Mission San Gabriel Archangel
Mission San Gabriel Archangel
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Mission founded in 1771 by Father Junipero Serra, originally from Cordova, Spain, who wanted to share his religious faith with the inhabitants of the New World.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
113 reviews
Excellent
60
Very good
39
Average
13
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Lady Gigglemug
Monrovia, CA5,024 contributions
Sept 2020 • Solo
Very interesting historical mission! It was established in the 1770s! And it was one of the most prolific of missions due to large numbers of baptisms. I had no idea we had these kind of historical sites locally! Once again, I have to say ty to the #localadventurechallenge and YelpSGV, YelpLA and IE for leading me to this awesome spot!
Unfortunately, the museum, mission building and gardens are closed now due to a recent fire and you can still see the roof damage from the fire! I’m sure Covid restrictions aren’t helping either. The gift shop was open though.
The cemetery is also open and is very serene, shaded, peaceful and beautiful. There’s a large stone cross inside to mark a mass grave of “neophytes” that was first consecrated back in 1778! So fascinating!
There’s much more history to it and I can’t wait to go back when it’s fully open and explore!
Unfortunately, the museum, mission building and gardens are closed now due to a recent fire and you can still see the roof damage from the fire! I’m sure Covid restrictions aren’t helping either. The gift shop was open though.
The cemetery is also open and is very serene, shaded, peaceful and beautiful. There’s a large stone cross inside to mark a mass grave of “neophytes” that was first consecrated back in 1778! So fascinating!
There’s much more history to it and I can’t wait to go back when it’s fully open and explore!
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grover R
Pensacola, FL22,268 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
On our trips I like to have something historic and cultural and for California, its Spanish Missions are one of those must see places. There are 21 historic, colonial Spanish Missions in California and while we were close to several, San Gabriel was the best opportunity we had.
We happened to visit on a holy day, Maundy Thursday which may have been good as we arrived with the parking lot empty. Our group of 12 then entered the gift shop and chose the self guided visit of the grounds and church. The mission is a beautiful, historic structure. Like nearly all missions I have visited in Texas, Arizona or California it is a shotgun rectangle with a decorated alter just like it would have looked in the 19th century.
One way San Gabriel did distinguish itself was amazing ground decorated with plants that had been there for decades if not centuries. There was also a great statue to Junipero Serra, the Franciscan friary known as the father of the Californian missions as he started the first 9. San Gabriel was the fourth mission and over time one of the more significant due to its proximity to Los Angeles, which was a California rarity founded without a mission or fort.
There is also a good museum behind the mission that does a good job of explaining the California missions. One noted feature of San Gabriel that will require you to walk the exterior as well is the bell tower at the back of the church. Most have a side tower or bells on the front, but San Gariel has the tower in the back which can be seen from the road as well.
I highly recommend this as a great historic and cultural stop. If you are coming to California, you need to see the Missions and San Gabriel is a great one to see for its grounds, building and museum.
We happened to visit on a holy day, Maundy Thursday which may have been good as we arrived with the parking lot empty. Our group of 12 then entered the gift shop and chose the self guided visit of the grounds and church. The mission is a beautiful, historic structure. Like nearly all missions I have visited in Texas, Arizona or California it is a shotgun rectangle with a decorated alter just like it would have looked in the 19th century.
One way San Gabriel did distinguish itself was amazing ground decorated with plants that had been there for decades if not centuries. There was also a great statue to Junipero Serra, the Franciscan friary known as the father of the Californian missions as he started the first 9. San Gabriel was the fourth mission and over time one of the more significant due to its proximity to Los Angeles, which was a California rarity founded without a mission or fort.
There is also a good museum behind the mission that does a good job of explaining the California missions. One noted feature of San Gabriel that will require you to walk the exterior as well is the bell tower at the back of the church. Most have a side tower or bells on the front, but San Gariel has the tower in the back which can be seen from the road as well.
I highly recommend this as a great historic and cultural stop. If you are coming to California, you need to see the Missions and San Gabriel is a great one to see for its grounds, building and museum.
Written 20 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter H
arizona163 contributions
This mission which is still a functioning church is a piece of California history you should not miss. The sanctuary, the baptism room, the museum, the garden, and the 200+ year old grape vines. Try to go on a weekday. Since this church is still used for regular Sunday services and weddings your chances of getting to "roam" are better on weekdays.
Written 21 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roberts69
Northampton, UK18,964 contributions
Jul 2016 • Solo
Founded in 1771, just 2 years after the discovery of the San Gabriel Valley, the Mission is rich in California history.
I did not have much time at Mission San Gabriel Archangel as I arrived close to the time for last entry but I had long enough to walk the gardens / mission grounds and to appreciate the beauty of this historic church. The Mission is open Monday thru Saturday 9:00am to 4:30pm and Sundays 10:00am to 4:00pm. The entrance fee is US$6.00 for adults, US$3.00 for a youth and Free for children under 6 years old and Seniors (aged 62+) pay US$5.00 (Times and costs were correct as of July 2016 when I visited the Mission).
