Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Gloucester Gratis Days

In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr’s original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum is proud to offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours ......More

In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr’s original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum is proud to offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular season. Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy a completely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer. This season we will present a brand-new set of rotating exhibits including an interactive presentation that uses an AI-generated, animated, holographic projection of Hammond, who speaks to visitors about his scientific career which will be on display through the end of August! These self-guided tours require registration which may be made in advance of your visit or upon arrival at the Museum. Self-guided tours are available from 10 am to 3pm, to allow for enough time to adequately tour the museum which closes promptly at 4pm. Self-guided tours require registration which may be made online in advance of your visit or upon arrival in the Museum Shop. Proof of residency is required upon check in at the Museum. RESERE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY, SELF-GUIDED TOUR HERE.

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Spiritualism Tours

  Thursday: October 5th: Tours are offered at 7, 8 & 9 pm. Thursday: October 12th: Tours are offered at 7, 8 & 9 pm. Wednesday: October 18th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Thursday: October 19th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Wednesday: October 25th: Tour......More

  Thursday: October 5th: Tours are offered at 7, 8 & 9 pm. Thursday: October 12th: Tours are offered at 7, 8 & 9 pm. Wednesday: October 18th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Thursday: October 19th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Wednesday: October 25th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Thursday: October 26th: Tours are offered at 6, 7, 8 & 9 pm. Since its completion in 1929, Hammond Castle Museum has attracted rumors and urban legends of supernatural association and occult happening. While most of these wild stories can be dismissed as pure fiction, the building occupies a fascinating place within the broader historical context of the development of spiritualist and spiritualist-adjacent fields in American culture. The spiritualist movement enthralled America’s upper and middle class during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Both John Hays Hammond Jr. and his wife, Irene, were fascinated with wide-ranging topics including Astrology, Divination, Numerology, Extrasensory Perception (ESP), and Mediumship. Thursday evenings throughout August, September and October, join us for an evening which explores the history of American spiritualism, with a particular focus on contextualizing the movement within broader contemporary cultural trends and discussing the Hammonds’ own complicated engagements with these cultural phenomena. From John Hays Hammond Jr.’s attempts to communicate with supernatural entities using a Faraday Cage, to Irene Hammond’s work on a comprehensive survey of astrological signs over the course of this approximately 55-minute fully-guided tour, the dramatic gothic-inspired architecture of the building and night-time atmosphere will set the stage for a fun and informative seasonal experience unlike any other! RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE! Members enjoy savings on these specialty tours. Apply today for your membership and enjoy immediate savings!  Learn more here. All proceeds from this program will support the restoration of the museum.

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Return to the Renaissance

Photo by: CMO Photography Studio.   Join us for one of two sessions as we Return to the Renaissance on our oceanside lawn with a live musical performance, a demonstration of a Knight’s battle, and some family-friendly improv by none other than Shakespeare himself! The B......More

Photo by: CMO Photography Studio.   Join us for one of two sessions as we Return to the Renaissance on our oceanside lawn with a live musical performance, a demonstration of a Knight’s battle, and some family-friendly improv by none other than Shakespeare himself! The Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword, an educational-based medieval reenactment group will perform an armored fight demo as well as explore life on the medieval battlefield. The Brotherhood is dedicated to the presentation and practice of historical European martial arts and other facets of medieval life. Their armored fight demonstrations are high energy and entertaining. The Penniless Jacks is a high-energy folk-rock band that focuses on livening up traditional “tavern” music. Shakespeare Approves will keep the kids giggling with his family-friendly antics and improvisational banter. Program:Doors open at 10:00 am.Session 1: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm  Penniless Jacks: 10:30 am -11 am, Shakespeare Approves: 11:00 am- 11:30 am & Brotherhood of the Arrow & Sword: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Session 2: 1:30 – 3:30 pm. Penniless Jacks: 1:30 pm -2 pm, Shakespeare Approves: 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm & Brotherhood of the Arrow & Sword: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm.   Guided Tours will not be offered on this day. Guests will be welcome to explore the Museum on their own. Admittance to explore the Hammond Castle Museum will end at 3:15pm. Guests with Session 2 tickets are encouraged to arrive early in order to explore the interior of the Museum.  Guests should plan about 60 minutes to explore the Museum.  In the event of inclement weather, this event will be held on the following Saturday, October 14th. All reservations will be honored and all sales are final. *General parking for this event will not occur on the premises. Off-site parking at Stage Fort Park will be required. Two free “Yellow School Bus” shuttles will run continuously from 10 am to 4:30 pm between the park and the Museum.  There will be a Hammond Castle Museum staff member at the park & ride site in State Fort Park to assist with questions. Click here for directions to State Fort Park from the Museum.  We encourage you to plan accordingly to allow enough time for the off-site parking at the Park, the approximately 4-minute shuttle ride to the Museum, and the check-in process upon arriving at the Museum. There are many stairs leading from the parking lot down to the Museum and the oceanside lawn. Adults: $35Children: $10Little ones 4 & under are free but require a ticket.Hammond Castle Museum Membership savings apply.RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HEREThe Museum and Museum grounds will close promptly at 4:00 pm. All proceeds from this program will support the ongoing restoration of the Museum.  

