Bushy Run Battlefield
Dec. 7: Colonial Christmas Party—kids age 4-12 are invited to learn about and make homemade decorations, play colonial games, and enjoy a snack (more info on Facebook event page. Cost is $5 per child. Advance registration is required: contact Marlene at 724/744-4193 or secretary@bushyrunbattlefield.com. 2-4 pm.
Dec. 8: Christmas Sale & Vendor Show—last chance for the perfect gift from the museum store – colonial toys, books, prints, and more. Wassail and biscuits will be served, there will be musical entertainment, and you can get help with your gift wrapping. 1-4 pm.
Dec. 12: Historic Sewing Workshop Series—this is the last workshop in the series, but you’re still welcome if you missed the previous installments. One hour of formal instruction will be followed by one hour of open studio time to work on projects (details on Facebook event page. Cost is $20 for both hours, $10 for studio only (see website for registration info (pre-registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome). 6-8 pm.
Conrad Weiser Homestead
UPDATE 11/30/19 - due to impending weather, this event has been cancelled Dec. 1: Christmas Open House—
Cornwall Iron Furnace
Dec. 7: Christmas at Cornwall—the furnace is partnering with Cornwall Manor retirement community to offer a new event this year. The restored historic buildings on the Cornwall Manor campus (across the road from the furnace) will be open for tours, and a program, “Cookies, Carols, Crafts, & More,” will be offered at Freeman Community Center in the morning. The furnace will be open for tours and there will be lots of Christmas-related activities for children, including a visit with the Belsnickel. Wagon and van tours will take visitors to see other buildings in the furnace complex. Tickets may be purchased in advance or on the day (more info on the website). 10 am-4 pm.
Drake Well Museum
Dec. 28: Something More Saturday—enjoy family-friendly activities and learning added to the museum's regular offerings – today’s focus is “Hands-on Oil Labs.” Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.
Eckley Miners' Village
Dec. 7-8: Eckley Christmas Experience—from carolers to cocoa, crafts to St. Nick, you are sure to find something delightful in this old-fashioned Christmas celebration (details on Facebook event page). Admission is $7 per person; bring an unexpired, non-perishable food item and receive a discount. Noon-4 pm.
Ephrata Cloister
Dec. 1: Museum Store Sunday—the museum store will offer a shop-wide sale and free gifts with your purchase, which supports the site and its activities. 9 am-5 pm.
Dec. 9-10: Christmas at the Cloister—this popular annual program combines seasonal readings and traditional music performed by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus in the 1741 Meetinghouse (Saal). Performance times are 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets are $7 per person and seating is limited. Purchase tickets from the Museum Store by calling 717/733-2592 or order by mail (see website for instructions) You may also want to keep an eye on the Facebook event page for updates on ticket availability.
Dec. 26-29: Lantern Tours—explore Ephrata's history with help from Student Historians and theatrical presentations throughout the grounds. Tours leave from the visitor center every half hour from 6:30 to 8 pm. Admission: $10 (adults), $9 (seniors), $7 (students), $5 (children); members receive a discount. Reservations are required and tickets (on sale as of Dec. 1) do sell out; call 717/733-6600 to reserve your spot.
Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara
Dec. 7: Christmas Tree Ship 2019—Niagara will be lit up for Christmas, and there will be lots of family activities and a visit with Santa and his reindeer (more program info on the Facebook event page). Admission is free. The museum is a Toys for Tots collection site. 5:30-8:30 pm.
Fort Pitt Museum
Please visit the Fort Pitt Museum website for information on programs and schedules.
Graeme Park
Dec. 1: Museum Store Sunday—skip the mall crowds and support a historic site. Free DIY gift wrap station for purchases made in the museum store on Small Business Saturday (11/30) or Museum Store Sunday. Noon-4 pm.
Hope Lodge
Dec. 7: Holidays at Hope Lodge—tour the mansion at your leisure to enjoy the festive decorations. Admission is $5 per person (age 12 and under are free). After the tour, visitors age 21 and older may (for an additional fee) enjoy a craft beer tasting in the colonial kitchen. 11 am-5 pm.
Dec. 14: Christmas Tours—guided tours of the mansion will be offered at 11:30 am, 1 and 2:30 pm. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served. Regular site admission applies. Site open 10 am-4 pm.
Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Dec. 1: Museum Store Sunday—shop local and support Landis Valley. There will be craft demonstrations and a make & take table (fee charged). Store event is free; regular admission applies to visit the grounds and exhibit buildings. Noon-5 pm.
Dec. 7-8: Christmas in the Village—learn how early Pennsylvania German families celebrated Christmas in south central PA. There will be music, crafts, Christmas decorations, and (if you’re not careful) Belsnickel (see website for details, including online ticket purchase (you can also buy your tickets at the door). Saturday, 10 am-4 pm; Sunday, noon-4 pm.
Dec. 10 and 14: Days of the Belsnickel—enjoy dinner (12/10) or lunch (12/14) along with holiday shopping, storytellers, dancing, and a visit with the Belsnickel (a PA German tradition). Reservations are required and can be made online, via email, or by phone (dinner details; lunch details).
Dec. 13: Holiday at Landis Valley Bonfire—caroling, a blazing bonfire, wagon rides, hot cider and cookies (details). And it’s free—Landis Valley’s gift to the community. Return the favor by bringing non-perishable food items to donate to the Lancaster Food Bank. 6-8:30 pm.
Dec. 27: Winter Day Camp—explore favorite holiday songs and literature with a fun-filled morning of activities (more info on the website. $35 per child, $30 per child for LVA members. Registration is required, and space is limited; call the museum's education department at 717/569-0401 x208. 8:30 am-12:30 pm.
