Greystone Mansion Was the Site of One of LA’s Most Infamous Murders, and It’s Open to the Public

Beverly Hills is known for its multi-million dollar homes. But 90210’s most famous mansion isn’t owned by a celebrity. Perched on a hill above Sunset Boulevard is Greystone Mansion and Gardens. Also known as the Doheny Estate, it has gorgeous gardens, 55 rooms, sweeping views of Los Angeles and a dark past. While most Beverly Hills mansions are hidden from view or surrounded by fortress-like walls, you can actually go inside this one. Here’s how you can visit this historic estate in one of the most famous zip codes.

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What is the Greystone Mansion?

Greystone Mansion is located at 905 Loma Vista Dr in Beverly Hills. The mansion was home to Edward “Ned” Doheny Jr., his wife Lucy and their 5 children. The land was a wedding gift from Ned’s father, oil tycoon Edward Lawrence Doheny.

The 46,054-square-foot mansion was designed by Southern Californian architect Gordon B. Kaufmann. Landscape architect Paul Thiene and lead designer Emile Kuehl were behind the terraced gardens. They incorporated a variety of architectural styles, including Italian Renaissance and Gothic.

It took 18 months to build the 55-room Tudor-style home, which was built of steel-reinforced concrete, faced with Indiana limestone and topped with a Welsh slate roof. The Dohenys moved into the mansion in 1928, but construction continued on the grounds until 1930.

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By the time it was finished, the Doheny Estate was kind of like its own city. In addition to tennis courts, kennels, garages, stables, a swimming pool, a lake and a greenhouse, it also had its own fire station.

And if that doesn’t make you feel poor, keep reading. Construction of the mansion, outbuildings and landscaping cost $3,166,578 in 1928, which would be over $61 million in 2026.

While the mansion itself is famous, what happened inside the mansion is what made headlines. Just 5 months after moving in, Ned Doheny and his aide Hugh Plunkett were found shot to death in one of the guest rooms. Ned was only 35 years old. The police declared it a murder-suicide and the case was closed in 36 hours, but some believe there was a cover-up.

Ned’s wife remarried in 1932 and continued living in the home until 1955 when she sold the mansion and the 18.3 acres of land to Henry Crown. Instead of moving in, he used the mansion as a filming location.

Over the years, hundreds of movies, TV shows and music videos have used Greystone Mansion as a backdrop. Some of the most famous include The Big Lebowski, The Witches of Eastwick, Spider-Man and The Bodyguard. There Will Be Blood, inspired by the satirical novel Oil!, which was based on the life of Edward L. Doheny, was also filmed at the mansion.

Crown eventually sold the property to the City of Beverly Hills for $1.3 million. And in 1971 it was officially dedicated as a public park. Five years later it earned historic landmark status.

Today, visitors can explore the grounds for free or tour the first floor of the Doheny Estate on select weekends.

The Gardens at Greystone Mansion

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The gardens at Greystone Mansion are not only free to visit, but there’s also free parking. I can’t even begin to explain how rare this combination is in LA, and especially in Beverly Hills. Even more mindblowing? There’s actually a lot of parking.

When you arrive, you’ll be in the upper level of the grounds where you’ll find the formal English garden, complete with a fountain, and forecourt.

Walking through the gardens feels like you’re walking around an Italian villa, especially along Cypress Lane. Just look out for spiders. I would have run into a spiderweb if another visitor didn’t point it out.

There are plenty of hidden staircases and winding paths that will take you all over the grounds. Even if you don’t have tickets to go inside the mansion, you can still enjoy the Reflection Pond, take in the sweeping views of LA on the terrace and see the rose garden below.

I spent about an hour wandering around before the mansion tour. If you’re with someone who moves at a quicker pace, like my dad, you could probably see most of it in 30–45 minutes.

The Self-Guided Greystone Mansion Tour

If you want to visit Greystone Mansion, try to go when they open the mansion to the public. The tours take place on the first weekend of the month. And for $10, it might just be the cheapest experience in Beverly Hills.

