CURRENT HOURS: Tuesday-Saturday 9am-4pm (last tractor cart to farms leaves at 2:30)
Sometimes you just need to feel a little bit fancy! Indulge your inner Victorian with an elegant tea service in the historic Flynn Mansion. Hat and gloves are optional, but an interest in learning about Victorian manners is mandatory. Living History Farms interpreters wearing 1870s period dress will serve hot tea, tea sandwiches, scones, traditional cakes, and other sweets and share tea traditions. Chat with friends at the tea table, then explore the interiors of this elegant Italianate home built in 1870 by one of Des Moines’ first families.
Ages 12 and up (except Children’s Toys and Teddy Bears).
Please note: You’ll meet your host inside the Kemin Cultivation Center, 11121 Hickman. From there, you will walk together to the mansion. In bad weather, your host may lead you up the road to the mansion by car; from the road to the front door, the walk is less than 100 yards. The paths from the Kemin Cultivation Center and from the road are not paved. Please wear comfortable walking shoes or boots, as well as appropriate layers for the weather.
Menu changes with season and theme but includes:
Victorians on both sides of the Atlantic adored strawberries, especially new varieties introduced in the late 1800s that were larger and sweeter than wild berries. While preserves could be enjoyed all year, fresh berries were a summer luxury, often served with cream at “strawberry parties” like ours.
While everyone else marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, you can step back 150 years to experience how the centennial was celebrated in 1876. Victorians threw “George and Martha parties,” named for America’s original first couple, where they decorated in patriotic themes and wore Colonial costumes.
Here’s a chance for children 8 and up to experience a Flynn Mansion Tea along with their favorite adults. Learn about the toys and games that would have amused Victorian children a century before video games and screens, and about the real-life Flynn children who grew up in this stately home.
The Victorian Era was a great time for apple lovers. Fruit growing was a competitive hobby for the wealthy, and gardeners created thousands of new varieties. The humble staple became a sensation, as well as a nostalgic symbol of simpler pre-industrial times. Join us for a celebration of the fall harvest and the apple’s role in Victorian life.
Victorians loved superstitions—and they loved to defy them. In the 1880s, “13 clubs” were popular: 13 people met for dinner on the 13th day of the month to eat 13 dishes and poke fun at every superstition possible. Learn about Victorian science and superstitions with us, and explore the meaning of old folklore and tales.
Our facilities are not food allergen or gluten-free. Please be aware that our food may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, wheat, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, or shellfish. Our meals are prepared and served family-style and we are unable to accommodate all food allergy concern
11121 HICKMAN, URBANDALE • 515-278-5286
— THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 PREMIER PARTNERS —
Official Modern Agricultural Equipment Partner
