Reviews Craigdarroch Castle (Museum) in Oak Bay

Cyndi Markle

Very beautiful castle. All the wood work is amazing. You are able to go through each floor on a self guided tour. There is a handy map to give some explanation of all the rooms. If you prefer there is also an option for a recorded tour. We had teenagers with us and they were truly impressed as well.

Mary Nunaley

While in Victoria, we decided to take the hop on hop off bus and head to the Craigdarroch Castle. The history of the building is fascinating and the displays provide a glimpse of life in the 1800's and beyond. The grounds are we kept and the guides quite helpful.

Blaine McDonald

National Historic site maintained by a not-for-profit society. Self guided tours available for a donation to the society (membership also available). Well worth taking the time to go on the tour and experience History in living colour! …

sarah-leanne deslippe

A fun little piece of history. The society did an excellent job recreating the rooms to resemble an early Victorian manner. They also did a good job researching the lives of the original occupants plus the history of the castle since the Dunsmuirs family resided there, including its time as a school and a military hospital. The restoration is an ongoing project so some of the family history sections are included in big flip books in the middle of the rooms, which are not always easy to read. However, they do ensure that the exhibits include a lot of detail if you're interested in hearing the stories behind the names of the occupants.

Samantha Bacchus McLeod

Rich walk through history in Victoria. If you just look at it as a visit to a castle with all it beautiful trimmings and quirks, and forget the colonial repercussions...then it is quite a lovely tourist thing to do. Beautifully preserved rooms, architecture, and dining services. Lovely view of the surrounding area. And I absolutely loved the GIFT SHOP! It is a well organised tour, with clear directions and helpful staff along the way.

Babs Sheng

More like a chateau or a mansion- but beautifully made. Some history of the Dunsmuirs who built the castle. The most modern castle built. Hot cold running water, electricity, etc. beautiful wood paneling- if you have a chance go for a nice walk and spend an hour or so to explore and learn the history of the family.

Connie Chau

Beautiful Castle. Our tour guide, Iya; (pardon spelling of her name) was lovely. Very informative, animated and can tell she truly enjoyed what she did. Learnt so much history on the castle. Grateful for the opportunity, to add this to my holiday memories. Definitely recommend.

Michael Stutz

Went on a trail in nanaimo where there is a sign that the builder of this homes coal mine had 77 people die in an accident at. The sign here says simply he had criticized labour practices. Beautiful actual castle. Too bad built due to not taking care for his employees

Jordan P

An amazing structure with tons of history! A good symbol of early colonial-capitalism within British Columbia. Very interesting seeing how the very wealthy lived back then. Also kind of creepy in spots, if you're into ghosts and hauntings, I have heard lots of stories regarding the castle. There is something eerie about the ball room and servants quarters in my experience but I am far from being a medium of any type. Would recommend the tour to anyone in the area interested in history or architecture!

Tanjid Hossain

This place is sooo beautiful and full of history. Has a decent entrance fee around $14. Has discount for students and seniors. Each rooms are well described. I felt like i was living the history.

Anne Calder

Loved this visit! So rich in history and great place to see for yourself

Jamie Palliser

This is an impressive building, both inside and out, abs the efforts to restore to it's original glory are great. However to those outside of Canada & the USA, this isn't a castle as you'd expect, more of a reasonably sized private house built at the end of the Victorian era. The closest comparison would be like Cragside in the UK but smaller and without the gardens. Nonetheless it's still worth a visit and has a great story behind the different uses it went through, from house to hospital, to school and now as a preserved piece of history.

Candela Canseco

This castle has 4 floors. It's amazing and you will fall in love with it since you enter the main door. It's one of those castles you see in the movies. Rooms are originally recreated as they used to be, and in each room there are frames where you can read all the stories. There is also a piano on the 4th floor you can play. I wish I could live there.

Candice Peterson

Went here as a small child. Never get tired of its beauty. Fun place to visit once in a while and bring visitors. Beautiful grounds to sit and relax.

Krithik Dubey

I would say not bad at all but not really worth the money.

Marta Borowska

Really nice castle, don’t need to spend much time here. The grounds are under some work so it’s just grassy. The building architecture is quite nice. Some parking on the grounds and limited parking on the street as well. There are a few informational signs on Craigdarroch.

Doug Cosenzo

Craigdarroch Castle A beautiful well preserved mansion/ castle. We were free to tour the building. Fabulous wood workmanship, stained glass, plenty of historical household furniture, housewares and clothing. Go and take a trip back in time. Highly recommended! There is parking at the back.

