Discovering Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin in Wisconsin

I have always been fascinated with architecture and we have studied Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) in our homeschool lessons. His Taliesin estate in Spring Green, Wisconsin, seemed like the perfect place to visit as we drove from Minneapolis to Chicago on our fall foliage tour. Taliesin, means “shining brow”, is an apt name for this building. It looks as if it was built into the side of the hill becoming the brow of the landscape. Instead of being perched on the hill, it becomes part of the land itself and becomes one with nature.

There are many tours to choose from depending on the time of year. We chose the 2-hour House Tour and learnt so much.

Disclaimer: We were hosted by Taliesin Preservation for this visit. However, as always, all opinions are my own.

The Taliesin Estate

The house tour begins with a brief shuttle ride over to the home and a tour of the grounds. We visited in early November and it was very cool outside. This was our first visit to Wisconsin and the beauty of the rolling hills was breathtaking even in the cold. FLW loved nature, so I can see why this location was inspirational to him during his lifetime. Although the grounds were stunning, Payton and I were happy when the tour made its way indoors to the warmth.  

“The mission of an architect is to help people understand how to make life more beautiful, the world a better one for living in, and to give reason, rhyme, and meaning to life.”

Frank Lloyd Wright, 1957

Taliesin House

The most interesting part of the home to me, was that it was built over many many years. FLW was constantly adding on and trying new techniques within his home. It is 37,000 square foot of home – which is huge! When the depression hit and times were hard financially, he opened up the school of architecture here as well and allowed students to stay on site. These students were able to train and learn under him while also providing free labor for the additions to this home and land. To this day, there are still students onsite enrolled in the school of architecture.

Frank Lloyd Wright-isms

The first thing that caught our attention upon entering was the height of the entryway. Payton is just under 5 feet tall in this picture. We found out from our fascinating tour guide that FLW was 5’7″. He believed that building any higher was just an unnecessary waste of materials. 

Anyone know why the door knobs are so high on the door? There are many guesses and speculations, but I would love to know the reasoning behind it. Everything FLW did had a reason or purpose, nothing was by chance. But he never told anyone why he placed them so high. I’m sure it would be as fascinating as the man behind it. If you have a guess, let me know in the comments below!

Nature & Light

In every room of the home, FLW brought nature in, instead of just observing it through the windows. You literally feel the connection between the inside and the outside without feeling like you are closed in or within boundaries.

Even though all of the doorways and outer edges of the room have low ceilings, the center of the rooms have high vaulted ceilings with lots of windows bringing in even more light. The space definitely feels larger and more open as you enter, as if it is welcoming you inside.

The bedrooms

You will notice the same thing in the bedrooms. A low doorway and outer edge of the room and then very high ceilings bringing in tons of natural light. Some of the walls are made of glass windows and doors have amazing views of the world beyond. The thought that he put into every aspect of his designs is mind blowing. Things that most people would never think of, but also things that make a tremendous difference.

One of the famous creations from FLW is this lamp with shelving. You can also purchase a replica of this lamp in the gift shop.

Frank Lloyd Wright & Louis Sullivan

Just 3 days prior to our visit to Taliesin, we were in Grinnell, Iowa. In Grinnell we visited our first Jewel Box Bank. There are 8 of these across the country. These banks were designed by Louis Sullivan, the person Frank Lloyd Wright worked directly under for 6 years beginning in 1887 in Chicago. Isn’t it awesome how we find these connections while travelling? This was a wonderful experience for Payton to see the work of Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright in person and learn the connection between the two. That is why we travel and why we homeschool, to bring it all together and to bring history to life!

Taliesin for kids

Our tour guide was fantastic in keeping everyone engaged and involved. Payton and I both learned so much about FLW, his designs, and his life. The House Tour isn’t available to children under the age of 10, but Taliesin Preservation have lots of programmes specifically for children. Interested in your kids learning even more? They offer summer camps for ages 8 and up. You can find out all of the details here.  

Riverview Terrace Cafe

We had lunch at the Riverview Terrace Cafe located inside the Visitors Center. The view itself was amazing and the food was wonderful as well. All tours begin at the Visitors Center, with a shuttle to the location of the tour. If you plan to visit, make sure to allow yourself time in the gift shop. We found multiple books to add to our homeschool collection which Payton has enjoyed a lot since then.  

Discovering Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin in Wisconsin

We truly enjoyed our time at Taliesin and appreciated the opportunity to discover more about Frank Lloyd Wright and his Wisconsin estate. It is a beautiful setting for his inventive designs that interconnect life and nature in amazing ways. We left Taliesin and Spring Green, Wisconsin, feeling like we had really discovered more about Frank Lloyd Wright, the man behind this fascinating home. One of the most famous American architects of all time. Have you visited Taliesin in Wisconsin? Or maybe his home in Arizona? If so, tell us about your visit in the comments below.

In 1976, Taliesin was designated as a National Historic Landmark and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

~ Taliesin Preservation

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