Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour
5
Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour
By Olveston Historic Home
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About
The Olveston Historic Home is a must-see attraction for any design enthusiast visiting Dunedin. Admire the elegant decor, art, and furnishings of this early 20th-century mansion as you follow a guide through some of its 35 rooms. The informative commentary offers visitors a deeper appreciation for the Jacobean-style architecture.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Admission to the Olveston Historic Home is by guided tour only
- Admire the fine 20th-century architecture, art, and decor
- Learn about one of Dunedin’s most prominent families
- Take your time visiting the seasonal gardens and gift shop
- Local guide
- Entry/Admission - Olveston Historic Home
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Start:
- 42 Royal Terrace, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New ZealandAt Olveston reception
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6802OLVESTON- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- To prevent damaging the wooden floors and original floorcoverings, visitors are asked to refrain from wearing stiletto heel shoes
- Small-group tour with a maximum of 15 participants per tour
- Most travellers can participate
- No health restrictions
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6802OLVESTON
From
$25.50
per adult
Select date and travellers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 42 Royal Terrace, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New ZealandAt Olveston reception
- 1All tours are guided by our professional staff to give you the ultimate time capsule experience. You will learn about how a wealthy merchant family lived in the early 1900's in Otago's major town, Dunedin, built on gold. Olveston has all its original contents with over 120 art works. After your tour of over 13 spectacular rooms enjoy, in your own time, Olveston's one acre garden which is a Garden of National Significance. Our well stocked gift shop offers many items made locally.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- H345EMmartinb0 contributionsa rare buildingdefinite worthwhile visit . for its time it was built with many advanced ideas. it was built for a jewish family that originated from England who contributed much to DunedinWritten 23 October 2024
- Skaj20 contributionsWorth the visitFantastic tour with Chris. Very knowledgeable and so much enthusiasm. The house itself was magnificent and such a treasure to view. If you love history, you need to visit.Written 3 February 2024
- johnhY4694QH0 contributionsHome againA lovely hosted visit to one of the wealthy family homes of the 1900's. An Interesting historic journey into the past. The grounds have been improved from past visits and now add to the character of the property. The only disappointment was the quality of the art/pictures in the rooms. It was not what would be expected in this house.Written 7 January 2024
- WendyS16370 contributionsA Magical MorningWhat a beautiful place. I have not seen anywhere the equals it in New Zealand. So much care has been taken to keep it original. Our guide was superb (bad me cannot remember her name). It showed how much he loved the house and her knowledge of all the art etc was extensive.Written 31 December 2023
- NZtourier0 contributionsDining experience at OlvestonJan Davies and her fantastic team gave us all a wonderful dining experience as part of their contribution to the Ronald McDonald Supper Club appeal. The setting, meal (thanks Karl), and help from the staff were fabulous. I didn't realise the venue could be hired!Written 10 August 2023
- allibarty0 contributionsCoronation afternoon teaBeautiful afternoon tea including a toast to the King. Very professional and informative guided tour. Would recommend for visitors and localsWritten 6 May 2023
- thompsonmc20160 contributionsAmazing PlaceReally enjoyed my visit to this historic home. The guide was informative, knowledgeable and happy to answer our questions. Small group size which was good and the little shop had lots of interesting bits and pieces.Written 30 January 2023
- NZsmith8880 contributionsDunedin point of interestThe place is full of historical collections & was kept in pristine condition. In-house tour guide is knowledgeable, I felt like I am in a periodical TV drama set with all those behind the scene making! Definitely worth the time to visit 👍Written 28 November 2022
- PaulGNewZealand0 contributionsGreat visit to historic homeWe had a family visit to the home and staff were awesome with a great deal of knowledge of the place. Unfortunately the home was closed due to snow on our first attempt to visit, but was worth trying again on our second day in Dunedin.Written 23 October 2022
- Einahpets690 contributionsBeautifulAmazing tour guide with great knowledge Great experience. Highly recommend. Beautiful place. Learn about tge pastWritten 21 October 2022
- carolmH8714RY0 contributionsFascinatingTour guide Kevin brought the home to life Everything that opens and closes in that period was there.Written 15 October 2022
- Saveyman0 contributionsMust visitWonderful old character home presented beautifully. The tours are very informative, conducted by volunteers, and truly worthwhile.Written 1 May 2022
