Moody Mansion

This lavish 28,000 square foot mansion will take your breath away! Formerly the home of the famous, entrepreneurial Moody family. The Travel Channel has listed this home as one of The Nation's Most Famous Houses!

Does the name sound familiar? If you've been paying attention to signs on businesses around town, you will have noticed various established with the name "Moody" on it. This founding family of Galveston played a vital role in making the island what it is today. Moreover, if you've been to the Moody Gardens, that is one of the incredible projects that the Moody Foundation established.

Moody Mansion History

This four-story estate is stunning - filled with ornate finishings, original furniture, and rich history. Completed in 1895, the home was rebuilt for the Moody family after being purchased from the previous owners. It was designed by renowned British architect William H. Tyndall. Moreover, it was decorated by the world-famous interior design firm of Pottier & Stymus of New York. The Moody Family lived in the home with their four children.

The Moodys started their legacy in the cotton industry. Over the years, their interests sprawled the family business into ranching, hotels, insurance, banking, and other endeavors. The family cared deeply about charity and it shows in their history and with the creation of the Moody Foundation. They largely supported health care, education, historic preservation, and the arts.

Moody Mansion Tours

There is ample parking in the mansion parking lot and along the nearby streets if the lot is full. To pay for the tour, you will follow the signs from the parking lot to the gift shop directly ahead and to the right of the parking garage.

After you pay, you will receive a ticket that you take to the front door of the home in order to enter. The receptionist in the gift shop will also point you to the tour website. The tour website offers multiple audio clips that tell the Moody stories as you walk through the home. Also, the audio clips are labeled with numbers and names of the rooms. This will make it very easy to follow along and quickly find audio clips if you take the tour out of order.

Throughout the home, you will find posters with information on Galveston and the Moody Family. Trust us, there is plenty to learn. The mansion boasts 20 rooms! There are even displays of their clothing, cosmetic items, and business plans. Surprisingly, all furniture in the home is the original furniture that the Moody family actually used. You can't help but admire the craftsmanship of household items from back in the day - things were built to last!

There are only a couple areas around the home that you are unable to walk through. However, you can still found out information about these areas. Additionally, the stewards of the home have tons of info and love to chat with visitors. Look to them if you have questions about the home or the Moody family.

Fun Fact: The home is available for group events and weddings!