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McDowell House Museum

McDowell House Museum

McDowell House Museum
4.5
About
McDowell House is a house museum. Every day, personally guided tours are given through the house and apothecary where Dr. Ephraim McDowell lived and worked. Dr. McDowell is known for performing the first successful removal of an ovarian tumor.
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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

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles47 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
15
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Unwind2
TN14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Solo
Loved this, we almost passed on it as you have to ring a bell to have someone come to the door to let you in and we were timid about this but the tour is very interesting and well worth your time.
Written April 29, 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.

ahcanupp
Cynthiana, KY54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
I grew up in Harrodsburg, but never toured much of it or the surrounding cities. I went with my family and visited Constitution Square first and then went to the Ephraim House at 1:00. We had a coupon from the visitors' center, so go visit there first to get a dollar off adult ticket coupon. The tour guide, Laura, was friendly, thorough, patient with my kids' questions, and above all very knowledgable. She was funny and the kids LOVED her! Worth every penny and we are so glad we went. The AC was broken that day and they offered us 1/2 off of our tickets. We declined the generous offer, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless. After you hear Ephraim McDowell and Ms. Crawford's story, you will be amazed both's courage and determination. Just an amazing piece of medical history!
Written June 25, 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.

akhollis
Lancaster, KY16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Friends
The McDowell House tour kept my attention the whole time. My previous experience in touring homes are the stuffy governor or politician homes. This isn't anything like that. Our spunky guide kept us on our toes with interesting stories and facts about the time period and Dr. McDowell. Seeing the homes courtyard is worth the tour.
Written May 6, 2013
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.

Bites of the Bluegrass
Lexington, KY2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Alice was great! I've been studying up on Danville and was hoping to get some tidbits I hadn't found out yet about Ephraim McDowell by visiting the museum. I definitely learned some great things I hadn't yet come across! That, combined with the excitement of just being in such a historical place, made for a delightful afternoon!
Written August 17, 2022
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.

Suzanne Y
Burlington, KY11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
If you are passing through Danville, be sure to stop at the McDowell House. It is very well-preserved. Our guide was excellent, very friendly and informative.
Written June 11, 2022
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.

Sarah's vacations
21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2018
I like history and I am in the medical field so the tour of McDowell House was very interesting to me.
Written October 2, 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.

Bob B
Norwell, MA18 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2017 • Couples
Very interesting story of the doctor and his patient. Nice house and apothecary with all the medicines.
Written October 2, 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.

jgbtravels
Louisville, KY4,765 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Couples
Ephraim McDowell was a remarkable doctor for his time. No one had ever performed the type of surgery he did in pioneer days. Imagine removing a 22 pound tumor during the early 1800s. Now imagine the patient lived until the age of 78. Then again, let's appreciate the artifacts and period furniture in this historic house. That alone is worth the price of admission. I have taken this tour before but you learn something new from each docent that presents it a little differently. The folks here are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They truly seem to love what they do. And hopefully you come away enriched for taking this tour.
Written July 17, 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.

CosnerLove
Florissant, Missouri4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2015 • Family
This was a great little house museum, with an amazing story and man connected to it. Great tour by the staff and wonderful gardens.
Written March 24, 2015
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.

HonestKYTraveller
Kentucky56 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Couples
Very interesting and unusual way to spend an afternoon. House and guide were great. Learned a lot and had a great time.
Written August 26, 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.

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McDowell House Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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