On Sunday, March 8, 2020 you can celebrate Pennsylvania’s rich history and see some great museums in Lancaster County – for FREE on Charter Day!
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) invites Pennsylvania residents and visitors to celebrate the commonwealth’s birthday on Charter Day, Sunday, March 8, with FREE admission to many historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History. Charter Day celebrates the founding of Pennsylvania.
Special Charter Day Events
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission will celebrate the commonwealth’s 339th birthday on Charter Day. This special day offers visitors to The State Museum of Pennsylvania the rare opportunity to see William Penn’s original 1681 Charter.
England’s King Charles II used the Charter to grant the land that is now Pennsylvania to founder William Penn. This document is sometimes referred to as Pennsylvania’s “birth certificate” and was Penn’s personal copy. The Charter will remain on display through 12 noon, Friday, March 15. For the remainder of the year, the Charter is safeguarded in a special vault within the Pennsylvania State Archives.
Admission to The State Museum is FREE on Charter Day, Sunday, March 8, and includes visits to the Planetarium, the Curiosity Connection and galleries. Free admission to the Planetarium and Curiosity Connection is limited. Timed tickets are available at the Front Desk.
In addition to programming at The State Museum, many historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History will offer FREE admission on Sunday, March 8.
Participating historic sites and museums include . . .
(I’ve bolded the locations in and nearest to Lancaster County):
- Brandywine Battlefield Park, Chadds Ford
- Bushy Run Battlefield, Jeannette
- Conrad Weiser Homestead, Womelsdorf
- Cornwall Iron Furnace, Cornwall (Read about our family visit)
- Daniel Boone Homestead, Birdsboro
- Drake Well Museum, Titusville
- Eckley Miners’ Village, Weatherly
- Ephrata Cloister, Ephrata
- Erie Maritime Museum & Flagship Niagara, Erie
- Fort Pitt Museum, Pittsburgh
- Graeme Park, Horsham
- Hope Lodge, Ft. Washington
- Joseph Priestley House, Northumberland
- Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Lancaster
- Old Economy Village, Ambridge
- Pennsbury Manor, Morrisville
- Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum, Scranton
- Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, Ulysses
- Pennsylvania Military Museum, Boalsburg
- Railroad Museum of Pennsylvaniaw, Strasburg (Read about our family visit)
A few years ago we visited the Railroad Museum of PA in Strasburg on Charter Day. It was a terrific experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. Learn more about our visit here >>
You can find more information by clicking on the local Lancaster County links above, or by visiting the PHMC website.
