WHAT A BLAST. We came here for my birthday kind of ironically because online we saw reels saying it…read morewas the "weirdest museum ever," and thought it would be kind of funny/maybe even creepy. Little did we know it was actually FASCINATING; it was so fun to admire every last piece in the museum. The tram guide was great, the pre-recorded audio is helpful and interesting, and the collection is so varied and extensive that you can't help but love it. The pipe organs - fabulous. The walkable "toy box" collection was great after the tram. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone - it was soooo fun.

What a fun thing to do! We didn't know what to expect and want to say we all really enjoyed the…read moreexperience! Admission was reasonable and enjoyed the self-guided part while waiting for the next tram departure time. There was everything you could imagine - except one thing! A TELEX MACHINE (which I used to operate). When I asked the staff if they had one none of them even knew what I was talking about (early 20's)! We took the tram tour and really enjoyed it. The tram moved at a nice pace so you could really take in everything. So much to see - everywhere. It was a really fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy day! But I urge you to visit rain or shine!

Very interesting place to find out about local historical figures, and the facts of life back then…read more Though we've seen lot's of historic houses, but still discovered for ourselves something we didn't know before. Too bad not much of information about this place on the internet, but we were very glad to discover it and recommend it to everyone loving the history of this country.

This place never disappoints! You need to go back each season to appreciate the changing landscape…read moreand step back in time!

Every once in a while you drive past a place so many times that it almost becomes part of the…read morescenery. That was the Turkey Hill Experience for me. I'd driven past it countless times over the last few years but either didn't have enough time to stop or couldn't convince anyone else to stop with me. During my Lancaster Adventure Day, though, all of that changed. I purchased a Single Scoop ticket online ahead of time for $16.75 and reserved the very first time slot of the day at 10am. I figured a late-summer Thursday morning would be the sweet spot, and it turned out to be a great decision. It was busy enough that the place felt lively but not so crowded that I had to wait for every exhibit. Parking was plentiful, and I somehow managed to snag a spot right in front of the GIANT cow out front. Honestly, my day was already off to a fantastic start! The only hiccup of the visit came during check-in. Even though I'd already purchased my ticket online, I still had to wait in the same line as everyone buying gift shop items, purchasing admission and asking questions. Since there were only a two employees working both the registers and admissions, the line moved a little slower than I expected. If I could change one thing, it would be creating a separate express check-in line for folks who already have tickets. Once I finally made it inside, though, everything became easy peasy! The exhibits are completely self-guided, so you can wander at your own pace learning how Turkey Hill makes its ice cream and iced tea while playing with interactive displays along the way. One of my favorite parts was creating my own virtual ice cream flavor, complete with custom packaging. I also wanted to film my own Turkey Hill commercial, but those stations stayed busy the entire time I was there, so that'll have to wait until another visit. Naturally, I made a beeline for the tea sampling station. As someone who appreciates sugar-free options, I was thrilled to find both Zero Sugar Sweet Tea and Zero Sugar Fruit Punch available to sample. Both were fantastic! Then it was time for the part we'd all been waiting for...unlimited ice cream samples. One thing I really appreciated is that they weren't tiny little "blink and it's gone" samples. You picked two flavors, and they served actual scoops in a bowl. For an attraction centered around ice cream, that felt exactly right. My only tiny complaint? Wooden popsicle sticks instead of spoons. They definitely got the job done, but they made eating melting ice cream a little more awkward than it needed to be. Still...free and unlimited ice cream? I'm not about to complain too loudly! I spent about an hour wandering through the exhibits, playing with the interactive displays and enjoying the air conditioning on a hot August morning before making one final stop in the gift shop. Prices there were about what you'd expect for a tourist attraction, but there were plenty of fun souvenirs if you're looking to bring a little Turkey Hill home with you. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend visiting the Turkey Hill Experience at least once. I don't know that it's somewhere I'd return over and over again, but it was a fun, interactive way to spend an hour learning something new, eating entirely acceptable quantities of free ice cream and escaping the August heat. That sounds like a pretty successful adventure day to me!

