Lyman Estate

Waltham, Massachusetts

1793

A National Historic Landmark

Lyman Estate, also known as "The Vale," is one of the finest examples in the United States of a country estate following the principles of eighteenth-century English naturalistic design.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, large expanses of land and proximity to Boston made Waltham a popular location for country estates. Lyman Estate was the warm-weather retreat for four generations of the Lyman family. In 1793 shipping merchant Theodore Lyman commissioned famed architect Samuel McIntire to design and build a Federal-style house. The family enlarged the house in 1882 in the Victorian style and then remodeled it in the Colonial Revival style in 1917. The thirty-seven-acre property includes beautifully preserved gardens and historic greenhouses.

Visitors hear the story of the Lyman family as they explore the elegant mansion, which is used today as a venue for weddings, meetings, and private parties. The mansion’s architectural features include an elegant ballroom and graceful oval parlor, both pristine examples of Federal design. The Lyman Estate Greenhouses are open for casual or guided tours.

Visit Lyman Estate

Open for mansion tours
Third Saturdays, year round*
Tours on the hour. Last tour at noon.
Closed most major holidays.
*Please note: August tours will be held on Saturday, August 24.

Admission to mansion
$5 adults
$4 seniors
Free for Historic New England members and Waltham residents. Become a member.

Location and directions
Lyman Estate
185 Lyman Street
Waltham, Mass. 02452

Map and directions

Parking: Ample, on-site parking for cars; buses must be prearranged.