Petersen House Museum

See two different time periods inside this historic home.

The Petersen House is a local historic landmark in the Tempe, Arizona, area. It features a Queen Ann Victorian architectural style and was built in 1892. Niels Petersen was one of the founders of Tempe, and he had this home built for his family. It was located about 5 miles from Tempe when it was built. At the time, Tempe had a population of just under 1,000 people. This ranch house has more of an open floor plan inside. During the restoration process, it was important to represent the families that once called it home. With only 3 families that lived in Petersen House, it was decided to make the different floors to represent the two time periods of the families, namely the Victorian era (upstairs) and the 1930s (main floor). 

During Christmas time, the Petersen House is fully decorated. Visitors can enjoy music, hands-on art projects, and holiday refreshments on the porch. The rest of the year, the museum is open for tours and school field trips. There is no charge to visit the museum; however, they gladly accept donations. If you love touring historic sites, be sure to stop by the Petersen House in Tempe, Arizona.