MIDLAND CITY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Alden B. Dow’s house as a study in color, light and daring geometry — a public guided hour inside a National Historic Landmark
Public tours (reservations required) run Tuesday–Saturday, last about 1–1.5 hours, and carry 2025 admission of Adults $20, Seniors $18 and Students $8.
Alden B. Dow’s house as a study in color, light and daring geometry — a public guided hour inside a National Historic Landmark.
Experience the awe of color, shape and texture blended with nature on a public tour of the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Interiors that rearrange expectations
From a low, sheltered entry the reception area soars with natural light and saturated spring-green and crab-apple-pink tones that carry through the house, inviting questions about how the spaces were conceived and built.
The Floating Conference Room
A signature moment is the Floating Conference Room — set eighteen inches below the pond — a distinct architectural flourish that underscores Dow’s integration of structure and landscape.
A National Historic Landmark visit
The Home and Studio is presented as an educational facility and is designated a National Historic Landmark; tours are run with specific policies to protect the building and its objects.
What the day feels like
What the tour feels like
You enter a carefully controlled world: a low entry gives way to a soaring reception washed in curated color and light, and the route leads past intimate and surprising moments — including the Floating Conference Room beneath the pond — before returning you to the exterior.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour works for — and who should reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Guests are asked to leave coats, backpacks and purses in their vehicles where possible; personal items should be carried in pockets. Phones may be carried but must be silenced and kept in pockets during interior portions; no photography or recording is allowed inside (photos are allowed outside). A secured closet is available for belongings that cannot travel through the Home and Studio.
Tours run Tuesday through Saturday and last approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes; please arrive no more than 15 minutes before your start time. Reservations and prior registration are required.
Tour parking is located behind the Post Street School.
Accepted payment methods include Visa, Mastercard and Discover for additional purchases; a 24-hour cancellation notice is required for a full refund or rebooking.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Are reservations required?
Yes — tours are public but reservations are required.
How long is the tour?
Tours run approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
What are the admission prices?
For 2025: Adults $20, Seniors (60+) $18, Students (ages 8 through traditional college age of 23) $8.
Can children attend?
Children must be at least 8 years old to attend; there are no exceptions.
Is photography allowed inside?
No — there is no photography, video or recording of any kind permitted inside the building or of objects in the building (this includes the screen porch); photos are allowed outside and before or after the tour.
Is the site wheelchair accessible?
No — as a National Historic Landmark the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio is not wheelchair accessible.