Pennsylvania Historic Houses & Museums

Historic Houses & Museums 

• Drake Well Museum: (Titusville) The birthplace of the American oil industry, featuring exhibits on oil drilling and the history of the petroleum industry. www.drakewell.org
• Erie Maritime Museum: (Erie) A museum showcasing Erie’s maritime history, including the USS Niagara and the War of 1812. eriemaritimemuseum.org
• Fort Pitt Museum: (Pittsburgh) A museum highlighting Pittsburgh’s early history, including its role during the French and Indian War. www.heinzhistorycenter.org/whats-on/fort-pitt
• Joseph Priestley House: (Northumberland) The home of the scientist and theologian Joseph Priestley, offering insights into his life and contributions to science. joseph-priestley-house.org
• Landis Valley Museum: (Lancaster) A museum that preserves and interprets Pennsylvania’s rural life through exhibits and historic buildings. www.landisvalleymuseum.org
• Mather Mill: (Montgomery County) A restored 18th-century gristmill offering tours of the site and its history in early American industry. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmar_Mill
• Old Chester Court House: (Chester) A historical building that once served as a courthouse in colonial Pennsylvania, now a museum. www.delcopa.gov/planning/currentprojects/1724ChesterCourthouse
• Old Economy Village: (Ambridge) A historical site that showcases the life of the Harmonists, a religious community that lived in the area in the 19th century. www.oldeconomyvillage.org
• Peace Church: (Franklin) A historic church that played a role in the early history of Pennsylvania, offering tours and historical programs. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Church
• Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum: (Scranton) A museum that explores the history of coal mining in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite region. www.anthracitemuseum.org
• Pennsylvania Lumber Museum: (Galeton) A museum that celebrates the history of the lumber industry in Pennsylvania. www.lumbermuseum.org
• Pennsylvania Military Museum: (Boalsburg) A museum that tells the story of Pennsylvania’s military history from the Revolutionary War to present day. www.pamilmuseum.org
• Pennsylvania State Archives: (Harrisburg) A repository for Pennsylvania’s historical documents, with an online collection and research services. www.pastatearchives.com
• Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania: (Strasburg) A museum dedicated to preserving the history of railroads in Pennsylvania, with an impressive collection of locomotives. www.rrmuseumpa.org
• State Museum of Pennsylvania: (Harrisburg) A museum that showcases Pennsylvania’s natural and cultural history, with exhibits on art, science, and history. statemuseumpa.org
• Somerset Historical Center: (Somerset) A museum dedicated to preserving the history of Somerset County, with exhibits on the region’s past and rural life. www.somersethistoricalcenter.org