The Week Ahead - Sept. 16-22

An inviting garden path at Old Economy Village (via OEV's Facebook page)

This photo makes me want to walk right into it. We have lots of great events and activities on the Trails of History this weekend, including a big band concert in the garden (weather permitting) at Old Economy. If this weekend is full, please mark your calendars for next Saturday, Sept. 24, when participating Trails of History sites will be open free of charge (list of participating sites). We hope you'll join us!

Up Next*

*Please note that calendar info is subject to change; we try to keep this up to date, but it's always best to check.

Today, September 16

• Taurus Star Party (in-person); 8-10 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• Learn about 18th-century astronomy and celestial folklore. The program includes identifying constellations, using a star map, and (weather permitting) using telescopes to look at the night sky. Pre-registration is required (Star Party registration).

Saturday, September 17

• Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day; hours vary; several Trails of History sites participating
• Download a ticket good for two admissions to a participating site - you can choose only one museum for Museum Day free tickets
• Ephrata Cloister
• PA Lumber Museum
• Railroad Museum of PA

• "On the Way to Mexico": The NGP Mobilizes in 1916 (in-person); Saturday & Sunday, 10 am-3 pm; PA Military Museum
• The NGP History Project will be on site with an encampment and lectures exploring the history of the National Guard of PA. Encampment is open to the public 10 am to 3 pm each day, with a lecture at 1 pm in the museum theater. Admission is free (NGP Mobilizes program info).

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read Because of an Acorn by Lola and Adam Schaefer and make an acorn art project. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (StoryTime info).

• SOLD OUT Colonial Tavern Night (in-person); 6-9 pm; Hope Lodge
• An evening of local brews from Round Guys Brewery, food, music, and history to support the site and its programs. General admission is $60 per person; must be 21 or older to attend. Advance tickets are required (Eventbrite site for Tavern Night tickets).

Sunday, September 18

• Sensory Friendly Visit (in-person); 10 am-noon; PA Military Museum
• Background effects in the gallery will be turned off and the orientation film's volume will be reduced (captions always enabled). Standard admission rates apply. Please sign up for a timeslot in advance; you can pay when you arrive (visit PMM website and select your date and time).

• Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The cooks will fire up the bake oven to demonstrate the weekly baking of bread and more. Included in regular admission (Open Hearth Cooking info).

• Summer Concert Series (in-person); 2-4 pm; Old Economy Village
• Swingin' Bopcats Big Band, a classic 18-piece big band with two vocalists, will perform in the Rapp House garden (or the Feast Hall if the weather's bad). The concert is free; $5 donation is suggested. Please bring chairs and blankets for seating (Big Band concert info).

Tuesday, September 20

• Sensory Hours (in-person); 3-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Reduced noise, light, and attendance plus quiet spaces when you want a break. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about several of the historic trains open for visitors. Advance tickets required (Sensory Hours Sept. 20 tickets).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); 7-9 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Michael Idriss, African American Interpretive Fellow at the Museum of the American Revolution, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the museum. After his presentation, attendees will have a chance to view Brandywine's exhibit gallery and enjoy some light refreshments. Tickets are $20 (Speaker Series tickets via Eventbrite).

Wednesday, September 21

• Explore! (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about color theory; how animals use color to survive and communicate; and a printmaking technique using primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. For kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (Explore! info).

• History Speaks Series (in-person); 7-10 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• Michael Doucette, service forester at Forbes State Forest, will present "Land Usage in the Colonial Era." Tickets are $10 (History Speaks tickets).

Thursday, September 22

• Family Gallery Tour: Transportation (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Visit the transportation gallery with museum educators to learn about vehicles that have helped people move across the state. Included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Fall Nature Walk (in-person); Sat., Sept. 24, 10 am-noon; Bushy Run Battlefield
• Learn about the plants and animals of western PA on this naturalist-guided walk. Pre-registration is required, but you can pay for your tickets at the door (Nature Walk info and registration).

• ADDED Exploring the Armor (in-person); Sun., Sept. 25, 1-4 pm; PA Military Museum
• Take a private history tour of the outside tracked vehicles including a private look inside the crew compartments. Climb into history and experience our armored vehicles firsthand! Please Dress appropriately for seasonal weather and uneven terrain. Cost is $15 per person, and reservations are required (Exploring the Armor reservations).

• Wine & Paint Night (in-person); Sat., Oct. 1, 5-7 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• General admission tickets include wine sampling and hors d'oeuvres (designated driver tickets available). Ten people can purchase tickets for a private art lesson. Others are welcome to bring their canvasses and paints and set up on the grounds to paint in the evening light. Advance tickets only; must be at least 21 to attend (Paint Night info and tickets).

• Pithole Lantern Tours (in-person); Sat., Oct. 1, 6:30-9:30 pm; Historic Pithole City
• Nighttime tours against the backdrop of the remaining elements of this historic oil boomtown. There are some steep hills and rugged terrain, so please dress accordingly. Advance tickets are required and may be purchased online or at the Museum Store at Drake Well Museum & Park (Lantern Tour online tickets).

• Garden Railway Tours (in-person); Sun., Oct. 9, 1-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Enjoy a self-guided tour of operating model trains in various outdoor and garden settings at 7 stops around Lancaster County. Masking and social distancing may be required or requested a venues. Tickets are $10 for ages 6 and up, available only via Eventbrite. Location info will be sent after you purchase your ticket (Garden Railway Tour tickets).

• The Farms of the Gettysburg Battlefield (virtual); 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Tom Lehman will explore the stories of civilians in and around Gettysburg and how their lives were changed the Civil War battle on their doorsteps. Site administrator Mike Emery will moderate a brief discussion. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Gettysburg lecture registration).