Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale: The Old Florida Estate Between the Beach and the Galleria

Here is the short answer. Bonnet House Museum and Gardens is a historic estate on the barrier island in Fort Lauderdale, tucked between the ocean and the Intracoastal just south of Sunrise Boulevard. Self-guided visits run Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m., with last admission at 4 p.m. and the grounds closing at 5 p.m. Adult tickets are $30, ages 6 to 17 are $8, and children 5 and under are free. Parking is free. Plan on at least 90 minutes, wear flat closed-toe shoes, and do not come straight from the sand in a swimsuit, because swimwear is not allowed. It is closed every Monday. Every hour and price below came from the museum's own pages this week.

We are Brad and Justina, founders of Yours Truly Hospitality. We manage vacation homes across Southeast Florida, from Pompano Beach and Lighthouse Point through greater Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Miami. When a guest asks us for one thing in Fort Lauderdale that does not involve a beach chair or a dinner reservation, Bonnet House is usually the first name we give. Here is how to do it well.

What Bonnet House Actually Is

Bonnet House is an artist's winter home that survived the condo era. The land was bought by Hugh Taylor Birch in 1895, and in 1919 he gave it to his daughter Helen and her husband, the artist Frederic Clay Bartlett, as a wedding gift. Bartlett built the house and studio, and later shared it with his second wife, Evelyn Fortune Lilly. In 1983 Evelyn deeded the property to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, which is why it is still here.

The name comes from the bonnet lily, a native water lily. The estate today covers about 35 acres, including a stretch of beach, and it reads like a time capsule. You walk out of Galleria traffic and into a courtyard that looks the way the coast looked before the high rises.

One more detail guests love. Evelyn Bartlett brought monkeys to live in the estate's trees. Do not count on a sighting, and if you see any wildlife at all, the museum's rule is clear: do not approach or feed any animals or birds.

Which Ticket to Buy

There are four ways in, and picking the right one is most of the planning.

Self-guided, house and gardens. This is the one most visitors want. Adults $30, ages 6 to 17 $8, children 5 and under free, and Broward County residents with ID $25. There is an audio tour in several languages that runs on your own phone, and the museum provides WiFi. No reservation is required, but the museum recommends buying online to speed up entry, and walk-ins can wait on weekends and holidays.

Gardens only. $15, with no access to the house. A good option if you are short on time or traveling with someone who will not enjoy room after room of art and furniture.

Guided downstairs tour. Adults $35, ages 8 to 16 $10. These run Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., last about 90 minutes, and are capped at 12 visitors. Pre-registration is required, and the museum does not recommend it for children under 8.

Upstairs Downstairs tour. $40 per person, Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. It also runs about 90 minutes and requires pre-registration. You need to be able to climb 20 stairs.

Two rules apply across the board. All ticket sales are final and non-refundable, and the museum does not give refunds or rain checks for weather. If the forecast looks rough, decide before you buy, not after.

The museum also takes part in Museums for All: $3 per person for up to four people with an EBT card and photo ID, purchased in person at the Welcome Center.

Getting There and Parking

The entrance is at 900 North Birch Road, just south of Sunrise Boulevard. From I-95, take Sunrise east for about 4 miles, cross the Intracoastal bridge and pass the Galleria. At the light where Sunrise meets North Birch Road, turn right, follow the road to the end, and turn left into the lot.

Parking is free, which on the barrier island is worth saying twice. There is also a pedestrian-only entrance at 750 Breakers Avenue, handy if you are already walking from the beach side. The museum notes the Water Taxi as an option too, with a short walk from its stop.

What to Wear and What to Leave in the Car

This is where we see guests get turned around, so read it before you leave the house.

Shoes and shirts are required at all times. The museum recommends flat, closed-toe, closed-heel shoes like sneakers, Bikinis, one-piece swimsuits and swim briefs are not allowed. If your plan is beach in the morning and Bonnet House after lunch, pack a change of clothes.

Large bags, backpacks and tripods are not permitted. Bring insect repellent, which the museum itself recommends. Non-flash photos and short personal videos are fine on a self-guided visit, but guided tours do not allow video.

Trained service animals are welcome. Other animals, including comfort and support animals, are limited to the grounds and cannot enter the courtyard or the house.

How Long It Takes and When to Go

The museum recommends at least 90 minutes for a self-guided visit, and that is honest. Ninety minutes gets you through the house and a loop of the gardens without rushing. Add time if you want to sit in the shade, or if the audio tour pulls you in.

The museum is closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and it closes for the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. Hours can also change for weather or events, so check the hours page the morning you go.

Our tip for timing: aim for an 11 a.m. arrival on a weekday. You beat the weekend walk-in line, and you are back out in time for a late lunch and an afternoon on the sand.

Picnics are allowed on the grounds with paid admission, and the Museum Shop sells sandwiches, light snacks, wine and beer. Shop access is free.

Pairing It With a Beach Afternoon

Bonnet House works best as half of a day, not all of it. The estate sits between the ocean and the Intracoastal, so the beach is close. Do the museum in the late morning, then change and head to the sand for the afternoon.

If someone in your group would rather skip the house, the gardens-only ticket lets them walk the grounds for $15 while everyone else takes the tour, and you all meet back at the Welcome Center.

Accessibility

Wheelchairs are free on a first-come, first-served basis, and accessible restrooms are in the Welcome Center. There is a wheelchair-accessible golf cart for grounds tours, and a touching tour is available with advance notice for visitors with vision impairments. The museum asks for advance notice on accessibility requests, so call ahead at (954) 563-5393.

If you are planning a stay along this stretch of coast and want a home a short drive from Bonnet House and the beach, have a look at our South Florida vacation homes.

Updated October 2026, with hours, ticket prices, tour schedules and visitor rules verified directly with Bonnet House Museum and Gardens.