IMPORTANT NOTICE to VISITORS to the Emlen Physick Estate for the week of Sunday, Oct. 27: Washington Street is closed to traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 28 and repaving work is expected to continue for one week. “No parking” signs will be posted Sunday, Oct. 27. The Physick Estate and Cape May MAC tours will continue as scheduled during this time, however, visitors will not have vehicle access to the Emlen Physick Estate during daytime hours. Vehicles may access the estate after 5pm. Daytime visitors to the estate may park off site in any legal parking spot. Kiwanis Park has parking and access to the Physick Estate via walkway.

Visit the Emlen Physick Estate

Cape May’s only Victorian House Museum

Take a guided tour of the first and second floors of the 1879 Physick House Museum, for an in-depth look at Victorian architecture and the period, reflecting one Victorian family’s lifestyle, and detailing the way the Physick family and their household lived, worked and spent their leisure time. Built in 1879, the 18-room mansion is an architectural wonder built by famed American architect Frank Furness and is one of the best examples of Victorian Stick Style architecture in the country. Guided tour themes change annually.

Angi.com picks the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate for New Jersey’s “This is the Most Beautiful Building in Your State.”

The first floor of the Physick House Museum is fully accessible. Free on-site parking/RV-friendly

$20 adults,
$15 children (ages 3 to 12)
25% off for members – Find-out more!

FEATURED TOURS

EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE TOUR

victorian dressed tour guide gives tour of the emlen physick estate billiard room

Take a guided tour of the first and second floors of the 1879 Physick House Museum, for an in-depth look at Victorian architecture and the period, reflecting one Victorian family’s lifestyle, and detailing the way the Physick family and their household lived, worked and spent their leisure time. From dancing to fishing, golfing, and concerts, this tour explores various activities that entertained visitors and the Physick family in the Victorian era. Learn how Victorians “beat the heat” with ocean bathing and ice cream. Gain insight into architectural features within the house designed to combat the summer heat, providing a unique perspective on the ingenuity of the past. In 2024-25, the tour is titled “Down the Shore: Summers in Cape May”

CHRISTMAS TOURS

christmas lights around a sign for the emlen physick estate

The Emlen Physick Estate is simply magical at Christmas. Enjoy specialty Christmas-themed tours, beautifully decorated grounds, and our annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Exhibit in the Carroll Gallery.

STRANGE VICTORIAN OBSESSIONS

Victorian spiritual paraphernalia on a table

Victorians were fascinated with mystery and illusion and this tour through first floor rooms in the 1879 Physick House Museum shares that fascination. Learn about the famous Harry Houdini who captivated Victorian audiences with his intricate escapes, the Goddess of Mystery, Ionia, a Belgian beauty who Victorians worshipped for her spectacles of magic, The Great Lafayette, who became known as the world’s greatest magician, and Pepper’s Ghost, an illusion still used today, with Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper and more.

Cape Resorts Realty Group advertisement

VOICES FROM BEYOND HOUSE TOUR

black and white photo of people on tour in a victorian house

Experience an unusual tour in Cape May MAC’s 1879 Emlen Physick House. In the Voices from Beyond Tour, you will hear actual spirit voices captured by Cape May MAC staff over the past 10 years. View historical photos of the Physick family and their staff alongside photos of apparitions seen inside the house. Learn about the equipment and tools used throughout history in paranormal research. Who could these voices belong to and what is keeping them connected to the Physick House Museum? Draw your own conclusions on this new and exciting paranormal tour.

HISTORIC HAUNTS HOUSE TOUR

a photo of a spooky victorian house

Tour select rooms with your guide and learn about Victorian Spiritualism in Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, the Physick House Museum, widely reputed to be haunted. Guides will explore the concepts of spiritualism and the occult, both of which were wildly popular topics in the Victorian Era.

CLUELESS AT THE PHYSICK ESTATE

photo of a victorian sitting room with the words "clueless at the Physick Estate" over top

Everyone is suspect during Clueless at the Physick Estate, a “whodunit” similar to the popular board game. Join fellow amateur sleuths and encounter characters inside the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., as this original mystery unfolds from room to room. Don’t miss this chance to challenge your imagination and deduction skills in a one-of-a-kind historic Cape May setting. Accessible with advance notice.

COMBINATION TOURS

tour groups on a house tour and a trolley tour

Several combination tours combine a visit to the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate along with one of our trolley tours. Click below to learn more about our various combination tours.

GARDENS OF CAPE MAY TOUR

Private home garden

Check back for 2025 date!

Here is your invitation to explore Cape May’s unique natural areas and the private plants, blooms and landscape designs of area gardeners. See both public and private gardens and take home ideas for your own garden. Smell and see what’s blooming and flourishing in several different seashore locations dominated by sunlight, ocean breezes, and sand and salt, each uniquely situated. Cape May’s Emlen Physick Estate gardens are included, the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate will host nature and garden-themed local vendors, plus a complimentary wine tasting by Cape May Winery.

Free Experiences

PHYSICK ESTATE
SCAVENGER HUNT

Have an adventure the whole family will enjoy at the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate! Use our map to explore the grounds and find answers to questions about the estate in this educational scavenger hunt. Available daily at the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitors Center at the Physick Estate. Includes map and clues.

FREE. Available in English & Spanish.

Donations Accepted

CARROLL GALLERY EXHIBITS

group of tour goers walking into the Carriage House museum shop on the grounds of the emlen physick estate

Throughout the year, the Carroll Gallery is home to changing exhibits that bring Cape May history to life. Visit scenes from the Victorian era or explore Cape May’s African American heritage; reminisce on years past or become a kid again when the Gallery turns into a holiday wonderland.

STORY STOPS AT THE
PHYSICK ESTATE

a photo of a Cape May MAC Story Stop fixture used by self-guided tour goers.

Look for various story stops on the grounds and listen to first-hand accounts of life at the Physick Estate during Victorian days in Cape May.

FREE

HARVEST BREW FEST

four women holding beer at the cape may mac harvest brew fest

September 13, 2025

Enjoy craft beers  and celebrate South Jersey during this all-day festival that celebrates all things local! Enjoy local food vendors, local artisans, local craft beers and local musical talent.

Learn More

ABOUT US

VIRTUAL TOUR

Emlen Physick Estate Photos

Trip Advisor Reviews