Gamble House

Top choice in Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley


This mansion in northwest central Pasadena has been called one of the 10 most architecturally significant homes in America. The 1908 masterpiece of California arts-and-crafts architecture was built by Charles and Henry Greene for Procter & Gamble heir David Gamble. Incorporating 17 woods, art glass and subdued light, the entire home is a work of art, with its foundation, furniture and fixtures all united by a common design and theme inspired by its Southern California environs and Japanese and Chinese architecture.

Note the sleeping porches, iridescent stained glass and subtle appearances of the Gamble family’s rose and crane crest.

Other Greene and Greene homes, including Charles Greene’s former private residence, line nearby Arroyo Tce and Grand Ave. Pick up a self-guided walking-tour pamphlet at the Gamble House bookstore ($1.50; 10am to 3pm Tuesday, 10am to 5pm Thursday to Sunday).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley attractions

2. Pasadena Museum of History

0.2 MILES

On the grounds of a palatial beaux-arts mansion that once housed the Finnish consulate, this interesting museum now presents changing exhibits on some…

3. Kidspace Children's Museum

0.31 MILES

Kidspace is one of the best children's museums we've seen, with hands-on exhibits, outdoor learning areas and gardens luring the single-digit set. It…

4. Norton Simon Museum

0.39 MILES

Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais standing guard by the entrance is only a mind-teasing overture to the full symphony of art in store at this exquisite…

5. Richard H Chambers Courthouse

0.58 MILES

On the National Register of Historic Places, this Spanish Colonial Revival–style tower was built during the 1920s and '30s as a resort hotel, sat…

6. Colorado St Bridge

0.58 MILES

Spanning some 150ft above and nearly 1500ft across the Arroyo Seco, this stunning bridge was the world's tallest concrete bridge when it was completed in…

7. Rose Bowl Stadium

0.76 MILES

One of LA’s most venerable landmarks, the 1922 Rose Bowl Stadium can seat up to 93,000 spectators and has its moment in the sun every New Year’s Day when…

8. Tournament House & Wrigley Gardens

0.87 MILES

Chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley spent his winters in the elegant Italian Renaissance–style mansion where the Tournament of Roses Association now…