Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
CA
© California State Parks · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park preserves an 1856 Victorian mansion in downtown Sacramento, expanded by railroad magnate and California governor Leland Stanford and his wife Jane into a 19,000-square-foot showpiece of 19th-century craftsmanship. The mansion now serves as California's official state reception center and is open for free guided tours Wednesday through Sunday, though tours may be cancelled for official state functions.
Details
- 🏞️Type
- State Park
- 🏛️Managed by
- California State Parks
- 📍State
- CA
- 🗺️Address
- Sacramento, CA, 95814
- 📞Phone
- (916) 324-9266
- 🕐Hours
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Guided tours, which run every hour on the hour from 10:00-4:00, may be cancelled at certain times due to official activities inside the Mansion. Please call (916) 324-9266 prior to your visit.
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- Yes
- 📡GPS
- 38.57612, -121.49767
The Place
Located at 8th and N Streets, just blocks from the State Capitol, the mansion showcases 17-foot ceilings, gilded mirrors, carved moldings, and re-created period furnishings from the 1870s. The building was extensively restored in the 1980s and 1990s and reflects both the Gold Rush wealth of early Sacramento and the Stanfords' role in shaping California's Gilded Age. A small period garden borders the exterior.
When to Go
Open year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Tours run on the hour 10am to 4pm, Wednesday through Sunday. Because the mansion is an active state reception center, individual tours are occasionally cancelled with little notice when official events are scheduled -- call (916) 324-9266 before visiting to confirm. Spring and fall are pleasant seasons to visit downtown Sacramento.
Getting There
800 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Located in downtown Sacramento, walking distance from the State Capitol and Old Sacramento. Street parking is available in the surrounding blocks; the downtown core is also served by light rail.
What to Do
Guided tours of the mansion interior (approximately 1 hour, limited to 10 people per tour, first-come, first-served for individual visitors). Group tours on Tuesdays through Thursdays require advance booking through ReserveCalifornia.com or (916) 324-9266. Exterior gardens and grounds are viewable without a tour.
Reservations & Fees
Admission is free. No parking fee associated with the park itself. Only service animals are permitted on the grounds; no dogs.