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Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Museums, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
1050 Joan CresVictoria, BC V8S 3L5
(250) 592-5323
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 4:30 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
19 reviews for Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society
Review Highlights
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"I enjoyed the self-guided tour of the Craigdarroch Castle." In 4 reviews -
"The stained glass windows are amazing as well." In 3 reviews
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"The Dunsmuir family fits the bill." In 6 reviews
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19 reviews in English
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Review from Crystal W.
Calgary, AB
7/12/2011
I have been to numerous castles and mansions during my travels and this one has the most impressive Victorian-era furnishings, etc. that I've seen in Canada so far. The exterior of the home is stunning. Apparently recent work has been done so if you've been here before but not within a few years, you might want to go back.
I'm not much into touristy gift shops, but the castle's shop had some non-cheesy items, including these awesome door handle wine stoppers and Rogers' chocolates sold for less than in the Rogers' store in downtown Victoria. Yes, I bought chocolate and a wine stopper! -
Review from Eric B.
5/22/2012
Gayle and i walked out to Craigdarroch Castle during our last day in Victoria. It's a pleasant stroll from Downtown and as a bonus, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is on the way. We also stayed off busy Fort Street and toured the residential neighbourhoods and viewed some beautiful homes going both ways.
What do you if you're Coal Baron Robert Dunsmuir and you've now clawed your way to the top? You and your socially ambitious spouse build a "Castle" to show those other other poor sods what you're worth! Things haven't changed that much since the late 19th Century have they?
Craigdarroch would be a small mansion by today's standards, but this 4-story, 39 room Highland-style Castle on the highlands above Oak Bay remains a stunner. There are also distinct stone turrets and room filled with opulent Victorian splendor. That includes detailed woodwork, Persian carpets, stain glass windows, paintings, and sculptures. During its construction, no skilled craftsmen or materials expense was spared. Unfortunately, old Robert died a year before his work was completed and the Castle changed hands and upkeep several times..
It's an easy thing for this tourist to look at the glossy brochures and dismiss the prospect of visiting as just another tourist trap. In this case, I'm very happy that Gayle talked me into taking a look. Not counting the walk, you can easily see the Castle in an hour. It's also a good feeling to support the hard working nonprofit organization that keeps this place looking sharp. -
Review from Inga K.
3/2/2012 3 photos
Since my kids are of the "Harry Potter" generation - a castle tour as part of a birthday party made me Mom of the Year. I told them that the staircases didn't move, but for sure there were ghosts.
This is a really cool thing to do, and the tour guide we got for our little group was awesome. It is truly amazing to see how the ultra rich lived back in the early 1900's,
Craigdarroch is the house that coal built, and has been so carefully restored. We really found it to be an excellent afternoon, and the kids learned without knowing they were being given a history primer.
I have been told that it is really extra special to go around Christmas because they do it up for the festivities. Absolutely going back. -
Review from Andrew T.
9/17/2011
The historical society has done an excellent job of restoring Craigdarroch castle from what sounds like the brink of destruction, as others have mentioned. Extensive modifications to the structure, abuse by the inhabitants, and sales of the original furnishings should have made the task impossible, but instead, the castle is in magnificent condition, and very well presented.
In contrast to Butchart Gardens, the castle has a wealth of both information on the structure and changes made over the years, as well as the original inhabitants. It's a bit more of a hike from downtown than the map indicated, but still not too far, and certainly not too far to walk. The entry fee...might be a tiny bit on the high side, but I'm OK with it given when they've been able to do with the castle. It's a worthwhile stop over if you're visiting Victoria. -
Review from Ann L.
1/17/2012
Worth a visit - very neat historical building! The guides on the first floor were friendly and knowledgeable. The other floors are self-guided.
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Review from Ken L.
The history of this 5 story Castle/mansion is just one big mess. Mr. Dunsmuir passed away before the construction was completed; this led to the inconsistent construction materials used in building the mansion. The Craigdarooch Castle passed through different ownerships throughout its existence, namely: Dunsmuir ownership 1890-1908, Military Hospital 1919-1921, Victoria College 1921-1946, Victoria School Board Office 1946-1968, Victoria Conservatory of Music 1969-1979 and presently as a Museum Site from 1979.
