State Museum of Pennsylvania facts for kids
The State Museum of Pennsylvania at 300 North Street in Harrisburg, PA
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| Former name | William Penn Memorial Museum |
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| Established | March 28, 1905 |
| Location | 300 North Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Type | History museum |
| Collections | Pennsylvania cultural and natural history |
| Collection size | 3 million |
| Public transit access | N 3rd St & North St, CAT |
| Nearest parking | Metered parking |
| Association of Science-Technology Centers | |
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The State Museum of Pennsylvania is an awesome place to learn about the history and culture of Pennsylvania. It's a special museum in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, run by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Their job is to keep Pennsylvania's past alive and help everyone understand it better. This museum is also part of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's Past
How It All Began
The museum started way back on March 28, 1905. Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker signed a law to create it. The idea was to save cool things that show off Pennsylvania's plants, animals, rocks, history, and art. Other state museums, like those in New York and Illinois, helped inspire its mission.
Later in 1905, the museum received $20,000 to get started. This money helped them begin collecting and setting up.
A New Home for History
On March 1, 1907, the museum's staff and collections moved into the Executive Office Building. In 1945, it became part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The museum then moved to its current, unique round building in 1964. It sits right next to the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
The museum's exhibits are spread across its ground, first, second, and third floors. The museum staff and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission offices are on the fourth and fifth floors. In 2014, this special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
What You Can Explore Inside
Amazing Displays and Collections
When you visit, you'll see a huge statue of William Penn in the main hall. He was the person who founded Pennsylvania in 1681. The museum also has a cool planetarium where you can learn about space!
There are four floors packed with exhibits. They cover Pennsylvania's history from ancient times all the way up to today. The museum gets about 315,000 visitors every year.
Journey Through Time
You can find an amazing collection of items from the American Civil War. This includes a giant painting called Battle of Gettysburg: Pickett's Charge by Peter Rothermel. There are also many exhibits about Pennsylvania's inventions and technology. You'll see artwork, paintings, and detailed dioramas that help tell these stories.
The museum has over three million objects in its collections! These exhibits show off different parts of Pennsylvania's past. Some exhibits are always there, some change often, and you can even find some online.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Estatal de Pensilvania para niños
