Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo
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Buffalo, Erie County, New York, US
Site: http://www.trsite.org/
- Monday:9AM–5PM
- Tuesday:9AM–5PM
- Wednesday:9AM–5PM
- Thursday:9AM–5PM
- Friday:9AM–5PM
- Saturday:11AM–5PM
- Sunday:11AM–5PM
I grew up in Buffalo but hadn’t visited the Roosevelt Inauguration site until this spring. The building has been quite well restored to its 1901 state and the tour was wonderfully done. It’s great to have this gem operating in Buffalo and even better that it’s restoration has been so skillfully done. Would highly recommend to locals or visitors who enjoy history.
This is a must see for everyone not only historians. I always learn something on each visit to a place like this. They accept for National Forest Pass for your admission which was wonderful. Our guide, you could tell, loved his work. You can even get a newspaper printed as if you were president.
Extremely rushed, you cant take your camera bag with you, let alone a backpack, didnt get to see much especially for the price. Gift shop is small. You have to pay for a half hour tour. They say you can take pictures but dont give you time. And falling behind is not an option.
This is an amazing National Historic Site - the home had been beautifully redone with period furniture and has great interactive displays about the the life and times of Teddy Roosevelt. The tour is very family friendly (not too long or too dry) and makes use of a lot of multi-media displays.
There were several issues with this site. The man who led the tour had a very quiet voice and it was difficult at times for even just the four of us in the group to hear him. My wife kept asking questions to which she said oh thank you for reminding me to talk about that. Lastly, the building has apparently been used for several different things since 1901so that the library has actually been reconvert it from a restaurant back to what they believe it looked like during the inauguration. Quite nice however to be in the same room as TR was inaugurated.
This site may be great, but it was closed except during the tours which had already started. There were people inside at the desk of the visitor’s center, didn’t answer the door. We just wanted our national parks passports stamped.Unfortunately Covid makes all these sites a challenge.Call first and only go for the tour.
My wife and I try to eat at local places when traveling...this is definitely one of them. A great little place where a lot of the customers were greeted on a first name basis by the staff. I had a pizza grilled cheese and my wife had a salad...both were excellent. And the place was clean, despite being quite busy when we arrived. If were ever back in the area, well stop by again.
I love this place and I feel like no one even knows about it. The tour is great and the adult field trip tour is even better. The adult field trip is at night and it goes through some really fun alcohol and gun related activities during that time period especially as medical advice. The tour guides are really great and knowledgeable and we just went through the general tour and it was also great. There is so much information to read and see and interact with. Definitely make sure you have 3 to 4 hours.
This was fun to visit and informative, but beware they do accept passes from the NPS so you dont have to pay the advertised admittance fee. If you make a mistake when ordering your tickets online as their website urges you to do, they are unable (or refuse) to offer any refund... quite disappointing.
Very nice surprise! We try to stop at National Parks and Monuments when we travel to major cities. The TR Inaugural Site was well worth the $. They have done an amazing job preserving the home where it all happened. They have woven in technology into the site and have done a wonderful job with finding very educated docents.
We were very pleased by the quality of our experience and professionalism of the guides at this site. The tour and exhibits covered not just Teddy Roosevelt’s inauguration, but the Pan-American Exposition, the assassination of William McKinley, and the challenges President Roosevelt faced as he entered office at the start of the 20th century. The exhibits were engaging and held the interest of both the youngest and oldest members of the audience. There are plenty of well-designed interactive exhibits, which we were told will be updated soon to take advantage of the latest technology. Truly a worthwhile experience, and two hours well spent.
Went here on a field trip with 3rd graders. Very interesting. Docents are well informed and work well with children. They made it interesting and informative in terms they could understand. The last time I visited this museum was several years ago and I must say there have been many positive changes. It is more interactive and I learned a lot about Buffalo and its importance to the development of North America.
I was pleasantly surprised at how awesome this was! I think the price is a little steep. There is a small museum and then a tour. I thought the tour would be a typical boring tour of an old house, but no! This tour was augmented with innovative videos and audio. At the end you can explore the second floor on your own with interactive exhibits. The kids liked playing with the toys from 1901 and I sat at TRs presidential desk. I highly recommend for adults and kids! As a side note, the kids did an activity that earned them a Junior Ranger badge.
My sister wanted to visit here so i wasnt sure at first just what she was dragging me to. I ended up having a really good time. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting. My 14yr old walked in rolling her eyes and complaining that she was ready to go. Half way through the first floor she was snapping pictures and enjoying the interactive activities they offer.
What a pleasant surprise! We expected an old-school historical tour, and, as such, a quick 30 minute stop with the kids (10 and 11 yo). Instead, our visit lasted nearly 2 hours and the kids didnt want to leave. The interactive exhibits were super cool, and the tour was focused and engaging. All in all, we learned some fascinating history in a really fun way!PS- The tour was free using our NPS pass, but we were so thrilled with the experience that we donated the equivalent of our entrance fee.