Andrey M

Great place to go and spend time with your friends and family. Great place to learn about the history. I really enjoyed that they just let you loose. You can just walk around and take as much pictures as possibly want

Navneet Kaur

A beautiful historic place to visit in Victoria BC. Not much luck looking inside as it was closed over weekdays. Although we enjoyed this beauty from outside

Aom Hildebrand

Give 5 stars for the beautiful castle. Sad that they closed the day we visited but for sure we'll visit again.

Nick Xie

Absolutely amazing. The house is large on the outside yes, but it is still deceptively enormous on the inside. I thought it would be a fun stroll to see some Victorian architecture but by the end, I had become completely absorbed into the story of this family as well as the numerous tenants of the manor through the years. Absolutely fascinating and really is like stepping through history, can't recommend enough

samiksha chopdekar

Small castle but quite good history. We spent 1.5hrs.

Philip Zein

We were sad that the castle was not opening due to covid. The outside and grounds we lovely

Ans Ast

Beautiful modern mansion / castle. Super interesting woodwork in furniture and decoration throughout. On a sunny day it is very cool, and it makes for an awesome walk around the neighborhood day or night.

Victoria R

Great decorations for the Christmas season! I loved the love music playing in the staircase. Lots of interesting period furnishings, as well as signs with the castle's history. Some of the rooms are unfinished or lack the period details as the others, but overall it was a nice experience.

Susan G

Beautiful historic castle.. easy to find

James Locke

This place was awesome! The stone work and wood work was absolutely amazing. A hidden gem. And filled with histor to boot.. Well worth the stop.

Chris

We didn’t manage to enter the castle as we didn’t have a booking and there was no availability for walk ins. Regardless, I found the front desk guy a bit rude with a serious attitude. He seemed annoyed of dealing with people. Anyway, from outside the castle was nice. Also, parking is very limited around the area so you might want to consider taking a taxi to get here.

Clan MacLean

Very nice restoration happening. Good job with historical information and photos that are throughout castle.

R Broome

Was too late when I visited but the building and grounds are definitely pretty!

ken rosadiuk

What a beautiful place. They hold events here such as "A Christmas Carol" (highly recommended) and each room of the castle is kept like a mini walk-in museum. Parking can be annoying: don't assume you can park anywhere close. The surrounding streets are for residents only however there are some spots available. Street parking as always available along Fort Street between Wharf and Cook. If you park at Cook, you have at least 4 blocks to walk. Shoes must be cleaned before entering using their brushing machine. Women must remove sharp heels. Plan ahead for that. And the castle is not at all accommodating to mobility issues (lots of beautiful old creaking stairs, no elevator).

Dil Begum

Nice historical place to explore if you are in the town. This place is packed with history from personal palace to world war housing to college. Each floor represented the event that took place in the house. You can read the history from the provided information or chat with a staff there. The staffs are very knowledgeable.

Xan He (Pro Reviews)

“Craigdarroch Castle is a definitively Victorian experience. It is a shining example of a “bonanza castle” — massive houses built for entrepreneurs who became wealthy during the industrial age. In this case, the industrialist was Robert …

Megan Christine Fisher DBA Ayragon

This castle is so amazing. I loved every moment of our tour here. All the original stained glass and furnishings are beautiful. The staff is exceptionally informed and their restorations are just fantastic. Highly recommend for anyone interested in Victorian era households and living, or if you're on a cruise like we were this is an awesome shore excursion.

Stewart Schellenberg

Amazing place to go check out history, the stained glass and style in this Castle are amazing, would love to come back in the summer, apparently you can see Mt. Baker from the tower, but unfortunately was a bit to cloudy out the day we went, something every adult should check out, absolutely intriguing, may be a bit dull for some younger audiences that are not into historical experiences. Love that you can go at your own pace, and can just go to the rooms that interest you if you're parculiar, took us 2 hours to go through, but says takes about 1 hr , so depending how much you like to read will be the real time cruncher here ????????

Shay Alde

Beautiful. The historical information provided was quite fascinating. Unfortunately, there were a handful of spaces that were not available to view. It would have been nice knowing that, when we got our tickets. All-in-all, definitely worth it. The art and architecture, alone, is fantastic.

Robert Wolf

Only open certain days so I just went there, parked in the back for free. Walked around the building and peeked inside. The outside architecture is very good and only need to pay if you want to go inside. For me just the outside free look was worth it. Allow 15 minutes for quick outside look.

Sarah Bowen Hersh

This was an incredible historical site, very well preserved and cared for. Be prepared to spend a couple of hours here if you are a reader and history but like me, as there are four floors and 20+ rooms open to visitors!

