Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum

This house museum is a beautiful example of over the top Victorian tastes. The low rating is due to the cringeworthy staff. My daughter was correct when she said they were 'small.' Oh and as for the folks who worked in the house and grounds - Get real and be honest. Times have changed. Acknowledge their contributions to the wealth and comfort provided the white families who lived here

Great activity to do if you are wanting something off the typical path and/or looking to escape bad weather for a few hours. Lots of historical information rooted in the victorian era. I hadn't had much exposure to this time period so I ended up googling quite a bit. On that note...be sure to bring a charged phone. There are lots of QR codes to scan as you self guide through the museum. Beautiful property with really neat artifacts. Highly recommend checking Groupon for discount admission.

Woodruff-Fontaine House 680 Adams Ave, Memphis, TN 38105 This area became known as the Victorian Village, and the main street through the neighborhood was nicknamed "Millionaires Row." Amos Woodruff and his brother came to Memphis from Rahway, New Jersey in 1845 to expand their carriage-making business. In 1870, Amos Woodruff purchased a plot of land for $12,000 and began construction on the mansion which would end up costing the Woodruffs $40,000 to build. Unfortunately, about 12 years later, the yellow fever epidemic forced the Woodruff family to sell the house.l Noland Fontaine purchased the house from the Woodruffs in 1883 for $40,000 and his family lived there until 1929. In 1930, the house was sold to Rosa Lee, who used the house to expand her art school, Lee Memorial Art Academy. The school moved to Overton Park in 1959, and established themselves as Memphis Art Academy, later becoming the Memphis College of Art. The Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities saved the house from demolition after 2 years of vacancy, restored the mansion, and then opened its doors as a historic house museum

We were so lucky to have found out about the tour they offer at night for 1 night every month. Gilded Twilight Tour is the best way to see the WFH. The house is restored beautifully and the ladies who gave us the night tour are very informative, friendly and very hospitable. We saw the whole 3 floors and all the rooms in each respective floor. There is a small room on the 4th floor (attic) that isn't accessible during normal hour tours. This is one of the reason why to get in to this special tour to have access and hear other creepy stories that isn't brought for debate during regular tour hours. Kudos to the ladies for bringing the whole house to life (all the chandeliers were turned on) for us to experience how the family loved during their time and how it feels like in there when the family will hold big parties, host dinners during night time. Definitely a great stop when in Memphis.

I'm SO happy we chose the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum for my daughter's 5.27.23 wedding & reception. The venue is beautiful, and Jennifer Cooper is absolutely awesome! She went above and beyond to make it a wonderful experience (even with the rain)! 100% recommend!

This is truly one of the most beautiful places in Memphis. The staff is incredible. I highly recommend them! Remember them the next time you are looking for an event venue. In addition to Tours, they also host a historic magic show called The Mesmerist in the Ballroom. Haunted Tours, and special events such as First Friday, and their seasonal events will give you even more reasons to visit.

If you like history and beautiful architecture this is for you! This gorgeous mansion has a self guided tour but the directors Jennifer and Georgia were so pleasant. Georgia was our unofficial guide since we came on a quiet day and she was amazing. Highly recommend this as a stop on your visit to Memphis!

We had our wedding here and I highly recommend. Jennifer did such an amazing job to insure that my wife and I had everything we needed. The place itself is beautiful and is perfect for an outdoor wedding.

We arrived on a late, rainy Sunday afternoon - myself and a couple of friends from out of town. The tour guides were very knowledgeable, friendly and available to support questions and guidance. We stayed longer than we planned but they never made us feel like we overstayed our welcome. Highly recommended if you enjoy Memphis history or enjoy Victorian homes!

It was my first time at Memphis and this tour is a must to do if you like Victorian architecture and history. The house is amazing. Jennifer was an awesome lady, very informative, friendly and helpful. She made our experience wonderful and very welcoming to this Historical place. Thank you so much!