Despite having 55 rooms, the self-guided tour only includes 10 rooms, and they’re all on the first floor. It makes me wonder what they’re hiding upstairs. (According to the Friends of Greystone website, bathrooms need to be restored.)

Here are the highlights of the Greystone Mansion tour:

The Grand Staircase

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The first thing you see when you enter the Doheny Estate is the Grand Staircase. The hand-carved oak and walnut woodwork, limestone stairs and iron railings are peak 1920s craftsmanship. Despite having only 11 steps, it’s Greystone Mansion’s most recognized feature. This part of the home has been used in countless films and TV shows.

South Guest Room

Probably the most infamous room in the Greystone Mansion is the South Guest Room. It’s where Ned Doheny Jr. and his personal friend and aide, Hugh Plunkett, were found shot to death in 1929.

Living Room

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I really think the Dohenys and I have different definitions of living rooms. Because never once have I thought, “You know what this living room needs? A minstrel gallery.” Then again, I don’t have oil tycoon money.

I actually spent the most time in this room, to the point where I probably looked suspicious to the park rangers. First of all, it’s just a really gorgeous room. But more importantly, it was a really hot day and the air conditioning vent felt really nice to stand in front of.

Card Room

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This room is probably the most mesmerizing room of the Greystone Mansion, with its black-and-white marble floor, arched windows and sweeping views of Los Angeles. It’s like the holy trinity of any Beverly Hills mansion.

It’s also the most Instagrammable room, and it was kind of annoying to have to navigate through the mini photo shoots going on.

When the house was built, the walls were covered with paneled murals, and there was a fountain in the center of the room. You can still see the hole in the floor for the plumbing.

Theatre

What’s a mansion in Beverly Hills without a private motion picture theatre? Built in 1928, not much is known about how the Dohenys used it.

The American Film Institue used the theatre a lot when they used the mansion as its headquarters from 1969-1982. In fact, the first screening in the theater was David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Lynch filmed many scenes at Greystone Mansion.

The City of Beverly Hills restored the space in 2020. Today, the theatre shows a short film about the history of Greystone Mansion.

Other Rooms on the Tour

During the self-guided tour, visitors can also walk through the library, dining room, breakfast room, butler’s pantry and historic kitchen. Each room still has many of the original features.

And what about the famous two-lane Brunswick bowling alley seen in There Will Be Blood? It’s located in the entertainment or recreation wing beneath the theater. It wasn’t accessible on the monthly tour, but it is shown on the flyer for a tour hosted by the Friends of Greystone, along with the Billiard Room and hidden Speakeasy.

Tips for Visiting Greystone Mansion and Gardens

Here’s what I wish I knew before my visit.

• Self-guided tours are only available on select weekends. Greystone Mansion is open to the public on the first Saturday or Sunday of each month. Tickets are available through the city of Beverly Hills.
• Don’t miss the QR code for the Inside the Mansion guide. I had to ask if there was anything to explain what I was looking at since the tour is self-guided. The lady at check-in pointed out the QR code to scan for the brochure. Cell reception can be spotty, but I didn’t have any trouble loading it.
• Don’t arrive before 10 am. The park is open daily from 10 am-6 pm in the summer and 10 am-5 pm in the winter. I arrived a few minutes before 10 am and had to pull over and park on a side street until the gates opened.
• On-site parking is limited. However, there were still plenty of spots when I left around noon.
• Street parking is free, but make sure to read the signs. If you do park on the street, there will be a steep walk to get to the gardens.

Should Greystone Mansion Be on Your LA Itinerary?

The self-guided Greystone Mansion tour is an easy ‘yes’ if you’re a history lover or true crime fanatic. And at only $10, it’s probably one of the more affordable and unique things to do in Beverly Hills. Even if you aren’t able to go inside, the gardens are beautiful to walk around. And the price is right: free.

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