Guided & Self-Guided Tours

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic p......More

Throughout our 2023 season guests can enjoy an entirely updated Invention Room, showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer, as well as a brand-new set of rotating exhibits on various topics, and even meet a holographic projection of Hammond himself! Guests should plan at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and galleries of this historic museum. Guided Tours: The guided portion of the tour lasts approximately 30-35 minutes and covers major areas of the building including parts of the former Laboratory, the vast Great Hall and the breathtaking Courtyard. After your guide leads you through these areas, you will have an opportunity to explore the numerous rooms of the former Hammond residence, and the exhibits within, at your own pace. Guided Tours may be purchased in advance HERE or on-site in the Museum Shop. Self-Guided Tours:  If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you may explore the museum and grounds at your own pace and enjoy the same access to the various exhibit rooms as guided-tour guests. Self-Guided Tour tickets are only available for purchase within the Museum Shop. The last opportunity to begin a self-guided tour is at 3:15 pm.   Please note that the museum closes promptly at 4:00 pm. Reserve Your Guided Tour Tickets Here. *Please Note: Self-guided tour tickets are ONLY available for purchase on-site in the Museum Shop.  Photo by: Frank C. Grace.

Sketch Class With Sue Wheeler of Arts Abound Gallery

This series has been updated from the original announcement.   10:15 am to 12:15 pm /  Sunday October 8th Classes are $20 each.Hammond Castle Museum Member savings apply. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE Experience the timeless beauty of Hammond Castle Museum in a brand-new w......More

This series has been updated from the original announcement.   10:15 am to 12:15 pm /  Sunday October 8th Classes are $20 each.Hammond Castle Museum Member savings apply. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE Experience the timeless beauty of Hammond Castle Museum in a brand-new way! From stick figure doodlers to first-rate talents, join us for a seaside, Plein Air sketch class with Sue Wheeler of Arts Abound in Magnolia. All skill levels are welcome! This two-hour session includes a 30-minute beginner sketch lesson. All you need to bring is a sketchbook, pencils and an eraser. We encourage you to bring a folding chair and sunscreen as this program is outdoors. Please note: watercolors, pastels, oils, or acrylics are not permitted on the Museum grounds.   About Sue Wheeler: Sue Wheeler has a lifetime of making art through various mediums from delectable pastries to abstracts in pastels, watercolor, and acrylics. She enjoys using her creative flair in quilting and interior design as well. Sue graduated from the University of Denver with a Bachelor’s in business with a focus on hospitality management and earned an associate’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America.  Following her tenure as a pastry chef in New Hampshire, Sue returned to school for a certificate in graphic design and put her talents to use as a designer in the book publishing and art publishing industries in Vermont. In early 2019, Sue opened her own gallery and studio, Arts Abound in Magnolia Village, MA as an artistic haven for local artists.  Through the gallery, over 30 artists featured their creative works ranging from paintings, hand-painted silk scarves, silver jewelry, and more. Sue also ran many workshops and classes featuring many of the artists.  Often, Sue would work late into the night painting in her Arts Abound studio. After closing the gallery in 2022, Sue continued to offer the often sold-out painting classes, taught by some of the Arts Abound artists. Sue has studied under numerous artists to learn watercolor, acrylic painting, cold wax & oil, and collage. Her goals for the Hammond Castle Museum sketch classes are to engage those who are new to the world of art and reinvigorate those who haven’t picked up a blank canvas or sketch pad in a long time. Sue’s philosophy on the creative process encourages you to be concerned less about the final product but instead to enjoy the journey of creativity and to get lost in the moment. Once you find yourself in your work, you may just surprise yourself!  Attendees who wish to tour Hammond Castle Museum at the conclusion of this class are entitled to a 20% discount on a self-guided tour. Tour tickets may be purchased in the Museum Shop prior to 3:00 pm on the day of this class. Parking is free. There are many stairs leading from the parking lot down to the Museum. All proceeds from this program will support the restoration of Hammond Castle Museum.

Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States