Foreverblue

Amazing historic site. Loved learning the history and exploring all the rooms. I think the castle is haunted and have heard stories of people seeing a man walk up the stairs.

Danielle Davids

Very interesting place to visit! They've done a good job preserving much of the original history and getting items back to the museum. Volunteers were knowledgeable and there is lots to read about the history of the castle and items throughout. As they are trying to preserve the castle, you must be very careful inside and not touch anything, including the walls! I would not recommend for those with mobility issues, as there are many stairs and walkers are not allowed inside.

Jennifer Schilke

We took a quick site seeing trip to several castles in Victoria. Definitely worth the visit

Jenni Merrifield

Beautiful castle-style mansion built by an early BC coal baron. Wonderful history of use over the years (as a military hospital in WWI, a university and a music conservatory).

Sanj Sukerkar

Visiting here with family is priceless. The experience overall, paints a glorious time in Victoria's history when it was prospering and the social elite's lifestyle back then. Its a fairy tale of sorts. My wife and daughter enjoyed seeing how the bedrooms and kitchens looked like half a century ago. It was great. Strongly recommend for all families!

Ni N.

Perfectly done in an amazing way. The buildi g is pretty and unique in every angle.

Valerie Laub

It's a nice piece of history but nothing really interesting there. Can't go inside the rooms as they're all fenced off. If you're a history buff then it's nice otherwise you'll fall asleep

Michael Dionne

Wow just simply wow. The history of this building is incredible. It was a little confusing about where to get your tickets. Unfortunately, the gift shop is lacklustre. But overall I really enjoyed my self I am so glad that I went. Apparently, the piano is haunted and at night will start playing when no one is around.

Evan Galbraith

Visited for Christmas, and the whole building was decorated accordingly. Inside and outside were both gorgeous and had lots of information. Staff and organization getting in the door left a little to be desired, but once you're in its a great experience.

Chen Bonnie

The history behind was very attractive, I highly recommend other to spend enough time to look through every floor and room. You will not regret!

Reed B

Very lovely "castle" that is really a mansion. This is a great look at a moment in time when Victoria was getting established. It's a beautifully maintained and restored mansion with lots of restored and time period accurate items throughout. The guides throughout the house are very informative and helpful. We spent about 45-60 minutes through the house and that felt about like the right amount. There is free parking and a nice gift shop and snack bar as well. While I wouldn't make this the focus of your trip to Victoria, it is a great thing to see if you have time.

Krianne Charell Villa

We loved our visit in this castle. The video that showed the history of the castle was really interesting. It's so nice that they tried to preserve history. Though they could have also added how it would have looked if it was a university and a ward aside from it being a home. It's worth visiting though when you're in Victoria.

Nissan Pow

Much better than expected. Great glimpse into the lives of the wealthy of olden days.

Kira Sun

A beautiful and well kept property. Some of the rooms were not furnished and still in the process of restoration but filled with informative slides nonetheless. I highly reccomend visiting.

Dallas Howard

This is a great Castle filled with a lot of history! I would definitely recommend visiting! And they have a new gift shop! It isn't that far from downtown Victoria. also it is Very well maintained and they are constantly ensuring that it is kept in the condition that it was built.

Justine Soucy

Step back in time. It's more of a mansion but some cool history. The only downside was there's some stripped rooms waiting to be returned to their former glory. PS the Royal Family owns land a small way from here with a garden you can walk in!

Melissa Denise

My friend and I loved the castle. It has so much beauty and history, and the interior was restored in such a way that it looked like we were walking backwards in time. We opted to do our own independent walking tour because we like going at our own pace. It also allowed us to take some pretty cool pictures without worrying about holding up other people.

Pratik Khasbardar

A must visit to explore the architecture of Victorian era. Guided tours are available and recommended as the castle is really huge and has a long standing history from the time it was built till world war and afterwards. Photography and use of flash is permitted. Do not wear sharp heels, they might ask you to remove them before entering the castle. Please check their website for any concessional entry tickets, like for students etc.

Patrick D

Visited recently on my trip to Vancouver. The castle is very nice. The history of the place is fascinating and explains the family that once lived there and how when it was then turned to a hospital to a place where students lived to a school board office and to its present state. Some of the exhibits are still under construction, otherwise it was a great visit!

Jennifer Fehr

Wonderful and historical experience! Very interesting to see how the castle is preserved and each room’s story.

farzod darzi

One of the oldest buildings in Victoria. Owned by the wealthiest man in BC at the time of build. Cool place to check out on a rainy day. 15 dollars to enter.

