A Full Weekend Ahead

Erie Maritime Museum's program on shipwrecks is just one of many events happening this weekend (photo via EMM Facebook page)

Up Next

Today, June 16

• Colonial Toys and Games (in-person); 11 am-12:30 pm and 1:30-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Discover and play with the toys, games and puzzles from colonial Pennsylvania. Test your skills with a bilbo catcher, Jacobs ladder and see if you can make a hoop go with just a stick. Toys and games will be available 11 am-12:30 pm and 1:30-3 pm. Included in regular admission (Toys and Games program info).

Saturday, June 17

• 50th Anniversary of the Cornwall Mines Closure (in-person); 10 am-noon; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• The Cornwall Ore Mine closed in June of 1973 after 236 years of operations. This free, family-friendly event commemorates the mine, the closing, and former miners. Remarks and recollections will take place in the auditorium of Cornwall Elementary School (45 Burd Coleman Rd., Lebanon), there will be a wreath-laying at the miner statue in front of the school, then attendees are invited for refreshments at Cornwall Iron Furnace (Cornwall Mines program info).

• Art in the Garden: Botanical Drawing Workshop (in-person); 10 am-1 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Outdoor art for all skill levels. This guided drawing workshop will focus on plants in the kitchen garden. Materials provided. Registration required $35/non-members $30/members. Call 215/946-0400 to register (Art in the Garden workshop info).

• Sail to Steam Saturdays (in-person); 10 am-2 pm; Erie Maritime Museum
• Join Museum staff to explore the science behind shipwreck archaeology. We will explore SONAR imagery, talk shipwrecks in the Erie region, learn about mosaics, and “dive” into a debris field. Included in regular admission (June 17 Sail to Steam info).

• Amusement Parks (in-person); 10 am-noon and 1-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Explore the history of amusement parks in Pennsylvania and the connection to industrialization. Examine key rides with Pennsylvania significance: carousel, roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and the bumper car. Create your own carousel with images of items from our collection. Included in regular admission (Amusement Parks program info).

• Patchtown Days (in-person); 10 am-5 pm; Eckley Miners' Village
• Join us for a day of live music, local crafts, and anthracite heritage! Stop by one of our food trucks for Polish and Mexican cuisine, sip on a pint in Conyngham Brewing Company’s new beer garden, and wander our 90-acre, 19th-century company town to step into the lives of anthracite mining families! Admission charged (Patchtown Days info).

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in the Auditorium on the Ground Floor to learn about the symphony orchestra. Because by Mo Willems will be the featured book. Storytime participants will learn about the instruments that make up an orchestra and have a chance to play along with a few famous symphonic works. For kids age 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (SMOP StoryTime info).

• Arts on Fire 2023 (in-person); 11 am-5 pm; Scranton Iron Furnaces
• Annual festival features an iron pour, scratch blocks, music, food, crafts and educational tents from the partners at National Museum of Industrial History and the PA Lumber Museum. Held in conjunction with Steamtown National Historic Site's Railfest (10 am-4 pm). Admission is free and there is free transportation between the Iron Furnaces and Steamtown NHS (Arts on Fire program info).

• OEV Music Weekend (in-person); Saturday and Sunday, Noon-8 pm both days; Old Economy Village
• Enjoy a wide array of bands at a beautiful historic site. Event is rain or shine (will move indoors if the weather is bad); bring chairs and blankets for outdoor seating. There will be a variety of food trucks onsite (separate purchase). Advance tickets only; choose one day or the whole weekend (OEV Music Weekend line-up and tickets).

• 90th Anniversary of the CCC (in-person); 1-2 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Curator Josh Fox will present a program looking back at the prolific works and impactful legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps. There will also be a new temporary exhibit in honor of CCC's 90th anniversary (CCC program info).

• Stargazing: Tonight's Sky (in-person); 3-4 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join the Planetarium Director for a live chat exploring what you can see in the sky tonight. Learn about the basic motions of the sky, visible constellations and planets, and any special celestial events that are coming up in the next month. Admission and planetarium tickets must be purchased at the Ground Floor desk at least 5 minutes before showtime (Stargazing program info).

• Brews at the Battlefield (in-person); 5-8 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Taste beers from local and regional breweries, listen to music, and enjoy food from Burgers by Wildwich (separate purchase from event tickets). You must be at least age 21 to attend, and photo ID will be required at the door. All tickets must be purchased in advance; designated driver tickets available (Brews at the Battlefield tickets).

