Heurich House Museum — Attraction in Washington

Beautiful Victorian brew master's castle built during the Gilded Age - truly a hidden gem! Walked by it so many times in Dupont Circle and didn't even realize the castle existed until recently. So glad I got a chance to finally explore it!

Definitely make a reservation online - can't visit the museum without a guided tour. There are a few tours in the morning/early afternoon on Saturdays that last about 75 minutes with a $10 "suggested" donation - I just paid it.

The stunning castle is decked out floor to ceiling with exquisite antique furniture, beautiful woodwork, intricate carvings, coffered ceilings and frescos, impressive crown moldings, ornate gold mirrors and chandeliers, with helms and mythical lions embedded throughout the house. The fireplace back with lion carving was the coolest feature of the home. It's impressive how the house had cutting-edge technology for its time in 1890 with plumbing and electricity, a "slosh" sink, and an iron and steel foundation. Can't believe this large house took only 2 years to build and complete in 1892.

From the tour's dozen or so rooms and corridors (drawing room, parlor, dining room, solarium, multiple bedrooms, bathroom, butler's pantry, kitchen, foyer, tavern) the cozy drawing room used after dinner for cigars was my favorite and most impressive - lavish velvet sofas, tassled crown moldings, and large silk curtains. The German Tavern in the basement had a nice chill vibe - perfect spot to drink beer!

The tour is quite interesting and chronicles Christian Heurich's journey as a brewmaster from Germany to the U.S., his 3 marriages including the widow of his business partner, and objective for building the castle to showcase his wealth and entertain clients for exclusive contracts. Lived a very full life at 102 years. Sadly, his brewery started failing after prohibition as larger beer companies cornered the market and consumer taste preferences changed to cocktails. The business never took off after his son tried to continue his legacy with a batch of bad beer. The Kennedy Center sits on the old factory - maybe it's for the best!

The tour concluded with a new exhibit in the carriage house showcasing the different types of beer produced (malt, apple champagne, stout, lager). Interestingly, Heurich produced apple champagne during Prohibition and could only sell it for 1 day. The beer bottles along with the memorabilia are captivating.

Stunning castle, informative tour - totally worth the $10 "suggested" donation....

I had high hopes I would attend and have it bring back fond memories of my childhood in Berlin where I spent 5 years. I had hoped to share some of the culture with my daughter.

Instead I was met with an overly militant group of staff and volunteers ushering is through like cattle; aggressively scolding us for holding a beverage THEY SOLD US 10 feet from the door, as we unknowingly tried to walk in.

We attended during the Christkindlmarkt event and were supposed to have paid for a “special early access pass”, but that didn’t seem to matter when they opened up the museum to everyone at the same time, so it was just herds of people being rushed through to quickly to enjoy anything or even ask questions.

Further insult was learning that half the museum was not open to tours during this weekend event.

So instead of paying a “suggested donation of $10” on a normal day, I paid $25 non-refundable dollars to be rushed through half the museum by people with nasty attitudes. [of course not all the staff and volunteers were unpleasant; some were a real asset. But the experience was overshadowed by the negative energy given off by the few.]

And the market part of the event was a joke! While the vendors were nice, and enjoyable, there were only maybe 20-30. For $10 I attended Sugarloaf Craft fair the weekend before (and will be attending the weekend after too) and experienced hundreds of skilled craftsmen. It is taking a second trip to fully enjoy all the artists and venders.

Save your money and your time — order pizza and a movie...

March 2025: Back at the Heurich House for the Bock Release, and it is delicious! The Marzen is great, too. Love being a member of this museum. Will be back again soon! 2023: Love, love, love the Heurich House and beer garden. I have been coming here for a few years since I became a member to help support the non-profit backing this museum during the pandemic. At first, we could only enjoy the garden and Senate beer and cider. As soon as they opened the house back up, we were quick to reserve a tour. I just love immersing myself in the rich history of DC. The tour starts in the carriage house at the rear of the garden. There, you can learn about the history of Heurich Brewery while enjoying local craft brews or wine. Outside in the garden, there are fire pits and ample seating for either shade or soaking up some sun. The house is really stunning. The woodwork is something you have to see in person. Pictures do not do it justice. The tour guides are also members of the museum management team and are very knowledgeable on the history of the Heurich family, the house, the brewery, and the local DC culture of that time. The Working Title is a newer exhibit that goes into more detail on the less known people who worked at the house or for the Heurich family. I appreciate the level of work it took to piece together this less seen history and hope the research will continue into the future. It is important to tell the full story of history whenever possible. Thank you for always providing a...