Kent Caballero

Full of history, culture and fascinating details into the history of this castle. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable and knew how to communicate clear precise instructions. We spent a good hour and half reading and reminiscing the history of this unique landmark.

Andrea F

Walked around the grounds one evening and we're impressed by the beautiful architecture! I remember touring the castle when I was a child and being very fascinated and captivated.

Ankit Mitra

Very ancient yet well preserved. Not enough car parking. Limited people allowed at one time in the castle due to COVID-19 restrictions. Located in a posh and beautiful neighborhood. One of the must see attractions in Victoria.

완쯔둔丸子囤

Went here twice. Once last week and once 8 years ago. Both were very good experience. This time due to covid, they provide free masks and separate visitors into groups to enter the castle. The group leader was knowledgeable and told us many history about the castle.

Cheryl Johnson

Simply beautiful. This castle is astonishingly elegant and authentic. The woodwork along with the architectural details are abundant throughout the entire place. Rooms have been well kept to their original state including the bathrooms. Amazed at the quality and the appearance of the castle. Unbelievable tourist attraction!

Tatenda Esther Sheryl Madziva

Didn't get to go inside. Google said that it was open, but when we got there it was closed. Maybe a covid-19 thing. I would suggest calling ahead before you go. The exterior is beautiful though. Going inside would have been even better.

Nicole Kingbird

It was a very informative tour. Was given a brief talk about the history of thr castle then we were free to look at things at our own pace. Deer were walking around the grounds.

James Mauga

The castle is AMAZING! Very intricate details and top notch craftsmanship. Interesting information about the family. if you run across a staff member as you take the self guided tour, be sure to ask them quslestions as they are more than happy to share.

mona upreti

Loved the place. Such a dainty small castle in the heart of the city, was a welcome sight. The history came alive through the pictures, costumes, furniture etc. Some of the rooms are still not done renovating. The Christmas decorations made the place even more beautiful. Worth visiting !

PraetorianNUKE

This "castle" is a tourist trap. It's fine for what it is. $15/per person isn't going to blow out your bank account but the location leaves a bit to be desired. It's good the money goes back into the historical society and the building has significance in the annals of Victoria's history but there isn't a lot to it. Since many of the rooms are gutted because of past influences, or roped off entirely, it's not as immersive as one might expect. Considering it is advertised as a "must see" destination and has busses and tours for all the visitors to our city, it's really not that good considering all the hype.

Elisha Ng

Restoration looks great. The panels throughout the castle are very informative and rather interesting. Took a bunch of photos :) Gift shop is pretty fun to browse through and I bought a few books.

Jean-Francois Bertrand

Beautiful castle with an interesting history. Reserve ahead to plan your visit. Would go only if you have extra time to visit Victoria.

Natalie Zavaglia

Very cool to see this place. Not as "original" interior speaking as it must have been over 100 years ago. Exterior is really cool. I really enjoyed the art, and wood work. My fave room was the old washroom.

Punam Rai

Such a wonderful experience! We spent hours just admiring and taking in the beauty of this castle and learning about all the history that took place here. If you're a history fanatic or simply like to learn about the lifestyle of the people of the past, check this place out!!

Girlynne Gascon

I think I may have fallen in love with the place when we visited. I also appreciate the ones who toured us around for the great insight and history behind the castle. I think just being in the castle brings you back in the old times, as the condition of the original items are great and they are well-preserved. As well, if you appreciate history as much as I do, you would enjoy taking your time here as you explore every room in the castle. The gift shop was a nice touch, and I was able to buy mini books about the castle.

Brandon Bell

Well I definitely wasn't expecting to see a castle like this in Canada but was truly stunned by the enormity inside and the overall beauty of the castle. Admission was not expensive and there was definitely lots to see inside. I would have preferred a more guided tour but the self-guided nature of this just did the same effect.

Xan He

“Craigdarroch Castle is a definitively Victorian experience. It is a shining example of a “bonanza castle” — massive houses built for entrepreneurs who became wealthy during the industrial age. In this case, the industrialist was Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune from Vancouver Island coal.” — from their website This place truly shows what is possible if you set your mind to it.

Tremaine Kingbird

A lot of history from this building. Too much to go into detail. Huge and beautifully built home. It can definitely be a lot of work for people with limited mobility.

Shivram Bhardwaj

Nice place to visit and understand history of Victoria. It takes you about 60 minutes to go through the entirety of 3 floors. Also there are 2 sections that you encounter, one while you're ascending and the other while descending. It also has a seperate ticketing office with a souvenir section and a washroom.

