conrad-caldwell house museum (conrad's castle)

This is a great historic mansion. Call ahead for tour times Many of the furnishings are original as well as much of the Art. You can really "Experience it" with the tours. If that's not enough, they do weddings and vow renewals! 502-636-5023

Beautiful home. When I visited, an exhibit featuring the Southern Exposition was on full display on the top floor. Wow, did I learn much about Louisville. I think our city leaders should study up and re-start the Southern Exposition. Do look this up to learn so much about our lovely town of Louisville!

We visited this home after hearing many wonderful things about it and it is all true. The wood work is the finest I have ever seen and it has been carefully kept since becoming a museum. There might be little things here and there that might need some tending to, but what doesn't? This is a beautiful home and a real joy to visit. Keith, our guide gave us a great deal of infomation about the families who had lived there as well as the Louisville area. I highly recommend the tour, but be sure not to dress too warmly. The original heating source of specially designed radiators are still in use and they keep the home very toasty. I removed my jacket when I reached the second floor. There are still items there that were used by the Caldwells and we heard several interesting anecdotes as we toured the home. Nice extra touch, the gift shop is not overly priced as you often see in similar settings. Everyone was very kind and so happy that we had come.

If you can manage, plan your visit when one of the Caldwell daughters is giving the tour. The personal anecdotes and personal connection to many of the personal items on exhibit take on special meaning with her experience in this home. The interior appointments are exceptional with fine detail in excellent condition. Well worth the time and money to see this Old Louisville home.

The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum tour is an informative, docent-led tour of a beautiful circa 1895 home in Old Louisville. It was built on the site of the the 1893 Louisville Exposition and right next to beautiful Central Park. Our tour guide, Mitch, was friendly and informative, not only about the house itself, but also the history of Louisville. The house has amazing woodwork and is packed full of early 20th century furniture and articles. Be sure to arrive early and wait for the door to open, as the tour fills up early occasionally.

My mother and I visited the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum on January 17, 2015. Our docent was knowledgeable not only about the house but about the general history of Old Louisville which was really great as this was our first trip to the area. The tour was detailed and so worth the time. The architecture and woodwork is amazing. The authentic items in the home from the family are preserved so well and create a feeling of stepping back in time. I can't wait to tour more of Old Louisville in the future and I would definitely visit Conrad-Caldwell House Museum again.

This is a beautiful well preserved gem that shows what upper class life was like in the early 20th century. The docent was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the house and the two families that had owned it. The amazingly crafted woodwork is very well preserved and is something that you will not find in a modern home. If you are staying downtown, this is well worth your time to go check out as it is only about 2 mi south. We were very glad to have found this place!

I had been to Old Louisville with friends a few years ago and stayed at a bed and breakfast nearby this castle. We went on several walking tours at the time and we passed by the Conrad-Caldwell House (castle). We didn't have time to tour that day, but I have returned for business reasons to Louisville. I had some time to tour today and it was such fun! I, too, am a fan of Downton Abby and love the Victorian era. It's very interesting to see how the Victorian era was lived in the United States as opposed to watching British television about the Victorian era. This home is a true treasure and what makes this experience different than visiting other period homes is the relationship of this home to the vast area surrounding the home. There is St. James Park right across the street, and many Victorian homes in Old Louisville. The streetlights are still gas lit, and the sidewalks and islands in the street are so beautiful. It's wonderful walking in this area and it feels very safe. You really feel as though you have stepped back in time. The tour was very good. One of the great granddaughters of the Caldwell family led the tour and she brought the house to life by relating the stories from her memory as well as sharing the stories of her grandfather and great grandmother. This was one of the few times taking a home tour where a relative has led the tour. She provided details about the Southern Exposition and how Thomas Edison engineered electricity for the Exposition. Something that I had never seen before is overhead lighting that used both gas and electricity to light a room. Treat yourself to a wonderful trip back in time and visit the Conrad-Caldwell Home.

We visited the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum on the 2014 Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour. It was the highlight of the day for me. The home eloquently tells the story of a time gone by. The restoration done to the building is impressive. The collection of antiques gives more detail to the 1900's time period. We will certainly go back again for a more detailed tour and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys architecture, antiques and/or history.

I absolutely loved everything about this tour. The lady who did the your was the great grand daughter of the owner. The tour was so interesting and I loved the house. I would love to go back when the other sister is doing the tour and get her perspective. Maybe when I have an out of town visitor. I thought it was also great that they has wheelchair accessibility.

