PORTLAND —   In a sure sign that the holiday season is upon us, Victoria Mansion re-opens next week for its annual Christmas celebration. Victoria Mansion, located in Portland, Maine, is one of America’s leading historic house museums and a National Historic Landmark.

In what has become a cherished holiday tradition, each year dozens of local professional designers and florists volunteer their time and materials to decorate a room on a holiday theme, combining festive décor with the Mansion’s original interiors. This year’s designs are united in an early Victorian theme.

Christmas at Victoria Mansion is open daily from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3, except on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The Mansion opens at 11 a.m. with last admission at 4:30 p.m. Special evening hours are offered on Mondays, with last admission at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for the general public, $13.50 for seniors and AAA members, $7 for college students (with ID), $5 for children age 6-17, and free for children under 6. 

Saturdays throughout the season, Stories on the Staircase will be offered at 10 a.m. Every Saturday during the Christmas season at Victoria Mansion children ages 3 to 5 are invited to come for a free story hour and a tour tailored just for them.

The annual Christmas gala will be held Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 6  p.m. Complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served amid the glittering decorations enhancing the Mansion’s interiors. Speak with this year’s designers and be inspired for your own holiday decor.

On Friday, Dec. 4, 5 p.m. , for one night only, Victoria Mansion will be open for $5 from 5 to 8 p.m. (last admission 7:30). Reservations are not needed, just come to the front door. A free gallery exhibit highlighting art and crafts created by Victoria Mansion volunteers and staff will be open upstairs over the Carriage House Museum Shop adjacent to the mansion.

Sunday, Dec. 6, at 5:30, 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m., The Victoria Mansion and Portland Ballet present an event filled with holiday wonder. Children are invited to bring their parents to see the mansion, decorated for the Christmas season, and meet dancers dressed for Portland Ballet’s Victorian Nutcracker. There will be music, dance performances, and every child leaves with a special treat.

For information about any of these events or to reserve, visit www.victoriamansion.org and click “Events”.

Built between 1858 and 1860, Victoria Mansion is internationally recognized for its original interiors by noted cabinetmaker and designer Gustave Herter , which are more than ninety percent intact. An irreplaceable document in the history of American design and domestic technology, the mansion has operated as a museum since 1941 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.