Dunedin, New Zealand, is a vibrant city with many attractions, including Olveston Historic Home.
The house, built for businessman, collector, and philanthropist David Theomin, his wife Marie, and their two children, Edward and Dorothy, is open for tours and a look at wealth a century ago.
My tour is part of a Princess Cruises excursion. I love history and beautiful homes. This mansion, designed by acclaimed English architect Sir Ernest George, was built as a family home furnished with fine art, furniture, and artifacts purchased from all around the world.
It was intended for future generations to enjoy. However, both Theomin children died without heirs. Surviving the death of her father, mother, and elder brother, Dorothy Theomin lived at Olveston until she died in 1966. She willed the house and its original contents to the City of Dunedin.
The house is like a time capsule. Little has changed since it was occupied as a family home between 1906 and 1966.
A young woman takes our group on a kitchen and butler’s pantry tour. Glass-fronted cupboards house several sets of dishes, one for each day of the week.
We continue the tour in the dining room, living room, and parlor before climbing the stairs to the second level, where we tour the bedrooms and the billiards room.
It all adds up to equal beauty and understanding of life in the early 20th because of its perfect original features, décor, and furnishings.
For more information about Olveston Historic Home, click here. For more information about Princess Cruises, click here.
