Hampton National Historic Site

The only way to see the interior of the mansion is by being on a mansion tour, with a ticket.

Tours of the mansion offer a glimpse of over 150 years of American history as lived by the Ridgely family, European indentured servants, enslaved African Americans, and paid laborers. Visitors can join a guide and walk the halls of this historic structure and learn about its architectural features, artwork, and the thousands of other authentic collection items that are on display. The mansion's artifacts and decor is changed twice a year - once in the winter and again in the summer to showcase seasonal fashions and adjustments that predate modern utilities and luxuries.

The only way to go inside the mansion is on a tour, with tickets!
*Starting May 1, 2024 Hampton NHS has entered a trial period to have Mansion Tour tickets reserved ahead of time on recreation.gov. Please select the reservation link to reserve your ticket ahead of time. For more information on why the park is moving to an online reservation system, please go to the park's news release.*

• How to Reserve tickets:To reserve tickets ahead of time, please follow the reservation link.
• Price: Tickets reserved ahead of time have a $1.00 reservation fee.
• Ticket Windows: tickets can be reserved 90 days in advance until tours are full or until 10:00 pm the night before the tour.
• Day-of Tickets: Any tours that do not sell-out ahead of time will have remaining tickets available on site on a first come, first serve basis in the park visitor center. Mansion tours are limited to 15 people per tour. Due to limited space, visitors are encouraged to reserve their tickets ahead of time on recreation.gov because there is no guarantee that there will be any remaining tickets the day of the tour.

Join us for a walk through the gardens and grounds. Learn about the creation of the parterres, the people that kept the gardens and grounds looking beautiful and their stories.

For much of Hampton’s history, scenic gardening reflected the interests, social statuses, wealth, and creativity of the Ridgely family. From the 1790’s to modern day, the cultural landscape of Hampton has changed to suit the wants and needs of those who occupy the property. Hampton’s landscape tells the story of the many functions of landscaping, labors, and people used to create scenic grounds. From the Ridgely Family to the people that lived and labored here.

One story of many:
Daniel Harris (1785-c.1867) was enslaved by Charles Carnan Ridgely before being manumitted (legally freed) in 1829. He continued to work as a gardener at Hampton for John Ridgely to make enough money to free his enslaved daughter Mary (b. 1826) in 1831. Although Daniel left Hampton in the early 1830s, he continued to be employed in the area. By 1853, he became the first free Black person to purchase property in the area that would become the historically Black neighborhood of East Towson. 

Learn more about the history of the gardens

Join us for a special Juneteenth weekend performance highlighting women of Hampton and their life in freedom.

Step back in time at Hampton as remarkable women from history are brought to life through first-person storytelling and authentic costumes by Ms. Story (Shemika Renee). Follow her through the historic rooms of the Hampton Mansion as she presents her interpretation of women such as Nancy Davis and Ida Cummings.

While there, you will also learn directly from staff about the latest discoveries and preservation efforts taking place at Hampton. Get the behind-the-scenes scoop about everything from the construction happening on site to archeological discoveries and rare 18th century objects recently added to the museum collections.

To register, please email Gregory_Weidman@nps.gov or call 410-395-4692