

Architectural historians list the Bishop’s Palace as one of the most significant of Victorian residences in the country. The American Institute of Architects has cited it as among America’s 100 most important buildings.

The home was built by Walter Gresham, a prominent lawyer and politician. It was one of the only structures that survived the Hurricane of 1900 in Galveston. After the hurricane, Mr. Gresham helped get state funds to help with building the seawall and the raising of the city by 16 feet.

It offers guided and self guided tours, has a visitor's center and staff.

The 1892 Bishop’s Palace and Galveston Historical Foundation offer teachers and students a large variety of TEKS aligned field trips focusing on history, math, and science.

Bishop's Palace is owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation which also owns the Galveston Historic Seaport, home to the Elissa. Incorporated in 1954, Galveston Historical Foundation is one of the nation's largest local preservation organizations.

Bishop's Palace is one of Galveston Island’s most visited historic...