Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum

Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum Review

With spectacular views of Surfrider Beach and lush garden grounds, this house epitomizes all the reasons to live in Malibu. Built in 1929 by the Rindge family, who owned much of the Malibu area in the early part of the 20th century, they knew even then this was an ideal setting to settle down. Malibu was quite isolated then, with all visitors and supplies arriving by boat at the nearby Malibu Pier (and it can still be isolated these days when rock slides close the highway). Built in 1929, the house reflects a Moorish Spanish-style. The Rindges had an enviable Malibu lifestyle, decades before the area was trendy. The house, covered with magnificent tile work in rich blues, greens, yellows, and oranges from the now-defunct Malibu Potteries, is right on the beach—high chain-link fences keep out curious beachgoers. Even an outside dog shower, near the servants' door, is a tiled delight. Docent-led tours provide insights on family life here as well as the history of Malibu and its real estate. Signs posted around the grounds outside direct you on a self-guided tour, but you can't go inside the house without a guide. Garden tours take place on Friday at 10 am. There's pay parking in the adjacent county lot or in the lot at PCH and Cross Creek Road.