I have been trying to get to this location several times and was able to reserve a spot during the return portion of our Virginia Beach Road Trip. It is a popular destination that tells a unique story of a unique man.
We have been to many heritage homes that have been turned into museums for one reason or another. Some are self-guided tours, which is my least favourite type touring. Many are with a docent who gives information on the history and the residents. We like this type of tour and find it the most informative and fascinating.
But at Bayernhof, the tour guide loved his role as our teacher of the man, the home, and the purpose of the building. Charlene and I were one of a dozen people wanting to see this building. It is unique in that it houses musical machines: self-playing pianos, the first record player, and other rare musical devices. The greatest thing about these is that all of them were invented before modern technology involved, which is astounding.
What was more astounding was learning about the founder of Bayernhof through our guide. He introduced himself at the main entrance. Already, the house was beautifully decorated where we thought we had entered Germany. We would then be led to the Family Room, and we all had a seat. This is extraordinarily unusual when touring a historic home. At many sites, there is no sitting on the furnishing, but here, we were invited to do such because we would be regaled with a tale of Charles B. Brown III.
Our guide told of Charlie Brown’s desire to create a museum for all to enjoy and had been collecting items for it long before its construction. Generally, most tours end with that tidbit of information, and we go into the next room. Not here. As we sat in the most comfortable of chairs, we would hear the history of the property, the lack of building permits and possible building code violations, the antics of this jokester, how he loved to cook, the source of his wealth, and his passion for new ideas and above all, how sometimes he never finished those ideas.
Charlene and I were as mesmerized as the rest of the crowd listening to this story. It was like we were watching a one-man show performed by the greatest docent who has ever lived. I wanted to hear more. I wanted to stay and learn more about this fascinating man, his love of collecting, and the single style of clothing he wore all his life. I was almost disappointed leaving the seat to see the house because the story was so beautifully told. The guide was engaging, and he loved what he was doing. There is no greater teacher than someone like that.
The next stop was the kitchen, where we learned that Chuck was an avid cook and loved preparing food. I love eating, so he and I would have made great friends. As we would tour the home, the guide would feature a music machine and have it play for us. Hearing about the device’s history was fascinating, but more because of the engineering involved in producing it. As we listened to the guide and the music, I gazed at all the items in the rooms. Little collectable figurines to paintings. Decorated plates to important books and sheets. Hand-carved furniture and the bar. Then, there was another bar. And another. By the end of the tour, I began to think that Charles Brown might have been an alcoholic because there was a bar in nearly every room.
The tour was two and a half hours long, but it felt like time passed quickly. There was never a dull moment. Of all the tours we have been on, and there have been many, this had to be the best. The house was unique. The story behind the house was unique. The man behind the story and the house was also unique. Inside the house were unique items that we had never seen anywhere else. Above all, the guide was the best storyteller we ever encountered.
At the end of the tour, we paid our admission. I told the guide he was not charging enough ($10), and then I told my wife, “See, there can never be too many things in a house.” I wish to be a collector like Charlie and make my home into a museum.
- Tours can only be arranged by calling ahead.
- The tour cost is $10.
- They have age restrictions – those under 12 might be unable to tour the home.
- If you love hearing a great story, Bayernhof is the place to go.
- The official website of Bayernhof Museum. It gives an excellent overview of what to experience.
- Check my Featured Map to find this location and see all the other places we have been.