- Q3009BWsusanc0 contributionsA testament to a time gone byHow amazing that is home has been left to Dunedin so people can experience the buildings and architecture. We enjoyed a very informative tour and leant the history.Written 28 April 2022
- MinibearX0 contributionsThe southern heritageVisited this place on a rainy day. Not too many tourists. Personally speaking, what makes this place special are the people who work there. These women were friendly and passionate about local heritage preservation. Loved local artists products inspired by the house in the shop. Look forward to book a tea session in the house soon.Written 21 February 2022
- Relax556812990190 contributionsAmazing amazing amazing!Loved this tour so much. We visited on the 4th of May and our tour guide was so lovely and very thorough! I left feeling very well informed. Such a beautiful home that has been so well kept. It was great to see a little slice of time! I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for something to do in Dunedin!Written 4 May 2021
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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5.0
114 reviews
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8
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1
silbury2017
Christchurch, New Zealand2 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
The interior of this amazing 4storey homestead is mind blowing . Every room contains the most beautiful wooden furniture and paintings and is decorated to show how the family would have lived there. Perhaps I was most impressed by the dining room with table set for 10 and the beautiful wooden staircase (made in London) that led to the second floor.
The enormous kitchen facilities comprising many of the original kitchen utensils is also of great interest
Our guide Annie was very knowledgeable about the house it’s history and also that of the family and made our visit much more interesting than if we had been on our own.
The enormous kitchen facilities comprising many of the original kitchen utensils is also of great interest
Our guide Annie was very knowledgeable about the house it’s history and also that of the family and made our visit much more interesting than if we had been on our own.
Written 6 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so please you took the time to walk through the house with Annie so she could share her knowledge of the house and contents with you. Our guides take great pride in showing of this Dunedin Gem.
Written 8 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John L
Cambridge, New Zealand225 contributions
Mar 2020
This is a really interesting home situated in lovely gardens close to the centre of town-mind you its a good steep walk to get there!
Olveston is a lovely old home and my wife and i thoroughly enjoyed our tour, Fortunately there were only four of us on the tour compared to a large group on both the preceding and subsequent tours. The small group enabled us to ask questions and to get a good insight about the family who used to live here. Well worth the admission fee.
Olveston is a lovely old home and my wife and i thoroughly enjoyed our tour, Fortunately there were only four of us on the tour compared to a large group on both the preceding and subsequent tours. The small group enabled us to ask questions and to get a good insight about the family who used to live here. Well worth the admission fee.
Written 16 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you John for visiting Olveston, we take great pride in showing guests through this lovely historic home and believe it is well worth the step walk to get here but for those who are not able to walk it is a very short taxi ride.
Written 17 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mcavty
Auckland, New Zealand101 contributions
Jan 2021 • Couples
Lovely well kept garden & super tour of early 1900's NZ house. Was greated by a welcoming lady in the shop who was very knowledgeable & set us up for the tour of the house. The woman who was our guide did a good job pointing out pieces of interest in the house. One would expect after 10 years in the job she would know treat all people equally and not make snide remarks about visitors from Auckland.
Written 12 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your review, our team take great pleasure in showing visitors through Olveston and sharing their knowledge on the Theomin family, Olveston Architecture and contents of the home.
I am sorry you felt the the guide was a little off about Aucklanders, maybe it was a southerners attempt of humor. May I say we are thoroughly enjoying all of our domestic visitors, it is so nice to have guests visit from the most Northern through to the most Southern points of the country.
Written 12 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Roger B
Toulouse, France7 contributions
An absolutely fabulous and authentic historic Dunedin home. Jo is a wonderful guide, she took us back in time to days gone by with her captivating knowledge of all the treasures that the house holds. Couldn’t recommend this activity more highly on a Dunedin visitor’s itinerary!!!
Written 16 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Roger for you review. Jo is our guide manager and will be so pleased to hear your kind words, Olveston provides an authentic experience in the heart of Dunedin and we appreciate feed back from those who visit.
