Something for Everyone?

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

Home for the Holidays continues this Saturday at the Railroad Museum of PA (photo via RMP Facebook page)

If you're still in the market for gifts for the people in your life, don't forget to check in with your favorite Trails of History sites to see what their museum stores have to offer. Visit their website or Facebook page for info; some have online ordering available. Please be aware that operating hours vary, so you'll need to check before venturing out. Your purchases support educational programs and offerings at our sites and museums. A gift membership to any site or to the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation is also a great way to support sites and treat history lovers to visits during the coming year. And they're never the wrong size.

The Week Ahead

Today, December 10

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): Chris Kemmerer from the Bureau of State Parks will talk about owls that live in and migrate through PA; The State Museum of PA; 12:15-12:45 pm (Learn at Lunchtime registration)
• Holiday Bonfire (in-person): musical entertainment, free refreshments, and a bonfire; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 6-8 pm, formal program starts at 7; event is free, LVM will be accepting donations of canned and other non-perishable food items for Lancaster Food Bank (Holiday Bonfire info)

Saturday, December 11

• Home for the Holidays (in-person): explore bygone eras, visit with Santa and send a telegram to the North Pole, and enjoy festive decorations and music; Railroad Museum of PA; 10 am-4 pm; included in regular admission (Home for the Holidays info)
• Holidays at the Homestead (in-person): discover PA German and English traditions, listen to carolers, make a paper ornament, and visit with Belsnickel; Daniel Boone Homestead; 11 am-4 pm, Belsnickel 1-3 pm (Holidays at the Homestead info)
• Holidays at Hope Lodge (in-person): enjoy the decorated rooms at your own pace, listen to holiday music, and more; Hope Lodge; 11 am-5 pm; regular admission charged, age 21+ can sample craft beers for an additional fee (Holidays at Hope Lodge info)
• Santa in the Shay (in-person): visit Santa in the cab of the Shay locomotive, take an instant pic to make an ornament, and enjoy cookies and hot cocoa; PA Lumber Museum; noon-3 pm; cost is $5 for adults, $3 for kids (Santa in the Shay info)

Sunday, December 12

• Christmas Sale (in-person): local vendors with a wide variety of wares will be on hand; Bushy Run Battlefield; 10 am-3 pm (Christmas Sale info)

Tuesday, December 14

• The Railroads of Cornwall (virtual): Mark Cain will present a program on the history of railroads in the Cornwall area and site administrator Mike Emery will facilitate a brief discussion; Cornwall Iron Furnace; 7-8 pm (Railroads at Cornwall info)
• A History of Manheim Township (virtual): Manheim Twp Historical Society president Ben Webber will present a talk on the township where the museum is located; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 7-8 pm (LVM virtual program info and registration)
• Christmas at the Cloister (in-person): a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse; Ephrata Cloister; performances at 8 tonight (as of 2 pm 12/8 all others sold out); advance tickets required (Christmas at the Cloister info and ticket availability)

Wednesday, December 15

• Explore! (in-person): learn about textiles in early PA and create your own design; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Explore! info)

Thursday, December 16

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): learn about dinosaurs, when they lived, and some of their unusual adaptations; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Curiosity Kids info)
• PA History: Read It, See It (virtual): make a virtual visit to the Pennsylvania Military Museum and hear from State Library staff about related books and collections; noon-1 pm; email RA-edmakerspace@pa.gov with your name and date/topic to receive the meeting invitation

On Sale Now (as of 12/8; some programs will sell out)

• Lantern Tours: Dec. 27-30 at Ephrata Cloister learn about the site's history through living history tours and performances; advance tickets required, on sale starting Dec. 1 (Lantern Tour info)
• Winter Day Camp: on Dec. 29 from 9 am to 4:30 pm Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will present a day camp for kids in grades 5-11; the focus is Christmas Around the World and includes a themed escape room; cost is $60 per camper ($54 for members) (Day Camp info and registration)
• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 2022, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options, including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)