Asa Packer Mansion Museum — Attraction in Jim Thorpe

We visited on a Wednesday afternoon. We arrived at 2:40 and were told the next tour was at 3:20. We bought tickets and wandered around outside, looking at the grounds and the Harry Packer mansion next door. Our tour wound up selling out, so definitely buy the tickets immediately when you arrive. Guided tours only. You cannot tour the mansion on your own. The mansion tour is very interesting. Our guide was very informative and knowledgeable, and very personable. The tour covers the entirety of the first and second floors. The 3rd floor was not visible, because they were getting ready to start work on the roof to repair water damage. The entire mansion is intact with it's original furnishings exactly as it was when it's last inhabitant, Asa Packer's daughter Mary, died. Basically untouched since 1912. No pictures or videos allowed. There is no parking at the site. Either park in the paid municipal lot downtown or find paid street parking. The mansion is on a hill and there are a great many steps up to get to it, or continue up the paved street and access it that way. Either way, if you are limited in mobility, this would be hard. There are also steps on the tour. We really enjoyed the tour, and the mansion is a beautiful example of Victorian era architecture. We were familiar with Asa Packer, due to my husband being a Lehigh University graduate. But we learned so much about him and his family, and his impact on this town, during the tour. Beautiful views from the balcony. I highly recommend visiting the mansion. The price is...

Beautiful property, home is meticulously maintained, tour ticket price is reasonable.

Our tour guide was rude. Started off by yelling at us for walking on the grass when there was no fencing or signage indicating that we weren't allowed on the grass. She could have just came over and let us know nicely.

Our group was almost 20 people and she rushed us through the house like cattle. We didn't get to see everything that we wanted to see. She was short with a few people when answering their questions. Guests are asked to not lean against any of the walls/furniture (understandable) but there were so many people in our group that we were forced to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and were constantly touching each other the entire time.

A guy in our group took a couple of pictures inside and the tour guide and assistant tour guide were very angry. Thing was... the visitor didn't speak much English. And there were no "no picture" signs/symbols visible nor were there tour rules written anywhere in English, let alone in other languages as well. The guides' reaction was really uncalled for, raising their voices in a hostile tone and calling out the visitor in front of all of us. Very uncomfortable, especially since it was obvious that he was having trouble understanding. They could have pulled the guest aside and had a word with...

Built in 1861, this Victorian Italianate architecture-style home was constructed over a span of two years at a total cost of $14,000 dollars. The Asa Packer Mansion listed as a National Historic Landmark was the home of philanthropist, railroad magnate, and founder of Lehigh University, Asa Packer, from Oct. 16, 1861, to Oct. 29, 1912.

Located in Jim Thorpe, this building is recognized by a red-ribbed tin roof and a central cupola proudly atop Packer Hill with the commanding stunning views of the surrounding Pocono Mountains, where my partner, his aunt and I came for a tour today. Tickets were easily available and reasonably priced for the 1pm tour, which covered the entirety of the first and second floors.

Our tour guide was a young lady (she mentioned she is a senior in high school) who obviously loves her job and is personally interested in the history of the mansion and family. From the furniture, woodwork, and stained glass to the artwork, she spoke about the history or significance. The mansion is not a restoration where pictures and video are prohibited inside. An amazing walk back in time, for which we can...