Pennsylvania Historic Sites And Museums

Gettysburg National Military Park

The Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg is the site of Gettysburg Battlefield, where in 1863 this Civil War battle was responsible for 51,000 casualties over a three-day period. Hundreds of markers and monuments now grace the park. Key highlights are Seminary Ridge, which was the primary Confederate position west of Gettysburg for days two and three of the battles Cemetery Ridge, the site of Union Lines for the final two days of battle and Oak Ridge, the site of the opening day battle of the Civil War.

The Park Museum and Visitor Center has several exhibits, including the Rosensteel collection, which is one of the largest collections of Civil War uniforms, weapons, and personal items in the United States. The park also hosts living history programs and reenactments and has extensive horseback riding trails.

Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike , Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Presque Isle State Park

One of the top parks in Pennsylvania, Presque Isle State Park sits on a peninsula that curves out into Lake Erie, creating Presque Isle Bay, an important shipping and transport center. The park is open daily year-round and has plenty to offer, including eleven miles of beach and several hiking trails.

As well as swimmers and sunbathers, many visitors come here to collect colorful “sea” glass that has washed ashore. Kite-flyers also love the open space and lake winds, and Sunset Point is a favorite spot. The park also hosts seasonal events and summer concerts that are free and open to the public.

At the entrance of the park, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center houses exhibits about the local history and ecosystems. The center also facilitates activities and has a 75-foot observation tower from which you can admire the surrounding park and lake. There are also amazing views of the lake from atop the Lighthouse on Presque Isle, which can be visited by guided tour, as well as the lesser-known Lighthouse on North Pier.

Museums And Historic Sites Rural Life And Culture Institute

The Twentieth Annual Institute of Pennsylvania Rural Life and Culture will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum near Lancaster June 22-25 .

The Institutes theme, Our American Rural Heritage, will be developed through the following seminars: Sinews of Independence Thomas R. Brendels Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore, Proverbs, and Remedies Barn Architecture of Pennsylvania Books and Broadsides of the Pennsylvania Germans Revolutionary War Weapons and Accoutrements and Pennsylvania Antiques 1976 Edition.

Techniques of Traditional Craftsmanship will be introduced through the listed workshops: Folk Painting on Glass Ryestraw Basketry Traditional Modes of Penmanship Patchwork Quilting Working on the Potters Wheel Traditional Tinsmithing.

Additional information can be obtained by writing to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Institute, P.O. Box 1026, Harrisburg 17120.

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Harry A Roberts Plaza / King Memorial

Allentown

The was dedicated on Jan. 17, 2011. The statue makes this memorial site the only in the world to have a statue memorial dedicated to both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Martin Luther & Coretta Scott King Memorial on January 17, 2011. The memorial and affiliated programs honor the King Family and address issues of civil rights, world peace, and economic equity for all.

Welcome To The State Museum Of Pennsylvania

The State Museum of Pennsylvania is open for regular hours. Masks are recommended to be worn indoors while visiting The State Museum of Pennsylvania.

To ensure your entry experience is smooth, we are encouraging pre-reservation of admission tickets. Visit phmc.info/SMOPTickets to pre-register. Members may reserve timed tickets also in advance. Walk-ins will be accepted. Please follow us on and for important updates.

For more information about historic sites and museums visit Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commissions Trails of History page.

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Patriots Of African Descent Monument

King of Prussia

The Patriots of African Descent Monument was built to honor Black soldiers who served during the Valley Forge Encampment in 1777. This structure is comprised of a granite block and a bronze bas-relief that includes carved texts. The bronze relief depicts three soldiers, all wearing military uniforms, each holding a musket in hand. On the back of the monument are the words, In Honor of the PATRIOTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT who served, suffered, and sacrificed during the Valley Forge Encampment 1777-1778.

Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Created in 1945, PHMC is responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania’s historic heritage, which is accomplished through the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Trails of History , the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, and the Bureau of Management Services. The ROZ Group worked with PHMCs 21stCentury Task Force to develop diversity, equity, inclusion, and access policies, to recommend practices to support a more inclusive agency, and to implement those recommendations.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, please visit

RozDezign is our proprietary exhibition and educational product development group. These creative concepts are born within the ROZ Group organization.

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African American And Historic Sites In Pa

From the stops along the Underground Railroad to modern-day museums honoring influential African American figures, Pennsylvania is rich in Black history and culture. Explore these preserved landmarks throughout the state while discovering how the African American community has helped shape the commonwealth.

Know before you go: We recommend contacting your destination before your visit for their latest rules and regulations. Find up-to-date COVID-19 traveler resources on the visitPA website.

