Open by appointment only, call (402) 994-3855 to schedule.
Museum admission free with paid house admission.
Fees for Guided Tours:
Adults $5.00
Children 6-12 $3.00
Teachers FREE with school groups.
NEW Character Tours:
Download our Character Tour option to be able to have Mrs. Aldrich give you a personal tour of the Aldrich House.
Group Tours:
We are happy to schedule group tours if you have a group of 5 or more people and cannot come during regular hours, or if you plan to come during regular hours but have a large group (10+ people). We welcome school trips, church groups, bus tours, senior groups–anyone who wants to learn more about Bess Streeter Aldrich!
Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children ages 6-12. Children under 6, teachers with school groups, and bus drivers are admitted free.
Plan to spend around 45 minutes at the Aldrich House, and another 45 minutes if your group chooses to tour the museum too (includes travel time between sites.) A knowledgeable guide will take you on a tour through the Aldrich house. You’ll learn about the author and her writings, the history of the home, and get a taste of what life was like when Mrs. Aldrich lived there (1922-1946). You’ll see many original furniture pieces, interesting Aldrich memorabilia, and some bits of Elmwood’s history, too.
The Aldrich Museum, located about 6 blocks away from the house at 124 West D St., contains cases of smaller Aldrich memorabilia including letters written by the author, souvenirs from her movie, Cheers for Miss Bishop, family history pieces, and an original A Lantern in Her Hand manuscript, to name just a few items. You’ll also meet Flossie, the doll Bess owned as a girl. The 18-minute video, “A Video History of Bess Streeter Aldrich”, is shown at the museum and is a great learning tool and introduction to the life of the author.
Admission fees cover both sites, and depending on your schedule, you can choose if you’d like to tour one or both sites. The Aldrich Museum is entirely handicap-accessible. The Aldrich House is walker-accessible on the first floor, and a video of the upstairs can be shown to those in the group who can’t navigate the staircase.
The gift shop at the Aldrich House offers a nice variety of souvenirs and books, including all of the Aldrich works still in print. Be sure to allow some time at the end of your tour for shopping! During seasonable weather, the yard and garden of the home offer a nice stroll. The Elmwood City Park is just across the street.
Other Sites of Interest
Bess Streeter Aldrich, her husband Charles, and three of their children are buried in the Elmwood cemetery. The tour guide at the Aldrich House can give you directions to the grave sites.
A walking tour of Elmwood is available, featuring the four homes the Aldrich family lived in before building The Elms. The tour also includes the original American Exchange Bank building and Aldrich mural.
Two state parks, many museums, antiques, shopping, and a pumpkin patch are all located nearby. Call, email, or ask your tour guide for details.
Lunch
Lunch is available at the Cenex store (quick sandwiches, etc.) or the Elmwood Community Center. Reservations are required at the Community Center, call 402-994-2145 for details. The nearby towns of Eagle, Weeping Water, and Murdock also offer restaurants
Contact the Executive Director
Bess Streeter Aldrich House & Museum
204 East “F” St – P.O. Box 167
Elmwood NE 68349
402-994-3855
