Meyer May House
* Open to the public
o Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
o Sundays from 1-5 p.m.
o Last tour starts 1 hr. prior to closing
* FREE admission
* No reservations needed for groups of 10 or less
* Closed on national holidays
Designed by America's most famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Meyer May House was commissioned in 1908 by a prominent Grand Rapids, Mich., clothier. A example of Wright's now-famous Prairie style of architecture, it was restored to its original concept by Steelcase and opened for visitor tours in 1987. The Meyer May House offers the public a rare opportunity to view a totally designed living environment, a composition of light, planes, and space just as Wright envisioned it in 1908.
Before restoration began, extensive research was conducted to determine the original building design. Interviews were held with relatives, neighbors and friends of the May family, Wright scholars, past building occupants, historians and local residents. Documents about Frank Lloyd Wright were also studied to pinpoint information on the Meyer May project itself and Wright's Prairie style of architecture.
Historic photos, drawings and documents were found in public institutions and private collections. These proved to be the most valuable tools in reconstructing the history of the actual structure and its contents and provided the framework for the restoration, which was completed in the fall of 1987.
Everything in the house works together to create a unified and harmonious whole. Wright carefully sited the house to allow maximum southern exposure for the living room windows and skylights and to create a spacious yard for the perennial gardens. Each red-tiled terrace, each section of art glass, each splash of color was artfully designed and placed to enhance the interior and to draw nature into the house.
Rooms in the restored Meyer May House are furnished with a mixture of original pieces, reproductions of original pieces and compatible Arts and Crafts style items from the period.
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