Sometimes an adventure gets added to the list and then patiently waits an entire year for its turn…read more That was the North Museum of Nature and Science for me. I'd passed it during a different Lancaster adventure last summer, made a mental note that I wanted to come back and then...didn't. Fast forward to an early August Thursday afternoon when my adventure schedule finally brought me back to the area with some time to spare. FINALLY! Let's go see what's inside this place! I stopped in around 1:45pm and I'm pretty sure I was the only visitor in the entire museum. Honestly? I didn't hate it! Having the place almost entirely to myself meant I could wander around, open drawers, stare at things for entirely too long and explore everything at my own pace without feeling like I was holding anyone up. The woman at the front desk was super helpful, getting me situated with my ticket and explaining the general lay of the land before sending me off to explore. Parking was easy for me, too. I found plenty of street parking and nearby lots, although I could see availability varying depending on the day, time and whatever else might be happening in the neighborhood. The main level was my first stop and definitely felt geared more toward families with younger children. There were lots of hands-on activity stations, interactive exhibits and live critters to check out. I especially liked seeing some of the artwork kids had created displayed throughout the museum. It's obvious that this isn't supposed to be a "stand quietly and stare at things behind glass" kind of museum for kiddos. They actually get to interact, explore and DO things. Then I headed downstairs to the Cabinet Museum. And THAT'S when things got really interesting for me. I opened the door and actually stopped for a second to take it all in. Floor-to-ceiling wooden cabinets with glass fronts and backs filled the room, displaying hundreds of preserved and taxidermied specimens. It had this wonderfully old-school natural history museum feeling that I absolutely loved. There was SO much to look at! Toward the back were displays filled with rocks, minerals and gems, but my favorite part of the entire museum was the Curiosity Cabinet. This double-sided cabinet has drawer after drawer that you can pull open to discover specimens underneath plexiglass. Bugs, bats, starfish, coral and all kinds of other fascinating little pieces of the natural world were hiding inside. What made it even cooler was the question posed on the cabinet asking visitors to think about what was the SAME about the objects on opposite sides and what was DIFFERENT. Suddenly I wasn't just opening drawers to see what weird little treasure was hiding inside. I was comparing things, looking more closely and thinking about why the specimens had been grouped together. Apparently I am exactly the kind of adult who can be entertained for an unreasonable amount of time by a cabinet full of mysterious drawers. Noted! Before leaving, I headed upstairs to the third floor, which was primarily an art gallery during my visit. There were works displayed along the walls, including pieces available for purchase, along with a large community space that looked like it could accommodate parties, classes and other gatherings. My biggest adventure-planning failure of the day? THE PLANETARIUM. I knew they had one, but because I was working the North Museum into an already-packed Lancaster Adventure Day, my timing didn't line up with the next planetarium show. I peeked inside and immediately wished I'd planned that part better because it looked really cool. PRO TIP: If the planetarium is something you want to experience, don't do what I did. Check the show schedule BEFORE you plan your visit and build your arrival time around it. Future Me will absolutely be doing this because now I have unfinished planetarium business. All in all, the North Museum of Nature and Science was a really enjoyable way to spend part of an afternoon. Is it an enormous museum that's going to take you an entire day to explore? Nope. I spent a relatively short amount of time wandering around and felt like I'd gotten a good look at most of what was there. But that's also part of what makes it such an easy addition to a Lancaster adventure. If you've got kids who love hands-on activities and animals, I could see them having a blast here. If you're an adult wandering around by yourself like me, head downstairs, start opening drawers and prepare to unleash your inner curious 8-year-old. I'm glad I finally made good on the mental note I made last summer and stopped to explore. The North Museum is clearly a place that cares about curiosity, education and giving its community opportunities to experience science in an approachable way. And someday...I'm coming back for that planetarium!

I was disappointed with my first visit to the Museum today. The live animal room was closed, many…read morelights/buttons/hands-on activities were not working, and we could BARELY hear the narration for the planetarium show (even after I asked that the volume be turned up). Overall there was very little to do. It's crazy that I spent $62 dollars for 2 adults and a 4 year old to see what we saw today. There should absolutely be a lower rate for 3-10 year olds!!!

Visited again and whole factory has changed the exhibits and layout from 4 yrs ago. $12 now for 3…read moreand over. Sky bridge: keep your shoes on and climb. They also have something similar at Long Island children museum and NJ Liberty Science center. Tons of hands on with brief explanation at each station. Outdoor stations are also available at the courtyard. Today the maker space is reserved for summer camp only. I wonder what activities do they have for the public usually. Like before, free parking across the road. Love the high ceiling and the feel of kids are free to explore. Will definitely return.

