The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is the restored Buffalo mansion where Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as president in September 1901. Effective 5 August 2026, all children 18 and under are admitted free for the rest of the year, thanks to sponsorship from M&T Bank — a genuine saving on the usual $7 youth ticket. You can book your guided tour in advance through Viator.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 641 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14202 |
| Hours (February–December) | 10am–5pm daily |
| Hours (January) | 10am–5pm, Fridays & Saturdays only, plus MLK Day |
| Tours | Hourly, first tour 10:30am, last tour 3:30pm |
| Adult admission | $12 |
| Children 18 and under | Free (through the end of 2026) |
| Nearest transport | Metro Rail Allen-Medical Campus Station, a 7-minute walk |
| Typical visit duration | About 1 hour, guided tour only |
Why book a tour of the TR Inaugural Site?
- 🏛️ Meticulously restored rooms: Walk through the actual first-floor spaces where TR’s improvised 1901 inauguration took place.
- 🎟️ Free for kids through 2026: All visitors 18 and under are admitted at no cost, thanks to M&T Bank.
- 🌿 Sign or veto a real bill: Try the interactive “presidential desk,” using actual legislation once sent to TR.
- 📜 Step into 1901: A recreated Pan-American Exposition gallery includes a working kinetoscope and the Captains of Industry game.
- 💰 NPS pass discount: Valid NPS passholders get $4 off admission for up to four people (not valid in December).
TR Inaugural Site opening hours
From February through December, the site is open 10am to 5pm, seven days a week. In January, hours shrink to Fridays and Saturdays only, plus Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Visits are by guided tour only, departing hourly, with the first tour at 10:30am and the last at 3:30pm. The site is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
TR Inaugural Site ticket prices
Admission covers a roughly one-hour guided tour of the historic home.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | $12 |
| Senior (62+) | $9 |
| U.S. Veteran (with ID) | $9 |
| Child (6–18) | Free (normally $7; free through the end of 2026) |
| Child (5 and under) | Free |
| TR Site Foundation Member | Free |
Holders of a valid NPS Annual, Senior, Military, Access, 4th Grade, or Volunteer Pass receive $4 off admission for up to four people in a group, though this discount doesn’t apply in December, a fundraising month for the site, and only covers general admission rather than special events. Book your tour in advance through Viator to secure a spot, since space in the historic home is limited.
How to get to the TR Inaugural Site
The site sits in Buffalo’s Allentown Historic District, at 641 Delaware Avenue, between North and Allen Streets. By car, directions vary depending on your approach: from the east, take I-90 West to NY-33 West and exit at Goodell Street; from the north, take I-190 South to Exit 9 and follow Porter Avenue to North Street; from the south or west, take I-90 East to I-190 North, exiting toward Canalside/Elm Street. By bus, Metro Bus #11 (Colvin) or #25 (Delaware) stops about 300 feet away, at Delaware Avenue and North Street. By Metro Rail, the Allen-Medical Campus Station is about a 7-minute walk away.
Parking at the TR Inaugural Site
Free, off-street parking is available behind the site, with entrances from both Delaware Avenue and Franklin Street (one-way northbound). Metered street parking is also available on Delaware Avenue, generally in effect 8am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. There is no on-site parking for RVs or large campers, and tour buses should drop passengers at the front entrance rather than parking in the lot.
How long to spend at the TR Inaugural Site
The guided tour itself runs about one hour, covering the restored first-floor rooms plus a self-paced visit to the interactive second floor.
Accessibility at the TR Inaugural Site
The TR Inaugural Site’s accessibility has been independently verified by Wheel the World. The guided tour requires no stairs, with an elevator providing access to the second floor, and tour areas accommodate ADA-standard wheelchairs. The front entrance, on Delaware Avenue, has three steps, but a stair-free entrance is available at the rear of the building, reached via a paved walkway from the parking lot or Franklin Street.
What to see at the TR Inaugural Site
The Wilcox dining room, where TR reportedly ate at least a dozen meals during his stay, has been meticulously restored to its 1901 appearance.
The library, a relatively modest room, is where TR was sworn in before a crowd of nearly 50 witnesses.
The morning room displays a copy of TR’s first presidential proclamation, its rough draft still marked with crossed-out revisions as he searched for the right words.
The Issues Theater presents an audio-visual show exploring the pressing issues TR faced stepping into office, introducing some of the people who shaped his presidency.
The second floor holds interactive exhibits exploring TR’s legacy, including a “presidential desk” where visitors can sign or veto real bills once sent to his actual desk.
A recreated gallery from the 1901 Pan-American Exposition lets visitors try the Captains of Industry game or crank a kinetoscope to watch a period film clip.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Book online in advance | Space in the historic home is limited, so advance reservations are strongly recommended. |
| Bring the kids for free | All visitors 18 and under are admitted at no cost through the end of 2026. |
| Bring your NPS pass, except in December | NPS passholders get $4 off admission, but the discount doesn’t apply that month. |
| Use the rear entrance for step-free access | It’s reached via a paved walkway from Franklin Street or the parking lot. |
| Get your National Parks passport stamped | The site offers a special America250 stamp for 2026, alongside its regular cancellation stamps. |
TR Inaugural Site FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the TR Inaugural Site’s opening hours? | 10am to 5pm daily from February through December; Fridays and Saturdays only in January, plus MLK Day. |
| How much does admission cost? | $12 for adults and $9 for seniors and veterans; children 18 and under are currently free through the end of 2026. |
| Is the TR Inaugural Site wheelchair accessible? | Yes, the tour requires no stairs, with an elevator to the second floor and a stair-free rear entrance. |
| Do I need to book in advance? | It isn’t required, but strongly recommended given the historic home’s limited space. |
| How long does the tour take? | About one hour, and visits are by guided tour only. |
Things to do near the TR Inaugural Site
The Buffalo Presidential Center, about 1.4 miles away, expands on Buffalo’s unusual concentration of presidential history.
The McKinley Monument in Niagara Square, roughly 1.1 miles away, commemorates the president whose assassination in Buffalo led directly to TR’s inauguration.
The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park, about 2 miles away, lets visitors board a retired destroyer, submarine, and cruiser on the Buffalo waterfront.
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery, roughly 2.5 miles away, holds one of the country’s leading collections of modern and contemporary art.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House Complex, about 3 miles away, is one of the architect’s most significant Prairie Style homes, open for tours.
What to visit tomorrow
Old Fort Niagara, about 35 miles away at the mouth of the Niagara River, is a former French, British, and American military stronghold with restored 18th-century buildings and regular historical reenactments.
Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, roughly 20 minutes away in Amherst, is a 35-acre open-air museum of relocated 19th-century buildings, including a blacksmith shop, schoolhouses, and period homes.
Genesee Country Village & Museum, about an hour away near Rochester, is the largest living history museum in New York State, with 68 restored buildings spanning the 1800s.
Women’s Rights National Historical Park, roughly two hours away in Seneca Falls, is another National Park Service site, preserving the Wesleyan Chapel and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s home from the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention.
