The Mercer Museum is an amazing six story tall concrete castle that houses interesting artifacts showcasing pre-Industrial America, which is definitely worth visiting! Within it, you can find a massive collection of over 17,000 tools that were utilized in that time period which makes it a very unique place to see.

In addition, they also have many day to day items that depict the culture in the era. It will take you about two hours to go through the museum on a tour. In the complex itself, you will also find various local and traveling educational exhibits, and it is affiliated with the Smithsonian.

The address for the Mercer Museum is 84 S Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901. There is also a parking lot connected right to the building which is amazing if you are traveling from out of town!

If you are interested in visiting the museum, you will want to purchase tickets ahead of time on their website. They tend to sell out several weeks ahead of time, especially during the holidays, so make sure that you book in advance. (They are also connected with the famous Fonthill Castle and Tileworks, which I will provide more details about in upcoming blog posts. The Fonthill Castle and Tileworks are always decorated nicely for the holidays if you are looking for an interesting day trip in the Bucks County area, which is right outside of Philadelphia.)

https://www.mercermuseum.org/buytickets/

https://www.thetileworks.org/book-a-tour

When you arrive at building, you will see that it is set up as a complex, and has various exhibits in addition to the concrete castle itself. Once you are inside, you will enter the main lobby, and you will see the exhibits on the left, and a hall connecting to the castle on the right.

When I was visiting, they had a very intriguing section that was focused on “Everyday Rhythms: Music At The Mercer”. The instruments that were on display were from various places in Europe, Asia, Africa, and even some from the local Pennsylvania German population.

I thought it was really fascinating how they even had local instruments and artifacts from Bucks County and the Delaware River region. Some of the items are from the collection of Henry Mercer himself, and others are on loan from private collections. The sheet music, photographs, and other items are on display from the Mercer Library and Archives.

The Mercer Museum is of course, named after Henry Mercer himself. This archaeologist and historian was very motivated to save items from the daily American life before the Industrial Revolution, and he actually ended up gathering more then 30,000 items from this time period. As you meander about this museum, it is really neat to see so many of these farming tools, carriages, and day to day items that people cherished and enabled them to go through their days.

I really loved how some of their collection was right on the ceiling, and how the boats seemed to soar in the air!

The museum is composed of 6 different concrete levels (the castle was created in 1916). As you walk through the various levels, you will find smaller exhibits on each one, detailing various aspects of daily life. Some of these include practices of medicine, different skilled trades from the time, the introduction of electricity, and farming.

I thought it was cute how they had a little area dedicated to information on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and the history behind it as well. If you live in the Philadelphia area, you have most likely been on this famous highway at some point in your life!

This location is also a National Historic Landmark, and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is known to be one of the most complete of its kind, and truly showcases these items from before the Industrial Revolution in such a raw and interesting way.

If you are visiting the Philadelphia or Bucks County region in Pennsylvania, I highly recommend that you check out the very immersive and educational Mercer Museum. This would be an awesome spot to explore for a little day trip! Let me know in the comments if you have ever traveled here, and what you thought about it as well. I hope that you are having a wonderful day, and remember to click the like and subscribe button!

If you are interested in learning more of the early history of Pennsylvania, one of the most detailed books that I have read so far is Pennsylvania: A History Of The Commonwealth. It takes you back to the colonial times of the Keystone State, and delves right into the cultural and societal impact that this state has had on the United States. It is a great read, and I highly recommend it!

For more information regarding this book, just click on the Amazon affiliate link below!

https://amzn.to/3VoITev

Additional Resources-

https://www.mercermuseum.org/

The Tileworks In Bucks County Pennsylvania

Fonthill Castle

Wanamaker Light Show Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Elmwood Park Zoo Wild Lights

The Holiday Garden Railway At The Morris Arboretum

NortheastAllie

For generations, my family has lived in the Philadelphia area, and my writing reflects these influences. This blog explores perspectives on life, encouragement, travel, health, and local living.

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