Mother Seton House
Mother Seton House
4.4
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Monday
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
About
St. Mary's Historic Site is the home of the U.S.'s first Roman Catholic Seminary (1791). It was also the home for the first U.S. born Saint, Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton for one year (1808-1809). It was a refuge and gathering space for people of color. It has the first Neo-Gothic church in America, and is home to many other firsts.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Downtown
Downtown Baltimore is a hub for history buffs and art enthusiasts, with its mix of historical landmarks and cultural attractions. The revered Walters Art Museum and the avant-garde American Visionary Art Museum are a testament to the city's rich artistic heritage. Nearby, the famous Lexington Market beckons with an array of local food offerings that will delight any foodie. With the Inner Harbor just a short walk away and easy access to the city's light rail system, exploring the city's other neighborhoods is a breeze. Downtown Baltimore is a neighborhood that celebrates its past while embracing the new, making it an enticing destination for any traveler.
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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.
4.4
10 reviews
Excellent
6
Very good
2
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
sknibb
London, UK308 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Free on site parking. Docent led tour of 3 story furnished house from 1808, and nearby “neo-gothic” (brick) chapel. I had the great good fortune that docent Jackie was available at noon to provide tour. She was extremely knowledgable and articulate about the life of Elizabeth Seton, and the history and significance of the seminary and chapel, and historic baltimore founders of several orders.
Written February 14, 2020
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.
TravelingBetsy_11
Baltimore, MD35 contributions
Mar 2013 • Solo
I just recently visited the Mother Seton House and the Historic Seminary Chapel for the first time. I attended a retreat led by Father John Kemper, who is the priest in residence at the Mother Seton House and who gave us a tour of the chapel and grounds. The Seminary Chapel is absolutely breathtaking and just recently finished renovations that restored it to its original beauty (circa early 1800s). Mother Seton House is also restored to its original Federal-style appearance and there are several outdoor garden areas that would be really pretty in the late spring and summer.
I highly recommend a tour of the site if you are in Baltimore, especially to see the chapel! The buildings are open to the public year-round. Try to get in on a tour with Fr. Kemper - he knows so much of the local history and gave us a great tour!
I highly recommend a tour of the site if you are in Baltimore, especially to see the chapel! The buildings are open to the public year-round. Try to get in on a tour with Fr. Kemper - he knows so much of the local history and gave us a great tour!
Written March 7, 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.
Glenn S
Baltimore, United States6 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
The Mother Seton house is very beautiful and well worth the trip. The grounds are very well kept and it is a a very spiritual experience.
Written February 13, 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.
Christopher F
McMurdo Station Antarctica391 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
We were the only visitors that day to the home of the US first Saint. The tour lasted about an hour and started with a 10 minute video. Then you visit the house and then two chapels left on the grounds. Most of the former buildings have been removed when the seminary moved out of town leaving a nice park like setting. There is an audio guide or live guide available for tours. The chapel was gorgeous. Free parking and admission.
Written February 7, 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.
Mynej
Baltimore, MD31 contributions
Sep 2018 • Solo
This site is not just historic it is quite spiritual, sacred and holy. So many "first things" happened at that site. It is truly such a moving place to visit.
Written October 9, 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.
sk P
38 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
This was a surprising visit today. We loved everything about our visit to such a historic monument/seminary. The architecture and peaceful beauty ARE to die for!! The amount of history and solitude tied to this place just beats my imagination. The docent is full of information and she is a natural. Monday was just one of their busiest and they really took good care of my daughter and me. Make sure you pass by this lovely quaint site. It is for all ages!!! Thank you Bilaine and Ms Kathy for a wonderful afternoon full of history, facts and more importantly sweet Baltimore hospitality. With the big group before us, Knights of Columbus being there before we arrived we never felt pushed to the side or overlooked.
Written August 6, 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.
Maggi713
Baltimore, MD12,719 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
Last Saturday, we toured the Saint Mary’s Spiritual Center and Mother Seton House in Baltimore. I was fortunate to be living in Rome, Italy when the Beatification of Mother Seton took place on March 17, 1963 by Pope John XXIII. Mother Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church (on September 14, 1975 by Pope Paul VI). She established the first Catholic girls' school in the nation in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she also founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity. The Sulpician Fathers settled at the St. Mary’s site in 1791, invited by Bishop John Carroll to start the first Catholic Seminary in the United States. Today, you will find four buildings on site: The Seminary Chapel, Mother Seton House, the Spiritual Center, and the Visitor Center. The Chapel is absolutely stunning. It was completed in 1808 and is one of the earliest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the United States. This site is well worth a visit!
Written November 3, 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.
RM215079
Pittsburgh, PA283 contributions
May 2016 • Family
It is apparently not a busy site at all usually, which is a shame because it really is a nice site with knowledgeable staff. We got there to find the door locked because there is only one docent on who has to lock up if he takes a tour out. Fortunately, Father Kemper pulled in at the same time as we arrived and he let us in. We watched the informational video first, then were inserted into the tour that was in progress, then were taken back to the part we had missed after the original tour ended. Our tour guide, Fritz, was great. He knew so much about the site and seemed to really care about the place.
This site is not just the house of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, but also has an old seminary chapel and was the location of the first African American parish in the US. I was excited to see where Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton stayed while in the area because she is the saint whose name I took for confirmation, but I never expected to see a relic of hers there! Really, I found the whole site to be better than expected and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the neighborhood! Very worth the time!
This site is not just the house of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, but also has an old seminary chapel and was the location of the first African American parish in the US. I was excited to see where Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton stayed while in the area because she is the saint whose name I took for confirmation, but I never expected to see a relic of hers there! Really, I found the whole site to be better than expected and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the neighborhood! Very worth the time!
Written May 19, 2016
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.
Aimee H
Texas499 contributions
May 2014 • Family
We toured the Mother Seton House and seminary during our recent stay in Baltimore. It is very well kept. Our tour guide, Fritz was great and very knowledgeable. Everything was very well cared for and the history of the house and chapel are very interesting.
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.
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