SAN JOSE, Calif. — Winchester Mystery House recently announced that beginning Monday, July 13, in accordance with new Santa Clara County Health & Safety Guidelines, visitors will once again be able to explore the 160-room mansion on a new Self-Guided Mansion Tour. The touchless, self-guided experience allows guests to independently navigate the world’s most bizarre home and expansive estate. Tickets will be available beginning Friday, July 10 at winchestermysteryhouse.com/buy-tickets and also include access to the Sarah Winchester Garden Tour.
Said Walter Magnuson, Winchester Mystery House General Manager: “For 97 years, we’ve offered Mansion Tours, but over the course of the past few months we’ve been challenged to create a safe and compelling experience for guests that will be sustainable in the ‘new normal.’ We have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to share this iconic attraction with the public, and the Self-Guided Mansion Tour will allow our visitors to explore the various rooms like never before. This experience leverages the house’s unique design elements and provides guests with ample time and space to engage with the estate’s history while remaining compliant with social distancing guidelines.”
Winchester Mystery House management and staff have worked extensively with local officials to prepare for reopening. The new self-guided tour has been designed to prioritize the safety of guests and staff and is compliant with all current county and state guidelines.
“We are so grateful for the leadership of Mayor Liccardo, Vice Mayor Jones, and Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody,” said Micheal Taffe, Director of Operations. “Their guidance and support throughout the past few months has allowed us to prepare for reopening in a timely manner with a clear set of guidelines and safety measures in place.”
Tour Hosts will be positioned throughout the estate to assist guests as-needed, but the experience will be entirely self-guided with educational and engaging audio and signage. To ensure social distancing protocols can be followed, tour groups are restricted to members of the same household, tour capacity has been dramatically reduced, and the tour route has been modified to focus on the largest rooms of the estate. Additional safety measures include mandatory masks for all guests and employees, timed ticketing, a one-way linear tour path, and sanitization stations throughout the estate. For a complete list of health and safety guidelines, visit winchestermysteryhouse.com/health-safety-guidelines.
