This October, 2013 will mark the third anniversary of Villa Finale opening its doors to the public. As a new site, we are still looking at better ways we can serve the general public and the community. We began opening the grounds at the beginning of the year and this has turned out to be very well-received as the site is now more inviting. Also, during the last couple of years, we discovered that many people wanted to see Villa Finale but had either very little time or were confused about the location of the Visitor Center to buy admissions (the Visitor Center is located four blocks from Villa Finale). In order to be accessible to more people, we are proud to announce the following changes to Villa Finale’s operations effective April 2, 2013.
Tours
Villa Finale will now be offering self-guided tours (first floor only) Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00am – 2:00pm. Our popular guided tours will continue to be offered on Tuesday at 1:00pm and 2:30pm, and Wednesday – Saturday at 10:00am and 2:30pm.
Admission prices
Guided tour admissions will remain the same: $10.00 general, $7.50 for seniors, students and military. Self-guided tours (first floor only) will be $7.50 general admission and $5.00 for seniors, students and military. There will also be an option to upgrade from a self-guided tour to a full guided tour of the entire house. Members of Villa Finale and / or the National Trust will continue to receive free tour admission.
Admissions and Museum Shop
The sale of admissions will be MOVED from its current location at the Visitor Center (122 Madison) to the Carriage House located on the grounds of Villa Finale at 401 King William Street (we will no longer be selling tour admissions at the Visitor Center). Some of our most popular merchandise will also be sold from the Carriage House with some merchandise still available for sale at the Visitor Center. (The Museum Shop is currently having a 40% off moving sale so don’t miss it!)
Business Hours
The following are the business hours for all areas of Villa Finale: grounds, Carriage House (admissions and Museum Shop) and the Visitor Center at 122 Madison.
- Grounds: Tuesday, 12:00pm – 4:00pm; Wednesday – Saturday, 9:30am – 4:00pm
- Carriage House (admissions and Museum Shop): Tuesday, 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Wednesday – Saturday, 9:30am – 4:00pm
- Visitor Center (at 122 Madison): Tuesday, 12:00pm – 4:00pm; Wednesday – Friday, 9:30am – 4:00pm. The Visitor Center will be CLOSED on Saturdays.
Please note: all areas of Villa Finale are subject to closures for maintenance or special events on select dates and major holidays.
Parking for Villa Finale
Guests are welcome to park along King William Street or Sheridan Avenue. The site can be accessed during regular business hours from the front gate on King William or the driveway gate off of Sheridan.
And of course, we are always looking for volunteers, especially with the addition of self-guided tours. There is minimal training involved (click here for volunteering information).
This is an exciting time of positive change at Villa Finale! Make sure you stop by and visit if you haven’t already. And for those of you who work downtown don’t forget, we welcome you to enjoy your brown bag lunch on the grounds of Villa Finale.
Thank you, San Antonio for your continued support!