Free Public Tours of the Tournament House
By Sentinel News Service
Our doors are open, and you’re invited! Guided tours inside Tournament House, the iconic Southern California landmark, are open to the public. Tours will be offered, at no cost, every Thursday at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. beginning today, February 7. Tournament of Roses® volunteers from the Heritage Committee, knowledgeable of the organization’s history and details of the house, conduct the tours.
The Rose Bowl Game® room renovation at Tournament House is complete and open to the public for viewing. Highlights include: two new Hall of Fame touch screens, video playback of Rose Bowl Game history, depictions of Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game, a celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the 1919 Rose Bowl Game, the B-2 Flyover and more.
Tournament House serves as the official headquarters of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, its staff and the 935 volunteer members who work year-round to organize the annual Rose Parade® presented by Honda and Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual.
Located in Pasadena, the house was once the home of chewing gum mogul William Wrigley Jr. and his wife, Ada. After Ada’s death in 1958, the Wrigley family presented the property to the city of Pasadena, with the request that it become the base of operations for the Tournament of Roses. The Wrigley family enjoyed the Rose Parade as it unfolded just beyond their front yard.
Surrounding Tournament House are the Wrigley Gardens, which feature a floral display of roses, camellias and annuals. The gardens feature the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) award-winning Tournament of Roses rose developed especially for the Tournament of Roses Centennial in 1989.
Groups of 10 or more may call (626) 449-4100 for tour reservations.
This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel.
