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Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Tudor Place Historic House & Garden

Name: Tudor Place Historic House & Garden
Address: 1644 31st Street NW, Washington D.C., DC, 20007, US
Telephone: +12029650400
Price range: $
Rating: 4.7

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Tudor Place Historic House & Garden

1816 historic house & garden in WDC with family ties to George Washington.
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A model of Federal-period architecture in the nation’s capital, Tudor Place was home to six generations of Martha Washington’s descendants from 1805 to 1983 and the enslaved workers and servants who lived and worked here. With thousands of decorative objects, including the largest Washington Collection outside of Mount Vernon, Tudor Place sits on 5 ½ acres in the heart of Georgetown.

11/04/2023

Memorial booklets were a popular way to remember a deceased loved one, usually acting as an extended obituary. This booklet was produced after the death of Britannia’s only child, Martha "Markie" Custis Kennon Peter, in 1886. Her funeral took place in her home on 31st Street and O Street, near Tudor Place. See this booklet and other artifacts exploring the evolution of funeral and burial traditions on our special guided tour, Death Comes to Tudor Place, ending November 5. Get tickets here: https://buff.ly/45cgucM

11/02/2023

This mourning brooch worn by Martha “Markie” Kennon, Britannia Peter Kennon’s daughter, contained plaited locks of hair that belonged to her cousin, Orton Williams, who was executed for being a spy by the Union army on June 8, 1863. While Victorian practices such as mourning jewelry are no longer the norm, the underlying principles of respect, remembrance and the celebration of a person's life are as significant today as they were in the past. See this brooch Oct 3 - Nov 5 during the specialty tour “Death Comes to Tudor Place,” revealing nearly 200 years of mourning customs via décor and artifacts. In broadening Tudor Place’s tours to encompass traditions expressed by enslaved and free domestic laborers, as well as the Peter family, visitors are encouraged to reflect on the diverse voices of history.

Consider donating today so that Tudor Place remains a place where community and conversations begin. Your support allows us to create programs that explore multiple facets of the American story – making it our story. Click here to give and make your gift in remembrance of a loved one. https://buff.ly/3Djc20I

Tombstone:
Brooch
c.1863 - 1880
Hair, pearl, gold
93.7108.01

11/01/2023

Exciting events are coming soon to Tudor Place. Register now here: https://buff.ly/3GjELCT

10/31/2023

Things are a little mysterious, and spooky at Tudor Place. Hope you have a fab-boo-lous Halloween.

10/26/2023

This mourning brooch features what is called a “sepia” painting, which is created when a painter would mix ground hair with ink to paint a scene. Characterized by symbolism about grieving and mortality, this brooch was worn by George Washington’s granddaughter, Martha Peter, at the time of his death in 1799. You can see this object and other mourning jewelry at the Death Comes to Tudor Place tour running through November 5. https://buff.ly/45cgucM

Brooch
c.1800
Gold or copper gilt, ivory, glass or crystal, pearl, hair, ink
7067

10/24/2023

Join us November 7 at 6:30 p.m. for the finale of our 2023 Landmark Lecture series, “Laborious Histories: Critical Fabulation & the Practice of Black Public History.” Dr. Crystal Moten, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Obama Foundation in Chicago, will discuss her work focusing on the intersection of race, class and gender to uncover the hidden histories of Black people in the Midwest. Register here: https://buff.ly/46UE0wu

10/23/2023

Billions of postcards were mailed during the “golden age of postcards” from 1890 to 1915. The Tudor Place Archives houses numerous vintage Halloween postcards. Much of their imagery, like the grinning jack-o'-lantern, remains synonymous with Halloween today. Join our mailing list to get modern "postcards" from Tudor Place. https://buff.ly/46DecFf

10/20/2023

According to Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers, Lilacs stand for reminiscence. In times of mourning, widows would wear lilacs to remember their late husbands. While the lilacs at Tudor Place will not bloom until spring, we still have plenty of flowers to see in the garden. Take a free self-guided tour of the garden after checking out Death Comes to Tudor Place, our specialty tour which explores 200 years of mourning customs as expressed through artifacts and décor.

