If you are interested in visiting an immersive working-museum, where historical tiles are showcased and hand-crafted right in front of you, you have to check out the Tileworks in Bucks County, Pennsylvania! (The Tileworks is conveniently located just outside of Philadelphia if you are traveling here for the first time.)

As you drive up to the building, you will see a decent sized parking lot area that is situated between it and the Fonthill Castle. Their address is 130 E Swamp Rd Doylestown, PA, and the current hours that you can visit are Tuesdays through Sundays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Henry Chapman Mercer (the American archeologist, tile-maker, artifact collector, and designer of the famous Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle) created Moravian Pottery and Tileworks between 1911 and 1912 after he had spent time apprenticing himself to a local Pennsylvania German potter. When you visit this fascinating place, you can see this influence from working with the potter throughout the building, and in many of his designs.

I highly recommend booking a tour ahead of your visit, as the times fill up very quickly (especially during the holiday season). They do offer a nice selection of tours, from self-guided to tours, to more in depth ones with artisans who work there themselves. In some of the tours, you can even sign up to create tiles yourself if you have interest in that. We ended up doing the self-guided tour, and there were so many kind people working there that did answer any questions we had, which was amazing!

As you approach the building, you will see that similar to the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, it is made out of concrete. If you have the time to do so, I recommend walking around the structure, because you will see tiles within the building itself, which gives it a slightly different look then the other two buildings Mercer had designed. When you do the tour, if you have the opportunity, I recommend walking on the outside deck on the second floor, and you will see chimneys that have tiles in them which is pretty neat!

Luckily, when we visited a year ago, we did manage to get in during the holidays, and it was decorated so beautifully! You can feel the holiday spirit as you explore the various rooms and exhibits, and it is very elegant with the backdrop of the gorgeous tiles.

Henry Mercer was really influenced by the American Arts and Crafts Movement, and was a prominent figure within it as well. His work in the industry was sought out by leading architects from around the country, and his tiles continue to live on today in the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, and numerous other buildings as well.

An interesting aspect within their tile making process is that the museum uses unrefined Bucks County sourced clay, which truly makes it a local Pennsylvania product! The clay is run through a mixer, cut into slices, pressed into plaster molds, fired, glazed, and then is put through the fire again to create the final appearance. After this, some of the tiles will be hand painted instead of dip glazed. The facility is also quite famous for their detailed mosaics and designs.

After your tour, you will want to check out their extensive gift shop with so many of their hand-crafted items and tiles for sale. The Tileworks has so many talented individuals working there, and it is great to support local artists and businesses. One of their goals is to preserve the legacy of Mercer through their working Bucks County museum, and this is an awesome way to support that cause.

If you are traveling to the Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania, you will want to visit this really interesting and unique place. It is truly amazing to see how they are upholding this history, and continuing it every day through their work. 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/43tCUqJ

Additional Resources-

https://www.thetileworks.org/

The Mercer Museum

Fonthill Castle

The Holiday Garden Railway At The Morris Arboretum

Wanamaker Light Show Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Elmwood Park Zoo Wild Lights

YouTube Channel-

https://www.youtube.com/@northeastallie

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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