Villa Montezuma Introductory Video by the FOVM and City TV (Scroll over the text above to see the link for this nine-minute introduction to the museum, created by the FOVM and City TV.)

The museum is open during restoration on Saturdays and Sundays only. No regular public tours on Fridays due to contractor work Monday through Friday. (We continue to do school group tours and special groups on Friday by special arrangement.) We are not booking weddings at this time until restoration is complete. Please make a reservation by texting us at 619-233-8833 in advance so that you’re not disappointed if the tour you want is already full. On Saturdays and Sundays when we’re giving tours we will not be able to immediately respond to you. We’d love to show you the magnificent Villa Montezuma Museum!

Annual Mount Hope Cemetery “Permanent Victorians” Walk: Saturday, October 17, 10:00-noon, no cost but please RSVP by texting us at 619-233-8833 so we know to expect you!

The annual Mount Hope Cemetery Walk is a favorite for those who want to see the final resting places of San Diego’s founding leaders. In this two hour walk over gently rolling hills we will step back in time to understand how the Victorian mourning rites and rituals and how even in death the messages they left behind still tell us so much about their lives. There are no benches to sit, and don’t expect the restroom at the administration building to be open. Plan accordingly! The cemetery is owned by the City so we cannot charge, but donations to the FOVM are greatly appreciated. FOVM Vice President Charles Spratley will lead this walk. Available afterwards: Charles book, “Piercing the Veil: Examining San Diego’s Haunted History,” for $15.

PoeFest 2026: Write Out Loud returns with Edgar Allan Poe and his compatriots! Performances October 16 & 17, 23 & 24, 30 & 31 at 6:00, 7:30 & 9:00 p.m. each date. $35. Buy PoeFest tickets here!

PoeFest is a gothic evening of supernatural stories featuring witches, voodoo, and one of Poe’s most ghastly tales, The Premature Burial. From Artistic Director Veronica Murphy: “Mr. Poe, and those who followed in his footsteps, provide an evening of hauntingly creepy stories that will make your spine tingle. The Villa Montezuma is the perfect setting for exploring the mysteries that await in the literature of the macabre.” Directed by Rachael VanWormer and Veronica Murphy. Veteran Poe performers include Rhianna Basore, Manny Fernandez, Monique Gaffney, Eddie Yaroch, Walter Ritter, and Veronica Murphy. New to PoeFest this year: we welcome Geoffrey Geisinger. Discount for FOVM members (use code “Celebrate20”). Three performances per evening: 6:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. DON’T WAIT TO BUY YOUR TICKETS! Ticket questions: writeoutloudsd@gmail.com

Cinballera Salon: Monday, October 19, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ”Death Hits High C,” $30 (or $25 for FOVM members). VIP suspect ticket $50. Buy “High C” murder mystery tickets here!

FOVM members only: when buying tickets for Cinballera events at the Villa Montezuma use the discount code “FOVM” to get $10 off any ticket, including the entire subscription series!

Death stalks the Villa on October 21! Instead of an opera night, October’s salon will be an opera murder mystery! There will be costumes, characters, disguises, laughs, chills, and thrills as the audience tries to figure out whodunit. In this original Cinballera event you’ll twists and turns to guess who killed the tenor! You are encouraged to dress up for this special evening.

The talented artists of Cinballera (who love cinema, ballet and opera) return to the Villa Montezuma ten months of each year (dark in August and January) for a marvelous evening of opera for those who want to hear great singing in a more intimate setting (just like a Victorian salon!). Open seating in the gorgeous Music Room is limited to 32 guests. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., performances are from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Questions? Emailing our organizations at admin@cinballera.org and the FOVM at FOVM@VillaMontezumaMuseum.org.  After we provide an honorarium for the pianist and performers the proceeds are shared between the two nonprofit organizations. Bonus: Guests get to return to see the entire museum! Free street parking in this residential neighborhood. (Park tight, not suburban!) Bring a friend to these magical evenings!

Poetry at the Villa: November 8, 2:30-3:30, no cost but please RSVP so we know to expect you!

Our next poetry event features Sandra Doller, Becca Rae Rose, and Pepe Rojo. Q&A and book signing afterwards. The Music Room is a beautiful place for those who love the art of the word.

Plein Air Painters: Would your group like to paint at the Villa Montezuma Museum?

We love to support the arts and have been delighted to host many groups to paint both outside and inside the museum. For a nominal donation per painter we invite you to paint on a day and time that will not have road work, street construction, or impactful exterior restoration work going on. You’ll be able to see the gorgeous interior with your group and have access to the facilities and grounds. Please note: the museum grounds are not “parkland” and are not accessible if not working with the FOVM; trespassing is not allowed. You are welcome to enjoy the view of the Villa Montezuma Museum from the public right of way (but do allow for pedestrian access). Text us at 619-233-8833 to make your arrangements to paint on site!

