Where and what is Craigdarroch Castle?
Located a short drive or a leisurely walk from the downtown
harbour, just off Fort Street at 1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria,
BC, Canada, Craigdarroch Castle is a beautiful historic Victorian-era
mansion, built in the 1890s by wealthy BC coal baron Robert
Dunsmuir. It is now owned by the Craigdarroch Castle Historical
Museum Society and almost totally funded by its 150,000 annual
visitors.
How big is it and what happens?
Rising 87 stairs up through the 4 1/2 stories, there are
39 rooms, most of which are furnished lavishly in the 1890s–1900s
period. With over 20,000 square feet of space, the house
and gardens are being restored exactly as they were originally
built, and you will find artisans working on restorations
most days. Step back in time and experience the life and
times of the very rich and famous.
Click to download A Short
History of the Castle PDF (44 Kb)
Tours & Access
To tour the Castle, you can park on the Castle lot or on
the street where indicated. You enter through the old coach
entrance, pay your admission fee, clean your shoes and are
then provided with a floor map, family history and introduction
as to how to proceed. Tours are self-guided, so you can stop
where you want. It should take you 45 minutes to an hour
to tour through the Castle. It is an easy climb up the 87
stairs, stopping on all of the four floors to tour the various
rooms and then to the Tower for a panoramic view of Victoria,
the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the snow capped Olympic Mountains.
There are volunteer docents (information providers) available
throughout the Castle. If you have any questions, ask someone
with a badge and they will be happy to assist you.
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Translations/Languages
We are pleased to provide you with FREE tour maps in the
following languages: English, French, Japanese, Mandarin,
German, Spanish, and Korean.
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Not wheelchair accessible
The Castle did not originally have ramps or elevators and
is in itself an artifact. Therefore, there are no ramps or
elevators now and it is not wheelchair accessible.
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Gift Shop & Refreshments
The Museum Gift Shop has delightful treasures for all ages
and in every price range, including Victorian replica gift
choices, Castle memorabilia and local artisans' work. Although
we do not have a restaurant or coffee shop, you may purchase
soft drinks and any number of tasty treats from our sweets
selection.
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Some small requests
When you arrive you will see that the interior design includes
an amazing amount of beautifully carved wood with some narrow
doorways and passages. To protect this national historic
treasure, we do ask the following:
* please leave all drinks and food outside
* please leave baby carriages/walkers in your car or at the door
* please remove backpacks and carry them or leave at front door
* please clean your shoes on our shoe cleaner before entering
* please supervise children and keep them with your party
* please observe roped off areas—museum rooms are motion alarmed
* please enjoy the artifacts but refrain from touching them
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