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Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House

Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House

Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House
5
Historic SitesArchitectural Buildings
Monday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Martin House (Buffalo, NY, 1903-05) exemplifies Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie House ideal and ranks as one of his finest residential works. Tour schedules change throughout the year, so please visit our website for the most up-to-date schedule as you plan your visit. Designed for Larkin Soap Company executive, Darwin D. Martin, the multi-residential estate is a one-of-a-kind composition consisting of the main Martin House, the Barton House, a carriage house with chauffeur’s quarters and stables, a glass-roofed conservatory linked to the main house by a 100-foot pergola, and a gardener’s cottage. Tours explore the restored and reconstructed buildings, surrounding landscape, and an extensive collection of art glass and furnishings, all designed by Wright, which together form a totally integrated architectural masterwork. We welcome you to this National Historic Landmark.
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  • John
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful experience by architect couple
    Wonderful experience. The restoration of the Martin House, and reconstruction of the pergola, conservatory, and carriage house was masterful, and reflects the fifty million dollar investment by the dedicated non profit organization. The Martin House itself was artfully restored. The art work windows, fireplaces, and open-concept design executed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905——-WOW. We enjoyed this FLW estate, the modern info pavilion, the grounds, the gift shop, and cafe with its outdoor terrace. We also enjoyed walking to see another 1905 FLW residence done for another executive of the Larkin company. Our docent was gracious and very well informed, and answered many questions by our small tour group.
    Thank you so much for visiting the Martin House and sharing your experience on TripAdvisor! We're so glad you enjoyed visiting the site and experiencing the restoration.
    Written 19 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 October 2023
  • Jennifer G
    Toronto, Canada7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A step back in time!
    This is a must see Frank Lloyd Wright house. You are really able to learn about the man as well as the design of the house. Wish we had done the 2 hr tour. Kim our docent was fantastic! Very pleasant , knowledgeable and always kind enough to answer questions. There is so much great history here. Thoroughly enjoyable.
    Thank you so much for visiting the Martin House and sharing your experience on TripAdvisor! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour with Kim and hope to welcome you back soon.
    Written 19 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 October 2023
  • Griffin G
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressed by the Martin House
    The Martin house by Frank Lloyd Wright was a highlight of our trip to Buffalo. Unbelievable detail, history, and architecture made this tour engaging and impressive. Even skeptics walked away thoroughly impressed with how enjoyable it was. Recommend paying more for the longer tour to get the full experience.
    Thank you so much for visiting the Martin House and sharing your experience on TripAdvisor! We're so glad you enjoyed your Martin House Plus tour and hope to welcome you back soon.
    Written 26 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Joan D
    Delaware9 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unfortunate policy that will not allow photos of this amazing interior.
    I have toured numerous Wright buildings and made a special pilgrimage to see this one. It is spectacular! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos of the interior. There was no explanation of this policy, which is unique in my experience. Taliesin in Spring Green, Taliesin West, the Oak Park home and studio, Unity Temple, the Johnson Wax Building, Fallingwater - I have photos of all of their interiors. But not the Martin House. I don't understand. No flash is necessary, so light exposure is not an issue. Our group of six for the extended tour was at no risk of lagging behind or wandering off. Is it intended to boost sales of 'official' books/guides? I would truly like to know.
    Thank you so much for visiting the Martin House and sharing your experience on TripAdvisor! Our photography policy is in place for safety, mainly. But, more broadly, there are two main reasons: one, public safety and collections care -- we provide open access to these historic spaces without any velvet ropes and we want to prevent any accidents. Second, photography can be distracting to guests and lead to interruptions on tours as folks can be so focused on getting the perfect shot, they don't pay attention to the people and objects around them. Thus our Photography Tours, where we can provide the space and focus for photographers to take photos to their heart's content! We hope to welcome you back on one of our Photography Tours sometime soon.
    Written 26 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Jan B
    Skaneateles, New York120 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take the two-hour tour - 90 minutes just whet my appetite
    The docent who led our tour gave us an outstanding overview of the history of the house and the people who lived there. She expertly explained the various architectural elements and Wright’s reasons for different aspects of the design. Fascinating tour and an amazing house.
    Thank you so much for visiting the Martin House and sharing your experience on TripAdvisor! We're so glad you enjoyed your docent-led tour and hope to welcome you back soon.
    Written 26 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 24 October 2023
  • TrueNorth67
    Barrie, Canada190 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful afternoon
    Our docent Dave really made our 2 hour tour. His knowledge of the property and enthusiasm made for what could have been a dry history lesson a fun and interesting tour of a one of a kind property. Our second visit to the Martin House, first was before the $50 million dollar renovation was completed. Wonderful shop and Cafe. We plan to visit again one summer when the flowers and and trees are in full bloom A true gem that Buffalo should be proud of.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 March 2024
  • Emma
    Chicoutimi, Canada8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth it!
    This was so interesting! The two-hour tour didn't feel too long and the tour guides were knowledgeable and nice. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in architecture and historic restoration and preservation. Photos aren't allowed inside the houses and touching is not allowed - keep that in mind if you're visiting with rambunctious kids. Well worth the time and money!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 March 2024
  • Andrew T
    11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Home.
    This house is so beautifully restored and presented as such. The docent that led the tour was very knowledgeable about the house, its restoration and its original owner and architect. Frank Loyd Wright designed some beautiful homes in his time, this one is most definitely one of them. Worth the visit if in Buffalo ! 🦬
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 15 April 2024
  • maureen m
    Cambridge, Massachusetts54 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Buffalo has a real treasure with this restored historic masterpiece
    Our last-minute decision to visit here while driving by Buffalo on a long distance road trip was one of the best decisions we made! Beautiful and authentic restorations to the home were stunning. 90 minute tour with expert docent was wonderful; great balance of history, FLW designs and artistic appreciation.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 April 2024
  • Susan R
    Manlius, New York5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take this tour if you are here
    Were in Buffalo for an event on Saturday evening. Drove in early and visited the museum. We took the 2 hour tour. Shout out to our guide Dave. He did a fantastic job in going through the history of both the owner and Frank Lloyd Wright as well as some of the local history of the time. Would highly recommend this tour!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 April 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1 691 reviews
Excellent
1 401
Very good
234
Average
43
Poor
8
Terrible
5

