Pardee Home Museum

Oakland seems to have a plentiful and abundant amount of museums and landmarks that denote the cultural heritage of the city. However, one site that should be of interest to any native or visitor to Oakland, CA is the Pardee Home Museum. Located at 672 11th St, Oakland, CA 94607, the museum is dedicated to continuing the legacy of the majestic home that the Pardee family built and lived in for three generations. Let’s take a look at the history of the Pardee home, the various thing you can see and do when you visit this cultural landmark, and what times they operate. 

The Pardee Home started in 1868 when it was built by Enoch Pardee, a California State Senator and Mayor of Oakland. Pardee came to California during the gold rush to earn a living, making a name for himself as a respected eye doctor. The home stands in the middle of the historic preservation district, and is part of the “old” downtown area of Oakland, and is still just a short distance from city hall. The home was built in the style of Italianate Architecture, which was inspired by the architecture of the Italian Renaissance. Italianate Architecture emphasized using the same architectural and artistic mannerisms that the Italians used in the 16th Century, thus giving you a building that looks older than it really is. 

Three generations of Pardee’s lived in the house, including George Pardee, who served as Governor of California during the 1906 California Earthquake. His daughters Madeline and Helen inherited the home and lived in it until their deaths in the early 1980s. After they passed away, the house was in constant danger of being destroyed by the government as new road construction projects were slated to be built. However, thanks to local conservation groups, the road construction projects were altered to bypass the home, and it became a public museum in 1991. 

Besides the home itself, the Pardee Estate has a lot to offer. They have an immaculate and wonderful garden that accentuates the entire area. The gardens are split into three areas and feature different design philosophies. The garden can be rented out for special occasions such as weddings,  graduations, or any other special event in the Oakland area. They also hold 4th of July celebrations in the garden and many other events throughout the year. 

You can also rent a private tea party inside the home. The tea parties are fully catered and serve a minimum of 6 guests and a maximum of 12 guests. They serve two different menus, one that is more focused on deserts called the “Desert Tea”, and a luncheon with savory appetizers called the “High Tea”. With the tea parties, which require two-week advance notification, you also receive a tour of the Pardee house. It costs $35 per person for the High Tea party, $25 per person for the Desert Tea party, and $40 per person for high tea in the garden. You can also tour the house by dropping-in every Saturday at 10:30 AM, or on the second Sunday of the month at 2:00 PM. Children can tour for free and adults are recommended to donate $5-10 dollars per person. Be sure to check out the Pardee House if you are in the Oakland area. 

Getting to Central Bay Roofing & Restoration from Pardee Home Museum

via I-880 S

• Get on I-980 W from 12th St
• Head southeast on 11th St toward Martin Luther King Jr Way
• Turn left at the 1st cross street onto Martin Luther King Jr Way
• Turn left at the 1st cross street onto 12th St
• Turn left onto Brush St
• Use the left 2 lanes to take the ramp to I-980 S/San Jose/I-880 W
• Take I-880 S to Kennedy St. Take exit 39B from I-880 S
• Merge onto I-980 W
• Merge onto I-880 S
• Take exit 39B toward Kennedy St
• Continue on Kennedy St. Drive to Clement Ave in Alameda
• Continue onto Kennedy St
• Turn right onto 23rd Ave
• At 7-Eleven, continue onto 29th Ave/Park St
• Turn right onto Clement Ave