Gallier House is a meticulously restored 1860 Victorian townhome in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, designed by architect James Gallier Jr. as his own family residence.
This guide was updated in August 2026. Adult admission to see it is now $20 for a single-house ticket — several travel sites still quote the older $15 to $17 rate. Anne Rice fans should also know this house was her real-world model for Louis and Lestat’s New Orleans home in Interview with the Vampire. You can book your guided tour in advance through Viator.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1132 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70116 |
| Hours | Open 6 days a week, 10:30am–4:30pm; closed Tuesdays |
| Tour times | 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm |
| Single-house adult admission | $20.00 |
| Combined ticket with Hermann-Grima House (adult) | $34.00 |
| Children under 8 | Free |
| Nearest transport | St. Charles or Canal streetcar, plus a short walk |
| Typical visit duration | About 1 hour, guided tour only |
Why book Gallier House tickets?
- 🏛️ Anne Rice’s real-world inspiration: This house was her model for Louis and Lestat’s home in Interview with the Vampire.
- 🎟️ Prices recently updated: Single-house admission is $20, above the $15–$17 rate several travel sites still list.
- 🌿 Ahead-of-its-time engineering: Indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water, plus an experimental double skylight, both rare for the 1860s.
- 📜 Seasonal transformations: The house changes over to Summer Dress each summer, Creole Death & Mourning each October, and a Christmas display each holiday season.
- 💰 Free for under-8s: Children younger than 8 always visit at no charge.
Gallier House opening hours
Gallier House is open six days a week, 10:30am to 4:30pm, and closed on Tuesdays. Guided tours depart Wednesday through Monday at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm (there’s no 12:30pm tour). The house is also closed for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Thursday before Mardi Gras through Ash Wednesday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, though it stays open on New Year’s Eve. It’s worth checking the museum’s social media for any last-minute closures before you go.
5 great experiences in New Orleans to book today
- 🎷 Steamboat Natchez jazz cruise – Go for a jazz cruise aboard the Steamboat Natchez.
- 🍤 French Quarter food tour – Take a French Quarter food tour and discover Louisiana’s distinctive Cajun and Creole cuisine.
- 🐊 Swamp and bayou boat tour – Enjoy a swamp and bayou boat tour with a quieter boat for better wildlife sightings.
- 👻 New Orleans’ dark side – On a tour of New Orleans’ dark side, uncover ghosts, vampires, crime and voodoo.
- 🏛️ Whitney Plantation tour – Hear the true stories of slavery on a Whitney Plantation tour with transport from New Orleans.
Gallier House ticket prices
As with many other historic house museums in the US, such as the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, New York, and the Jennie Wade House in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, every visit is by guided tour only.
| Ticket type | Gallier House only | Combined with Hermann-Grima House |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $20.00 | $34.00 |
| Military | $17.00 | $29.00 |
| Senior (65+) | $17.00 | $29.00 |
| Student (18+) | $17.00 | $29.00 |
| Children 8–18 | $17.00 | $29.00 |
| Children under 8 | Free | Free |
Multiple discounts can’t be combined, and group tours are available at a discounted rate with advance booking. Book in advance through Viator to secure your preferred tour time.
How to get to Gallier House
Gallier House is at 1132 Royal Street, between Ursulines and Governor Nicholls Streets (the official site’s own walking directions list the address as 1126 Royal Street, but both refer to the same block, so don’t worry if your GPS shows a slightly different number). By St. Charles Streetcar, disembark at Carondelet and Canal Streets, cross into the French Quarter, walk toward the river to Royal Street, turn left, and continue about 11 blocks. By Canal Streetcar, disembark at Canal and Royal Streets, turn onto Royal, and continue about 11 blocks.
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- 🎺 Access to 25+ Top Attractions: Take total control of your itinerary with admission to the city’s premier cultural sites, including the National WWII Museum, Mardi Gras World, and the Audubon Zoo.
