Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
4.7(571)google
4.7(67)yelp
HistoryHistoric BuildingEducationalGuided Tour
Overview
The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, previously known as the Benjamin Harrison Home, is the former home of the 23rd president of the United States, Benjamin Harrison. It is in the Old Northside Historic District of Indianapolis, Indiana. Harrison's 16-room house was built from 1874 to 1875.
Practical Info
Mon10:00 AM– 3:30 PM
Tue10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sun12:00 – 3:30 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeLate spring (May-June) or autumn (October) provides the finest residential aesthetics. Booking a 10:00 AM guided home tour on a sunny morning is optimal, as natural light streams through the stained-glass bay windows of this three-story Victorian Italianate mansion, beautifully illuminating President Benjamin Harrison's original artifacts.
Getting ThereLocated in a historic urban neighborhood at 1230 N Delaware St. Drivers taking I-65 should use Exit 113 for Pennsylvania St, turn onto 11th St, and take Delaware St straight to the property, which provides free dedicated street parking stalls. Or, take the IndyGo Red Line to the 14th Street Station and walk 5 minutes east.
Travel Tips
- The historic home's tight spaces and fragile 19th-century antiques restrict access to small-batch guided tours only. Slots are strictly limited; booking online one week in advance is highly recommended.
- Bound by strict historic preservation laws, the house features no public elevators. Accessing the second and third floors requires climbing steep, narrow wooden stairs; notify staff pre-booking for accessibility limits.
- The on-site complimentary parking lot is extremely tiny, holding only about a dozen vehicles. If full, you must use metered street parking on Delaware Street via mobile parking apps or quarters.
Reviews
Positive
- This beautifully preserved President Benjamin Harrison home is rich with history; the original 19th-century Victorian mahogany furniture and decor are authentic and exquisite.
- The docents are highly professional, wearing historical attire and sharing President Harrison's life with humor and clear timelines, maximizing educational value.
- The house and surrounding boutique gardens are maintained spotlessly; restrooms are small but modern and clean, and strict tour sizes keep the vibe upscale and orderly.
- The admission price is highly affordable and family-friendly with steep discounts; it provides a completely free dedicated parking lot, delivering flawless value.
Heads up
- Visits carry strict rules: casual guests cannot walk around the house alone and must stay with a timed guided group tour, which restricts itinerary freedom.
- As an old historic home, it features only narrow, steep antique wooden stairs between floors with zero accessible lifts, making it highly unfriendly to elders in wheelchairs.
- Without booking a specific tour slot online ahead, walk-up drivers often face a one to two-hour wait in the lobby, or even find the day fully booked.
- For hyperactive kids uninterested in political history or antique furniture, the 60+ minute pure-lecture tour feels dry, lacking hands-on interactive tools.