Turkey Hill Experience was a fun stop for our family! We visited with three kids, and everyone…read morefound something to enjoy. The interactive exhibits were engaging, and the kids loved learning how ice cream is made and creating their own virtual flavors. The highlight was definitely sampling the different ice cream flavors and making our own ice cream creations.

What a gorgeous day for the Massive Barn Market. Apparently tripled in size this year! Parking was…read morebedlam, food trucks ran out of food and not enough port-a-potties (25 min. + Lines)..Do not think I'll be back. One plus hours to get .3 miles up hill from Baltimore Pike to parking entrance - one police officer until PA State trooper showed up with no where to turn around and high tail it out, basically trapped:( Please organize better & get the word out that you have! For over 7,000 people attending ~ yikes.

Came here for Chadds Ford Day as a day trip for my job and had an overall unpleasant experience…read more Enjoyed the food trucks and the different venders selling art, jewelry, and such but getting in was a hassle. Didn't get handicap parking when we needed it. So we had to walk a good distance while pushing a wheel chair to get to the entrance. I didn't know they only accepted cash and not card so once I arrived to the ticket stand the lady sitting at the stand told me they had a ATM machine and where to find it but refused to let me use it, which I couldn't understand. When I asked if I could use it to pay for my ticket she literally laughed at me and told me no I could not use their ATM machine and would not tell me why, she then assisted the person behind me in line. Another lady approached me and ended up having a free voucher ticket and gave it to me. I don't have any plans on ever coming back here for any event that is held.

We discovered this wonderful place today. It's cluster of historic buildings that made up a town…read morecenter. The tour guides did a great job describing the use of the buildings and the objects. They were very knowledgeable about the history of the buildings. If you are looking for a different experience, check out this Historic town

From the owner: Historic Sugartown offer engaging tours and programs that provide meaningful connections to the…read morepast. Visitors will discover 19th-century village life through the c. 1880 General Store and School Room exhibits, the c. 1805 William Garrett House and the c. 1835 Hannah Cheever House and Barn. Historic Sugartown's Book Bindery showcases 2,500 bookbinding tools used to produce books in the early 1800s. The Carriage Museum exhibits an exceptionally rare and early collection of carriages and sleighs in partnership with the Chester County Historical Society.

For a DE native, this was my first time here. I came during the day and I was the only person…read morethere. The receptionist let me know the exhibits that were on and what was scheduled to leave at the end of the month. She was so helpful! I took my time taking everything in. I loved that there was a mix of found art, sculpture, collage and film. There was even art on display for sale, which I could definitely see myself taking advantage of. They also have a store with prints, pottery, jewelry, and clothing. Honestly, such a gem of a space. They have a night market coming up in June with vendors and food trucks and they are part of the Art Loop which is every first Friday of the month. Admission is free those days, or if you go during normal hours is $7 for adults. Definitely worth it.

Interesting exhibits, but very small with no permanent collection. Many of the exhibit descriptions…read moreneeded copy editing. There was one description that referenced Palestine and included a disclaimer that seemed discriminatory.

We came on a free Sunday with family to enjoy the nice weather and learn a little history. Tickets…read moreare usually $10 to tour the museum. Even though it was a free day, both tour guides took time to introduce us to the house and answer any questions we had. It took us just shy of an hour to go through, but we could've spent longer if we had read every piece of material and took in every photo in the collection. The grounds and surrounding park were also beautiful and well maintained. There was ample free parking. A nice way to spend the day!

Place is beautiful with a wonderful Museum as well. My girlfriend and I spent some time here on our…read morelast trip. Park is huge with lots of running trails and lakes. Beautiful nature and trees to get surrounded and lost. Tickets are only $10.00 for a tour of the museum. Nice historical artifacts of the world and art. Delaware historical scenery and sculptures too. Weather was moderate at the time we were here. I love it. I will be back again.