Independence National Park And The Liberty Bell

One of America’s most historic areas and home to the Liberty Bell, Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia is a national treasure. Independence Hall is the central attraction at the park, famous as the site where the Declaration of Independence was signed and where the Constitution was drafted. The Liberty Bell sits on display across from Independence Hall, surrounded by a series of exhibits describing its history.

Independence Mall, laid out in 1948, extends north of here, forming the remainder of the park, which is paved with old cobblestone streets. Here, you will find historic buildings, like Congress Hall and Old City Hall, and museums including the Ben Franklin Museum and the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Address: 143 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Flight 93 National Memorial

On September 11th, 2001, one of the four hijacked planes was supposed to crash into the U.S. Capitol Building. Thanks to the brave actions of the crew and passengers onboard the flight, the horrific planned attack was foiled. The Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania, honors those brave men and women. Tower of Voices is a monument that stands 93 feet tall and contains 40 wind chimes that sing out over the rural landscape.

List Of National Historic Landmarks In Pennsylvania

This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania. There are 169 in the state. Listed in the tables below are the 102 NHLs outside Philadelphia. For the 67 within Philadelphia, see List of National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia.

Three of these sites are shared with other states and are credited by the National Park Service as being located in those other states: the Delaware and Hudson Canal ” rel=”nofollow”> New York but extending into Pennsylvania) the Beginning Point of the U.S. Public Land Survey and the Minisink Archeological Site, on the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border.

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Johnson House Historic Site

Philadelphia

Built in 1768, the Johnson House served in the 1850s as a crucial stop along the Underground Railroad to secure safe passage to freedom for many enslaved African Americans, as well as a meeting place for noted abolitionists. Now transformed into a museum, here you can take a tour and gain an appreciation for the courageous decisions made by the enslaved to embark on a perilous, hope-filled journey to freedom and learn about the audacious men and women who labored for an end to the barbaric practice of slavery.

Farm Museums Textile Exhibit

The Homespun Textile Tradition of the Pennsylvania Germans is the subject of a major new exhibit at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum of Landis Valley. Opening in March, the exhibit will remain in the museums Orientation Building gallery throughout 1976. A catalog of the exhibit, published by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, will be available in the Spring.

The unique exhibit brings together a wide range of items representative of the textiles owned and used by Pennsylvania German farm families in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The items on exhibit are all made of homespun flax, wool, hemp, or cotton fibers. Items on exhibit range from linen sheets, towels, and shirts to woolen coverlets, mittens, and stockings. Utilitarian items such as an unbleached tow wagon cover, a hemp bed rope, and a tow grain bag are included as well as decorative pieces such as linen samplers and show towels. The items in the exhibit are from the Farm Museums collection and from several private collections. Most of the items have never before been on public display.

The Pennsylvania Farm Museum of Landis Valley is located on Route 272 approximately four miles north of Lancaster. The museum is an outdoor museum of Pennsylvania agriculture and country life with over twenty major exhibition buildings. The Farm Museum is administered by the PHMC.

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National Register Of Historic Places Listings In Pennsylvania

This is a list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania. As of 2015, there are over 3,000 listed sites in Pennsylvania. Sixty-six of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania have listings on the National Register Cameron County is the only county without any sites listed.

This National Park Service list is complete through NPS recent listings posted December 23, 2021.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr Plaza

State College

Located on South Fraser Street, between West College Avenue and West Beaver Avenue, sits Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza. Officially opened in 2017, the site was created to commemorate and remind those of Kings legacy as an advocate for peace, equality, and justice. Before his historic I Have a Dream speech during the March on Washington, King visited Penn States University Park campus on Jan. 21, 1965, and spoke to an estimated crowd of 8,000 people in Rec Hall. Cant see the plaza person? State College also offers a virtual tour of the Plaza to view in the comfort of your own home.

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List Of Museums In Pennsylvania

This list of museums in Pennsylvania encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are university and non-profit art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace are not included.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Philadelphia Museum Of Art

The Philadelphia Museum of Art houses one of America’s largest collections of art and is also an iconic building in the city. The museum’s front steps were featured in all of the “Rocky” movies, and from the top of these steps is a grand view down Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the landmark tower of City Hall.

Inside, the museum’s permanent collections include a wide range of art, including an extensive European collection featuring works by Rembrandt, Cézanne, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Chagall, and Manet. Other galleries include those dedicated to textiles and fashion, American colonial furniture, and an outdoor sculpture garden.

Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Current Listings By County

The following are approximate tallies of current listings in Pennsylvania on the National Register of Historic Places. These counts are based on entries in the National Register Information Database as of April 24, 2008 and new weekly listings posted since then on the National Register of Historic Places web site. There are frequent additions to the listings and occasional delistings and the counts here are not official. Also, the counts in this table exclude boundary increase and decrease listings which modify the area covered by an existing property or district and which carry a separate National Register reference number. 16 percent of the NRHP’s in Pennsylvania are in Philadelphia, and nearly 40 percent are located within the Delaware Valley.

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

Pittsburgh

A must-see destination, the honors the legacy of the late Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright in his hometown. Boasting a wide range of dynamic exhibitions and educational spaces, the institution has hosted thousands of talented artists and creative students since it first opened to the public in 2009. Explore the beauty and rich cultural history of the African American experience virtually and plan to visit when youre in town. Be sure to check their calendar for a slate of events and performances.

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Mcallisters Mill Underground Railroad Site

Gettysburg

Now, little more than ruins with the land privately owned, McAllisters Mill was an important station along the Underground Railroad under the ownership of James McAllister, a loyal and committed abolitionist. The mills cog pit served as a secure and safe hiding place for those seeking to escape their enslaved existence and where they would rest before the next stage of their arduous journey north to freedom.

Valley Forge And Valley Forge National Historical Park

Valley Forge stands as the ultimate symbol of suffering, sacrifice, and triumph of the American Revolutionary War. During the winter of 1777-78, American soldiers endured some 2,000 casualties related to hunger, disease, and poor conditions after the British razed this key supply center.

This piece of history is illustrated through exhibits, tours, and a film. On-site are Washington’s Headquarters, a National Memorial Arch, as well as trails and recreational space for visitors to enjoy. Located on the north-western outskirts of Philadelphia, Valley Forge is an easy day trip from the city.

Address: 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

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The Quintessential Stops For Those Who Love Rich Stories Steeped In History

Travel Responsibly: As the region recovers from COVID-19, safety guidelines have evolved at attractions, restaurants, shops and hotels. Philadelphia requires masks or proof of vaccination at all indoor public spaces. Advance tickets or reservations remain recommended or necessary at many spots. Your best bet: Check online or call ahead.

Whether youre the ultimate history buff or a fan of rich storytelling, Philadelphias Historic District has you covered, with tons of attractions full of stories and sights.

These are the essential stops for those with a hankering for historical knowledge, including scoring an up-close view of Americas most famous bell at The Liberty Bell Center, taking a stroll through the oldest continuously inhabited and possibly most charming street in America and tossing good-luck pennies on the grave of Benjamin Franklin at the Christ Church Burial Ground.

Explore the wealth of gems inside the Historic District below.

Destination Freedom: Underground Railroad Walking Tour

Waverly

Learn about the complex history of a small Pennsylvania village and the role it played in the Underground Railroad and Civil War along Waverlys Destination Freedom: Underground Railroad Walking Tour. Settled in the 1820s, Waverly became an important hub on the trail to freedom for the men, women, and children looking to escape bondage in the south. The interactive tour explores the lives of the village’s early settlers and those of the formerly enslaved and free born African Americans who came to call the village home, and as a microcosm of the complicated nature of northern society during the 19th Century.

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Pennsylvania Historical And Museum Commission

ThePennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania’s historic heritage. The commission cares for historical manuscripts, public records, and objects of historic interest museums archeology publications historic sites and properties historic preservation geographic names and the promotion of public interest in Pennsylvania history.

PHMC was established June 6, 1945, by state Act No. 446, merging the Pennsylvania Historical Commission , Pennsylvania State Museum and Pennsylvania State Archives.

PHMC Mission: The PHMC works in partnership with others to preserve the Commonwealth’s natural and cultural heritage as a steward, teacher and advocate for the people of Pennsylvania and the nation.

PHMC Vision: The PHMC enriches people’s lives by helping them to understand Pennsylvania’s past, to appreciate the present, and to embrace the future.

National Register Of Historic Places Listings In Lancaster County Pennsylvania

This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The locations of National Register properties and districts for which the latitude and longitude coordinates are included below, may be seen in a map.

There are 209 properties and districts listed on the National Register in the county. The city of Lancaster is the location of 57 of these properties and districts they are listed separately, while the 153 properties and districts in the other parts of the county are listed here. One property straddles the Lancaster city limits and appears on both lists. Another three sites are further designated as National Historic Landmarks. Yet another property was once listed but has been removed.

This National Park Service list is complete through NPS recent listings posted December 23, 2021.

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