10/14/2023

We are whipping up a batch of brownies this National Dessert Day using a recipe from the archives. This recipe was recorded by Armistead Peter Jr. and came from Nellie, a hired domestic servant, in 1925. You can almost smell them now. Check out the historic kitchen and the rest of the interior of Tudor Place on our virtual tour: https://buff.ly/3LUPDLN

10/10/2023

Join us for one of our Tudor Tots programs this fall. Young learners ages 18 mo.- 4 years will engage in hands-on discovery to explore the world around them. Check out Tudor Tots sessions and other upcoming family programs here: https://buff.ly/3ccxRAT

10/09/2023

These pieces of quartzite found on the grounds of Tudor Place speak to the indigenous people who hunted on this land for thousands of years before Europeans seized it. Archaeologists date these flakes to the Late Archaic or Early Woodland period (c.2500-500 BCE). On this , we remember the people who worked this quartzite to make tools, and we honor their descendants who continue to thrive in the DC area.

Worked Quartzite
c.2500-500 BCE
91383

10/05/2023

With the days getting colder, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book. Join us for our next Tudor Nights “Out of Print: Literary Treasures from Tudor Place” and discover the literary legacies of classic works. On October 12 at 6:30 p.m., see books of the Peter family not normally on display before enjoying cocktails and lite hors d’oeuvres. Register now here: https://buff.ly/3ryS8fP

10/03/2023

Join us for Death Comes to Tudor Place, a specialty exhibition and guided tour happening through November 5. This tour reveals almost 200 years of mourning customs as expressed through artifacts and décor and explores the evolution of funeral and burial traditions among enslaved and free domestic laborers as well as the Peter family. Get your tickets here: https://buff.ly/45cgucM

10/02/2023

Register now for the exciting events coming up this October at Tudor Place. See the entire events calendar here: https://buff.ly/3GjELCT

09/30/2023

For the last installment of the Saturday Senses series, tantalize your tastebuds with this Beef Stew Recipe recorded by Armistead Peter Jr. from Catherine Savage on Nov. 8th 1945.

Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs of beef, 2 onions sliced, ½ cup of turnips diced, 1 cup of carrots diced, 5 lbs of potatoes sliced, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 4 cups water, ½ cup flour, 2 tb butter
Method:

“Have meat removed from the bone and cut into 1 inch pieces cutting off all fat. Put bone and half of meat in a kettle and cover with the cold water. Let stand about 30 min then place on fire and bring to a boil. Melt the butter in a skillet and brown the onion. Season the rest of the meat with salt and pepper dredged with some of the flour and brown in the butter with the onion. Pour onion and brown meat in broth and cook slowly for 2 hours. Add the vegetables and the rest of the flour which has been mixed with half a cup of cold water. Cook until veg and meat are tender. Remove the bone before serving.”

09/26/2023

As a family home, Tudor Place was lived in and loved by generations of Peter family members. With activities for all ages, make it part of your family’s story by visiting today! Practice pre-school readiness skills with Tudor Tots, request one of our Journey Series workbooks or discover all the property has to offer on a house tour.

09/25/2023

Both Hannah Pope and John Luckett labored at Tudor Place, but they likely never met. Enslaved by the Peter family since birth, Pope was sold in 1845. Luckett began working at the site in 1862 after he self-emancipated from a site in Virgina. Join us on October 10th at 6:30 p.m. when their descendants meet for the first time to discuss how identity, historical trauma and reconciliation informs their connections to Tudor Place. Click here for details: https://buff.ly/461TBKk

Hannah Pope
Photographer unknown, c.1880
27.0108

Armistead Peter 3rd and John Luckett
Photograph by Armistead Peter Jr., c.1900
A1.306

09/23/2023

The subtle sweet smell of lavender has a calming effect to all who visit Tudor Place between late spring and early fall. After the garden team harvests the lavender growing on-site, it is sold in the Museum shop as sachets.

09/22/2023

Today marks the Autumnal Equinox and the first day of fall. The surface of this vase is decorated with golden and ochre maple leaves rendered in a style inspired by Japanese motifs. It was manufactured in 1904 by the Rookwood Pottery Company in Cincinnati, which ceramic painter Maria Longworth Nichols founded in 1880.

Rookwood Pottery Company Vase
Cincinnati, Ohio, 1904
Earthenware with standard glaze
3171.01

09/21/2023

With Dear Diary Day tomorrow, we think of Armistead Peter Jr. He faithfully kept a diary from 1880 until almost the end of his life. In 1895, he records a trip he took with his wife and mother-in-law out west. The California that the group visited was nothing like the famous west coast of today. Their trip predated the Klondike Gold Rush and the Golden Gate Bridge. In his diary, he writes about their stay at the Palace Hotel, pictured here, as well as his overall view that the city “does not come up to my lease expectations.”