The Friends of the Villa Montezuma, Inc. (FOVM) is a 501-c-3 organization solely devoted to the magnificent Villa Montezuma, San Diego’s amazing Queen Anne Victorian house museum and cultural center. The Villa is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is owned by the City of San Diego and operated by the FOVM. Location: 1925 K St., San Diego, CA, in the Sherman Heights Historic District near downtown SD.

Over 50 Years as a Museum: In November 1972 the Villa Montezuma Museum opened to the public. The FOVM is honored to share this magnificent museum with you!

Tours in 2026 are on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 and 2:15. (We make special arrangements for school groups and for large prearranged groups.) Note: Due to restoration work the museum will not have Friday tours in 2026. Anyone intending to visit should text us at 619-233-8833 to be sure there is room on the tour you wish to attend. Note that the grounds of the Villa Montezuma are not open to the public and no trespassing is allowed at any time.

NOTE: The 2025 parking law in California mandates no parking within 20 feet of a stop sign or crosswalk: If parking on K Street near 20th Street you’ll see the “first spot” painted red from the stop sign to comply with this new law. As of March 1, 2025, the SDPD is issuing $117 tickets.

Discover Magazine bridal shoot at the Villa! See the July 2024 issue here.

The Villa Montezuma Museum is a gorgeous place for a small wedding! See just how beautiful with the delightful photos by Bryan Dahl. Click on the link above (see the museum starting on page 25). The interior scenes with the beautiful woodwork and stained glass are Jesse Shepard’s Palace of the Arts!

Thank You to former State Senator Ben Hueso: Thanks to his leadership, the State of California has allocated $5,000,000 for the restoration of the magnificent Villa Montezuma Museum. The FOVM looks forward to working with the City to make the Villa’s exterior gorgeous again. Restoration started in spring 2025.

VILLA MONTEZUMA MUSEUM TOUR DETAILS: You can see the entire magnificent, mysterious Villa Montezuma Museum! Tours in 2026 are on Saturdays and Sundays. Tour times are at 1:00 and 2:15. We also schedule student tours on Friday mornings or large prebooked group tours at 3:30 p.m. via advanced arrangements. All tours are guided. Regular admission costs per person:

1. -Adults: $15
   

2. -Active Duty Military, Seniors 65+, and students with ID: $12
   

3. -Children 12 and under: free with a paid adult
   

4. -Group rates for groups of eight or more adults: $10
   

School groups: contact us for special education rates

Your admission fee helps us cover the costs of maintenance and create events at the Villa Montezuma Museum!

Reserve your museum tour spot now!

1) Please reserve your time slot via texting us at 619-233-8833.

2) Museum location: 1925 K Street, corner of 20th & K, in the Sherman Heights Historic District of San Diego, just east of downtown and the East Village. This is a residential neighborhood with no-cost parking near the Villa in the neighborhood in the daytime.

3) Please bring cash to pay for your admission. Please, no bills over $20. We don’t take credit cards or other forms of payment.

There is no eating, drinking, photography, recording or use of apps allowed inside this historic site. Please, no sharp heels to protect the historic floors. Any strollers, suitcases, backpacks, and  large bags of any kind will need to remain in the front lobby.

We’re not haunted, we’re enchanted! We’re a beautiful historic site. We do not do paranormal investigations. We do partner with the Haunted San Diego Tours to share some of the real history of the mysterious Jesse Shepard!

One Man, Two Names, Two Different Careers

The Villa Montezuma is the Historic Jesse Shepard/”Francis Grierson” House. It was built in 1887 as the home of world famous pianist, author, and Spiritualist Jesse Shepard. Jesse began a writing career in San Diego and took the pen name “Francis Grierson,” a name that he used in life as well as for his writing. The Villa is located in the Sherman Heights Historic District of downtown San Diego, CA, at the corner of 20th & K Streets. The Sherman Heights Historic District is the largest historic district within San Diego; it has almost 400 contributing historic structures. Book your tour of the magnificent Villa today!

Ongoing Restoration

Thank you to our former State Senator Ben Hueso for getting restoration funding for the City of San Diego (owner of this historic site). Restoration work will be advancing in 2026 with exterior scaffolding and a construction fence. The rooftop “gargoyles” are removed for restoration and the interior stained glass windows over the doorways have been restored. Your museum admission fee helps the Friends of the Villa Montezuma pay for things the grant does not cover, and helps produce educational events and achieve our maintenance goals. You’re invited to join the FOVM to make a difference in the Villa’s future.

The FOVM mailing address (NOT THE LOCATION OF THE MUSEUM):

FOVM, Inc.

657 20th Street

San Diego, CA 92102-2810

PHYSICAL location of the museum (do not mail to the museum):

corner of 20th & K Streets (for GPS, use 1925 K Street)

Sherman Heights Historic District, San Diego, CA 92102

Questions? Text us or call us: 619-233-8833.

Facebook: Friends of the Villa Montezuma, Inc. (has our logo!)

Instagram: villamontezumamuseum (has the Sappho window!)