O. Henry Home & Museum
O. Henry Home & Museum
4
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
Sydney Porter, the writer known as O. Henry, lived in this Victorian cottage from 1893 to 1895.
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Neighborhood: Downtown
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
82 reviews
Excellent
32
Very good
40
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
0
BillUsma74
64 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
I’m married to an English Teacher. This was a must stop for her. We had learned a little about WS Porter at the Capitol Visitors Center which enhanced the visit. Doesn’t take long and there is some construction so approach off 5th street!
Written January 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donald W
Frisco, TX401 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
Whether you enjoy O. Henry’s written work or just love a great story, the O. Henry Museum will interest you. The man eventually come to be known as O. Henry was someone who took years to find himself and ventured...fell unwittingly?...into crime along the way. The life story of the author of The Gift of the Magi will fascinate you, and the museum provides friendly, knowledgeable staff that makes sure you get as many fascinating details as you’d like. The museum, located in downtown Austin right next to the Susanna Dickinson Museum, is another historical gem. It’s very well organized and free!
Written August 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julesfromlc
Lake Charles, LA358 contributions
Sep 2014 • Family
Our family visited the O. Henry Home and Museum during a recent trip to Austin. To get ready for our visit, we read a few of O. Henry's stories. If you do not have a copy of his stories, they sell a book of his best stories at the museum. The museum is free, so it should fit everyone's travel budget. They do accept donations though. It is a small home, so it will not take long to see everything. The people working there were very friendly and informative. They could answer any questions that we had.
The museum contains many original items that belonged to O. Henry, including a short story by him that was never published. It is the only place where you can read the story, which is believed to be somewhat autobiographical.
If you are visiting Austin, I would recommend a stop by the O. Henry house and also the museum next door, which is also free!
The museum contains many original items that belonged to O. Henry, including a short story by him that was never published. It is the only place where you can read the story, which is believed to be somewhat autobiographical.
If you are visiting Austin, I would recommend a stop by the O. Henry house and also the museum next door, which is also free!
Written September 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy R
Fulton, MD193 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
The O. Henry museum opened at Noon the day we visited so don't go in the morning unless you check in advance. It was hard to find parking and you'll have to pay but the museum is worth it. Our tour guide really knew his O.Henry inside and out and added lots of background information when asked questions. We had been to the O.Henry home in Asheville, NC last year but seeing his Texas home was more revealing. The drafting job, bank embezzlement, prison time, his many names, The Rolling Stone, the Sunday column, his work ethic and his alcoholism are nicely presented and form a more complete picture than we got in Asheville. We also visited the Hannig House next door but the experience there is not as compelling- worthwhile because she survived the Alamo but you wouldn't go there for it alone. There is no admission fee for either attraction.
Written May 16, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bluebird1000
Springfield, MO73 contributions
Jul 2011
We picked up an excellent brochure about O. Henry at the Austin Visitors' Center on Sixth Street last week and soon realized his house/museum was just a block from our hotel. Even though the hotel was closed the day we walked by, the curator happened to be there and very kindly let us in, gave us a tour, and told us all sorts of interesting things about O. Henry and his time in Austin. This is a fascinating 'slice of life' museum located in a house that William Sydney Porter (aka O. Henry) lived in while in Austin. The man is fascinating and you will see many of the furnishings and memorabilia displayed nicely in this museum. The staff was knowledgeable and made us feel like we'd walked back in history. I highly recommend this little jewel in downtown Austin, located on 5th Street between the Marriott and Hilton hotels. It was a highlight of our visit!
Written July 18, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Goatview
Texas9 contributions
This little house tucked into a block in downtown Austin has some nice stuff for American literature fans. O. Henry lived in Austin for a while and even got into enough hot water there to put him in prison for three years. And this was one of the houses he lived in. They even have the bed in which he and his poor wife slept. The house HAS been moved about 1-1/2 blocks to its current location, but it IS the same house.
The City of Austin pays a docent to give tours to anyone who wants one--definitely a must-do since there isn't a lot of labeling of things in the house and you can't tell what is just period stuff from what is the real O. Henry stuff without the docent.
This wouldn't interest most kids, but this old lady really liked it a lot.
The City of Austin pays a docent to give tours to anyone who wants one--definitely a must-do since there isn't a lot of labeling of things in the house and you can't tell what is just period stuff from what is the real O. Henry stuff without the docent.
This wouldn't interest most kids, but this old lady really liked it a lot.
Written November 6, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnitaNewportBch
Los Angeles, CA3,927 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
If you're a pun-ner or even if you are not an O. Henry reader, this little museum will take you back to a different time. Interesting small place with curious objects from the original home of a great English poet. Definitely worth the half hour or so to stop in.
Written April 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
scott r
Silver Spring, MD784 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
If you're close, it's an interesting and quick stop - 4 rooms. That said, it may prompt me to read more of O'Henry as I could only pull 2 stories, and I think I'll backtrack and take another look at the Cisco Kid. 2 docents on the day I went and both knowledgeable in different areas. Actually intended to buy a copy of the lately discovered & published story both as a sign of support and to read - got distracted and I regret that.
Written March 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruce M
Durham, NC522 contributions
Sep 2017 • Solo
The opening line to Ransom of Red Chief, one of O 'Henry's great stories. And the author's house is a great little stop. Takes as short or as long as you want. The docent, Graham, is very, very, very knowledgeable on O Henry. Terrific stories. I stayed a lot longer than I thought I would because his stories were so interesting. Take your rowdy little ones and visit!
Written October 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jengland46
Fort Worth, TX155 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
Quite small house, but the docent was knowledgeable and interesting. She told us about O Henry's life before writing. There were reproductions of his periodical The Rolling Stone. I had never heard of it, but it contained short jokes and funny anecdotes. This was one of his first ventures in writing.
Written October 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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