Guided Tours list & info (Holiday season)

Full Mansion

Candlelight Tour

*The Candlelight tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

Nooks & Crannies Tour

*The Nooks and Crannies tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

Servants Tour

*The Servants tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

Photo Tour

*The Photo tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

Premier Tour

*The Premier tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

Director’s Tour

*The Director’s tour is currently not offered – be sure to follow us on Facebook (Glensheen Mansion) and Instagram @glensheenmansion for updates on new and re-opened tours*

If you’ve only been on the general tour, you’ve missed the other half of the mansion: the third floor & attic. These levels are remarkable in their own light with the Congdon Boys’ rooms, including their charming lounge. There’s even a few spaces that have recently been restored back to their original glory.

Something that makes the third floor special is the furniture. It is most likely created by famed interior designer John Bradstreet who was so impactful, he has his own room in the Minnesota Institute of Art. Though over a century old now, his pieces still feel beautifully contemporary.

This tour also includes a trip to the attic, up a curving narrow staircase. It’s here that many original items are stored today.

The Full Mansion Tour lasts about 1 hour.

Boy’s Lounge on 3rd Floor

This is something special.

We have all done it. Turn off all the lights in the house except the Christmas Trees. It is a fun magical moment we all have done. Now imagine a mansion lit up by only Christmas Trees.. well 25 of them. It is pretty amazing thing to witness.

Hurry this tour sells out quick.

Candlelight Tour last approximately 1.25 hours

More info — https://glensheen.org/tour/candlelight-christmas-evenings/

Christmas Tree in the Master Bedroom — one of 25 lit up at night.

Ever wondered what’s behind all those locked doors at Glensheen?

Now you can be part of this behind-the-scenes tour of previously restricted areas, peeking in secret cabinets along the way. (Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.)

This includes the second floor of the Carriage House with its hand-operated freight lift, original sleighs and carriages, and the newly opened hay loft of the Carriage House which is filled with a wide variety of historic treasures such an original Duluth Pack Tent.

If visiting for the first time on this tour, be sure to take time to see the main spaces of the mansion before your scheduled Nooks & Crannies Tour time. (General admission spaces are included in your ticket!) The Nooks & Crannies showcases new areas and hidden details that are not on the regular tour. The secret cabinets are pretty surprising!

The Nooks & Crannies tour lasts about 1.25 hour.

More info — https://glensheen.org/tour/nooks-crannies/

2nd Floor of the Carriage House

Here’s a chance to see Glensheen from its working side, a-la the downstairs of Downton Abbey. (The Congdon maid staff had the same uniforms as those on the show!)

This tour explores the servants wing of the mansion exclusively from the perspective of a 1910 staff member and visits spaces not seen on other tours.

You’ll enter the mansion through the servants’ hall, imagining yourself working in the sewing room, linen closet, downstairs maid’s room and the newly-opened garage.

Be immersed in the stories of the iconic English butler, the problem-solving cook, and so many more responsible for bringing this vast estate to life during the golden age. You’ll even hear about some staff romance…

If visiting for the first time on this tour, be sure to take time to see the main spaces of the mansion before your scheduled Servants Tour time. (General admission spaces are included in your ticket!)

The Servants tour lasts about 1.25 hours

More information — https://glensheen.org/gallery/servants-tour/

Sewing Machine in Sewing Room

It’s hard to imagine a more photogenic place than Glensheen.

Especially during the holidays.

Imagine having time for that long exposure shot and the space to set up a tripod, which you know is necessary for the darkness of Glensheen… and the really awesome holiday photos.

The Photo Tour is a guided experience with the guide highlighting some of the best photo locations throughout the mansion and estate.

Professional and amateur photographers alike are welcome. Photo tours are best for those who have visited in the past and want to capture its beauty. This is not a history tour, the focus is on photography. All types of cameras and tripods are encouraged, as both indoor and outdoor locations will be visited.

All visitors receive a photo book which gives some tips and tricks for the estate as well.

The Photo Tour takes approximately 1 hour.

Photo Tours are pre-sale only and can be ordered online or by calling 218–726–8910 or 888–454-GLEN.

Maid’s Nightmare in Formal Dining Room

Glensheen’s all-inclusive experience, the Premier Tour covers each and every room in the 39-room, 27,000 square-foot mansion. Guests will venture through all five floors of the mansion, even the previously closed third floor and attic. Plus any other building or location on the estate. This guide will bring you and your 3 friends anywhere you like.

It is your exclusive tour with one of our elite guides.

With a capacity limit of four people, guests will enjoy a personalized tour and the flexibility of choosing their specific emphasis. The tour will run over 2 hours long, but the length of the tour is really up to you and your group.

Breakfast Room — Glensheen’s most famous room

On the Director’s Tour, you will enjoy an exclusive Glensheen experience. As a previous tour guide and history buff, our director Dan shares intriguing stories of Glensheen and the Congdon family along the way. Not only is the entire mansion explored, but also the entire estate if you wish. He gives you full access!

He will even bring you kayaking if you want.

You’ll see spaces such as the silver safe, which only the Director has a key for.

Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! The beautifully landscaped 12-acre estate and grounds are his favorite.