A fun and educational place to bring the kids to. Almost everything is interactive which is great…read more The place isn't huge per say, but you can easily spend 2-4 hours here. The space is separated into different stations and has a nice flow to it. We came on the weekend and although there were a lot of people, it never felt overcrowded or that that there was too long a wait for any of the exhibits. Admission is $13 per person which I think is fair. Overall my kids had a lot of fun and we would love to come back again in the future.

If you're a fan or art and/or a frequent visitor of art museums in the U.S., you may recognize…read moreCharles Demuth's work. He's often credited as setting the stage for Modernist art. Lancaster has two museums honoring Demuth. One is inside Demuth's house in downtown. (It happens to be one of the oldest buildings in the area.) It's a proper museum with exhibits about his life, house, and work. There are even a few areas for children to interact with history and art. Outside is a beautiful garden that his mother kept for cooking. The second museum is a contemporary art museum with art from local artists spread across two floors and three galleries. Staff are kind and admission is a suggested donation of $5.

The Demuth Museum was a welcomed distraction during my visit. Lancaster isn't that big of a town,…read morebut there is hustle and bustle out on the street that you can escape from by entering this museum. It is honestly a well put together museum that is detailed to Demuth and his connection to Lancaster. This museum is part viewing and part interaction. It is two floors and you can move about it at your own pace and in any direction you feel appropriate. Take you time while doing this and you can definitely find a place to the side to appreciate the art. At the time of my visit the downstairs had an exhibit of art on loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is a small exhibit but the pieces you find in the exhibit can definitely be appreciated. They rotate what is on exhibit in here dependent on what they can get on loan. I was told that they would be doing a change up soon on the pieces and it would be a whole new experience. Throughout the rest of the museum the pieces you see are pieces of Demuth himself. They have many pieces from Demuth that they rotate in and out of viewing sot that means you may not experience the same thing twice in a long while. With this museum being the family home of Demuth, you not only get to view the museum, but the home that is kind of a time capsule of when it was in use as a home. Upstairs it goes more into depth on Demuth himself. You can view the materials he used to create some of his art and learn about his life when he was younger and his travels to study art. In what I would say is the last room for you to visit is a room that contains art of artist that were from other countries looking to start anew in America. One piece invited you to write a message of encouragement to add to the piece of art. This really added an interactive touch to this museum. From the upstairs you can see the garden that inspired Demuth to produce some of his art. And where he spent time with his family.

Listen, due your homework before checking out a place. Don't do what I did before I showed up here…read more Check to see what the hours are before you venture here and have to figure out what to do for your day since it is not open. As you can see, this is a local museum and it truly does embrace the community it sits in. The time that I visited this they were having an exhibit that showcased local artists. That would be why you don't see any pictures of the art from me out of respect for those local artists. They were actually getting ready to switch over exhibits when I visited. Even though it looks small from the outside, the inside is quite spacious and totally gives off the art gallery vibe. Rooms that echoed if you spoke or simply took a step. The exhibit stretched multiple rooms on each floor. Since this was an exhibit for local artists you were able to purchase the art on display. When I was here there was an older couple that had come in and talking with the employees. They had purchased a few pieces over time from here. What was nice was that you could vote when you finished your visit on which piece of art you thought was extraordinary. I wonder what the results was of that vote. I'm going to have to look into that.

Kind of lame. There's only 3 rooms and we were only there for 10 mins. Good thing we didn't drive…read moreall the way up to Lancaster just for this. Go to Gallery Row if you want to see art galleries for more than a few mins.

