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'A Christmas Story House' and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio for Festive Family Fun
Visit the famous house from the cult classic holiday film to see movie props and photos, pick up a Major Award for your home and more – just a couple hours from Detroit
If the "Old Man" in your home is a big fan of A Christmas Story, and all you want for Christmas is a fun family trip just two-and-a half-hours from Detroit, pack up the kids and head to the A Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
From a tour of Ralphie Parker's childhood home to a museum featuring movie props and behind-the-scene photos and even a gift shop where you can buy your very own "Major Award," there's a trip down memory lane waiting closer than you think!
Explore the house
Enter a quaint neighborhood in the city's limits, and your family will feel like they've been zapped into the movie screen and into Ralphie's world.
The Parkers' house from the classic 1983 holiday flick has been "restored to its movie splendor," according to the A Christmas Story House and Museum website – and it's open for tours year round.
The house officially opened Thanksgiving weekend 2006, according to Angela Dickerson, chief operating office at the A Christmas Story House and Museum. By August 2009, the house saw its 100,000th visitor, a press release on the website notes.
Guests can walk through the living room, where they'll find the famous leg lamp sitting in the front window – and, of course, an "Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle" waiting under the tree.
A Christmas Story House and Museum
Tours allow visitors to venture upstairs, too. Make a stop in the bathroom – but beware of that Lifebuoy soap!
Head to the museum
Just across the street from the home is the A Christmas Story museum. After the tour, get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie, from costumes to photos.
Props and other goodies include the toys the neighborhood kids eyed in the Higbee's department store holiday window display, Randy's puffy snowsuit, teacher Miss Shields' chalkboard straight from the Ralphie's classroom – and the 1937 Oldsmobile family car, the site notes.
Stop at the gift shop
Want to bring home a little memento of your kitschy trip? There's also a gift shop across the street from the house, featuring memorabilia and collectibles from A Christmas Story. Buy anything from a leg lamp for your front window – or maybe just an ornament for the tree – to hats, ties and games.
All gift shop proceeds go toward upkeep of the house and museum. To order gifts from the A Christmas Story gift shop, visit the website.
We visited the A Christmas Story house this summer. Just thought it was important for people to know before they buy the tickets to the house tour that all the scenes inside the house from the movie were shot on an LA sound stage ... only the outdoor scenes from the movie were shot there, except the school scenes which were filmed in Toronto.
They did nice job of securing original props and costumes from the movie for their museum across the street from the house. I give them kudos for that!
We LOVE the movie and enjoyed stopping by the House but it is a "tourist trap" ... also be aware while the house and museum are kept up the neighborhood definitely isn't quaint, in fact it's pretty rough and seen better days.