Updated: 8/31/2014 
Richards-DAR House Museum
Mobile, Alabama
Description

One of Mobile's finest examples of the Italianate style. Famous for its cast-iron facade depicting the four seasons. National Register (1860). Lavish iron lace decorates the Richards – Daughters of the American Revolution House Museum. This beautiful Town House of the Italianate style tells the story of Mobile during its antebellum period. Steamboat Captain Charles G. Richards and his wife, Caroline Elizabeth Steele, built their dream house in 1860.

The house museum is magnificently decorated with carved Carrara marble mantels, double parlors and reception hall with massive brass and bronze chandeliers designed of fanciful mythological figures, holding aloft etched and crenelated glass globes. Panes of ruby Bohemian glass frame the doorway, silver bell pulls for calling servants are in each room and the front gallery floor is made of gray and white marble squares. In the Richards – DAR House Museum hangs one of the largest crystal chandeliers in the city, reflecting in a French mirror over the mantel. The furnishings of this house museum date back prior to 1870.

Specialty items are for sale in the Gift Shop. Our Gift Shop is open year round, for your shopping pleasure.

We offer to you our beautiful 1860 townhouse in the DeTonti Historic district of Mobile for your pleasure and Victorian experience. . We have the availability for intimate Weddings, Receptions, Silver / High Teas, Luncheons or Parties. Our Carriage House and Courtyard is available for dancing, and our Gardens beautiful for out door use. Our home is beautifully decorated for Christmas beginning early December till January for your enjoyment. Consider a Holiday Wedding or Party and just let your Imagination soar. Florists and Caterer’s await your desires for any occasion. “JUST IMAGINE”......

Enjoy The Richards D.A.R. House Museum with your family and guests for your Holiday experience. The smell of fresh greenery, home baked goods and beautifully adorned trees with hand made ornaments will fill your senses for the season. Children’s rooms full of toys, bears, and dreams of Santa. Costumed ladies for your enjoyment with wassail and cookies served to each guest. Music and Choral groups perform and private displays adorn each room. Christmas Trees for young and old, all Reminders of times long past. Join us the 1st weekend in December each year for our Open House.

History

The Ideal Cement Company purchased the house from Richards’ descendants in 1946. After being turned over to the city of Mobile in 1973, the five Mobile Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution leased the home. The organization is responsible for furnishing and administering it as a Period House Museum.

Governance

Governing Board, special committee's.

Tax Status 501c3

Library

Access: Staff Only

Appointment required: True

Services
Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

TBA

Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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