Jill G
Green Bay, WI249 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Friends
Great activity to do in Buffalo. Highly recommend booking a tour in advance, there are limited spots available on each tour. You can walk around the grounds for free but a tour is required to go inside the house. Our tour guide was excellent! She had a lot of knowledge about the house and history of the area. Great example of Wright’s architecture!
Written 15 June 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.
Happy you had a great experience! Thank you for choosing to spend your time with us.
Written 19 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brendan S
Arlington, VA2 175 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
The Martin House is one of the few Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses I have toured that actually seem livable to me. This huge house has amazing interior spaces and all of the hallmarks of the FLW Prairie Style on the exterior and interior. While the Martin House is the centerpiece of the property, it is actually one of multiple building on a complex that includes a smaller cottage, a carriage house, a greenhouse and gardens, and a small visitors' center with photos of the Martin family and house under construction and as lived in. The standard 75-minute tour takes visitors through most of the Martin House, greenhouse and carriage house. A longer tour goes into the cottage and other areas, but the standard tour seemed like it covered all the significant areas. The guide was less knowledgeable than other guides I have had at FLW houses, but maybe others are better.
Written 18 September 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 the kind words! The restoration has been a decades-long community effort, and we love sharing the results with visitors. Sorry to hear about your experience with the guide. All of our docents are volunteers and typically receive rave reviews. Lastly, thank you for choosing the spend time with us.
Written 20 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TennesseePam
18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
We (myself, my husband and my mom) were in the area and wanted to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin house but tickets weren’t available online. We took a chance and showed up anyway. We got lucky. We had missed 5 minutes of the tour but were able to jump in with the group and see this amazing house and grounds. Faith was our tour guide and I liked her right away. I enjoyed every minute of this tour. No pictures inside which actually let me enjoy the tour even more although, if allowed, I’m sure I would have been snapping away. I highly recommend any of the tours. We were limited on time and chose the 75 minute tour. I would love to go back for more. Add this to your itinerary. You won’t regret it! Thanks, Faith! You’re so good at what you do and you knew all the answers to our questions. 5 out of 5 stars from Tennessee. 😁
Written 8 August 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.
We are so happy to read all of this! And we will absolutely let Faith know how much you enjoyed the experience with her as a docent. Thank you for choosing to spend time at the Martin House and in our great city!
Written 10 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dilki d
Toronto, Canada18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
The amazing architecture and design was outstanding while we also learned about his way of life and philosophy representative of an iconic designer. Frank Lloyd Wright was clearly futuristic. The tour guide was informative and passionate, and made the visit very interesting.
Written 21 February 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.

