Salisbury House & Gardens Des Moines, Iowa

Salisbury House is a historic house museum featuring a 42 room estate surrounded by nine acres of beautiful gardens and woodland. The estate's Tudor stone work, Gothic arches and Carolean brickwork were inspired by King's House in Salisbury, England, and numerous architectural elements from 15th and 16th century Britain are incorporated into the building. Carl Weeks - who built Salisbury House in the 1920's with his wife, Edith - was an avid and skilled collector of books, art, historic documents, musical instruments, and decorative items, and most of what they amassed during their 30 years at Salisbury House remains here. Major art works by such luminaries as Sir Anthony van Dyck, Leon Kroll, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Joseph Stella and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema line the walls, while signed books and documents from Abraham Lincoln, Ernest Hemingway, Queen Elizabeth I, James Joyce, Brigham Young, D.H. Lawrence, King Ferdinand of Aragon and many others tangibly bring history to life in this historic museum. Salisbury House & Gardens has a rich, meaningful history as a beloved community attraction, widely recognized as a treasure by the National Register of Historic Places, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and many others. We've hosted many magical events here, and we'd love to share your special day with you!