Voigt House
115 College Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616)456-4600
Fax: (616)456-4603
Email: info@grmuseum.org
Hours: Tuesdays 11 am to 3 pm; every second and fourth Sunday 1-3 pm.
Admission: $3 for adults and $2 for seniors over age 62 and students under age 17.
Group tours, by reservation, are available Monday through Saturday.
|
Current Exhibit: I Thee Wed April 1 - June 24, 2008 On Tuesday May 11, 1897 at 6:00 pm, Mr. and Mrs. Voigt’s youngest daughter, Amanda, was married in the parlor of her parent’s new home on College Avenue to Mr. Charles Perkins. The Grand Rapids Herald described the wedding in glowing terms as a “Scene of Grandeur and Splendor and Beauty”. Now through June 24 tours of the Voigt Mansion include the exhibit “I Thee Wed” featuring photos from Amanda’s wedding and a late 19th century wedding gown, bride’s trousseau, wedding gifts the couple might have received and a bride’s and a groom’s cake. Camp Curiosity 2008! Register today for one of our exciting Summer Camp sessions at the Voigt House. Favorites such as Grandma's Kitchen fill up quickly!
The Voigt House Victorian Museum, a property of the Public Museum, is a rare "time capsule" showing what life was like for the Midwest upper class over a hundred years ago. The three-story brick mansion was finished in 1896, and members of the Voigt family lived there for 76 years. The last Voigt occupant left it to the City and no one has lived there since. The lower level was last re-decorated in 1907. The same silk wall covering has been hanging for over a century. Closets and dressers contain the Voigt's clothes and personal belongings. Original prescription bottles in the medicine cabinet are labeled “Miss Voigt.” The house reflects life in the early 1900s. Cisterns stored rainwater from the slate roof, used for washing. Electric service was unreliable, so lamps use both electricity and gas. A door has an elegant knob on the family’s side and a plain knob on the side facing the servants’ quarters. The device used to ring for the servants is still functional, and can be observed in the kitchen. The Voigt House grounds include the original carriage house, kitchen garden, historic flower gardens and borders and in keeping with the ethnic heritage of the family, a linden tree in the front yard. Temporary themes and exhibits illustrate various aspects of the Victorian Era lifestyle such as weddings, travel, clothing, and holiday celebrations.
|
 |
| To volunteer at the Voigt House Victorian Museum, tell us about yourself! |