What a treasure to have the site of TR Inauguration in Buffalo! This is much more than just a beautifully maintained place of artifacts, the docents and make the historical happening come to life. In particular, Karen L., a former teacher, showed enthusiasm and was adept at engaging everyone in our group from 6 to 60. Wonderful! The staff we met were also very knowledgable and great communicators. We were inspired us to become members and will return for the bus tour event.
Website and Google need to be updated. Both say the site is open, however when we arrived last Tuesday, the door sign said the site is closed on Tuesdays. Disappointing that it was our only day in the area and the website didnt reflect the actual hours. Even moreso was the complete disregard of the people walking around and into the house as we stood there confused.
Cool piece of American history. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We arrived with only 30 minutes left before closing timeThe person behind the counter was very helpful, he gave us a quick tour and showed us the library. I love being people al that is passionate about what they do for a living.
My kids couldve spent all day here...and it was the day they were open until 8pm...and my kids are all under 12. Enough said! Very interactive diaplays upstairs and down. Lots of kids books. Interesting for kids and adults alike. Ample parking. Clean restrooms. Junior Ranger Program. A great rainy day activity. Or any day! Gift shop. Nice rangers. Please go see this gem of a park!
Very informative, but the tour in general was quirky. The guide was just going through the motions and I was honestly confused as to why we were seeing certain things. For example the first stop in the tour seemed odd to me and took a while to figure out why they included it, even though he explained why, but I just couldnt process the wording of it and his tone. Then the sound experience in the library where the oath was taken was just weird, and didnt add much value to the experience. I applaud the effort to make the tour unique and interesting, but it edged on weird. Once we went upstairs, there were a lot of neat interactive pieces. I like that they brought his DC office to Buffalo, and included a lot of info about TRs life and presidency. Overall, a good experience, just be ready for the quirkiness.
This is a pearl of a location. The history of the city masterfully shared. The interactive exhibits lends itself to a time travel device. The recordings and the docents knowledge of the era during Theodore Roosevelts tenure. A great place for families to go. The price is also reasonable for groups up to 10.
This historic site where TR was sworn in as President was amazing. The tour was interesting and the guide was well informed. We were in Buffalo for my sons graduation from UB , and TR was is favorite president,and being that his degree is in History it was perfect place to visit!
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is absolutely remarkable! Great job preserving the history and memorabilia of Roosevelt. He is one of president I really admired because he had put the interest of the nation before himself and did amazing contributions to the country. I was not disappointed at this place and will definitely come back!
An interesting museum with replicated rooms from the inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt. Could use more than the 2 interactive computers on the upper floor and include more information such as where some of the original furnishings came from and not just a dot on the item stating original or replicated. I preferred the stroll at own pace better than assigned time slots of a formal tour. Just have guides stationed at the rooms giving information.There is a short enjoyable, informative cinematic presentation too.
My son attended this school for his full elementary education. He really enjoyed the time here and made the Honor Roll several times. The staff and teachers are very friendly and recognize us when in the community of Buffalo. He has special needs and has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The 8-1-1 classroom setting that he was assigned consisted of students that he knew from other programs in the city. I hope that future Roosevelt Bears will have a wonderful experience here like my family has.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is absolutely remarkable! Great job preserving the history and memorabilia of Roosevelt. He is one of president I really admired because he had put the interest of the nation before himself and did amazing contributions to the country. I was not disappointed at this place and will definitely come back!
Lots of information about Teddy, how he came to be President and the things he implemented our country. We watched 3 videos and although our tour guide was very knowledgeable, we did feel rushed thru it. He told us we could take pics, but we werent in a room long enough to take to many. We were the only 2 in this guided tour and it was the last one of the day. If youre into Presidential history, this is worth your time.
Only used the parking lot here! Which is quite large for a Delaware Avenue location, but the best part of it is that its FREE!!!! Used the location because I went on an exterior only walking tour of Delaware Mansions and the first stop was in front of the TREE Inagural Mansion. Very informative and quite interesting!
This was seriously the most unexpected treasure in the city of Buffalo. The exhibits are amazing and very well-designed, our docent was very friendly and knowledgeable, and the entire building facility is beautifully maintained. What an incredible gem of local history!
Ive lived in the Buffalo area most of my life and consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable of our history but even I learned a few new interesting tidbits. For instance, I never knew that Roswell Park Cancer Institute was founded by and named for Dr. Roswell Park who, at the time, was one of the areas most renowned surgeons. Dr. Park was summoned by President Mckinleys doctors but he could not assist because he was performing surgery in Niagara Falls. I have to wonder if Dr. Park was in Buffalo at the time of the shooting, could he have saved the president?
