The Twain house itself is a remarkable monument to...

The Twain house itself is a remarkable monument to one of the most iconoclastic figures in US literary history. It exemplifies the garish excesses of a man born in the midwest who spent his adulthood trying to fit into high society while at the same time mocking it.

However, the high admission price of $18 is a ripoff. You are not allowed to take photos inside, which is ridiculous and an obvious attempt to control the photo rights of the property. You are also not allowed to tour the facility without the constant yammering of a young tour guide who is clueless about Twain and the house itself, except for the gossipy insights the tour has taught her, and who refuses to let you linger in the library to see what titles Twain collected or in the bedroom to examine the gas light he had run to his bed so that he could light his cigars.

In all it's worth the time--once. It's definitely not a do over.