Our first visit to this castle was a real treat. The guide was a decendent of the last private owners and had lot's of first hand info to add during the tour. House itself is a gem with lots of woodwork; and a bit unusual for a house like this is the use of many kinds of woods and not just featuring a single kind of wood. Located in a nice neighborhood of lots of old Victorina houses; although this one truly looks more like a castle than a house. Very ineresting to visit.

We are very sorry to hear that you feel this way about our site and your visit. We hope that the families' stories and attention to detail in this home will wow Victorian home enthusiasts and impress even reluctant museumgoers. We believe this home is a special gem that highlights one of the many wonderful parts of Louisville's vibrant history.The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum truly enjoys sharing the histories of the Conrad and Caldwell families who lived here and are proud to have Caldwell family members still involved with the museum today. We feel this gives the museum an incredibly unique and personal feel allowing visitors to really get an inside look at the home through the families recollections and original families' pieces on display within the home. On a larger scale the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum is more than just an old house. It gives visitors a snapshot of life during the Gilded Age and showcases a variety of topics which we feel appeal to a wide range of visitors:- Advances in technology - this home was one of the most technologically advanced residences in the area during the time highlighting the development of technology during the era with it's full indoor plumbing, electricity and intercom system.- Period trends in architecture - Old Louisville is proud to be the largest collection of continuous Victorian Homes in the country and the 3rd largest historic preservation district in the country. We are also considered to be one of the most haunted neighborhoods as well...but that's beside the point. :)- Victorian Interior design - we boast a large collection of original Caldwell family pieces, some really awesome wallpapers and if you love Downton Abbey you have got to check us out! - Development of woodworking - our grand staircase is any woodworkers dream plus the home uses not just 1 or 2 but 7 different types of wood throughout the home! - Life-style during the Victorian Era - What was day-to-day life like for both the working class and upper class? Not only do we highlight the pastimes and types of activities they enjoyed but we discuss the details too. What is was like being deaf during the time period (as one of the Caldwell family members was) and the stories behind Mr. Conrad and Mr. Caldwell, two true entrepreneurs worked to become some of the most influential men in Louisville during the time! Our tour also encompasses aspects of Louisville's history as a whole including a brief introduction to the Southern Exposition which was an incredible 'World's Fair" that took place here in Louisville and connections to important historical figures such as Thomas Edison. We hope our tours of the Conrad-Caldwell House will encourage visitors to think more in-depth about the Victorian Era. Using the stories that we share and the collection we have on display to truly imagine what life was like during this time period. What did they think and feel? What were their passions and priorities in life? And when we open our doors to visitors see the handcrafted woodworking and custom designed quilt patterned parquet floors, the attention to detail that went into every square foot of this 10,000sq. ft. home, we want them to really imagine what it would take to create something like this today?And then think about how they did all of it back then with the tools and resources of the late 1800's. It is incredible to think about! Overall this home really is a remarkable piece of our history and while yes we are surrounded by plenty of other gorgeous historic homes, we feel that this home is a prime example. We love being open to the public, sharing our stories and giving visitors the chance to actually step inside and step back in time.

There are houses similar to this in most old cities built during the "guilded age". The tour was conducted by the great granddaugther of Caldwell, the second owner of the house. She had first hand of the days when the castle was used as a family home. She provided personal details as to the various items in the home as well as personal stories of those who lived there. Time well spent.

My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Conrad Caldwell House. The CCH is an architectural masterpiece and is a woodcarvers dream. However, there are hundreds of beautiful houses across the country and in Europe and it’s the people and attention to detail that make a good tour experience. Jill, our tour guide, really knocked our socks off. She was knowledgeable, candid, and generous with her time. Give yourself plenty of time to really enjoy this house - we spent 2 hours. I loved that Jill pointed out things she personally liked and knew interesting stories about rather than staying to a script. Two of the docents are direct descendants of the owners which is one of the reasons their staff is so well informed. I also loved the styling of the exhibitions. Details like the table being set for dinner, personal effects strewn over the bed, games and toys stacked up on an ottoman were well curated and fascinating. Thank you, CCH team for all your hard work and efforts in preserving such a Louisville gem! Well worth the cash - will be back again.

We live in the area and finally went on our first tour of this mansion. It totally exceeded our expectations! We are not serious museum goers, but we were intrigued from beginning to end. We also learned things about Louisville that we did not know. We agree wholeheartedly with all the previous great reviews!