A Christmas Story House + Museum
Location: Cleveland, Ohio (3159 W. 11th St.)
When to visit: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Cost: $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $13 for kids
Time needed: 30-45 minutes
Website: www.achristmasstoryhouse.com
Much of the classic movie ‘A Christmas Story’ was filmed in Toronto, but the exterior shots of the family home were taken in a residential neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio.
Since 2006, that restored yellow house has been the A Christmas Story House and Museum, which hosts thousands of visitors every year with daily tours.
Though the film was released in 1983, it was set in the ’40s, so everything here is designed to look really old. The movie has become an annual holiday classic, and that makes this museum an oddly popular tourist attraction.
The house and museum are open all year, so visit anytime! Visitation is obviously higher during the holiday season, but you can avoid crowds by coming during the offseason.
What will you inside the Christmas Story House? I stopped by and took a bunch of photos to share. Read on for the details of this quirky Cleveland attraction.
Inside A Christmas Story House
A Christmas Story, of course, came out in 1983 and has become a holiday classic. You can’t miss it on tv several times every holiday season.
Only the exterior of this particular house appeared in the film. But the interior of the house has been restored to look just like it did in the movie.
Visitors are encouraged to hold up the BB gun next to the tree and pose underneath the sink.
Across the street from the house itself is the museum, which houses original props and artifacts from the movie, like Schwartz’s hat and scarf, Miss Shields’s blackboard, and Grover Dill’s cap.
Logistics of Visiting: Ticket Prices, Hours, Parking
The house is open year-round, but you can expect much larger crowds during the holiday season. It’s a must-visit for fans of the movie.
As of 2023, adult tickets cost $18, while kids over age 3 are charged $13. The museum is now open 10 am to 5 pm seven days a week.
They also sell “Fast Pass” tickets for $40 for certain dates during peak season in November and December. Generally, these won’t be necessary. It’s not exactly Disney World here, so the waits will not be terribly long.
But if you are coming on a weekend close to Christmas, then you may find it worthwhile to pay extra to skip the line.
See here for a map and location directions. The house is tucked away in a neighborhood just off the highway.
The house has free street parking, plus two parking lots for paying customers adjacent to the museum.
They have a gift shop here too, which is very popular, with trinkets and souvenirs of all kinds related to the movie. They sell a lot of leg lamps.
Staying Overnight in the House
Yes, recently the house began accepting reservations for overnight stays. If you’re a diehard fan of the movie, here’s your chance to sleep there!
It’s currently $545 per night, for up to six people. You have full use of the house once the museum closes for the day.
The A Christmas Story House is currently for sale. Owner Brian Jones is hoping to sell to someone who will keep the museum going. That’s good news for visitors who enjoy coming back to this place.
The house is for sale as part of a 7-property package, including the museum, gift shop, parking lots, and other surrounding areas.
How much is the Christmas Story House selling for? The list price is being kept secret for now, although Jones laughed when a reporter offered him $4 million. He said he would need much more than that to sell.
Other Cleveland and Christmas-Themed Attractions
A Christmas Story House in Cleveland is one of the most quirky and unique things to do in Cleveland.
For more offbeat fun in the city, read about the Cleveland Police Museum, the History of Contraception Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the giant FREE stamp.
As for other holiday attractions, the town of Santa Claus, Indiana is totally Christmas-themed. So is the town of North Pole, Alaska! I’ve been fortunate to visit both.
We also have an extensive guide to the best holiday vacations in the U.S.
Would you visit the Christmas Story House in Cleveland?
