Unraveling the mystery of Sarah Winchester’s bizarre but beautiful home building project in San Jose

A tour is led through the Winchester Mystery House.

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is the subject of a movie starring Helen Mirren and Jason Clarke.

This is one of two known portraits of Sarah Winchester.

The house has a meticulously restored exterior and gardens. The interior, however, is a mishmash of original and restored decor. Some rooms were never finished, and some still have earthquake damage.

In 1884, Sarah Winchester began construction on an eight-room farmhouse that grew to 24,000 square feet.

One of 160 rooms in the Winchester Mystery House.

Helen Mirren is about to wrap shooting on “Winchester,” an Australian-made feature film in which she portrays Sarah Winchester, heir to the magnificent rifle fortune.

Helen Mirren’s co-star, Jason Clarke, plays a fictional psychiatrist sent to the mansion by the Winchester Rifle Co. to declare Sarah Winchester insane in order to wrest back control of the company.

After the 1906 earthquake, Sarah Winchester sealed off the entire front of the house and left much of it in cosmetic disrepair.

Today, the house has a meticulously restored exterior and gardens. The interior, however, is a mishmash of original and restored decor.

The house grew to 160 rooms in 24,000 square feet.

The interior is a mishmash of original and restored decor.