November 2010

The museum educates visitors by providing a unique glimpse into domestic life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries on Boston's historic Beacon Hill. The House is furnished with priceless possessions gathered from every corner of the globe. They have been accumulated over several generations and include fine European and American wooden furniture from the 17th-19th centuries, ancestral portraits, Flemish tapestries, oriental rugs, European and Asian art, and works by America's foremost sculptor of the 19th century, Augustus Saint Gaudens.

Originally built in 1771 and continuously used by the U.S. Army until 1952, Fort Mifflin is one of the most unique tourism destinations in existence. During the Revolutionary War the garrison at Fort Mifflin was ordered by General George Washington to hold off the British Navy so the Continental Army could make its way to their winter encampment at Valley Forge. Washington wrote that the defense of the Delaware River was “of the utmost importance to America.” Today, visitors can tour Fort Mifflin’s 14 authentic restored buildings and walk among some of the most beautiful flora and fauna along the Delaware River.

Glass art is a key component of the Museum because it represents both the beauty and fragility of freedom. The Museum houses one of the largest and most important collections of contemporary glass sculptures in the world. The centerpiece of the Museum is a 21-foot “Flame of Liberty” by the world’s most renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly.

Another important theme of the Museum is the universality of heroism – the idea that anyone can be a hero. The Museum honors 2,000 people of all backgrounds and walks of life to promote pride in oneself and respect for others. We also teach ways to resolve conflicts peacefully and stress the necessity of civic involvement as a means of preserving America’s heritage of freedom.

All of these messages are presented in visually stunning exhibits and through interactives that are both challenging and fun.

Since Congress created the United States Mint on April 2, 1792, it has grown tremendously. The United States Mint receives more than $1 billion in annual revenues. As a self-funded agency, the United States Mint turns revenues beyond its operating expenses over to the General Fund of the Treasury.

At the Mint, visitors can see actual coin production. Exhibits and audio/video stations provide information about the United States Mint and its history, coinage and current programs

Featuring four galleries, this is the only museum dedicated to the history of America's towpath canals.

This extensive museum includes a 90-foot interactive canal to help children learn how boats navigated canals and how crucial they were to opening up the American interior to setlement. Built around the Lehigh Canal, the museum opened in 1970 through a successful partnership between the Hugh Moore Park Commission and the Pennsylvania Canal Society.

Visitors can travel down the canal on a mule-driven canal boat, the Josiah White II, which helps riders experience the traveling conditions of 19th-century patrons.

Mansker's Fort is an authentic reconstruction of a 1779 frontier forted station typical of early Cumberland Settlements. While at the fort, you can experience the lifestyles of early settlers through living history demonstrations. Enjoy yesterdays as they come alive inside the fort. Touch hand-hewn timbers, see the blacksmith work, and smell the smoke from the cook fire. With a trip to this fort, visitors come to know some of the strong faith and hardy spirit of the people who lived here more than 200 years ago.

Captain William Bowen was awarded land grants for military services during the Revolutionary War and the home was built around 1787. He and his wife, Mary, brought four young children to the frontier, and soon Captain Bowen and Mary had ten children. Through his hard work and own ambitions, Bowen became prosperous in the new settlement and eventually owned over 4,000 acres. William Bowen died in 1804, and Mary died in 1827. The house was then occupied by their son, William Russell Bowen, until it was sold in 1835.

The society, which specializes in geneological records, manages three buildings: The Mixsell House Museum which 19th century artifacts, the Mary Illick Library containing over 5,000 volumes of local and family history, and the Jacob Nicholas house, home of the town's first resident.

The brand-new museum includes exhibits on glasswork, farming, railroad, hotel industry as well as newspaper articles, geneological records, and artifacts.

Although the original building is no longer standing, the archaeological remains of Bledsoe's Fort are a major tourist attraction within this 80-acre park, as well as the restored Nathaniel Parker cabin. Walking tours are available, and there is an annual festival featuring reinactments and craft fairs.