Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site — Attraction in New Albany

Culbertson Mansion is a beautiful piece of New Albany history. I've walked by the mansion many times, but had never gone inside until my husband and I decided to spontaneously go in for a tour one Saturday afternoon.

I was instantly impressed by the ornate and decorative paintings on the ceilings and walls. The place is infused with Victorian beauty! My husband even commented and said it was like a mini Biltmore!

The people who gave our tour were very knowledgeable and were very invested in the history of the property and those who had once lived there. The tour was fascinating and the guides were able to answer questions anyone had. There has been great care taken in the restoration of the mansion and bringing it back to its original glory. Even though much of the original furniture was sold years ago, much of the furniture within the mansion has been selected to accurately portray what was present in that era. A lot of work has been put into carefully repainting all the murals as well.

Tours begin on the hour, so be sure not to show up late like my husband and I did. Our tour guides were very gracious and led us back through the house to cover the areas we missed at the beginning of the tour, but I'm sure it would've been much easier for them had we arrived earlier. Also, you are allowed to walk in the rooms. The areas aren't roped off, but be careful not to disturb or sit on the furniture.

I definitely want to take friends and family back to see...

There are a few times in life when the stars align and you share a few special moments with friends or family that could only have come about with a bit of luck, a charmed scene, and the good graces of strangers. I was fortunate to book the Culbertson at the last minute for a birthday Bourbon Trail trip with my folks, who were charmed both by the exquisite Victorian intricacies of the mansion and the inspired of Rudy, the innkeeper.

What can I say? Despite all the antiques and glass, my two daughters (ages 1 and 4) were made to feel welcome. The breakfast spread was as artful as it was abundant. The quarters, while likely outstripped by other more contemporary efforts, were nevertheless appointed with charming furnishings that all seemed to have the personal history behind them. However, for those who are friends of Rudy, a subterranean lounge awaits. If he likes you, Rudy will invite you to imbibe, trade stories, shoot some pool, play the jukebox...maybe even soak in the hot tub. My dad, whose birthday we were celebrating, was treated by Rudy to bourbon none of us could afford and stories that only a man of the world such as Rudy can tell. Rudy's scene is more speakeasy than most other hipster scenes that would attempt such a boast. So be nice to Rudy.

My only regret is that it has taken me over half a year to write this review. But I never forgot. The Culbertson Mansion was that memorable. If you are an individual of culture and good...

Where to start...We were visiting Louisville for the day and finished hours before we thought we would so the suggestion was made to see what was in New Albany. I googled things to do and the Culbertson Bed and Breakfast came up and the directions led us to the museum. They don't have Saturday hours but they were finishing up a tea and offered to go ahead and give us a tour. It was AWESOME! We went in with an overactive 9 year old, 11, 14, and 4 adults and everyone enjoyed every minute of the tour. Our tour guide (whose name I'm sad to say I don't remember) did an amazing job of giving us very intricate details of her knowledge of the past. We've been on many museum tours and you almost never get the service we received. Great house, great history, awesome experience! If you ever choose to visit, we also stayed at Vinnie's Ohio River Cabins. It was in Derby, Indiana. About an hour drive from Louisville but we had a wonderful...