Why is the Hans Herr House significant and who the hell was Hans Herr?…read more The house itself is significant as it is the last remaining structure that is still standing from the original group of Mennonites who came to the Lancaster County area to escape religious persecution from their native Switzerland. The house is also significant in that it is the oldest structure in Lancaster County and likely the oldest remaining Mennonite meetinghouse in the Western Hemisphere. The original group traveled from Switzerland to Germany to escape religious persecution then after a governmental regime change they were forced from Germany to England where they met with William Penn who allowed them to colonize a portion of what is current day Lancaster County or when they arrived in 1711, the extreme most western frontier of Pennsylvania. One interesting piece of information is that the house did not belong to Hans Herr as it was built by his son Christian which is why his initials are over the doorway along with the inscribing mark of 1719. On the tour you are told why the name remained(s) Hans Herr House versus Christian Herr House but honestly I forget why. Maybe something just deferential from Christian towards his father or because of his father's status with the original group that came to the area or maybe everyone just liked the flow of the name more so it's based on tradition? The tour itself is around 40-45 minutes and it starts in the building which houses the gift shop and you are given a brief overview of the Anabaptist faith, the Mennonites who are direct descendants of the faith and a map which shows the route the initial settlers took from Switzerland to Pennsylvania. After that you are taken over to the house where you see the three rooms which make up the first floor (kitchen, bedroom and all purpose dining room-meeting room-family room) and the second floor which is where the eight children slept and finally the basement which is accessed from a side entrance outside of the house. You learn that the key to the home's design is that they didn't believe in wasting any space so every inch served a purpose such as not having hallways so as soon as you walk in the front door you're right in the kitchen. One thing worth noting, if you are someone who is hardcore hung up on only visiting historical places if they have lots of original items then this place might not be for you. There is not a whole lot original to the house that you can see with the exception of a piece of the ceiling insulation on the first floor (rye straw + manure + ??), the wooden crossbeam over the kitchen fireplace and the steps which go from the second floor to the third floor attic (obviously you can't use them). Past that I think most everything else was changed out in the 19th century when the house was still used as a residence or in the early 70's when the initial renovation occurred to make things into a tourist destination. If you want more original take a look at the bibles on display in the gift shop which are original to Hans and Christian. I wouldn't call the Hans Herr House a must see, but it's interesting enough and the tour is the right length to keep everyone interested along with being located close enough to most of Lancaster County's tourist elements. If you go: The 1719 Hans Herr House is open April 1 through November 30, Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. Forty-five minute Herr House tours are offered at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This is not the tour information for their reproduction Native American Longhouse. That tour is offered at 10 a.m., 12 noon and 2 p.m and has an entirely different focus. Prices are currently Adults: $8, Children 7-12: $4 and Children 6 and under: free with a slight discount if you choose to tour both structures. There are also several special events that happen throughout the year and that information is available on their website.

I visited the 1719 Museum this past Saturday and really enjoyed the experience…read more The guided tour starts with a short film about the property that provides some great context for the rest of the tour. Then you leave the visitor center and walk over to the first structure of tour, which is a full-sized reproduction of a Native American longhouse. Longhouses (large multi-generational family homes made of logs, saplings, and tree bark) were once ubiquitous in Pennsylvania, including along the Susquehanna River. At the time the Hans Herr home was built, south-central Pennsylvania was home to several Indigenous tribes, including the Shenks Ferry, Conoy, Lenape, Mohawk, Nanticoke, Seneca, Shawnee, and Susquehannock peoples. The 1719 Museum collaborated with the Circle Legacy Center and members of the local indigenous community to build the longhouse reproduction in order to share the history of and honor Pennsylvania's native communities and educate visitors to the area. With your guide, you walk into the longhouse, where you sit down while the guide explains quite extensively about the Native communities in the area, the longhouse and its architecture, and the relationships between the indigenous people and the Mennonite people who made homes in the area. After the longhouse, the guide walks you over to the Hans Herr House. It was built in 1719 and is a 2-story, rectangular sandstone Germanic-style dwelling. It is the oldest dwelling in Lancaster County and the oldest Mennonite meetinghouse in America. The guide walks you through various rooms in the house and shares information about the Herr family as well as the larger Mennonite community in early Pennsylvania history. Our guide was Cindy, and she was incredible. I learned so much about the Native, Indigenous and Mennonite communities of 18th century Pennsylvania (and - in the case of the Native peoples - a much earlier history of their lives in Pennsylvania). She really educated us on a broad range of topics, while keeping the tour fun (I love fun education)! She made my tour extra special. If you're spending some time exploring Lancaster Counter, the 1719 Museum should definitely make your itinerary! In one place, you can learn a little bit about Pennsylvania's Native and Mennonite communities, and it's just a special place!

I visited Historic Rock Ford on Sunday and learned so much. The house was built around 1794 for…read moreGeneral Edward Hand, an adjutant general to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Rock Ford is a Georgian-style mansion, where General Hand lived with his wife and children until his death in 1802. His wife passed away in 1805 and only briefly remained in the Hand family before becoming a home for tenant farmers for the next 150-ish years. The house was saved from destruction by the Junior League in 1958 and then renovated and restored to what it looks like now. I learned all this and more from our guide Priscilla, who was wonderful. She told us about the man, the family, and the house, as well as the enslaved people and indentured servants who are a part of the home's history, too. The tour lasted a little over an hour, so I didn't have time to find the John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts, which is also on the property. The house was beautiful, and the information I learned from Priscilla about General Hand and his house was very interesting. If you're interested in history and historic homes, the Historic Rock Ford is worth a visit!

