Winchester Mystery House Offers New 'Immersive' Tour

Susan C. Schena
·3 min read

SAN JOSE, CA —The Winchester Mystery House, San Jose's legendary, bizarre mansion with paranormal allure, is amping up its online offerings during coronavirus shutdowns with a new immersive tour.

"The Winchester Mystery House Immersive 360 Tour" is a virtual walk-through that allows viewers to independently roam each level of the iconic residence, from the basement to the rarely seen fourth floor, including many rooms previously inaccessible on standard tours.

This online tour costs $8.99 and can be accessed here, and includes one complimentary pass for a future tour when the estate, home of Sarah Pardee Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune, reopens.

A previously offered video tour, which initially was free when announced in mid- March, now is available to rent for $5.99 or to purchase for $13.99 and can be found online here.

“Sarah Winchester was ahead of her time in many ways. She was a woman of independence, drive, and courage, and the mansion she built is world-renowned for its many design curiosities and innovations,” said Walter Magnuson, Winchester Mystery House general manager. “Today, we are striving to follow in her footsteps by offering an innovative way for guests to explore the mansion unlike ever before. We are asking the community to help us maintain this important historical landmark until we can once again welcome guests in person.”

For the new 360 Tour, Los Angeles-based Matterport 3D Tours spent a weekend capturing the 24,000-square-foot home’s design features, including the stairs to the ceiling, secret passageways and doors to nowhere. Viewers will get a first-ever glimpse of a digital floor plan of the mansion.

"Sarah Winchester's 38-year renovation project became the most infamous historic home in the country, but upon her death, no blueprints or floor plans were ever found," managers said. "Now, after 97 years of guiding guests safely through its confusing halls without a map, the estate’s caretakers are thrilled to present this digital floor plan to the public."

Due to COVID-19 woes, in-person flashlight tours at the mansion, that were planned in March, were rescheduled for May 15 and 16, presumably if the site is reopened to the public. See details here.

The Winchester house website also offers a free downloadable coloring book and crossword puzzle for youngsters. Follow this link for more information.

The Winchester Mystery House, often dubbed haunted, has hosted tours since 1923 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a California Historic State Landmark, a San Jose City Landmark and is among leading attractions in the Bay Area.

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This article originally appeared on the Campbell Patch