More Fall Beauty

A beautiful autumn day at Conrad Weiser Homestead. Staff and volunteers at the site have been working to bring the park back into line with the original Olmsted Brothers plan (photo via Conrad Weiser Homestead Facebook page)

Up Next

Today, October 27

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in the First Floor Activity Room to learn about portraits. What are portraits and what can they tell us? Create your own self-portrait. For grades K to 2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited (Curiosity Kids program info).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Archaeology curator (retired) Janet Johnson will discuss how The State Museum's collections are used by archaeologists to understand and interpret the past and what science has contributed to our knowledge of these curated collections. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

• Harvest, Death & Renewal: Late October Traditions of the PA Germans (in-person); 6:30 and 8:30 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• This two-hour nighttime tour explores the museum grounds and adjacent cemetery. Recommended for adults and older teens. Dress for the weather and please bring a flashlight. Offered at 6:30 and 8:30; light refreshments will be served in the Landis Valley Hotel. Reservations required (info and tickets for Harvest, Death & Renewal).

• A Walk Among the Graeme Ghosts (in-person); 7-9 pm; Graeme Park
• This immersive theater experience allows guests to visit the publicly accessible areas of the Keith House in any order and at their own pace. Tours are at 7, 8, and 9 pm. Advance tickets are $20 via Eventbrite. Tickets at the door are $25, but may sell out before the event (Oct. 27 Graeme Ghosts info).

• The Haunting of Duncan Campbell (in-person); Friday and Saturday, 7-10 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• This historical narrative program will present three ghost stories from the 18th century as visitors walk through the museum. Timed tickets for Friday and Saturday nights start at 7 pm, with time slots every half hour until 9:30 (Bushy Run Halloween program info and tickets).

• Old Economy After Dark (in-person); 7-11 pm; Old Economy Village
• OEV has partnered with Beaver County Paranormal for an evening of exploration in the Village. BCP will present two lectures on paranormal investigation, and attendees are welcome to bring hand-held investigation equipment (no large equipment or metal detectors). Please note that this is not a "haunted" event with costumed figures or scares. Advance tickets only: $20 general admission, $25 VIP ticket lets you stay later in the evening and access additional spaces (Oct. 27 OEV After Dark info and tickets).

Saturday, October 28

• Workshops in Archaeology 2023 (in-person); Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 am-5 pm; The State Museum of PA
• This year's theme is Discovering the Past: The Sciences of Archaeology. Sessions will feature experts in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), C14 dating, GPR survey, geoarchaeology, and more. Please join us as we explore how these specialized analyses are conducted and how the results enhance our understanding of the environmental and human past. Early registration by Oct. 20 is $25; discounts available. Registration at the door is $35 (Workshops in Archaeology info and registration).

• That's Gross! (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Explore the gross fluids that keep animals healthy and the science of polymers. Make some mucus to take home! This program is included in regular admission (That's Gross program info).

Sunday, October 29

• Trick-or-Treat in the Village (in-person); Noon-3 pm; Old Economy Village
• Costumed children ages 10 and under will go “door-to-door” on the historic site and trick-or-treat. New this year children will receive a free trick-or-treat bag when they check in at the Visitor Center. The event is free and will take place rain or shine. There is a suggested donation of $3 if you would like to help make future free events possible (Old Economy Trick-or-Treat info).

• Tricks & Treats (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Enjoy an afternoon of festive family-friendly Halloween fun mixed with Pennsylvania history. Children can come dressed in costumes for trick-or-treating, games, and 17th-century demonstrations. The event is free (Pennsbury Tricks & Treats info).

Friday, November 3

• Storytime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Come to the First Floor Activity Room for a reading of The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, followed by a chance to learn more about the use of the dot in artwork and to use dots to create your own art. Designed for ages 3 to 5 and included in regular admission. Space is limited (State Museum Storytime info).

• History Storytime (in-person); 11 am-Noon; Daniel Boone Homestead
• The first Friday of each month will feature a different history topic, with a related craft activity. Designed for preschool and kindergarten ages (Boone Homestead Storytime info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• 1777 Whitemarsh Encampment (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 4, 10 am-4 pm; Hope Lodge
• This event commemorates the time from November 2 to December 11, 1777, when General George Washington and the Continental Army were encamped in the Whitemarsh Hills. Continental and British soldier re-enactors and living history events. Tickets available in advance or at the door (Whitemarsh Encampment info and tickets).

• 1940s Swing Dance (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 4, 7-10 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Tickets are now available for this event that takes place during the museum's annual Trains and Troops event Nov. 4-5. Advance tickets for the dance are recommended; admission to the daytime programs is available at the door (Railroad Museum Swing Dance tickets).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Nov. 7, 3-5 pm, and Tuesday, Nov. 21, 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. At 3:30 pm on Nov. 7, there will be a Story Time with the Educator aimed at kids age 2 to 5. Advance tickets required (tickets for Nov. 7 Sensory Hours and tickets for Nov. 21 Sensory Hours).

• Coffee or Tea with Louisa May Alcott (in-person); Sunday, Nov. 12, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm; Graeme Park
• It's 1868 and Louisa May Alcott, who was born not far from Graeme Park, returns to the area as part of a speaking tour in support of her most successful book to date, Little Women: or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. She'll read from her various works, talk about her life and artistic influences, and welcome feedback on her upcoming sequel. After the presentation, enjoy coffee and pastries (10:30 event) or tea and sweets (1:30 event). Advance tickets are required (Louisa May Alcott event tickets).

• Bound by the Furnace: Iron Slavery in Early National Pennsylvania (virtual); Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Historian Cory Young will present a program based on his research about the use of enslaved labor in the iron industry. The program is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link (Cornwall Iron Furnace lecture registration).

• Wreaths & Greens Workshop (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 25, 10 am-Noon and 1-3 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Make a fragrant evergreen wreath to take home. Please bring your own clippers. Offered 10 am-Noon and 1-3 pm. Space is limited (Wreaths & Greens workshop info).

• Ethnic Traditions (in-person); Sunday, Dec. 3, 5:30-8:30 pm; Somerset Historical Center
• Each year, the Somerset Historical Center brings together local families from diverse cultural backgrounds for a tasting and discussion of their food, music, and traditions. This year the dinner features dishes from Indian, Swedish, and Chilean cuisine. Dinner is held at Friedens Lutheran Church (Ethnic Traditions dinner info).