Old Economy Village
Dec. 7-8: Christmas at the Village—enjoy entertainment by local musicians and shop for a wide array of gifts and food items. Children will find activities just for them and can even visit with mean old Belsnickel (details). Admission charged; please purchase tickets at the Visitor Center. Saturday, 2-9 pm; Sunday, 2-7 pm.
Dec. 12: Christmas Dinner—join with other supporters of Old Economy for a festive evening of dining and music in the Feast Hall (details). Reservations are required. Doors open at 6 pm.
Dec. 13 and 18: Home School Children’s Tours—families with young children (preschool through 3rd grade) are invited to enjoy a tour, craft activities, and a visit with Belsnickel (a PA German tradition). Cost is $5 per person. Registration is required by Dec. 6 – contact David Miller, davmiller@pa.gov or 724/266-4500 x110. 1-2:30 pm.
Dec. 14: Meet Belsnickel—if you’re not familiar with this PA German tradition, he’s much more grumpy than Santa. Visit with him anyway and enjoy seasonal crafts and brunch. Cost is $5 per person. Reservations are preferred – contact Chloe Thomas, c-chlthoma@pa.gov or 724/266-4500, x104. 11 am-1 pm.
Dec. 17: Holiday Concert—lyric baritone David Hodge will present a program of holiday music, accompanied by David Crisci and the Reverend Rodney Smith. Cost is $15 per person, and reservations are required (more info on the website). 6-9 pm.
Pennsbury Manor
Dec. 5-6: Holly Nights—a special opportunity to see Pennsbury illuminated by candlelight, bonfires, and hearth fires. Enjoy caroling, hot cider, and throwing a green sprig on the Yule log for luck (details on the website). (Please note that the Manor House and other buildings will not be open during the day, due to event prep. Visitors will be welcome to tour the grounds, however.) Admission charged. 6-9 pm both nights.
Dec. 7: Monthly Book Club—this month’s selection is Following the Drum: Women at the Valley Forge Encampment, by Nancy K. Lone. For more info on the book or the program, check Pennsbury’s website.
Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Dec. 14: Santa in the Shay—St. Nick will forgo his sleigh in favor of a geared locomotive as he listens to children's requests. Take a photo with Santa, make a simple ornament, browse unique gifts from local artisans and the museum store, and eat cookies (check website for details). Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids; includes all activities plus the museum’s award-winning exhibit in the visitor center. Noon-3pm.
Pennsylvania Military Museum
Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Tribute—78 years ago on December 7th, the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Hawaii was attacked by aircraft from the Imperial Japanese Navy. America was at war. The tribute is held beneath the guns of the battleship USS PENNSYLVANIA, which was a witness to that attack. Light refreshments will be served in the museum auditorium following the tribute ceremony. 12:45 p.m.
Dec. 7-8: Christmas in the Ardennes—soldiers of the 4th and 28th Infantry Divisions (recreated) will interpret life in the field along the Siegfried Line in Germany during World War II. This is an outdoor event, so please dress for the weather. 10 am-4 pm both days.
Dec. 8: Frozen Chosin—guest lecturer and former Navy Surface Warfare Officer Rick Bigelow will discuss this “advance in a different direction” during the fifth month of the Korean War. 2-3 pm.
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Dec. 7 and 14: Home for the Holidays—costumed railroaders and passengers representing the past century bring historic rail travel to life. Kids can visit with Santa or work with a telegrapher to send a Christmas telegram to the North Pole. Holiday music, refreshments (while supplies last), and shopping are part of the day too (lots more details). Included in regular admission. (There is an additional charge to attend “Christmas with the Conductor” parties; see program flyer for registration info). 9 am-5 pm.
Somerset Historical Center
Dec. 1: Ethnic Traditions—each year Somerset Historical Center brings together local families from diverse cultural backgrounds to present an evening of food, music, and other traditions. This year’s menu includes foods from Pennsylvania German, Italian, Thai, and Mexican traditions. Cost is $20 for one ticket, $35 for two. Reservations are a must, and space is limited. Info on reserving your spot is on the website. 5:30 pm at Friedens Lutheran Church, Friedens, PA.
State Museum of Pennsylvania
Please visit the planetarium webpage for info on shows and schedules.
Dec. 1: Museum Store Sunday—the State Museum Store (on the ground floor near the Third Street entrance) will hold a storewide sale today. Noon-4 pm.
Dec. 6: StoryTime—visit the museum's Mammal Hall and read Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter Kenard Pak. Included in general admission and intended for children age 3-5 with an adult. 10:30-11:30 am.
Dec. 6 and 13: Learn at Lunchtime—learn more about the museum’s latest exhibit, Picturing a More Perfect Union: Violet Oakley’s Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber, 1911-1919, on view through April 26, 2020. Dec. 6 event is a tour of the Senate Chamber Murals with Jason Wilson, historian for the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee (more info here). Dec. 13 is a tour (included in regular admission) of the State Museum exhibit with curators Dr. Curt Miner and Amy Hammond (read more here). 12:15-12:45 pm.
Dec. 12: Nature Lab—learn about state symbols and how they became icons of the Commonwealth of PA. Included in general admission. 11:30 am.
Dec. 19: Curiosity Kids—children ages 3 to 6 (and their grown-ups) are invited to the Village Square for "An Old Fashioned Christmas." Included in general admission, but space is limited, so be sure to sign up at the admissions desk when you arrive. 11:30 am.
Dec. 30: Noon Year’s Celebration—the museum will have special Monday hours to ring in 2020 a little early. Check the website for all the details, including admission rates and timed tickets for the Planetarium and Curiosity Connection. 10 am-2 pm.
Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please visit the WCHP events page for details on the annual crossing reenactments and other events.
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