Kevin Mullett

It's more of a mansion than a castle. But it is a beautiful house. There are 5 floors and a bunch of rooms to check out. It is a very neat house. I was surprised at the history and the size of the family that built it. Would definitely go again

cindy schmidt

$15 to go through as an adult, not worth it if you don’t have over an hour. Lots of history though and beautiful architecture!

Mike Allen

If you want to see a beautiful house with history behind it, this is the place. I didn’t expect to spend more than 1 hour here, but upon arriving we were in awww! The house is full of historical memories, an staff willing to tell you more about this place and videos to watch, we spent over 2 hours here.

Leonard Erlandson

Huge castle that nobody wanted when it was completed. Friendly and knowledgeable staff but only half the rooms were restored. They had some pictures and drawings to show the intended restoration but it's not there yet. All the literature and the film we're a bit too enthusiastic about the coal baron that built the castle and glossed over relationships with native people and with the labor force for his mines. Still, it was informative and an important bit of history for Victoria.

Misty

Wow, truly preserved Victorian era castle. The historical value that it adds to the community is invaluable. We took a guided tour from a cruise ship, so it was busy but even with 125 people, it is so large that I found myself in places completely solo dolo.

Ah-Yeong Jo

We missed the timing of buying tickets so we didn't end up going inside. The outside of the building looks just like picture except it was much smaller than I expected and there was no pretty gardens around there. It was still worth to check out.

Stacy Lee Ferguson

A wonderful place I'd take my nana to. She'd tell them "oh I used to take your ice orders'

Veronica K

Buy tickets online and not when you get there as it could get busy. They followed covid protocols. The castle was very interesting and beautiful. We learned a lot and would recommend it. It is not wheelchair friendly though as there are many steps within the castle.

David Lewis

Well preserved. Stunning wood and glasswork. Interesting historical info. Not of interest to little kids. $26 for two adults. Good for one visit, no need to visit again.

sayar samanta

A really unique castle in Victoria. Must visit for all aged people. Located in downtown. It's pretty old but they have maintained it like a charm. Will definitely recommend to all of my friends and others.

Jack Peters

What a great old building and I would call it a mansion on top of a hill, built between 1887-1890. Craigdarroch Castle has a great story and the managing executive director greeted us on our self guided tour that day. This introduction to the castle made a huge difference and just knowing the story, the materials, the pre-fab component and some detailed design elements, made for an enjoyable time.

Ian Frazer

This mansion / castle has to be seen to be believed. Take the tour if you have the time as the inside has at least 10 X's more detail than seen on a walk around the outside.

m Rafi

It's a beautiful little castle that has finest amenities. But the visitor timing is only till 3:30..????

Andrew Edwards

Would show more photos but don't want to spoil the goods. Enjoy this delectable piece of scenery and you cruise thru Victoria doing all the stops. Worth what they charge, and the staff and volunteers are very knowledgeable!

Pree Badrinath

You have to experience it to understand how magnificent the architecture is. Beautifully preserved, and lovely staff.

Frances Cebalo

Very interesting history enjoyed approx 1 hour exploring the house. Good quality items in gift shop with friendly staff. Free parking a bonus.

Frances Cebalo

Went here as a small child. Never get tired of its beauty. Fun place to visit once in a while and bring visitors. Beautiful grounds to sit and relax.

Michelle Yarbrough

You really need to go here. The volunteers are very knowledgeable, the history is rich, we easily spent an hour and a half here. We got lost in all the reading in the second floor bedroom. 100% worth the cost.

Vishal M.R

Beautiful castle.. Visit in the morning before 8am to avoid crowds.

Local Contributor

A lot of work went into restoring this house. Impressive woodwork and craftsmanship. Also many historically correct antique items.

sandeep shah

Built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir during the reign of Queen Victoria and now a National Historic Site, Craigdarroch Castle has been meticulously restored, giving visitors a glimpse of privileged life in the 1890s.

Zdeňka Karlíková

Nice from the outside, but we couldn't get in. When we got there, we were told that if we don't have a reservation, we would probably wait several hours. So if you plan to go there, make sure to make a reservation beforehand (we couldn't because we were leaving the city already).

Elise Barrie

Absolutely beautiful museum to visit! Perfect to spend a few hours on an afternoon during your visit to Victoria. Well maintained and it was interesting to hear about the future renovations planned. The new cafe and gift shop were very nice, and all staff were helpful and friendly! I look forward to visiting again!!

