Hammond Castle Museum, Gloucester

###Five Things to Know About Hammond Castle Museum As far as wedding presents go, this one was a doozy: the medieval-style Hammond Castle was built as a gift from inventor John Hammond (“The Father of the Remote Control”) to his wife, Irene, during the 1920s. For a time, the castle also hosted Hammond’s research corporation—by the end of his life, he had more than 400 patents. Today, it still stands as a marvel of architecture and design, but also serves as a museum to the life of the Hammonds. Before you visit, here are a few helpful things to know: * **You can drop by anytime.** Well, anytime during operating hours (which exclude winter). But you don’t have to wait for a guided tour when you get there; just take a map and explore the museum by yourself. * **The museum gives you plenty of background to whet your palate.** In the castle's AV room, a film tells about the Hammonds and their lives. * **There's plenty to see indoors and out.** Wander through an indoor courtyard, the library, the kitchens, the servants’ quarters, and, of course, a secret passageway indoors; outdoors check out the gardens, which have a stunning view of the Atlantic shoreline. * **There's also one of the largest residential pipe organs in the world on the premises.** Designed by Hammond and located in the Great Hall, the organ comes with more than 8,000 pipes and sits under a large rose window with images of angels playing musical instruments. * **There are a lot of stairs.** This being an old castle, it’s not wheelchair-accessible—you’ll need to step up and down a lot to work your way through the home.