The visitors information sheet and Mission complex map is excellent and certainly helps you get the most from your visit. As well as the beautiful altar in the church itself I really liked the path covered in grapevines (planted in 1925) that go from the entrance to the church towards the museum building. I also loved the Peace Garden with the colourful hand-made tile picture of 'Our Lady of Guadalupe'.
This Mission is certainly worth an hour of your time - I recommend paying it a visit.
I did not have much time at Mission San Gabriel Archangel as I arrived close to the time for last entry but I had long enough to walk the gardens / mission grounds and to appreciate the beauty of this historic church. The Mission is open Monday thru Saturday 9:00am to 4:30pm and Sundays 10:00am to 4:00pm. The entrance fee is US$6.00 for adults, US$3.00 for a youth and Free for children under 6 years old and Seniors (aged 62+) pay US$5.00 (Times and costs were correct as of July 2016 when I visited the Mission).
The visitors information sheet and Mission complex map is excellent and certainly helps you get the most from your visit. As well as the beautiful altar in the church itself I really liked the path covered in grapevines (planted in 1925) that go from the entrance to the church towards the museum building. I also loved the Peace Garden with the colourful hand-made tile picture of 'Our Lady of Guadalupe'.
This Mission is certainly worth an hour of your time - I recommend paying it a visit.
Written 27 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry A
Jackson, CA531 contributions
Oct 2013 • Family
I've driven by Mission San Gabriel years ago. I remember little of the place other than I wanted to continue driving. This time we stopped and went it.
Wow! Though not along the main El Camino Real of the 21st century (US 101/I-5), it's worthwhile to detour to see it. The chapel is small and to its side is a neat baptistry. In the courtyard are the graves of its clergy. But the hidden treasure is hidden behind the sacristy.
The museum is the gem of the place! Many relics and artifact and great old photos, artwork, furniture, santos and more! It's not just about Mission San Gabriel, its also about the community it started, grew around it and its people!
If you like both mission history and the history since its founding in by Father Serra as the forth of California's Missions in 1771, by all means visit there!
Wow! Though not along the main El Camino Real of the 21st century (US 101/I-5), it's worthwhile to detour to see it. The chapel is small and to its side is a neat baptistry. In the courtyard are the graves of its clergy. But the hidden treasure is hidden behind the sacristy.
The museum is the gem of the place! Many relics and artifact and great old photos, artwork, furniture, santos and more! It's not just about Mission San Gabriel, its also about the community it started, grew around it and its people!
If you like both mission history and the history since its founding in by Father Serra as the forth of California's Missions in 1771, by all means visit there!
Written 30 October 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
m w
Novi, MI847 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
and worth a few minutes stop if you have the time. Self guided walking tour takes about a half hour and this is a good way to kill some time if you are free.
Written 30 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taughboyne
NJ523 contributions
Dec 2019
What remains of the mission's original buildings are mostly fragments located in a well laid out tract of land between two churches. Here the story of the mission from its founding to its expansion and appropriation by the Mexican state and on to the present, is laid out in well organized information plaques and exhibits that can be viewed in an orderly sequence. Visitors learn about the beginnings of California's wine industry and can touch the original vine stock which still grows in a courtyard. The well, cistern, ovens, candle and soap vats, tanneries, and other facilities are on display as well as a selection of cultivated vegetation like olive trees and a fascinating kapok tree. There is also a museum with religious and cultural relics including a silver baptismal font and ladle presented by one of the Spanish monarchs. I especially appreciated the maps that showed how water was brought from the surrounding hills and how the nearby land was divided into different uses. You may encounter knots of school kids on organized tours that are integrated into the state's history of California curriculum. The kids tend to outnumber all other visitors and they can be boisterous when ringing the bell and rushing about taking selfies but they were all good-natured and polite when we were there. You could easily spend a couple hours here and come away with a new appreciation for the role of missions in the development of the state. Plaudits to the preservationists who have kept this enterprise going.
Written 23 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy R
12 contributions
Nov 2016 • Family
Living in San Gabriel and being Catholic, i grew up attending the Mission San Gabriel Archangel! It is so beautiful! There is a museum here and two churches, old and new. My whole family has either been married here or have had attended school here! Both churches are open to the public and are beautiful inside! Please come by and see the beauty of San Gabriel Mission Archangel!
Written 14 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cdb26197
Big Horn, WY21 contributions
Jan 2016 • Friends
It is interesting to visit this Mission because it is very authentic and still a parish church. It is well preserved and the grounds are primitive, very quiet and have historical artifacts. If you are in San Gabriel it is worth the trip to visit.
Written 18 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VQC
Tracy, CA313 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
This was the last of the 21 California Missions our family visited. You must take the time to visit. It is beautiful and well maintained. Not much original, but still very worthwhile. We loved it!
Written 13 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bschlem
Florissant, Missouri
Best time of day to visit? Those photos are beautifully lit with the sun coming in from the windows. Is that during sunset?
Written 26 January 2017
We visited in the late morning and spent quite a bit of time touring the exterior gardens and such and left in the late afternoon. Check the hours of operation. Photo ops always depend on the time of year. I don't think there is a "bad" time to visit.
Written 26 January 2017
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