You Can Actually Tour These Five Famous Frank Lloyd Wright Homes

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most celebrated American architects, and once you see the homes and public buildings he’s designed, it’s not difficult to see why. In addition to residential homes across the country, Wright designed famous buildings like the Guggenheim Museum in New York and far-flung architectural marvels like the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. Still, you don’t necessarily have to travel far to see one of Wright’s famous designs—homes created by the architect are scattered across the United States.

Courtesy of HomeAdvisor

To help showcase Wright’s designs, HomeAdvisor created a map with some of his most iconic houses across 37 different states. Although most of the featured homes were built in the early 20th century, their popularity has endured. In fact, Wright’s Sondern-Adler House in Kansas City, MO, recently sold for more than $900,000 at auction.

Still, not all of Wright’s creations are open to the public, and many of his homes are privately owned. If you’re interested in taking a tour or admiring Wright’s work in person, consider visiting those on public sites. Start planning your road trip now, because you can actually walk through these five Frank Lloyd Wright homes.

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1. Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA

If you’ve heard of Wright before, chances are you're familiar with Fallingwater. Easily Wright’s most iconic home design, this gorgeous building has been open to the public since 1964. Built over a stunning waterfall, the home was designed for the Kaufmann family to use as a weekend getaway destination in Mill Run, PA, and it was built from 1936 to 1937. The house was an instant sensation, and Wright even appeared on the cover of Time magazine with his completed design in 1937. You can visit the home during the tour season, which runs from early March through the end of December, to see inside Wright’s most memorable masterpiece for $30 per adult.

2. Allen House in Wichita, KS

Built in 1917, the Allen house was the last of Wright’s prairie-style designs, which generally had low ceilings and lots of horizontal lines to imitate the surrounding flat landscape. It was built for Elsie and Henry J. Allen, and Wright designed the home as he worked on his famous Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. As a result, you can see some Japanese influence in the design as well—the house even has more than 30 furniture pieces designed by the architect. Make a visit at the house-turned-museum for guided ($18 per person) and in-depth ($22 per person) tours most days of the week. The museum is closed in January for their annual maintenance, but open the rest of the year.

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3. Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, CA

Hollyhock House, built between 1919 and 1921, was Wright’s first home design in Los Angeles. It was commissioned by Aline Barnsdall, an oil heiress, and like many of his houses, Wright wanted the design to evoke the natural beauty of the surrounding California landscape. Now, Hollyhock House is owned by the city of Los Angeles. The house is open year-round and you can take guided and self-guided tours for $7 per adult Tuesday through Sunday.

Courtesy of HomeAdvisor

4. Stockman House in Mason City, IA

Originally built for George and Eleanor Stockman in 1908, the Stockman House was relocated a few blocks from its original site in Mason City. The home was put up for auction in 1987, and to avoid being demolished in order to build a new parking lot, it was moved and restored by the River City Society for Historical Preservation. Volunteers for the organization saved and restored the house so it could be open to the public. It’s one of Wright’s “fireproof houses,” which were based on a design he published in Ladies’ Home Journal that featured fireproof architectural elements like metal windows, closable eaves, and concrete floors. The Stockman House offers tours six days a week from May through October for $10 per adult and offers Saturday tours from November through April.

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5. Rosenbaum House in Florence, AL

The only Wright building in the state of Alabama, the Rosenbaum House is one of Wright’s Usonian designs, which he created to be simpler and more affordable for families. The house was originally built for the Rosenbaum family in 1939, but as the household grew, Wright designed an addition that was built in 1948 and added more than 1,000 square feet. The Rosenbaum House opened as a public museum in 2002, and guided tours are offered Tuesday through Sunday for $10 per adult.

A Wright-designed house is probably closer than you think. And if you aren't able to take a road trip to visit these five Wright designs, there are plenty of other Wright-designed homes that have been converted into museums—you can even spend the night in some!