I finished the tour in about an hour. You will walk up multiple floors staged with furniture from that era along with explanations of what the rooms were used for. When you reach the top, you actually go down a different staircase where you will end up exiting at the gift shop. If you are a student, be sure to bring your ID for a reduced rate to about $8-9. Only about 10 minutes from the Inner Harbor of Victoria. I enjoyed the self guided tour (see photos) and would recommend a visit here at least once if you are in Victoria.Listed in: Things to do in/near Victoria,…
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Review from Jens J.
11/16/2010
We had a very pleasurable time touring this restored mansion, which sits atop the highest point in Victoria, just a block or so off Fort Street.
Craigdarroch Mansion was built by Scottish immigrant Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. Sadly, Dunsmuir died a year before construction was completed in 1891. His widow lived there for eighteen years.
When their descendants couldn't afford to keep up the mansion, it was sold, and over time became a medical hospital for wounded war veterans, and then a music conservatory. Only in recent decades, did the mansion change hands and restoration was commenced. Restoration continues to this day, as funding permits.
The first floor is fully restored and extremely lavish, filled with objets d'art and furniture from the 19th century. And I loved all the oak paneling throughout the mansion.
Though the tour is self-guided, a docent on the first floor gave us a history of the family and the objects in the rooms. She shared some interesting facts. I was very surprised to learn that this house, though built in 1891, had electricity. I didn't even know there was electricity back then! Also fascinating was that Craigdarroch Castle was built with a burglar alarm system.
They have a gift shop at the end of the tour. I thought it was ironic that they were playing Christian music in the gift shop, considering that many of Dunsmuir's children and grandchildren were layabouts that squandered their inheritances cavorting around gambling meccas like Monte Carlo, or shacking up with notorious actresses such as Tallulah Bankhead. -
Review from S Alicia S.
10/3/2011
Craigdarroch Castle actually scared me. It may of been the stained glass windows combined with architectural structure not being furnished with original antiques. But the history of the families that owned the castle are was like a soap opera. And when 28-acres ends up being 1.75 acres, I wanted to roam the 28 acres and learn about all the owners on what was once castle property. Also, I saw real brown-robed monks in close vicinity, but didn't get to take a photograph.
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Review from Fancypants X.
7/10/2010
In the Bay Area, we have the Winchester Mystery House & Hearst Castle. In Victoria, they have Craigdarroch Castle. It doesn't hold the eeriness of the Winchester House or boast the magnificence of Hearst Castle; instead it's allure is in it's being one of Canada's National Historic Sites.
For about $15 per person, we did a self guided tour through the castle (which is really a Victorian style mansion.) It took about an hour. I appreciated that because we could go at our own pace, we were able to linger at the things we found most interesting (the fireplaces, the library, the furniture & smallish beds.) After an already long day, the many, many steps were a little daunting but we kept going because we wanted to see the view from the top floor (you're on the top of a hill, so you see *everything* in & surrounding Victoria.)
Craigdarroch Castle is the well preserved (once) home of the Dunsmuir Family; It's interesting to see how "the other half" lived in the 1890's. -
Review from Violet P.
9/9/2011
It was about a 25 minute walk from downtown and pretty easy to find with the signs. I wasn't sure what to expect at this castle and when we walked in, it was a small entrance and couldn't fit more than a few people. But once you step into the castle there was more room to move. It's great to learn history of the people and also see how they have restored the castle. I was actually hoping to see a sign of a ghost or two but no such luck. We spent about 1.5 hours in the castle and it was an ok way to spend a rainy afternoon. If I had the choice between the castle and the museum, I would chose the museum.
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Review from Linny H.
4/7/2009
I am a big fan of soap opera type drama of real wealthy families. TV dramas got nothing on the historical craziness. The Dunsmuir family fits the bill! Plus excessive opulence makes it all the more fascinating. This castle museum is in the same vein as the Hearst Castle and Winchester Mystery House. The Hearst being the extreme and Winchester being more crazy.
When you drive up the hill, it's perched on top looking very stately and almost doesn't stand out in that neighborhood. I love the stone architecture. It's very Scottish, aye! Stepping onto the old coach entrance makes you realize it's no ordinary house. The door is slightly curved to fit the circular entryway. I really like the shoe cleaner. It's silly to say, I know but good for the museum to protect their flooring and minimal effort for visitors.
Once in the foyer, a nice older lady does a quick intro on the museum and you're surrounded by maple wood everything! The walls, banisters, stairs and of course, floors. It's 4 1/2 stories with 39 rooms. Looking up for the first time, it's pretty neat seeing all the floors! The self-guided with the provided pamphlet makes it easy to wander leisurely. All the stain glass windows, gorgeous!
