Anderson House Daytime Tour

Anderson House was built between 1902 and 1905 as the winter residence of American Diplomat Larz Anderson and his wife, Isabel Weld Perkins. It was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Boston architects Arthur Little and Herbert S.C. Browne. The Andersons used the house to entertain the social and political elite of America and abroad, as well as to showcase their collection of fine art and historic artifacts acquired in their extensive travels. Following Larz Anderson’s death in 1937, his widow donated the house and its contents to the Society of the Cincinnati, of which Larz was a member. The Society’s museum is home to one of the world’s greatest collection of books and manuscripts on the history of the Revolutionary War as well as a research library on 17th and 18th century military and naval history.

In addition to the Andersons’ original art collection, the museum’s collection includes portraits, armaments and personal artifacts of Revolutionary War soldiers, commemorative objects associated with the history of the Society and its members, as well as artifacts related to the history of the house, including the U.S. Navy’s occupation of it during World War II.  Anderson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.

General Information

• Meet your Smithsonian Associates Rep by the Information Desk, no later than listed start time.
• While there is metered street parking and several parking lots and garages near the building, space is limited, your best bet is using METRO.