Sunday, June 18

• Father's Day (in-person); Noon-3 pm; Graeme Park
• The site will offer free tours to all men age 18 and over in honor of Father's Day (Graeme Park info).

• Open-Hearth Cooking (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The cooks will prepare and present a complete seasonal meal as it would have been served to William Penn. Included in regular admission (Open-Hearth Cooking info).

• Juneteenth Celebration (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The site will host a program in celebration of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Bring a lunch and blanket or chairs and enjoy a peaceful afternoon on the banks of the Delaware River. Included in regular admission (Juneteenth program info).

• Finding Your Roots: Free Resources for Building a Family Tree (in-person); 2-4 pm; Graeme Park
• Learn about researching the identities of enslaved people at historic house museums and build a toolkit to bridge gaps in your own family history. This in-person program will be followed by two virtual meet-ups, June 20 and 27 at 7 pm to review and troubleshoot research; contact info will be requested during June 18 class (Finding Your Roots program info).

Wednesday, June 21

• THE STATE MUSEUM IS CLOSED TODAY, JUNE 21: Family Gallery Tour: Mammal Hall (in-person); 11:30 am and 1:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn more about Pennsylvania mammals during a family-friendly tour of Mammal Hall. Touch furs, hold antlers, view skulls, and ask questions. Included in regular admission (Mammal Hall program info).

Thursday, June 22

• Storytime in the Garden (in-person); 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Enjoy a story in Pennsbury's garden and then stay to explore the grounds. Suggested for ages 4 to 8, but all are welcome. Admission is $3 (Grounds Pass); upgrade to regular admission if you'd like to tour the Manor House (Pennsbury Storytime info).

• Physical Geography of Pennsylvania (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Using the Giant Map of Pennsylvania, learn about the state's landforms, waterways, and physiographic regions. Be sure to wear your socks so you can trek across the map. You will also be asked to challenge your map skills. Included in regular admission (Geography program info).

Friday, June 23

• Family Gallery Tour: Transportation (in-person); 11:30 am and 1:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• This family-friendly tour looks at transportation changes throughout Pennsylvania’s history. Join Museum Educators to learn about the vehicles that have helped move us across our state. Included in regular admission (Transportation gallery tour info).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Jacob Henry, Spotted Lanternfly Operations Manager with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, will discuss the spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Brews & Bites (in-person); Saturday, June 24, 4-8 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• This event features local breweries, live music, food trucks, 17th-century brewing demonstrations and more, in a lovely setting along the Delaware River. Must be at least 21 years old to attend (photo ID required at the door). Tickets are limited; advance purchase recommended (Brews & Bites tickets).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, June 27, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spots in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (tickets for June 27 Sensory Hours).

• Garden Workshop Series (in-person); Tuesday, June 27, 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Today's workshop is "Colors of Our Lives." Open to ages 12 and up. Registration is required. Tickets are $35 for non-members, $30 for members. Call 215/946-0400 (Garden Workshop Series info).

• Acting Workshop (in-person); Saturday, July 15, 2-4 pm; Joseph Priestley House
• Laurie McCants, co-founder of the Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble, will lead a two-part workshop for students age 8 to 12. Actors will choose a historical figure, research their life, write a script, and reenact them. Second session takes place July 22 (Acting Workshop info and registration).

• Garden Workshop Series (in-person); Tuesday, July 25, 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Today's workshop is about preserving produce. Geared for ages 12 and up. Registration required - $35 for non-members, $30 for members. Call 215/946-0400 (July Garden Workshop info).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Live the Battle Week (grades 3-4), June 27-30, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Joseph Priestley House (Priestley House camp info)
• Summer History Camp (grades 1-6), July 26-28, 9 am-Noon

• Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (LVVFM camp info)
• A Child's Life in the Civil War (ages 5-11), July 18-21, 9 am-12:30 pm

• Old Economy Village (OEV camp info)
• July 17-21, Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm
• July 24-28, Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm

• PA Lumber Museum (Lumber Museum camp info)
• History Camp (ages 10-18), August 4-5, 9 am-2 pm

• Railroad Museum of PA (RMP camp info)
• Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 9-10), July 11-14
• SOLD OUT Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 11-12), July 25-28