Dolley Todd House

The Dolley Todd House is only accessible to the public on select dates and via guided tours. Escorted by a guide, you’ll walk through its main rooms—presented as if the Todd family still resides there—to uncover the daily lives of Dolley and her first husband, John Todd; and view the period furniture and décor.

Tickets are free and only available on the same day of tours from Philadelphia’s Independence Visitor Center. If you can’t obtain a ticket, some city sightseeing tours include a stop outside to admire the house’s red-brick exterior and hear about Dolley’s life and times. Other options include ghost-themed tours that pause outside to reveal the darker side of the house’s backstory, and guided walks that combine an exterior stop with other Philadelphia sights and food tastings.

*Tours are limited to 10 people and only available at limited times. Check the National Historical Park of Pennsylvania’s website for details. *Kept as it was in the 18th century, the small rooms and steep staircases make the house unsuitable for strollers and wheelchairs.

The house stands at 341 Walnut Street, just east of Philadelphia’s Center City. Rather than drive, make a journey there easy by taking a bus—the nearest bus stop, 4th Street and Walnut Street, is right outside. The closest subway stop is 2nd Street station, on the Market-Frankford line.

Plan to arrive at the Dolley Todd House a few minutes in advance of your scheduled tour start. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on the mornings of a tour day from the Independence Visitor Center on Market Street, situated about 10 minutes’ walk from the house. The center generally opens at 8:30am daily.

Dolley Todd lived in the Georgian-style house with her first husband, John, from 1791 before his—and one of their son’s—untimely deaths in 1793. She later married James Madison, who served as the USA’s fourth president from 1809-1817, making her the First Lady during this time. The house reflects Dolley’s residence, and includes an authentically equipped kitchen with an open fire where she prepared meals and John Todd’s home office, where he worked as a lawyer.