Court, Palace Hotel, S.F., Cal
Albumen
Isaiah West Tabor, c. 1885-1895
Library of Congress

09/19/2023

Spooky season is right around the corner. Celebrate Halloween with your little ghouls and goblins at Tudor Place. Explore the 5 ½ acre garden and discover crafts, activities and fun surprises during our annual Trick or Treat event. This event sells out. Register today: https://buff.ly/3PfYVTm

09/16/2023

Satiny velvet and feathery faux fur combine to make a tactile symphony in this costume robe.

Costume Robe
20th century
Velvet, silk/polyester, faux fur, Velcro
81391

09/15/2023

from a can. Feeling hungry, but not up to cooking? Canned goods have been an accessible method of food preservation since the early 19th century. Our 1914 kitchen features replica canned goods popularly purchased in Georgetown.

09/14/2023

Members are invited to discover the art of woodturning at “Turning the Grain.” This member-exclusive event is led by wood-turner Neal Kaske, who will discuss his process before giving a live demonstration. Afterwards, enjoy light refreshments. Not a member yet? Learn more when you sign up here: https://buff.ly/44YvX0l

09/13/2023

Documentary filmmaker and founder of History Before Us, Frederick Murphy, hosts a conversation with descendants of enslaved individuals associated with Tudor Place and other historic sites. Join us for this unique opportunity to consider intergenerational identity, historical trauma and reconciliation. Register for this free event, either in-person or virtually, on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m. https://buff.ly/461TBKk

09/09/2023

You can hear this melodic chiming every hour when you visit Tudor Place. This clock, located in the Stair Hall, was made circa 1775 in England and features a Whittington chime with an eight-bell melody.

This September, engage all your senses with our Saturday Senses series.

09/07/2023

Join fellow garden lovers and the Tudor Place garden team for a morning of weeding out invasive plants at the W**d Wrangle. Learn how to identify non-native, invasive plant species before doing battle with harmful trees, vines and flowering plants. Sign up here: https://buff.ly/3PkrBMl

09/04/2023

As summer winds down, there is still plenty to do at Tudor Place this September. In our next Landmark Lecture, Inclusivity and Interpreting Enslaved Individuals at Tudor Place, discover how new research is helping change the way enslavement is included in site interpretation. Use your green thumb to help Tudor Place gardeners take out invasive species out of the garden at the W**d Wrangle. Members can get a guided garden tour or learn about the art of woodturning at one of our member-exclusive events. Check out our full calendar here: https://buff.ly/3GjELCT

Photo Credit: Rebekah Emily Photography

09/02/2023

Our collection contains many examples of eyeglasses from the 19th to 20th century. Take a look at the variety of eyewear and see if one catches your eye!

This September, we invite you to engage all your senses with our Saturday Senses series.

08/31/2023

Artist-in-Residence Peter Waddell painted this depiction of the Tudor Place estate as it may have looked with enslaved dwellings that once stood on the property. Join us on September 12th to learn more about the work Tudor Place has been doing to center the stories of the people enslaved by the Peters. https://buff.ly/3YZmuUT

Tudor Place The North Entrance Historic Interpretation,
Peter Waddell, 2017
Oil on canvas

08/31/2023

Who says you shouldn’t play with your food? This fall, visit Tudor Place’s 5 ½ acre garden for a picnic lunch. Pack a book or a deck of cards and enjoy the nature around you.

08/28/2023

Summer travel plans? When you join, renew or upgrade your Tudor Place Membership at the Boxwood, Rose, Patron or Landmark level, you have access to thousands of museums and hundreds of botanical gardens nation-wide. Tudor Place Members are a distinguished community of people invested in the preservation of this National Historic Landmark. Join today at https://buff.ly/47GM0lF.

08/26/2023

On August 26, 1920, Caroline Ogden-Jones, last co-owner of Tudor Place with husband, Armisted Peter 3rd, gained the right to vote at age 26 when the 19th amendment was certified, proclaiming it illegal to deny citizens the right to vote based on s*x. While women had achieved equality on paper, in practice millions of women of color were prevented from voting by discriminatory state laws and voter suppression tactics despite their leadership in advancing women’s suffrage.