We had a lovely time at the Rose Valley Museum. The history in Pennsylvania is amazing and this is…read morejust the start of our exploration of history and culture in Delaware County and beyond. Also known as the Thunderbird Lodge, this was a community of artist who started with a leap of faith in 1904 with approximately 60 people and moved here from Paoli. They started a community of woodworking enthusiasts, artists, painters, writers etc.. and were very successful in the arts and crafts movement. The museum was opened in 2017 to the public and has been thriving ever since. The property is approximately laid across one acre of land. There is a wonderful gift shop with may artifacts from the eighteenths and nineteenths centuries, that you may purchase for yourself or others to enjoy for your own pleasure Please, if you live in Delaware County come experience the history of our community and give back to the ones that keep our history alive. There is a mere $10 donation collected at the door when you enter. Unfortunately, the building is not handicapped accessible due to the structure and the artifacts in the building, but this is a great place for couples, especially if you are planning to be in the area or families who want to come to visit and enjoy a day trip learning some historical history about our community. Thank you to the volunteers who were so knowledgeable about this project and extremely helpful to us.

The Rose Valley Museum has been around a little over a year now, but I just discovered it a couple…read moreweeks ago. When I took a look at their events and saw a whiskey & chocolate tasting, um, I was there! Admission is $10 for non-members, but with our $20 event, we got free admission to the museum. I'll explain the museum first, and the event we attended, below. The museum is housed in Thunderbird Lodge, designed by architect, Will Price, who was the father of the Rose Valley craftsmen guild at the beginning of the 20thC. The museum is primarily dedicated to this era in Rose Valley's history, however, there are Native American artifacts, remnants of RV's 18th/19thC. Quaker inhabitancy, and other facets of the borough's history, to learn about, as well. The interior of the lodge is gorgeous! Exposed beams, Arts & Crafts features everywhere, handmade EVERYTHING! Artfully laid fireplace stones, hand-hewn stair railings, leaded glass windows! There were handmade Moravian tiles wherever appropriate (Will Price was friends with Mercer). Just art everywhere! The main room you hit upon entry is where they hold events. Beyond there, you find a sitting room and dining room, arranged for use with original Rose Valley furniture, and period lamps, rugs, and decor, all either made by the original guild, or authentic to the period, and part of the Arts & Crafts style. I saw some Tiffany type lamps, but no Van Erp. Furniture was Stickley style, with a little more rusticism and character, IMO, which adds to the charm. I saw a lot of Art Nouveau pieces, especially in things like candlesticks, pottery, and smaller carved wood decorative objects. Tons of pottery was housed in china cabinets, and glass cases. The woodwork for the trim and built-ins around the lodge is high quality, and beautiful. They are currently restoring it back to its original form (for example, the dining room used to have a curved gold-leaf ceiling). Loads to see, especially if you admire this aesthetic. Since we were there for an evening event, there were various fireplaces roaring, adding so much to the ambiance, as well as candles, and parchment-shaded lamps. It was so cozy and inviting! Upstairs is another large room, which housed a more eclectic array of Rose Valley history. There is a small hand-carved totem pole, papier-mâché animal heads, an original guild worktable, antique train station sign for Moylan-Rose Valley, more original furniture pieces, Plein Air painting, portrait of Price, etc. If you are at all curious about the Arts & Crafts movement, they have truly captured a great feel for its flavor at this museum! ---------------------- Now, the event! I highly recommend trying one of their gatherings! The museum's board was there, and they run things, hands-on, like devoted hospitality ambassadors! They are all so welcoming and friendly. We seriously felt like we'd been invited to a 70-person dinner party, and had conversations with almost all of the board members. They were amazing hosts! Note that this event was sold out, and they had a waiting list, with people at the door hoping to get in. They allow you to sign up online, so if you see something you want, get it! Our tasting was four different rounds of whiskey drink, personally made up by a board member, who knows his stuff. Each round was paired with a chocolate from Shane Confectionery in Philly. Our aficionado announced each round with a fun story, and gave all the details of his ingredients' origins. Every table had ice and water if needed (not for me!). They even went around and offered everyone seconds, and sometimes thirds, on each round... I politely accepted a few of those. We got more than our money's worth, it was amazing! After the tasting, they had a full spread of hors d'oeuvres to help sober up, but, for those hoping to keep the party going, there was also a bar available. Everything was beautifully, tastefully done. I can't wait to try another event!

