Residence Tours

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Minnesota Governor’s Residence, the Governor’s Residence will host six public tours during the summer months in June, July and August.  The tour dates are Tuesdays, June 5 and 19, July 10 and 24, and August 7 and 21. These dates are subject to change. Groups who would be impacted by any change will be informed in as timely a manner as possible.

Interior Tours:
Interior tours explore the first floor of the Residence, showcasing the sustained beauty of several original decorative highlights, as well as added modern amenities to the 100 year old home. The 20-minute tours will be guided by docents from the Women’s Organization of the Minnesota Historical Society. The program is appropriate for children six years of age and older. Tours will begin every 10 minutes, starting at 10:30 am with the final tour commencing at 12:00 noon.  Each tour is limited to 20 people.  Photo identification is required for entry, as well as a printed e-mail confirmation that will be sent out upon reservation. Unfortunately, backpacks and strollers are not permitted in the house and there is no place to store them during the tour.

Reservations are required – Please e-mail residence.gov@state.mn.us with your preferred date, time and group size. If your desired slot is available, a confirmation will be emailed back to you.  If your preferred time is not available, you will be promptly informed and encouraged to join us at a different time. Once all the times are filled guests will be able to visit the grounds but not be able to enter the home.

Grounds and Gardens
The grounds and gardens are open during public tours and do not require reservations.  Docents will be stationed throughout the grounds to provide information about historic lawn games, sustainable agriculture, historic gardens and current plantings. There will be a children’s activity, as well as a chance to visit the vegetable gardens. Interior tours will conclude in the gardens where guests will be able to meander as they desire. The grounds will be open until 1:00 pm to allow sufficient time for the final group to tour the gardens. The grounds and gardens will be open weather permitting. In case of rain, only the interior will be open for reserved tours. You may call the residence staff at 651-201-3464 on the day of the tour to confirm the status of this portion of the tour.

Accessibility and Visitors Needing Special Assistance
The Governor’s Residence is wheelchair accessible but has the restrictions of a historic home. To ensure that your tour is as enjoyable as possible, we ask that you call the Residence staff at 651-201-3464 to discuss your group’s special needs. We will need to know the number of people in your group, as well as how many will require special assistance so that we can properly accommodate your needs.  If you have any questions, please let us know.

Maps to the Residence

The Governor's Residence is located at:

1006 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota

Free parking is available on Summit Avenue and local side streets.