One of many historic buildings in the area is Rock Ford, a brick mansion with a large garden. They…read morehost tours throughout the week, which is the only way to see the inside. There are a parking lot and a visitor center with a kind staff person behind the desk. They also have restrooms inside the center.

The Lancaster Marionette theatre is an excellent place for kids. The show is not too long and very…read moreenjoyable, it kept two kids 2 and 4 entertained throughout. Our family visited over the Easter weekend and got to catch the final showing of Peter Cottontail of the season. If you arrive early, you will get to go backstage and receive a small history lesson about Marionettes and how they come together. The experience is a nice touch as it allows you to enjoy the show better. My first time experiencing a marionette show and was sure what to expect. The Mr.Brock comes on stage to handle the puppets which is a bit jarring a beginning, but after two minutes you forget he is up there and focuses on the puppets. If you are in the Lancaster area looking for a great family experience, you can't miss this gem.

On a small, side street stands a brick building. Black shutters hug the windows while the flower…read morewindow boxes above loom over the sidewalk below, waiting for an audience. A Historic Marker proclaims that a famous puppeteer was born nearby. The white door left slightly ajar wears a sign, "Sold Out." Some places might feel forlorn wearing those words, but not here--this is the home of Lancaster Marionette Theater. From the moment you walk into Lancaster Marionette Theater, the magic surrounds you, and what Robert Brock has created on Water Street in historic downtown Lancaster is something out of a storybook. From the John Durang Puppet Museum, to the Backstage Tour, and most of all to the delightful marionette performance itself--everything about this charming building is full of Brock's heart and soul. When I first heard about this small but quaint theater, it gave me visions of memories growing up watching The Sound of Music. We all remember the famous scene of Maria and the children performing their marionettes while singing "The Lonely Goatherd." When I ordered tickets to see Peter Pan, I did not know what to expect but I was looking forward to sharing this experience with my twelve-year-old son. Brock, a native of Lancaster, fell in love with theater and puppets as a little boy when his dad made a puppet play theater for his sister one Christmas. As an adult, he went to Boston Conservatory and majored in Music Theater. In 1990, Brock's Hole in the Wall Theater opened with hand puppets, but when his shoulders gave out, he switched to all marionettes ten years later. January of this year, the name was changed to Lancaster Marionette Theater, and with it came renovations including a new "green" updated lighting system. There are so many parts of creating each show. Making wooden carved puppets, creating patterns for costumes, cutting out the material, sewing clothes, sculpting clay for the heads, painting the marionette, writing the script--these are just a few of the steps Brocks takes. Perhaps that is what makes this small theater so unique. The audience gets the chance to meet the founder and artistic director, Robert Brock, during the Backstage Tour. While learning that it takes him 50-60 hours to build each marionette, audience members feel Brock's charisma and passion for the theater. During the tour that day, Brock told the crowd about a project he is currently working on about dinosaurs. While he still performs some of the same shows each year, he continues to create new ideas. My son and I arrived that Saturday in October for the last performance of the year for Peter Pan. There was a large group of young children attending, and the theater has a policy about children being quiet during the performance. This policy was explained and delivered from one of the staff before the show, standing right in front of the stage, and it was aimed at the children so they could understand. Somehow--it worked. I did not hear a peep from the children throughout the 35-minute show. Brock explains on his website, "Shari Lewis used to say, 'Never write down to children.'" Perhaps that is the key. We left that day with a new appreciation for puppets. It was amazing how Peter Pan was brought to life with just one man--with music, strings and some pixie dust.

The grounds are free to walk from dawn to dusk. The museum and tour of the house is included in the…read moreticket price. They do have limited time slots. The parking is free. I found the grounds and the house to be pretty. It was a nice way to spend a few minutes looking at something historic. I do like that they have plaques talking about the horticulture on the property. Also the houses in the surrounding area are so beautiful.

If you enjoy history, stop by this former house of President James Buchanan, the only bachelor U.S…read more president. If you want to go inside, you have to book a guided tour. They are only a few times certain days of the week. The grounds are usually open for you to wander and sit. Personally, I found the house beautiful from the outside.