Oscar

It's a beautiful place, I enjoyed seeing my wife having a blast, she was so interested and pleased, she was more exited than our daughter who had great time too.

Barbie Hodge

The highlight of our week visit to Victoria. Amazing step back in time with amazing woodwork and antiques throughout. Liked that it is self guided so you can take your time. Docents were knowledgeable. Must see!!

Lora Lonesberry

This is theist stunning piece of architecture with a history you wouldn't have expected. Night or day, it will take your breath away

Nisrine Banna

A wonderful place to visit! So much history in one place! The staff are kind and helpful. Take your time to go through the rooms and read about them. The room in the pic is one of my favourites

Craig Mckee

Excellent tour. Also a great way to learn about local history. The house is very well kept and gives the visitors an idea of how some of the more wealthy lived.

steve henderson

An amazing structure with tons of history! A good symbol of early colonial-capitalism within British Columbia. Very interesting seeing how the very wealthy lived back then. Also kind of creepy in spots, if you're into ghosts and hauntings, I have heard lots of stories regarding the castle. There is something eerie about the ball room and servants quarters in my experience but I am far from being a medium of any type. Would recommend the tour to anyone in the area interested in history or architecture!

Branko Smilkov

Visited the castle couple of years back before all this madness and it was amazing experience. Emily, our tour guide made the tour a special and unforgettable experience! The castle is big, it has 39 rooms and the tour was easy going so we got to visit everything in a timely manner. What I liked the most was the fact that the cleanness was on a very high level! You clean your shoes upon entry and everything was tidy and presentable. Definitely one of my best experiences, a place worth visiting and would visit again if the chance arises. Great job overall, keep up the great work!

Robert Hamilton

Very beautiful and peaceful place. Take the self guided tour and learn all about the castles great history. Lots of stairs, beware.

Mark Wiseman

This is a beautiful building with an intriguing history. There is a lot of walking up the five flights of stairs so be prepared for that. The tour is self guided so you can spend as much or as little time at each room. The inside of the castle is beautiful and the views from the castle are great.

Braydon Morris

One of the better historical sites I’ve visited. The amount of attention to detail and effort put into restoring it to its former state is amazing. The layout makes it very easy to move through the rooms and keeps things from backing up. The amount of different things that the castle has been used for over the years is amazing by itself, and the inside is fantastic. 10/10 would recommend.

Brenda Mercer

I loved my time here. I really wasn't expecting to but I figured why not. When will I ever be in Victoria again to see this castle? So I booked a tour last minute and I'm so glad I did. My tour guide, Emily, was lovely. She made the tour so fun and informative. The story behind this castle is so interesting and the tour gives you ample time to discover and explore each room. When you enter, you clean your shoes on this shoe cleaning machine that rotates bristles on your shoes and you come into the entrance with a lovely staircase and hallways. I was told during my visit that the 4th floor, which has the small tower and window area, was closed for renovation but I was lucky and they let us visit even though it wasn't completely done! The castle is big, 25000 square feet and 39 rooms. It's also been through so many different functions and it shows in certain rooms which I find fascinating. There's also a small salamander based on an old superstition that putting a salamander sculpture in your home would protect from fires. I could talk about this castle for quite a while but it's absolutely worth a visit!!

jenny bansal

Its really beautiful but its kinda boring after a certain period of time. Thought I believe everyone can enjoy for the first time. Its more interesting for the people who are interested in history and the old life style.

AlisaK Moore

Craigdarroch was one of our stops on the hop-on-hop-off bus. We hopped off and spent close to two hours during this beautiful home which was later used as a military hospital and a college. They done a great job of representing all the different incarnations of the house since it was built by the dunsmure family is a primary residence in 1890. We had a wonderful docent who told us a lot about the family history and explain some of the artifacts in the home. It's self-guided five story, leisurely walk up a beautiful staircase with three to rooms to explore on each floor. Very worth the visit and it fascinating peek into American history and a family who made their money in the coal industry.

James Ogden

Interesting partially restored mansion in a residential neighborhood in Victoria. Some rooms have been fully restored, while others are incomplete. Worth a visit, plan on an hour or so there.

Frank Hannig

A very beautiful Victorian mansion offering self guided tours with very reasonable prices. Absolutely stunning woodwork and interior details from another time. Close to Downtown Victoria and a nice addition to the standard tour.

