List of museums in Pennsylvania facts for kids

Pennsylvania is a big state with tons of cool places to explore, and its museums are some of the best! A museum is a special place where people collect and take care of interesting objects. These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. Museums then show these collections to the public so everyone can learn and have fun.

This list will help you discover some amazing museums across Pennsylvania. Get ready to explore history, science, art, and more!

History and Heritage Museums

History museums help us understand the past. They often have old objects, stories, and displays that show what life was like long ago.

• The 1719 Hans Herr House & Museum in Willow Street lets you step back in time to see how Mennonites lived in colonial Pennsylvania. You can explore a historic farm and learn about life in the 1700s and 1800s.
• The Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Gallitzin tells the story of an amazing old railroad. It was built in the mid-1800s to carry boats over mountains! You can see an engine house and a historic tavern.
• The Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf shows you the home of Conrad Weiser, a very important person in early Pennsylvania history. He helped settlers and Native Americans get along. The park around his home was even designed by a famous landscape architect!
• The Daniel Boone Homestead in Birdsboro is where the famous explorer Daniel Boone grew up. It's an outdoor museum where you can learn about frontier life in the 1700s.
• The Ephrata Cloister in Ephrata was one of America's first religious communities, started in 1732. It's a fascinating place to learn about their unique way of life.
• The Mercer Museum in Doylestown has a huge collection of early American tools and objects. It's like a giant treasure chest of things people used every day long ago.
• The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg is a must-see! It covers everything from ancient artifacts and minerals to cool animal displays, art, and stories about Pennsylvania's industries and military history.

Science and Children's Museums

These museums are packed with interactive exhibits that make learning about science, technology, and the world around us super exciting!

• The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown is a fantastic place for hands-on science fun. You can experiment and discover how things work.
• The expERIEnce Children's Museum in Erie is designed just for kids, with lots of interactive activities to spark curiosity and imagination.
• The Lancaster Science Factory in Lancaster offers many hands-on exhibits that make science and technology easy and fun to understand.
• The North Museum of Nature and Science in Lancaster explores natural history and science. You can learn about animals, plants, and the natural world.
• The Oakes Museum of Natural History in Grantham, part of Messiah College, has amazing displays of African and North American animals, birds, insects, and fossils. It's like a safari indoors!
• The Schisler Museum of Wildlife & Natural History and McMunn Planetarium in East Stroudsburg combines wildlife exhibits with a cool planetarium where you can explore space.
• The Weather Discovery Center in Punxsutawney (yes, home of Punxsutawney Phil!) is all about weather. You can learn about storms, forecasts, and even some fun weather folklore.
• The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg has a science center, a performance theater, and an IMAX movie theater for a full day of discovery and entertainment.

Art Museums

Art museums are places where you can see beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other creative works. They show how people express themselves through art.

• The Allentown Art Museum has a wonderful collection of European and American paintings, textiles, and drawings.
• The Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford focuses on American art, especially art from the Brandywine region. You can see famous works by three generations of the Wyeth family, known for their beautiful paintings.
• The Erie Art Museum in Erie showcases a variety of art, from modern pieces to older works.
• The James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown celebrates the art and culture of the Bucks County area. They even have a satellite location in New Hope!
• The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University in University Park has a diverse collection, including American and European art, Asian art, and ancient objects.
• The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art has several locations, including Altoona, Loretto, Ligonier, and Johnstown. They feature American art and often have special exhibitions.
• The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg displays works by important American artists like Mary Cassatt and Winslow Homer.

Transportation and Industry Museums

These museums tell the story of how people traveled, how things were made, and the important industries that shaped Pennsylvania.

• The AACA Museum in Hershey is perfect for car lovers! It's also known as the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum and has vintage cars, buses, motorcycles, and cool car stuff.
• The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center in West Chester has over 35 civilian and military helicopters. You can learn all about these amazing flying machines.
• Bicycle Heaven in Pittsburgh is a unique and free museum with over 30,000 vintage and movie bicycles, including one used in the movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure!
• The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles in Boyertown has all kinds of road transportation, from old wagons and trucks to bicycles and classic cars.
• The Drake Well Museum in Titusville shows you where the modern oil industry began. You can see old oil field machinery and learn about this important part of history.
• The Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton lets you explore the history of trolleys and even take a ride!
• The Mack Trucks Museum in Allentown is all about the famous Mack Trucks. You can learn how these powerful vehicles were made.
• The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg is a must-visit for train enthusiasts. It has a huge collection of historic trains and tells the story of railroading from 1850 to 1950.
• The Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton also celebrates the history of steam trains, with impressive locomotives and exhibits.

Unique and Special Interest Museums

Pennsylvania has some truly one-of-a-kind museums that focus on very specific and interesting topics!

• The American Treasure Tour in Oaks is a huge collection of all sorts of cool stuff, like old music machines, classic cars, movie posters, and circus art. It's open by reservation, so plan ahead!
• The Bayernhof Music Museum in O'Hara Township has amazing automated musical instruments from the 1800s and 1900s. Imagine music playing all by itself!
• The Big Mac Museum Restaurant in North Huntingdon is a tribute to the famous Big Mac burger and its inventor. It's a fun, quirky stop for food history fans.
• The Crayola Experience in Easton is an interactive place where you can learn about the history of Crayola crayons and art products, and get creative yourself!
• The DeBence Antique Music World in Franklin has antique mechanical musical instruments, including music boxes and player pianos.
• The Houdini Museum in Scranton is dedicated to the famous magician Harry Houdini. You can see exhibits about his life and even watch magic shows!
• The Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana celebrates the life and career of the famous actor James Stewart, who was from Pennsylvania.
• The National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg has an interactive display of toy trains dating back to the early 1800s. It's a miniature world of trains!
• The National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia is all about timekeeping! You can see a huge collection of watches and clocks from different eras.
• Randyland in Pittsburgh is a super colorful outdoor art museum created by artist Randy Gilson. It's a joyful and unique place to visit.
• The Stoogeum in Ambler is completely dedicated to The Three Stooges! If you're a fan, you'll love seeing all the memorabilia.
• The Wilbur Chocolate Factory & Candy Americana Museum in Lititz tells the sweet story of chocolate and the Wilbur Chocolate Company.

See also

• Nature Centers in Pennsylvania

Resources

• Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
• Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations