Flemington, NJ - self-billed as the "world's largest miniature wonderland & train museum," the…read moresheer scale of this model railroad exhibit is immense and impressive. Although I'm not a model railroad enthusiast, I do love miniatures, and the details and craftsmanship of this entire enterprise are absolutely incredible and a sight to behold. We've driven by this imposing & austere white building off of Route 202 many times and I've always wondered about it - is it a defunct bank? A religious headquarters? A sanitarium? Well turns out, it was constructed specifically to house the growing railroad model which its creator, Bruce Zaccagnino, started building in the 1970s and worked on over the next 2.5 decades. Despite the size of the building, I didn't think the display would be that big, but the rooms just seemed to wind on forever, and it was interesting to see the scenes from different perspectives as you worked through the levels. There are over 100 trains running on seven miles of tracks! There was so much to see and I had fun studying the intricate details and playing "I spy" with my kiddo. If you're into trains, this attraction is obviously a can't-miss, but my family including our toddler loved it. It's an awesome place to take kids. There are a few raised steps in various rooms for younger kids to step on, but they really ought to install more throughout the complex so kids that aren't tall enough can see the installations better. About 3/4 of the way through, there is a kids play zone area, with lots of seats to take a break. Toward the end of the tour is where you enter the bizarro world of kitschy and creepy dolls (and I say this as a fond devotee of creepy/old dolls...so it's right up my alley and really stirred my goth sensibilities). There are also some organs lying around - the keyboard kind, not the human kind. The outdoor train ride seems cool and we really wanted to ride it but it wasn't operating when we went earlier in the year. Hope it's up and running now. There is a nice and large gift shop with a room off to the side that sells vintage train parts and accessories, in addition to regular toys, gifts and branded merchandise. The whole work is a marvel and I recommend a visit! I'd like to see it again and we will come back when my child is a little older and can take it all in with more understanding and appreciation.

Two adults, two young train lovers paid admission to walk through a building with very few trains…read morerunning. Bet I could have counted them on my two hands. If this facility is not going to run a slew of trains, they should shut their door and stop taking fees from people. Such a disappointment.

What can you really say about interactive art!? Well I'll tell you! It's so cool!! Being able to…read morefinally go to a museum where you can touch and draw and just be immersed in the experience of art is so much fun! The Arte is actually a really great exhibit. I've been to one that has the slightest edge on the Arte but only because the Arte is actually quite small in comparison. I do wish they had a few more rooms for you to go in especially for it being in NY you would think it would be overwhelmingly huge but nope. We bought the cafe experience with our tickets and it honestly was a little blah. It's only $5 so I won't take away a star for that but the tables had interactive art on them so that was a bonus. The cons are once you enter the cafe you can't go back through that's it! Tour over! So make sure you do all the things before you get there! I do give it a 5 out of 5 because it's still really cool and fun to just go have the experience!

An 'OK' experience. I don't think it's as immersive as it's made out to be, but is midly…read moreinteresting nonetheless. You go from room to room, and the rooms are big enough so that even when there's a lot of people there's still plenty of room. The rooms are also dark and mirrored, and I saw a couple people hit the wall. If you're into Instagram and whatnot, you'll love this place. Otherwise this place is pretty meh. The price could also stand to be half of what it is.

The Allentown Art Museum is a fantastic place to spend and hour or two. The permanent collection is…read morevaried with lots of types of art to look at and enjoy, and the rotating exhibits keep your visits fresh and interesting if you're a repeat customer. I say "customer" but it's actually free to visit which is amazing and a great way to encourage the community to immerse themselves in art. There's a fun children's room too on the second floor to keep kids active if wandering the exhibit rooms isn't for them. The staff is friendly and welcoming and the giftshop has all kinds of unique items that you'd expect to find in a museum giftshop. I try to stop in anytime I'm in Allentown...it's an artistic oasis in the city.

Free thanks to a large donation and we appreciate that it is. The staff is super welcoming and…read moretells you what you need to know about the different exhibits. They have an entire Tiffany glass exhibit and every 30 minutes they change the lights to mirror the effects of the sun setting and rising. There are a few different exhibits, but the Tiffany glass was the one that stood out the most. A great little stop to check out when in the Lehigh Valley.

Wow. What a unique, random gem and historic property. What is Fonthill and why is there a castle in…read moreDoylestown, Pennsylvania? Fonthill Castle was the home of archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. (Also in Doylestown are two more Mercer buildings you can tour - the Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works building, the business Mercer ran and where most of the tiles in the castle were produced.) Henry Mercer seems like he was an interesting guy, and you can see that in his home - 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 200 windows, who knows how many staircases...! And designed and decorated in a way I've never seen anywhere else. The castle is an early example of poured-in-place concrete building and is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles. And there are, of course, Moravia tiles (and some historic and international tiles that he collected during his life) throughout the house - almost more than you could imagine. We visited last Saturday to experience their "Fonthill Castle Holiday Lights Meander Experience," which allows you to visit the castle through a self-guided experience (there were staff in various rooms who were happy to answer questions) and enjoy a series of Christmas trees on display throughout the home. I definitely enjoyed the experience but am definitely planning a return visit to see the castle in better light (not at night in the dark - which was perfect for the Christmas tree experience) - they offer 60-minute guided tours though the house for most of the year! The castle is pretty wild, and I look forward to visiting it again and experiencing it in a new way. If you are interested in architecture, art, crafts, the Arts and Crafts design movement, or just quirky, unusual places, definitely add Fonthill to your list and check it out!

Amazing property, it is a hidden gem. Went with my family for the tour and everyone enjoyed it!read more

Climbing the famous "Rocky Steps" in Philly's 93-degree heat made me feel I'd really accomplished…read moresomething when I reached the top. My reward -- a leisurely browse through the air-conditioned Philadelphia Art Museum. Augustus Saint-Gaudens' towering "Diana" sculpture welcomed me, then I gravitated towards familiar favorites: "Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen" by Degas, & Impressionist paintings; Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow"; & Diego Rivera murals. During my visit, Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" were temporarily on display, which are a treat to behold, as well as "Rising Up," an exhibit dedicated to boxing in the US & our fascination with the Rocky statue & steps here at the museum. Though the front of the building is iconic, there's a rideshare pick-up/drop-off point at the back West Entrance that's less congested with traffic & requires less walking for those not keen on a 72-step climb.

I absolutely love the Art Museum in Philadelphia! I've been there a few times, and every visit has…read morebeen such a great experience. The first time I went with my four-year-old, I wasn't sure how interested she would be, but she actually loved exploring the exhibits. Her favorite part was the LEGO Art Museum area - she played there for about 30 minutes and had so much fun. The museum is beautiful, very clean, well organized, and has something enjoyable for both adults and kids. I also love that parking is very convenient - they have a garage nearby that is around $9 per hour, and there is also upstairs parking, which is a little smaller but nice because it's a bit closer to the museum entrance. It's such a fun getaway in the city, and I love that it can be both educational and entertaining for the whole family. Definitely a place we'll keep coming back to!

I have been waiting for this place to reopen since its renovations. They truly did an amazing job…read moreon their redo. From the minute you walk in and see that huge mural on the wall by the entrance , it truly stands out with its vibrant colors, and tiles to the beautiful framed artwork that stands out from room to room, and from artist to artist. If you're handicapped this can be somewhat of a hike, unless you got a spot on the street right across from the entrance like we did. I also recommend if a person can't walk well they use a wheelchair or skip it. There are some areas with stairs while walking so be prepared. If you have small children, a stroller is a must. They do have elevators to get you from floor to floor once you're in the building. It's located on the beautiful campus of Princeton University and it's completely FREE of charge which is unusual nowadays. This is a nonprofit so you can make a donation.It's open from 10-5p every day except Sunday 12-5pm and Friday when they are open 10-8pm. Double check when it's a Holiday, Princeton Art Museum offers over 80,000 ancient and contemporary works. It's a great way to see some amazing art, walk around the campus and take in some amazingly beautiful old building's on the campus. You can walk through town. There are tons of restaurants to choose from and a wonderful artisan ice cream shop. When you arrive at the museum, they have a concierge's desk that you can get a FREE map and ask questions. They have nice bathrooms too.There is also a small gift shop.that sell books, and memorabilia. There's security everywhere. All the guards were very polite and friendly. I got a late start so I didn't see everything, which is ok. I'll definitely be back. Parking is difficult. I suggest parking in a lot a block off Nassau street.. It was only $6.50 for a few hours. If you're lucky enough to get parking spot on the street across from the entrance, it really makes life easier. There is also limited handicapped spots in the lot and on the street.. I highly recommend going on a beautiful sunny day. The campus itself is beautiful. You can take your time and stroll the campus and the Art Museum. There are benches and places to sit in the museum. This is a wonderful place to see and learn about art, culture and history. When you're done you can check out the local bar and restaurant called Dinky's right on the campus. They make all kinds of cool cocktails and serve up some interesting foods.

What a gem hiding on the campus! Can we talk about the artwork in the entranceway. That alone is a…read moreshowstopper. It's like two stories high and just beyond fabulous. If you go into the art museum and go upstairs, you can actually view it from the second floor as well, which is pretty cool and get a closer view of what's up higher. No, we showed up after closing. So we didn't actually get to see the whole collection, but they do have a number of pieces that are out and under a protective glass plane. We saw pieces from Andy Warhol, Singer Sergeant, Rothko, Lichtenstein just to name a few. I cannot even imagine what's in the main collection. If you are visiting Princeton or in the area, you owe yourself a visit to this museum.

What a cool hidden gem in Valley Forge National Park! I took a tour of this museum in November…read more2025. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and intriguing as he guided us around the property and inside the home/studio. Esherick was extremely talented and it was incredible to see his stunning creations. Tips: The tour is inside and outside so dress accordingly. There are steps inside the building. Booking ahead is required and tour group counts are limited.

Visiting the Wharton Esherick Museum in Malvern had been on my to do list for a while, but the…read moretours sell out, and I've missed out on visiting a couple of times! Last week, I planned a last minute day trip to the Philadelphia area and noticed that they had exactly four tickets still open on tours for the rest of the month and they were for the upcoming Saturday at 11am. It was a sign, and I jumped on buying those tickets. How to explain the Wharton Esherick Museum?! Wharton Esherick was an American artist and designer (he's best known for his modernist wood furniture), and - while not a trained architect - he designed this house and studio compound (of four separate buildings) in Malvern to live and work in. By the time he was adding a workshop to the compound in 1955, building codes had made their way into law and Esherick got help from none other than Louis Kahn to help design that building. So what will you see if you visit? Just an incredible home and studio. Esherick was not into straight lines or right angles or wasting perfectly good wood, so the house and studio is an amazing sight: that staircase! the wood floor in the dining room! the concrete extension painted in colors that blend into the natural surroundings! the art and furniture pieces of Esherick's shown throughout the house! It's a hard place to describe, but our tour guide did a marvelous job of teaching us about Esherick and the buildings during our tour, while sharing some woodworking facts and passion, too! Reservations for the tours are required, and they do sell out. Regularly. There's an exhibit on Esherick at the Brandywine right now, and that might be generating more interest than usual in seeing his home and studio - or maybe tours of this amazing place are always this popular?! We did the Experiencing Esherick Tour, which takes you into the home and studio building and lasts about an hour. They offer some specialized tours of more limited days as well - I will definitely be visiting again for the architecture tour which takes you into at least one additional building you don't see on the general tour! The house? Fascinating. Our tour guide? Lovely. The grounds? Beautiful even in December. And a lovely little gift shop in Esherick's old garage where you can do some holiday shopping? Bonus. What's not to love about the Wharton Esherick Museum? I know I'll be returning to bring friends and family to this wonderful place in the future.

This review is for the docent-led tour not the museum- which we thought was included in the $15 per…read moreperson fee. Our guide was a very sincere former employee of Bethlehem Steel who started our tour asking if we all were up for an hour and a half walk. We said yes. He started his presentation outside the door of the museum. An hour later we had walked maybe a block up a nondescript driveway as we listened to his stories of mismanagement, nepotism and greed within the company. He also showed pictures and told stories of some of the people who worked there over the years as well as some of the products produced. Some of the stories were interesting but an hours worth standing in the road? I finally asked if we were going to be able to go into some of the deserted fantastic looking buildings - he said no. We left the group and headed off by ourselves and found, across from the Arts Center, a stairway that headed up to the rusted gigantic steel stacks and accompanying infrastructure. Although it was fenced off, it was amazing walking along looking up, down, and around the place, almost close enough to touch. This is what we thought we were going to be learning about on the tour. Did we need to know what each gigantic piece did - not really - Did we waste $30 for the tour - sadly yes. Did we go back to see the museum - no. Will we, most likely not. Should you go? Take a look at the pictures and decide - you don't see this kind of scenery very often.

Really nice exhibit on different industries that shaped this country and the world. I liked the…read morecomputer exhibit which shows old computer stuff.