Field Trips: James J. Hill House

Explore upstairs-downstairs life at this grand 42-room mansion, built for the Hill family in 1891.

Core experience

Life in the Hill House

Grades K-3 
Tuesday and Wednesday 
Students and teachers can discover what life was like at the turn of the 20th century in the grand mansion of Great Northern Railway president James J. Hill. Guided explorations of the mansion and inquiry-based activities will highlight stories from both the Hill family and their domestic employees, with an emphasis on comparing and contrasting past and present.

The Railroad Revolution

Grades 4-7 
Tuesday and Wednesday 
A visit to this grand Gilded Age mansion will challenge students to use critical thinking skills to discover how railroads transformed America at the turn of the 20th century. This inquiry-based program will use stories of Great Northern Railway president James J. Hill, his family, their domestic employees, and other contemporaries to highlight the revolutionary impact that railroads had on the development of Minnesota as it exists today.

Railroad Revolution +
All of the above plus an additional 30 minute tour of the 2nd and 3rd floors. Additional fee.

Standard House Tour

Grades 8 -12
Tuesday and Wednesday
The James J. Hill House stands as a symbol of success, personal taste, and family life. Students will consider James J. Hill's impact on Minnesota today while exploring St. Paul's largest house. Groups will visit family and staff spaces to learn about the people who lived and worked in the home.

Summit Avenue Walking Tour

Grades 9-12 
Tuesday and Wednesday, May-September
Summit Avenue Walking Tour discusses the business and civic leaders who built St. Paul, and transformed the Northwest, Gilded Age architectural styles and ongoing preservation work in the neighborhood.

Getting ready

• Give a copy of your schedule to all the teachers coming with your group.
• Assign students to specific groups.
• Make name tags for your students.
• Make copies of directions and parking information for bus drivers and chaperones.

Prepare your students

• Tell your students that we need their help to preserve the James J. Hill House! By not touching the woodwork, walls or furniture in the Hill House, they can help us preserve it for future generations.
• Share this video with your students.

Parking and directions

Parking is available on Summit Avenue and adjacent streets. The area immediately in front of the site on Summit Avenue is designated 2-hour parking for visitors.

Use the Google map to find the best directions to the James J. Hill House.