The best part is the top tower floor. Although only half a floor, it has the best views of BC!
Any first time into BC, definitely has to visit this wonderful museum. It represents high class living at its best! -
Review from Brianna E.
10/14/2011
First of all, don't walk from downtown. It's a lot longer than you think it is. Second, they have a really cool bottom-of-your-shoe cleaner in the lobby. The husband was very impressed.
Probably one of my favorite historical museums- you could really see all of the detail in each of the rooms (which were many!!). It wasn't your typical bed and dresser type of get-up; they went all out to restore and re-decorate this castle the way it might have looked. Very well done. Also, the architecture was beautful from the main stairway (look UP at the bottom!) to the alcoves and beautiful floors. Worth the trip. -
Review from Skylar L.
8/9/2008
You've played the board game Clue, right? Well, imagined if the Clue house shot up from the game board and become a real house. You don't have to imagine it, you just have to go to Craigdarroch Castle. The 'castle' is actually a Victorian mansion built by Robert and Joan Dunsmir. The Dunsmirs were Scottish immigrants who made their millions in the coal business.
The house is not only big but showcases beautiful features such as stained glass windows and intricate wood work. The house is filled with Victorian furniture that I believe is original to the house.
My favorite part of the house was the billiards room. I could sense the people who, 100 years ago, would retire for a game or two with their scotch and cigars. Really though, every room has that sense of history. The sense that this is not just a museum, but was someone's home. -
Review from Carolyn C.
10/21/2008 2 photos
I enjoyed the self-guided tour of the Craigdarroch Castle.
The maple wood wall-to-wall mansion is kept in perfect condition.
The stained glass windows are amazing as well.
The castle is easily accessible and has great student rates.
A definite must-see if you're visiting Victoria!
+ unique and interesting place
- might be difficult for some people to walk up all the stairs -
Review from Chris T.
9/8/2008 2 photos
Though not much of a Castle at least by European standards this mansion of the Rich B.C. family originally from Scotland was quite a site to betake. The house is filled with Victorian furniture and stained glass and wood molding everywhere.
Definitely something to see while in Victoria. Its located off one of the main bus routes so its fairly easy to get to. -
Review from Lauren P.
4/26/2009
It's a "castle" like the Moody Mansion down in Galveston TX in fact they are *very* similar
The Dunsmuir family created a cultural treasure here without ever knowing it.
This place is beautiful....the details in the windows and the woodwork....No photo will ever do it justice. This is totally a must see place if you are ever In Victoria. It's nearly a moral imperative.
It's peaceful and serene and you can almost imagine staff and family members roaming about the house as you lead yourself through the place as tours are self guided.
As stated in other reviews the furniture is not original though but where any alterations have been made the Historical Society clearly states it as so...they aren't trying to push a CZ on you calling it a diamond. -
Review from Renita R.
4/7/2011
Price is $13 for adults or $9 with student id. We did the self guided tour. Almost every room had a guide telling you about the room and they answered any questions we had. The castle was also used as a college and office buildings before being turned into a museum. There is a huge yard behind the castle where you can get some great shots of the while castle. If museums are your thing, you will enjoy this.
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Review from Alan A.
5/18/2010
I was very impressed with the architecture and history of Craigdarroach Castle. Being that I'm from the S.F. Bay Area and how there is the Dunsmuir House in Oakland, Ca., it was kind of interesting to learn about the history of the Dunsmuir family and how they made their fortune and coal. The house itself is impressive. Its size, design, quality of materials used, and craftsmanship in building this house was amazing. I'd definitely recommend this place to any tourist who is visiting in Victoria B.C.
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Review from Heather S.
Blainville, QC
1/22/2009
I loved walking through this home. Although most of the furniture is NOT original - the stained glass is and the historical society is doing its best to restore the other rooms of the house. The Castle has served many purposes for the Victorian community: from military hospital to school board to Music Conservatory. The volunteers staffing the building were incredibly friendly and there is even a period Steinman piano for visitors with musical training to play. Alas, i don't fit into that category. I was crazy for the stained glass and the gift shop had the best postcard selection i have seen in town thus far. Definitely a must-see - and you don't need to take the bus. It's a 20 min walk up Fort St. from downtown.