Grace Waeohongsa

Worth historical place to visit! Highly recommend to book your ticket on the website before going. (It’s in EvenBite, scrolling down the see date and time that you want to go) Go a bit earlier before your time to get the tickets. There is no washroom to use in the castle. $12.66 for student $18.48 for adult. If you don’t buy a ticket before, you can buy at front as well but you need to wait for 1-2 hours. ???????????? Historical place worth to visit in Victoria, BC, Canada Brief history The Dunsmuirs (1890–1908) * Military Hospital (1919–1921) * Victoria College (1921–1946) * Victoria School Board Office (1946–1968) * Victoria Conservatory of Music (1969–1979) * Craigdarroch Castle museum (1979–Present) +++++++++++

Bumblebee

A spectacle to see if you’re visiting Victoria. I wouldn’t recommend it for people who have trouble with stairs as there are 87 to the top with no elevator. Overall a beautiful house and friendly volunteers who greet you. We got a 10% discount because 3 of the rooms were closed, a bit more of a discount would have been appreciated as the construction was loud which took away from the experience and the wood staining smelled bad.

Michael Prins

Better than expected - had no idea the history represented in this location — much more than just a wealthy entrepreneur’s elaborate estate, but also home to a war hospital, school, music conservatory, etc. Exceptional staff - well informed and friendly. The “castle” itself is well curated with plenty of signage and photos and period displays. But not too too much reading ;) Walking through the house, feels very accessible. And great gift shop, too!

Renae Hoey

This should be a "must see" for anyone visiting Victoria, BC. The Castle has such a rich & varied history, in and of itself, is interesting. That it is a gorgeous monument to architecture, woodworking, and masonry is quite another, altogether. I liked the treatment of the exhibits, with some reflecting the genuine home life when this was 'just' a home and some demonstrating the building's other uses over time. It's worth looking into every nook & cranny! I have mobility issues, so it might have been better to take it more slowly. Keep in mind you will be walking hundreds of stairsteps by the end, if you want to see it all--which we did. Thankfully, there are seats for resting on every level.

Allison Beecher

We visited the museum during a quick excursion, so we were probably too rushed to properly read through and appreciate all the information. But from our walk through, it just seemed like a giant self-dedicated memorial of a wealthy man to himself with arbitrary historical relevance. It was pretty and well maintained, but I just didn't see the significance.

Amie Mouneimne

Loved this self-tour. The museum keepers are always a step away. They knew so much and shared the best stories ever!

tyler lisk

The actual self guided tour is great and well worth the visit. The only reason for the low stars is that we were told to book ahead of time, which we did for 3:00, but when we arrived there was a big line to get in and some groups in front of us hadn't even booked yet. We knew they hadn't booked yet because they had someone hold their spot while they ran over to the main office to buy tickets. I feel like they should have had two lines. One for those who pre-booked, and those who just showed up. It ended up being a bit of a wait, and we did have to rush through since we had another engagement to get to for 4:45.

Jason Yee

Craigdarroch Castle isn't exactly like a medieval castle that you would imagine but it still has the charm and the grandeur! It is unfortunate that Robert Dunsmir didn't get to truly enjoy the castle that he commissioned since it would have been spectacular at the time. What's now filled with development and roads would have been forest and open lands surrounding the castle. There's a terraced open lawn that's great for parties and photography. The Victorian architect still has it's charm even in the 21st century. Take a closer look at the chimneys, the roof tops, the window styling, and the overall feel of the place! Limited parking on site.

Douglas Chen

Although it's a relatively small castle, it's beautiful inside out. It was built by the richest man in Victoria at that time. Unfortunately, most original stuff were gone over the time. After being a family home, it was a school and a clinic at a time. I was told only 5% original things left with the building, including the most stainglass windows. The restoration society did a good job to try to restore its original state. A new administration facility was built in recent years. The admission fees have tripled since. The money goes to the restoration efforts. There are still some restoration projects are going on or needed to be done at the moment.

Mickala Keepence

Absolutely gorgeous! Always a wonderful place to visit, especially around the holidays.

M. Ali G.

It's a lovely place but the staff were way too talkative, both towards me and to each other. This was a distraction from the striking features of the castle. Great views from the top floors though!

Paul Onderwater

This is a must see in Victoria! The history of the Dunsmuir family and the continuing history of the Castle they built here is very interesting! The tour is well laid out and as it is self directed, you can go as quick or slow as you wish. This year we ended up going 3 times as we had guests several times. Each time we go, I see something I hadn't seen last time. Very nice gift shop and lovely grounds outside as well. Double check before you go, as they have had films shot here on occasion.

Barbara Bond

Gorgeous grounds and the castle was exquisite from the outside. Sadly we were just a wee bit too late to gain admission inside. What we did see whetted our appetite for a tour of the interior.

takdeer dhaliwal

You can book online or in person ticket. It was awesome experience to see royal life and stuff. Everything is well preserved. Its has many levels and easy to follow instructions with arrow. There is a gift shop too. Overall, amazing experince????