As a history nerd, and a big Teddy Roosevelt fan, this NHS satisfied all of my inner hopes and dreams. I was in town for a Sabres game and just couldnt help myself but dive in to the areas rich history. This NHS does it all-- adequate gift shop, engaged exhibit staff who were more than ready to answer questions (even with some scripted acting), and interactive exhibits to bring you back to those pivotal days in 1901.A few things you should know going into this place. A lot of the building has be restored. The rooms are the same, same style furniture and so on. However, they do still have the same desk where he wrote his first statement as President. No matter your view, this NHS is a wonderful choice of a place to visit.
The TR Inagural Site is steeped with rich history and provides an amazing insight to the challenges faced by our nation at the time of President McKinleys assassination. Packed with artifacts, multimedia and interactive presentations, a visitor will learn about the social and political challenges of the era, the Pan American Expo, and the transition of presidential power. Plan to spend a few hours here. The docents give an excellent tour, and kids can enjoy the Junior Ranger exercises.
Good small historic site to kill a couple of hours in Buf or an obscure passport stamp if you are a NPS geek like me 😀. Interesting part of history at a time most people are not familiar with. Intro movie was interesting in that when TR took POTUS he was facing same issues modern presidents are dealing with.
Jon Losi, was very rude, preventing access to the museum even when there was still have 45 minutes left for the remaining of the day...It is a shame a National Historic Site managements allows a Doorman to decide when their doors are close or open...Jon Losi laughed after denying access to my mother and I with a female co-worker
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site 2023:
Review №1
2021-08-31This place was really enjoyable for the history buffs and museum enthusiasts alike. It is the original house where the oath of office was taken, and where the president worked from for the first few weeks of office.The staff are well informed, helpful, and very pleasant. There are only guided tours available so make sure to call in advance to reserve a space.There are many original artifacts, as well as many new points about his legacy and original plans as president. There is new information you may not know and I would highly recommend it for families looking to enjoy learning about modern politics and how it all got started.There are not a lot of breakable items, so it is kid friendly, but the material may not be of the same interest to a small child. However, they also show a few videos and presentations throughout the tour which are sure to entertain.It is a great piece of Americana, and a must see for anyone in the area.As a side note, they also have a beautiful room upstairs for hosting private events. This would be a great opportunity for either very discreet functions, birthday parties, or small weddings as theres a good amount of space.Also, there is free parking in the back which is a great addition for people coming from out of town.
Review №2
2022-05-22Just 30 minutes from Niagara, and well worth the visit if you are a National Park Geek! The tour provides you a unique experience as a time-traveler to when the inauguration of the 26th president occurred. Great for all ages.
Review №3
2022-05-24One of the unique places a must visit in buffalo, NY.Has all the information you need, the people who work their they are top professional, very kind and informative, the tour guide gives you all the details and can answer all your questions, the entire experience is unforgettable, it takes you back in history and you can live what and how everything happened, a must visit if you are ever in buffalo.
Review №4
2021-10-14An incredible National Park site-it was much more than we were expecting. Our guide, Mark, was full of knowledge. The site is very interactive with videos and interactive tools. You can decide on bills that President Roosevelt considered to see how your viewpoint lined up with his decision. You can also have your presidential picture taken with a headline on the front page of a newspaper that you choose to be emailed or texted to you. Very well done. We spent about an hour and a half here. We paid no entry fee using our America the Beautiful pass.
Review №5
2022-02-27If you want to step back in Buffalos history and have it come alive before your eyes, this is one of the coolest places to go. You get to experience the Pan American Exposition sights, sounds, and artifacts of this time period and how it led to Theodore Roosevelt becoming President in 1901. You can take pictures to remember your time there, and even in the presidents office u can get a picture of yourself at the Presidents desk and have it either texted or emailed to you in old newspaper style with your own cool headline. Definitely a must see. There is even a little gift shop to take home a good selections of goodies to remember your time there. Plus, you can even hold private events here up to 50 guests or so. A total recommend.
Review №6
2022-04-23Very historical NPS unit. We stopped here on a Sunday afternoon for a quick visit. There is a doorbell you must press in order to be let in. Once inside the staff was helpful and knowledgeable. We looked through the gift shop for a few minutes and then wanted to look at some of the exhibits, but staff told us we would need to take a guided tour... not sure why we cant look at the information without a tour....
Review №7
2022-06-28Nice place to visit, a little expensive for a tour but it is worth it if you like history.
Review №8
2022-07-02Very small NP site but very well done. The tour detailed the circumstances surrounding TR inauguration well. Make sure you sign up for a tour before visiting. You can see everything in an hour.
Review №9
2020-08-01What a cool place. Longtime buffalo resident and TR Superfan and this was my first time here. Our tour guide Travis did a great job. Loved all the interesting interactive aspects of the site. Hard to believe that he is only the second president to take the oath of office in the state of New York.
Review №10
2019-01-13I took a tour here through a guide and he did just wonderful! He was a bit older and knew so much about the history of the location. It is very convenient to go to, they offered parking in a parking lot. The museum itself was cool to see it. It really helped me gain some perspective on the great president