Adamson House Museum sits beside Malibu Lagoon State Beach, near Malibu Pier and Surfrider Beach. Built in 1929 as a family home, this Spanish Colonial Revival house is now a museum where guided tours bring you inside to see its period furnishings and decorative Malibu Potteries tiles. The grounds and gardens add a quieter way to take in the setting, with views toward the lagoon and Pacific. Come for the house’s craftsmanship and a focused look at Malibu’s early history; this is a historic home, not a large art museum.
A beach house built in 1929
Merritt Huntley Adamson and Rhoda Rindge Adamson commissioned the house in 1929. Rhoda was the daughter of May Rindge and Frederick Hastings Rindge, whose family owned a large part of Malibu and its coastline. The property sits on land known in the nineteenth century as Vaquero Hill, within what is now Malibu Lagoon State Beach.
The house is recognized as a National Historic Site and a California Historical Landmark. Its Spanish Colonial Revival design includes Moorish influences, making it distinct from a plain coastal residence. The setting places the house between the lagoon and the ocean, close to Malibu Pier and Surfrider Beach.
Tiles and details inside the house
Malibu Potteries produced the ceramic tiles that give the house its distinctive character. The company was founded by May Rindge in 1926 and operated for five years, until a fire destroyed its factory in 1931. Its work remains visible throughout the Adamson House, both indoors and on the exterior.
Look closely at the decorative surfaces rather than treating the tilework as a single backdrop. A tiled design resembling a Persian carpet stretches 60 feet, and the Neptune and Peacock fountains are also decorated with Malibu-made tiles. Other details include hand-carved teak doors, painted murals, molded ceilings, wrought ironwork and lead-framed bottle-glass windows. The original furnishings help show how the house was arranged as a family home.
Tours and the Malibu Lagoon Museum
A guided tour is the way to see the house’s interior and hear about the family, the architecture and the objects within it. Tours are listed for Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; check the official website before visiting because arrangements may change. One visitor account describes a tour lasting about 90 minutes, while another account gives about an hour, so allow some flexibility.
The adjoining Malibu Lagoon Museum adds another layer of local history through artifacts, photographs and documents. Its displays cover Malibu’s past, including the Chumash people who lived in the area before the late eighteenth century and the Rindge family’s ownership of the land. The museum’s collection is a useful complement to the house, which focuses on a particular home and its craftsmanship.
The gardens can be visited from outside the house, and the grounds provide a way to appreciate the property even when you are not touring the interior. Take time to look at the fountains and the landscape, then continue toward the beach and lagoon. If you are planning a longer stop, arrange lunch nearby before or after your visit.
FAQ
Where is Adamson House Museum?
It is at 23200 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, beside Malibu Lagoon State Beach and near Malibu Pier.
Can you tour the inside of Adamson House?
Yes. The interior is visited on guided tours. The listed tour days are Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; check the official website for current arrangements.
What can you see at Adamson House?
The house has original furnishings, extensive Malibu Potteries tilework, painted murals, carved teak doors and other architectural details. The adjoining Malibu Lagoon Museum displays artifacts, photographs and documents about local history.
How long should you plan for a visit?
Allow about one to one and a half hours for a visit, including a house tour. Accounts of tour length range from about an hour to 90 minutes.
