Pennsylvania Historic Houses & Museums

Learn more with this project!

Travel Kit: Camera or pencil and sketchbook 

Your Destination: Discover Pennsylvania’s historic houses and museums.

On the Path: Explore sites like the Daniel Boone Homestead.

Step 1: Research one location.

Step 2: Design a poster highlighting a location’s historical significance and unique features.

Group Tour: Create a short presentation and share with others. 

Extend the Journey: Connect Pennsylvania history with storytelling, architecture, and preservation efforts.

Vocabulary: Preservation 

Resources and Visual Aids:

  • Drake Well Museum: (Titusville) The birthplace of the American oil industry, featuring exhibits on oil drilling and the history of the petroleum industry. 
  • Erie Maritime Museum: (Erie) A museum showcasing Erie’s maritime history, including the USS Niagara and the War of 1812. 
  • Fort Pitt Museum: (Pittsburgh) A museum highlighting Pittsburgh’s early history, including its role during the French and Indian War. 
  • Joseph Priestley House: (Northumberland) The home of the scientist and theologian Joseph Priestley, offering insights into his life and contributions to science.
  • Landis Valley Museum: (Lancaster) A museum that preserves and interprets Pennsylvania’s rural life through exhibits and historic buildings. 
  • Mather Mill: (Montgomery County) A restored 18th-century gristmill offering tours of the site and its history in early American industry. 
  • Old Chester Court House: (Chester) A historical building that once served as a courthouse in colonial Pennsylvania, now a museum. 
  • 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. 
  • Peace Church: (Franklin) A historic church that played a role in the early history of Pennsylvania, offering tours and historical programs. 
  • Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum: (Scranton) A museum that explores the history of coal mining in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite region. 
  • Pennsylvania Lumber Museum: (Galeton) A museum that celebrates the history of the lumber industry in Pennsylvania. 
  • Pennsylvania Military Museum: (Boalsburg) A museum that tells the story of Pennsylvania’s military history from the Revolutionary War to present day. 
  • Pennsylvania State Archives: (Harrisburg) A repository for Pennsylvania’s historical documents, with an online collection and research services. 
  • Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania: (Strasburg) A museum dedicated to preserving the history of railroads in Pennsylvania, with an impressive collection of locomotives. 
  • State Museum of Pennsylvania: (Harrisburg) A museum that showcases Pennsylvania’s natural and cultural history, with exhibits on art, science, and history.
  • Somerset Historical Center: (Somerset) A museum dedicated to preserving the history of Somerset County, with exhibits on the region’s past and rural life. 
  • U.S. Brig Niagara: (Erie) A historic replica of the flagship of Commodore Perry during the War of 1812, offering tours and educational programs.