Caroline Ogden-Jones Peter
c.1920s
Tudor Place Archive

08/25/2023

Beloved by pollinators, black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) generally bloom from June to August. The “black eye” refers to the dark brown center of its daisy-like flower head. A member of the aster family, these golden lovelies are native to eastern North America. Come see for yourself Tuesday - Sunday. Reservations encouraged, not required at https://buff.ly/3fYUkRZ

08/23/2023

Summer might be winding down, but that doesn’t mean the fun is over! On Sept 6 Tudor Tots returns for the fall. Young learners ages 18 mo.- 4 years will engage in hands-on discovery to explore the world around them. Click https://buff.ly/3RRsqLc for Tudor Tots sessions and other upcoming family programs.

08/21/2023

Spy with your little eye historic objects up close and personal at our free Tudor Nights event or hop into pre-sale access to Eggstravaganza with a Tudor Place membership. Starting at $55/year, join the community of Tudor Place members at any level and help preserve this National Historic Landmark for generations to come. Sign up today at www.tudorplace.org/membership

08/18/2023

Discover the historic games that kids in the past used to play at our final Summer Saturdays, “Let’s Play.” Young learners ages four to eight and their adults will also create their own historic toy to bring home. The fun starts at 10:30am on August 26. Learn more here: https://buff.ly/3KvuwyM

08/16/2023

Take a little something home from your favorite historic house. Visit the Tudor Place Museum Shop in person and online to pick up tea, mugs, postcards or even a lavender sachet that uses lavender from the garden. Browse the selection here: https://buff.ly/3mPe2pU

08/14/2023

What’s in your wallet? Is it a Tudor Place Membership card? For $55/year, get access to behind- the-scenes tours, exclusive content, discounts and more. Tudor Place members are part of a distinguished community invested in the preservation of this National Historic Landmark. Members carry Tudor Place into its third century – connecting the past to the present. Visit https://buff.ly/3F2pG9H to join today.

08/11/2023

Looking to get out of the house this summer? Visit ours instead. Explore almost two hundred years of American history on a guided tour of Tudor Place or go on an outdoor adventure in our garden. Interested in a structured program? Check out our calendar for upcoming family programs. https://buff.ly/3ccxRAT

Address

1644 31st Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20007

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+12029650400

Website

https://www.tudorplace.org

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Videos

Happy Halloween!!.mp4

Things are a little mysterious, and spooky at Tudor Place. Hope you have a fab-boo-lous Halloween.

Door with Ribbon Video.MOV

Recipes from the Archives: Mint Julep

This edition of “Recipes from the Archives” tempts you with a fresh, fragrant Mint Julip. Armistead Peter Jr., a fan of classic cocktails, was the one who recorded this recipe. To make this drink even more special, we used mint fresh from the garden. We encourage you to find some fresh sprigs of your own to enjoy this drink with friends (or have it all to yourself!)

At tomorrow’s #SummerSaturday family program, make a buzzing bee finger puppet to take into the garden and discover how bee communities operate and contribute to the ecosystem. Register at tudorplace.org 🐝

With over 18,000 objects in our collection, it’s challenging to select a favorite. Can you spot our staff picks for favorite objects on your next tour? Comment below and tell us some of your favorite things in the Tudor Place collection.

Happy #EarthDay from our gardens to yours 🌎🌿

2021 Holiday greeting

Watch the holiday greeting from Executive Director Mark Hudson with a heartfelt thank you to all our visitors, donors, members, friends and neighbors during 2021. We appreciate your support and together we keep history alive. Join us and preserve this National Historic Landmark for future generations at https://buff.ly/3ET1x2F.

Portrait Video

TP_Garden Open Video

IMG_3608

3.20 (1)

Shortcuts

America’s Story Lives Here

A National Historic Landmark, Tudor Place Historic House & Garden features two centuries of history, landscape, and family life and a collection including the largest set of Washington items on public display outside Mount Vernon. The estate was built in 1816 by an early Washington "power couple," Martha Washington's granddaughter Martha Custis Peter and her husband, Thomas Peter, son of a prominent Scots-born landowner. Their estate on 5-1/2 (originally 8-1/2) acres, with its notable design and famed Temple Portico, was home to six generations of their descendants and the workers, free and enslaved, who served them. In 1988, it opened to the public as a museum.