With the dog days of summer likely behind us, fall is a good time to visit Nemours estate. Begin…read moreyour visit at the welcome center where you'll be offered a bottle of water, an umbrella (if it's sunny or rainy) and the opportunity to sign up for a free bus tour. (Do it!) If walking gets to be too much, flag down a roving golf cart, for a lift. Nemours Estate was built for Alfred duPont's second wife. (Don't ask about the first. Divorce!) Actually the third wife, Jessie, was the 'love of his life.' 77 rooms -- they never had to wait for a bathroom! -- 47,000 sf, 220 spectacular acres. Designed by Carrere & Hastings (famed architects of NY's 42nd Street Library) the massive project was completed in an astonishing eighteen months. Tours are self-guided with friendly and informative docents throughout. In addition to the mansion, which in its opulent way DOES feel like a family home, there's the garage and gift shop. The shop was formerly the estate's laundry room with machinery and such still in tact. I was happy to learn that the duPonts didn't take their station in life lightly. Besides endowing the world-renowned children's hospital on their property, Mr. duPont, according to a guide, implemented a sort of social security system for local retirees. I hope that story is true!

Stunning landscapes hidden from the City winds. It felt like being in Ancient Greece or Rome…read more Expansive lawn features and gardens. Long pathways that lead to stepped atrium and colonnades. A mansion that highlights the importance of wealth. Beatufully detailed rooms and interior spaces. A chandelier that could hang from Castles, is illuminate to say the least. Wood crafted Studies and libraries meticulously detailed appointments. Interior design that reflected the period. But a bit of personality too. The home was lived in. Step to the rear quarters where the garage is. You will be greeted with some of the finest and rarest post WW1, vintage luxury coaches.

This spring, I've been enjoying the weekend events at the Colonial PA Plantation in Ridley Creek…read moreState Park. We have a Tyler Arboretum membership, which has reciprocity (free admission) with the plantation! I make my reservation free online (selecting member status) and give my name at the gate, and in we go, for a lot of fun! The animals are always present and at the forefront of many activities. We saw the ox pulling a plow to till the field, the sheep being shorn, the mother pig just gave birth to 6 piglets, and the yard birds have been boisterous and competing for attention every time we visit them. We've also seen flax get broken down for the starts of linen making, water get pulled from the well, cooking demonstrations in the kitchen, rifle and period military demonstrations, live music, wool cleaning and spinning, a house tour, and garden planting. There is still so much more coming up in the summer and fall months. It is an interesting mix of visitors I've seen there, everyone from babies, to school children, teens, college kids, even retirees, all come with curiosity for the history and fun events here. Some of the volunteers will be more in character than others, speaking to you as though they're really of the colonial era. I like when they're more instructorial and simply want to teach what they're doing, or how things were, and truly hope to impart an experience that will light a spark in you to connect you with the past. My toddler is still too young to understand the present let alone the past, but I know I am stimulating him, and giving him bits of memories that will help him put pieces together more quickly when the time comes to "get" history. Everyone we've dealt with at the plantation has been really kind and eager to give us a hands-on experience. We got to pat animals we wouldn't be able to pat at the zoo, even feel the brass caps on the ox's horns, and rub the sheep's faces. Volunteers have pointed out so many interesting tips and observations, like how modern medicine has allowed the ox to tower above humans and weigh significantly more than one would have in Colonial times (for example, era paintings depicted farmers leaning elbows on their oxen at shoulder height, whereas today it would take a stepladder to recreate that pose). Also, they have an ancient breed of sheep there, who still shed their fleece, rather than needing it shorn. These same sheep are a lot more skittish and wild, despite having been raised there from lambhood, with much love and care by the humans. Interesting how the nature of this super old breed overcomes their nurture, even despite the influence of the other sheep who are a fully domesticated breed, docile and reliant on humans as the day is long. Anyway, activities and conversations at the plantation are always what you make of them. Stay for as little or as much time as you wish, but there is a wealth of info and fun to be had if you relax and stay awhile.

Fun! And they have a 1/2 day camp (good for Stay at home moms who need a few hours of freedom)…read more Still exploring this.