Tours for Adults & Senior Groups

Come visit us!

From October 1, 2025 National Historic Landmark Bush-Holley House will be closed to the public to undergo environmental upgrades that will help preserve the collections and provide an enhanced visitor experience. During the closure, we are excited to offer two new unique visitor experiences on campus, guided tours of our galleries and archival collection. These exclusive experiences are available only during the duration of the closure!

The Bush-Holley House, the historic landscape, and the Greenwich Historical Society galleries are available for group tours that can be specialized to your group’s interests. The Bush-Holley House is a perfect outing option for clubs, senior living residences and alumni societies to gather and learn.

A maximum of 12 people can tour the Bush-Holley House at once. If your tour booking is larger than 12 people, then the group will be separated into smaller groups, and while one group tours the Bush-Holley House, the rest are welcome to view the galleries and grounds. Please make allowances in your schedule for this format; for instance, if your tour booking is for 36 people who would like to attend a 45 minute tour, then allow for 2 hours and 15 minutes to ensure that all three groups of 12 are able to take the tour.

Tour Options

Guided Gallery Tours

Take a guided tour through our current exhibition The Holley Boarding House: Inspiring American Impressionism and our Permanent Collections Gallery Featuring; Rediscovering the Cos Cob Art Colony: A Tribute to Susan Larkin, Ceramics by Leon Volkmar and The Cos Cob Art Colony.

Behind-the-Scenes:
Archival Collections

Explore behind-the-scenes archival collections. Each month features a new theme from our collection. Dive into the hidden history with a docent led exploration of primary sources.

Dual-Period Tour

Our regular tour of Bush-Holley House delves into the history of two different time periods: the New Nation era (1790-1820) and the Cos Cob Art Colony era (1890-1920). Step back into these times of monumental change and hear the stories of the many people who have lived and stayed at the Bush-Holley House.

Cos Cob Art Colony

Tours focusing on the Cos Cob Art Colony period explore the history of the Holley family and the many artists who came to stay at their boardinghouse. Learn about John Henry Twachtman, Childe Hassam, and Elmer Livingston MacRae, and the lively and creative atmosphere that drew hundreds of other artists, writers, and thinkers to the Bush-Holley House.

Bush Family Tour

Take a closer look at the people who built the Bush-Holley House and life during the tumultuous birth of the United States. Discover stories of Greenwich’s wealthy mercantile past, as well as the hidden lives and labors of the enslaved people who undergirded that historic wealth.

Booking Details

Tours run between 45 minutes and an hour, and can be adjusted to fit your group’s schedule or mobility needs.
Tours cost $15 per person, which gives visitors access to a tour of the Library and Archives, the grounds, and the galleries. Discounts may be available for groups from non-profit and cultural institutions.
The final number of people booked for your tour should be communicated no later 7 days prior to the tour date.

Group tour reservations are required for all groups larger than 10 and should be made no later than 2 weeks before desired date. If your group is 10 people or fewer, you can schedule your tour on the regular book a visit page.
Both the grounds and galleries are wheelchair accessible. Please advise us of any mobility needs ahead of time.

To set up a group tour or to find out more information, please email Olivia Luntz.

Less than 10 people, book your tour online today!