- 🚢 Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Cruise: Take to the waters of the Mississippi River on an authentic, historical paddlewheeler cruise to take in beautiful views of the city skyline and local riverfront landmarks.
- 🐊 Cajun Swamp & Bayou Tours: Journey out into the mystical Louisiana wetlands on a guided boat tour to spot wild alligators, native birds, and moss-draped cypress trees up close.
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Parking at Gallier House
Gallier House has no on-site parking, and street parking in the French Quarter is limited and heavily regulated. The nearest paid lot sits about two blocks away, near the French Market on the riverfront.
How long to spend at Gallier House
The guided tour runs about one hour.
Accessibility at Gallier House
Given the age and layout typical of French Quarter townhomes, guests with mobility concerns should contact the museum directly ahead of their visit to discuss specific needs.
What to see at Gallier House
The exterior, marked by an iconic Paris Green gate, sets the tone for the Victorian interior beyond.
The period furnishings, arranged using the original household inventory as a guide, reflect the refined taste of the Gallier family, who lived here from 1860.
Indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water and an experimental double skylight were both remarkable engineering innovations for their time, and remain visible on the tour.
The intact slave quarters are interpreted alongside the main house, with tours covering the lives and work of the enslaved people, and later domestic servants, who made the family’s comfortable lifestyle possible.
A free rotating exhibition space, located within the Gallier House shop, hosts changing displays year-round, while the house itself transforms seasonally for the Summer Dress exhibition, Creole Death & Mourning each October, and a Christmas exhibition during the holidays.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Book ahead | Tours run on a fixed schedule, so reservations are encouraged. |
| Dress appropriately | Shoes and a shirt are required for entry. |
| Check the current seasonal exhibition | The house transforms for Summer Dress, Creole Death & Mourning, and Christmas throughout the year. |
| Check social media before you go | The museum posts last-minute closures there. |
| Leave large bags at the shop | Backpacks, large bags, and umbrellas must be checked before the tour. |
Gallier House FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are Gallier House’s hours? | Open 6 days a week, 10:30am–4:30pm; tours run Wednesday–Monday; closed Tuesdays. |
| How much does admission cost? | $20 for adults at Gallier House alone, or $34 for a combined ticket with Hermann-Grima House. |
| Is it wheelchair accessible? | Accessibility isn’t clearly confirmed for this historic building; contact the museum directly ahead of your visit. |
| Is parking available? | No on-site parking; the nearest paid lot is about two blocks away, near the French Market. |
| How long does the tour take? | About one hour, and visits are by guided tour only. |
Things to do near Gallier House
The Hermann-Grima House, about a 10-minute walk away and run by the same organization, offers a combined ticket and a contrasting look at an earlier, Federal-style French Quarter home.
Jackson Square, a short walk toward the river, anchors the French Quarter with street performers, artists, and the St. Louis Cathedral.
The French Market, along the riverfront, has served as a marketplace since the late 18th century and now mixes produce stalls with souvenir shops.
Bourbon Street, a few blocks away, remains the French Quarter’s best-known strip for bars, music, and nightlife.
Frenchmen Street, a bit further along, offers a more locally loved stretch of live music clubs just outside the Quarter.
What to visit tomorrow
The BK House, about a 10-minute walk away, was once home to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard and later novelist Frances Parkinson Keyes, with its own formal garden and Greek Revival architecture.
The 1850 House, in the Pontalba Buildings on Jackson Square, offers a self-guided look at a mid-19th-century middle-class New Orleans household, run by the Louisiana State Museum.
Pitot House, on Bayou St. John about 20 to 25 minutes away, is the only Creole colonial-style house museum left in New Orleans, offering a different architectural style from the Quarter’s townhomes.
More New Orleans travel
I’ve written a guide to the best New Orleans tours to take. Other New Orleans travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Planning your trip to the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
- See the costumes and floats in progress at Mardi Gras World.
- Learn about Louisiana’s history at The Cabildo.
- Plan your visit to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans.
- Practical guide to visiting Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
