The Whaley House Museum is located in the neighborhood of Old Town San Diego, California.
It is a historic house museum constructed in the style of Greek Revival architecture from the mid-nineteenth century. The museum has been in operation for over 60 years, and it typically sees over 100,000 guests each year from all around the world.
If you’ve ever wanted to step back through time and learn what it was like to live in the mid- to late-1800s, visiting the Whaley House is for you!
In fact, the museum is featured in our Best Things to Do in San Diego article, as our team loves both the historic value of the well-preserved property and the museum’s other claim to fame: ghost sightings!
The Whaley House has the distinction of being the Most Haunted House, not just in Southern California, but in all of America! In the evenings, you can take a ghost tour for the chance to see a specter yourself.
The Whaley House Used to Be the General Store in Old Town San Diego
The History of the Whaley House
The long history of the Whaley House began in 1857, when it was constructed according to blueprints designed by the house’s founder Thomas Whaley himself. At the time, it was the first and only two-story brick building, and it was constructed with bricks from Whaley’s own brickyard.
Supposedly, Whaley purchased the property upon which he built his house for only $1; at the time, he had no idea just how important this purchase would be to preserving the history of early San Diego.
The building was initially used as a granary as well as a residence for the Whaley family and later used to serve a number of different purposes.
The Earthquake of 1868
In 1868, a major earthquake sent the Whaley family out of the house for their safety.
When they returned, Thomas Whaley and his business partner Crosthwaite established a general store, where they offered easily accessible goods to the rest of the town. This helped them financially recover from the hardship of the earthquake and the damage it did to the house.
San Diego’s First Theater
The building also served as San Diego’s first ever commercial theater, where residents of the town could come and watch performances as early as 1868, soon after the establishment of the general store.
The theater space was rented from Thomas Whaley by Thomas Tanner, who was the founding member of The Tanner Troupe that performed in the house.
The Building’s Days as a Courthouse
The museum includes information from when the building was a courthouse, from 1869 to 1871.
During this time, it had the distinction of being San Diego’s second county courthouse. The Whaley House still contains some of the court documents from cases that were prosecuted at the building.
Becoming a Museum
The Whaley House didn’t become a museum until May 25, 1960. Since then, the house has been owned by the County of San Diego.
In September of 2000, the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) took over management, operation, and caretaking for the property in conjunction with San Diego County.
Hallway at the Whaley House
Ongoing Updates to the Museum
The Whaley House Museum recently began a renovation and restoration process that includes fixing issues with mildew, moisture, and leaks that have arisen due to the age of the house.
They have also used the renovation as an opportunity for historic preservation of the interiors of the study, parlor, and downstairs hallway. This is intended to make them more accurate to their period look.
Renovators followed the guidance of an original, hand-drawn sketch by Thomas Whaley in 1868 to alter the house so it more closely represents what it would have looked like after construction.
El Campo Santo Cemetery in Old Town San Diego
More History and Some San Diego Fun
Visiting the Whaley House is just one way to learn about San Diego’s history while you’re in Old Town.
Pick up a Go City San Diego pass and use discount code GVSD5OFF to save on admission and activity costs for many San Diego attractions, from other museums like The Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House and San Diego History Center to experiences like the 2-Day Hop-on Hop-off San Diego Trolley and GoCar San Diego Tours.
Other fun ways to experience history that I love include the Tequila, Tacos & Tombstones Walking Tour in Old Town San Diego and the pub crawl Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila Walking Tour, both of which are highlighted in our list of the Best San Diego Tours.
Daytime at the Famous Cosmopolitan Hotel in Old Town San Diego
Pair Your Visit With a Stay at a Historic Hotel
Whether you’re visiting the Whaley House to learn about history or in the hopes of experiencing a paranormal phenomenon, the perfect hotel to pair with your visit is the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
Not only is it located nearby, but the Cosmopolitan Hotel is over 200 years old, so it’s another example of living history in San Diego.
The Cosmopolitan Hotel also has a reputation for ghost sightings, so double your chances of having a firsthand encounter by visiting both the hotel and the Whaley House!