John Schneider

It's way more cool on the outside than the inside. The inside is mostly recreated room "scenes" that get boring pretty quickly, unless you're realllllly into the dinnerware or bedspreads of the early 1900s.

oaksound studio

Very interesting little piece of history on Vancouver. Takes a casual 40 minutes to walk through. They don't let you take a tripod for photography so the darkness of the castle makes it quite challenging to expose proper photos. But the staff is very knowledgeable and the experience overall was good.

Jamie Robertson

A gem of a stop!!! A fun and historical step back in time. And when the weather is nice the view from the tower goes all the way to the US. And did you know that ladies can only play billiards in..... to find out where, check out the answer on the 4th floor!!!

L Nel

National Historic site maintained by a not-for-profit society. Self guided tours available for a donation to the society (membership also available). Well worth taking the time to go on the tour and experience History in living colour! Make sure you have enough time I thought is was less than an hour we were there for close to 3! Each room has artifacts true to original occupants and history of various uses the castle has had over the years. Amazing sights in every room and gorgeous Victoria views from the top floors. Highly recommended

M Thompson

Nice place. Interesting. Better not have a problem with stairs . . . there are LOTS of them & you can't see anything much without transversing hundreds of stairs.

Artur Setyan

It's a nice piece of history but nothing really interesting there. Can't go inside the rooms as they're all fenced off. If you're a history buff then it's nice otherwise you'll fall asleep

Jenny

$15 to go through as an adult, not worth it if you don’t have over an hour. Lots of history though and beautiful architecture!

Steph memories

Expensive for a location that was previously a hospital and school ..then reconstructed to look like a Victorian.mansion . Better than expected of questionable authenticity..none of the furniture is original . Very tight security. Come on!! Can't put a small purse on my back ..it may" damage something"

Amy W

A but further from Downtowm Victoria but a good place to visit. This castle is situated in the middle of a neighbourhood - which I found surprising. A beautiful piece of history to visit. Tours are only on the weekend unfortunately, so I was only able to see the outside.

Cecilia MacLean

A great little Castle to visit. Don't go near Lunchtime, for there won't be a bathroom available. The only restroom is in the gift shop which closes for 1.5 Hours at Noon!

Patty Peterson

Excellent historical museum. Beautiful inside and out! Needed to turn on the fan in the room with video going. Very warm inside. Lots to see and enjoy.

David Y

Very well preserved castle with professional and friendly staff. It can easily take 60 minutes to finish.

nelson guzzo

First in for most it is a beautiful castle and then you add all the friendly guides that work here. The experience is terrific if you enjoy the history, the architecture, or just the storied past of this building it is absolutely incredible. Well worth the price of admission and the stop on your vacation.

Cindy Jocksch

Gorgeous manor house, great place to spend a couple of hours, imagining the times that produced such a gorgeous building and times that produced such an amazing province and city. Beautiful.

Yorkshire Way

I loved visiting Canada's castle. Its a worth visiting. This place is self guided tour. I'm amazed by the detailing of recreation. Thank you for restoring preserving history.

K B

This was a pretty cool castle. I couldn’t help but imagine what things were like back then and kept getting carried away in my imagination! Good experience!

Steven Luft

Beautiful old castle with amazing woodwork. Truly shows how the wealthy lived at the turn of the century. Great guided tour as well.

Crystal Land

There are several empty or nearly empty areas, and your tour experience will vary wildly depending on which guide you have near you. One gave only the most bare-bones of information while the other was full of interesting tidbits and stories. This isn't the sort of place that should be the main attraction of a trip, but is a good addition to a day out.

Logan Saunders

We never went inside, but we came here at 4:30pm and it was perfect. My girlfriend and I got some stunning pictures all around the exterior of the castle. We only encountered two other families and a groundskeeper in the span of 30 minutes. The tour will likely bore you inside, but the pictures outside make the trip well worth it! You're also away from the tourists!

mokimoki k

On top of all the true amazing reviews here; the parking lot is good for a car photoshoot. XD *Hit like if you like the black mini cooper countryman in the photo :)

Hristina Kirilova

Craigdarroch Castle was built in 1890. As visitors we were able to go around the castle and enjoy the stained glass, the woodwork and the old time furnishings and clothes. Great restoration work with nice touches and attention to details. Our kids had also fun trying to find different artifacts from the provided I spy ????️‍♂️ game.

Andrew Parker