Sometimes Adventure Buddy finds something on social media, suggests we go, and I happily agree…read morewithout doing a single minute of research. That's exactly how I ended up at Harvest Days at Landis Valley Museum! I'd never even heard of Landis Valley Museum, but it was only about an hour from home, the weather forecast looked beautiful and the event promised a combination of fall festivities, outdoor adventures and food. What more could a girl ask for? We arrived around lunchtime on a gorgeous Saturday in early October and immediately appreciated having purchased our tickets online ahead of time. There were folks waiting to buy tickets at the entrance, but we were able to bypass that line, check in quickly and get right to adventuring. The staff welcomed us warmly and handed us a printed program with a map and schedule of activities. And then we started walking. Holy cow, this place is bigger than I expected! Landis Valley Museum is essentially a historic village dedicated to preserving Pennsylvania German life and traditions from the 1800s and early 1900s. The property is filled with historic buildings, gardens and outdoor spaces, many of which were open for visitors to explore during Harvest Days. We wandered from building to building, discovering demonstrations and activities around practically every corner. There were people splitting wood, making apple butter, preparing applesauce and demonstrating traditional blacksmithing techniques. Other stations showcased historic crafts and skills that most of us don't encounter in our everyday lives anymore. What I especially appreciated was how enthusiastic and knowledgeable the people running these demonstrations were. They weren't just going through the motions. They genuinely seemed to enjoy sharing their knowledge, answering questions and helping visitors understand how things were done generations ago. And I loved that! We took our time wandering around, checking our map and popping into buildings whenever something caught our attention. The property was busy, but there was plenty of room to explore without feeling overwhelmed. My favorite discovery, though, wasn't inside a building. It was the "Just For Pretty" garden toward the back of the property. It was beautiful! So many flowers were still blooming despite it being October, creating this gorgeous little pocket of color and tranquility. I could've happily spent quite a while there just enjoying the sunshine, admiring the flowers and appreciating a beautiful fall day. We also explored the museum gift shop, which had a surprisingly large variety of merchandise, and stopped by the outdoor food court for a little caffeine. I was impressed by the number and variety of food trucks available. There were plenty of options for anyone looking to make lunch part of their Harvest Days adventure. Now, I do have one little wish-list item for future Harvest Days events. Food samples! We watched people preparing all kinds of traditional foods, including applesauce, sauerkraut and chicken pot pie. And while it was fascinating to see how everything was made, I would've LOVED the opportunity to taste some of those creations! I mean, you're showing me how people made apple butter generations ago and then expecting me to just walk away without putting any in my mouth?! That's a tough assignment for me. But seriously, even small samples of the traditional foods being demonstrated would add another wonderful element to the experience. All told, we spent about two hours exploring the property, although you could easily spend much longer depending on your interests. There was a dedicated area with activities for younger children, making this a nice option for families. History enthusiasts and older kids could probably spend most of the day exploring the buildings and learning about life in another era. Parking was plentiful, on-site and FREE, which I always appreciate when visiting an attraction. One final thing that impressed me? The museum's online ticketing system. There's something wonderfully fitting about an organization dedicated to preserving our history embracing modern technology to make the visitor experience easier. Well done, Landis Valley! We drove an hour to attend an event at a museum I'd never heard of, spent a beautiful fall afternoon learning about Pennsylvania's past and discovered another Central PA destination worth keeping on our adventure list. I'm really glad Adventure Buddy found this one! And next time, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that somebody lets me taste the apple butter.

It Takes a Village…read more Forty acre village comprised of a farm, historic buildings, artifacts and some amazing craftspeople. We didn't really know what to expect coming here but were completely blown away by what we found. The Good: *Firstly, the craftspeople that were here during our visit were all simply amazing but special big ups to the Tinsmith and Blacksmith as they were both a pure joy to talk to. They both possess so much great knowledge and skill in their crafts. It was truly amazing to talk to people like this. *One of the better gift shops we've encountered, as it has wares produced by the craftspeople, as well as locally-made Amish wares and even packets of heritage seeds. *Great historic antique-filled buildings to wander around at your leisure. *Be sure to watch the short film about the history of this place at the Visitor Center. *We were here for almost four hours and still didn't see everything! The Meh: *Some of the trails are a bit suspect, so keep an eye on any old folks you bring along. The Ugly: *The farm part of this place could use a little love, but I'm just being nitpicky. TLDR: Great place for lovers of history, but definitely make sure you take full advantage of the craftspeople that are there that day. They're def the heart and soul of this museum. Without them, this would be a 3.5* experience.