CleopatraBunny
Flagstaff, AZ1 818 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Couples
We tried to your the interior on a Wednesday morning it tours were only available in the afternoon. Gift shop is only open Thursday to Saturday. Still, we were able to walk around the grounds and garden for free. Well worth a stop if you’re a FLW fan or enjoy gardens and architecture!
Written 4 June 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 sorry you were not able to experience a tour. We hope to be able to welcome you to the Martin House again!
Written 27 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mikes1951
Florida10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
This is a spectacular house with beautiful gardens and an amazing history having been resurrected from an abandoned near wreck. We have visited numerous Frank Lloyd Wright creations and this is one of the best. Our tour guide Roger was exceptional with his presentation, knowledge and enthusiasm being one among the best we’ve ever encountered.
Written 18 July 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.
Thanks for the kind words about Roger. Our docents are the best!
Written 27 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

184Howard
Toronto, Canada17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Friends
I have now visited three times , through different stages of restoration.
This is a must do for anyone, especially someone with an aesthetic sensibility.
I recommend the intensive architectural tour of the Darwin Martin Housing Complex as a five star afternoon outing.
Written 18 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.

Lorraine H
Buffalo, NY5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
Visiting this house is like a trip back in time and represents an amazing blend of the two styles of Wright and Martin. You need to spend at least an hour here to truly appreciate the genius of the design and construction of this magnificent home. The foundation has done an excellent job on the restoration and maintaining the property for future generations. It is a truly unique and fascinating piece of history.
Written 2 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.
Thanks for the kind review! It was actually a group of local concerned citizens - not the foundation - who formed the Martin House Restoration Corporation in the early 90's to inspire the community to save the Martin House. With the help of New York State, Erie County, the City of Buffalo, and tons of community members and organizations, here we are! Restored, reconstructed, and gorgeous!
Written 4 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chris V
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
The house is amazing! The tour was thorough and our tour guide, Lou, was pleasant, knowledgeable, and extremely accommodating. I highly recommend taking the time to learn about the architectural genius of Frank Lloyd Wright and then go see it in person.

It was a wonderful experience!
Written 19 November 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 happy you had a 5-star experience. Thank you for making time to visit the Martin House!
Written 22 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Amy S
Alliance, OH35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
We had a great self-guided tour. The docents are very helpful and knowledgeable! The restoration is great! While another reviewer mentioned that you can’t tell what is original to what is restored - that’s the point! This home sat EMPTY for many years, after many original fixtures (the beautiful windows) were sold off. It’s definitely worth a visit! Seeing the stained-glass with sunlight shining is simply breathtaking!
Written 13 October 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.
So happy to hear you had a wonderful tour experience, and thank you for sharing with others. A special thank you for choosing to spend time at the Martin House estate, and we hope to welcome you again! Stay well.
Written 14 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S MARTIN HOUSE (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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