Written 17 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Des H
Christchurch, New Zealand146 contributions
Jun 2022
Lots of earlier reviews say all that needs to be said about this amazing and interesting step back in time to a style of life enjoyed by some in earlier Aotearoa. And what a grand gesture by the last family member to give so much back to the city. I am happy to give it an excellent rating but I must record one disappointment. Our guide was very reluctant to answer our admittedly numerous questions or to depart from her programmed patter. In the end we stopped asking even though we were the only two on the tour so it was not a strenuous time for her. Fortunately, the woman on duty in the gift shop was more approachable at the end and willingly answered what had confused us.
Written 5 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Des for your five star rating. Please accept our apologies for the lack of answers to your questions when on tour. We encourage our guides to ask all guests their passions and what bought them to Olveston so we know which areas to focus on during the tour. This is an area we will need to improve on.
Written 6 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jmk8668
Nowra Hill, Australia27 contributions
Nov 2019
Our guided tour had far too many people and the guide was not concerned and just told us she had seen more in a group before. We could not fit into some of the rooms which was a great pity because the home is beautiful. There were thing we could not see as it was too crowded. Our guide was quite standoffish and brusque.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you jmk8668 for your feed back. I am so sorry you felt the numbers were too large in each group, we do not exceed 15 per group as we want the all round experience for all visitors to be a good one. We will take your comments onboard.
Kind regards
Jan
Written 12 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cogsworth
17 contributions
Jan 2021
A truly beautiful home and garden. Homes from this era, and of this size and quality, are quite rare to find in New Zealand. We really enjoyed learning about the history of the home, the Theomin Family, and the various objects within the home. My 10 year old daughter was fascinated, as was my mum. The architect really thought about how the family would live in the home and designed it to such a high standard. We were lucky to be a tour group of four people, and our guide was excellent. This was the highlight of our Dunedin trip. Thank you!
Written 11 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so glad all three generations of your family enjoyed the Home and it's gardens.
Written 12 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David H
1 contribution
Jan 2021
Absolutely Fascinating! A treasure trove of antiques, art and items from all over the world in a stunning home set in a beautiful garden. Everything is in place and set exactly as it would have been in a different time. Excellent value for a guided tour. Kay our guide was brilliant. She has a wonderful knowledge of the house and its history. She was very helpful answering questions and especially knowledgeable about the many beautiful and valuable paintings in the house. A must see in Dunedin.
Written 24 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you David for your review. Kay will be so pleased to hear you feed back she prides herself on her knowledge of the house, its beautiful contents and the Theomin family.
Written 26 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
carol c
Coventry, UK173 contributions
Jan 2023
A delightful house, marred by our allocated guides delivery, our guide was staccato, seemed to loose track of what she was saying, and delivered bland facts in a disjointed way. We switched off especially early and would have preferred to have seen the place with someone who showed concise knowledge of the family and the rooms, and who didn’t keep looking at us as if our only purpose there was to destroy something. She made useful like naughty schoolchildren! I felt like telling her that our house was 400 years old with more history in one beam than in one room of this Edwardian built Victorian dressed house and we would never treat it other than with respect! That having been said it’s a nice house in great condition and we were glad we saw it.
Written 31 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Carol, Thank you for your review. We are so sorry that your experience of Olveston was spoilt by the delivery from the guide. Please contact the manager at Olveston 03 477 3320 to discuss further the date you visited so that we are able to address this issue.
Written 26 February 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NoseFrancescovanEerd
Wellington, New Zealand2 contributions
Jan 2021
I am impressed that Olveston is being so beautifully and respectfully maintained and managed. and the guided tour was thoroughly enjoyable. Highlights were the Steinway grand piano that can actually be played (!!!) and also the totally unexpected and stunning massive billiard room on the first floor! How on earth did they get that 2 ton billiard table up there??? Or was the room built around it? Forgot to ask.... but just: Wow! Plus the gorgeous motor car in the stable house, the hothouse, the potage garden, it was all just perfect! Well done Olvestonians, keep up the good work.
Written 28 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review. Answer to your question, the billiard table was constructed in the room after the house was built. It is such an honor to show guests through Olveston and share this wee gem on Royal Terrace.
Written 31 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Can you get a tour from port of a cruise ship
Thank you
Written 11 July 2019
Hey, easy to catch a taxi from the port. Just check open8ng days and times on their web site. Well worth a visit.
Written 2 August 2019
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