It had been a while since I last visited the Zippo/Case Museum, but while camping in Allegany State Park for about five days around New Years, we decided to venture south to Bradford for a little New Year's Eve field trip and I'm glad we did! Yes, they closed early because it was New Year's Eve but it was still worth the stop. One of my favorite things about this place is that the museum is free (no ticket required!) which makes it very accessible. The gift shop is also a great size, with tons of Zippo, Case, and regional memorabilia. For example, I left with a Buffalo Bills Zippo! The employees were fine though they were not especially warm or chatty. Luckily the products and history speak for itself. Seeing the evolution of Zippo lighters and learning about the company's roots in Bradford never gets old. So, if you're anywhere near northern Pennsylvania or Western New York, this is a fun, quirky, and surprisingly fascinating stop that's definitely worth checking out! read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Love this flag, composed from Zippo lighters! - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

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The usual museum "enter/exit through the gift shop" is expanded here: The larger part of the displays are geared towards the history of smoking with Zippo lighters since 1932. Although the local production of 72,000 lighters a day does make it an economic powerhouse, on my visit there was a local troop of boy scouts. Cringe! At the cashier desk they'll sell you a lighter, "It includes everything but the fluid". Admission is free; dogs are welcome; there's a five minute film on loop about the history of Zippo lighters and the Case knife companies. read more

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Came here to visit and was not disappointed! You enter to a store with knives, lighters, apparel, and a small section of candles. Through the store is the start of the museum with a history of Bradford and the companies. The 20+ exhibits take you through both companies at once which was integrated nicely. Definitely worth a stop in. There is a small parking lot or you can park along the side of the street or back ,nominal traffic there) read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Replica zippo lighter car - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah I love finding quirky and different places to visit when I am taking a trip. It does make the drive longer, but it also makes it more memorable and fun! So, when I saw this as I was passing through of course I had to turn around. I have two Zippos from my great-grandfather and grandfather so although I don't smoke it interested me. A great place to visit to learn the history of Zippo and Case. Free admission to the Museum. Self-guided tours during regular business hours. They are also pet-friendly. Exhibit include: * An Ally for the Allies, an exploration of Zippo's contributions to the American effort in WWII. read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

What amazing collection of lighters and knifes. To see all the history that zippo lighters has went through is mind blowing.

My wife and I were traveling through the region of Bradford, Pennsylvania. We decided to make a stop at the Zippo Museum because we passed it many times while driving down the road. I am really glad that we stopped. I really enjoyed the easy to walk through museum that also featured Case. The displays were interesting and easy to follow. I liked the combination of history and art. After walking through the museum, we shopped in the flagship store. There were hundreds of lighters and knives available for purchase. Some of them were only sold at the flagship store. Outside there were two Zippo vehicles on display. The first was a tricked out jeep. The second was an antique Zippo vehicle from the 1940s. There is no cost to the visit the museum, but I did buy myself two lighters. The people were very friendly working the facility and the place was very clean. If you have a few hours to spare, this is a great stop. They even have clean bathrooms! read more

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I've passed by a number of times over the years - finally made it a point to stop in while vacationing in the area ...glad I did! Very nice museum packed with a lot of displays of memorabilia/history of Zippo & Case. I was also impressed by the policy of Zippo repairing lighters of just about any condition and the repair shop which is viewable from part of the museum. If you're into lighters & knives - this is your place ....and even if you aren't - you'll find interesting displays here! Highly recommended - will stop in again if I get a chance! read more

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If I told you that this was the whole reason that I came to this area, would you believe me? Honestly, I don't care if you do, but this is why I came up here. I needed a mini vacation to get away from all the things of the past year and I had to find myself an interesting place to visit. I did a simple search of museums in Pennsylvania that were a bit out of the ordinary and this one was at the top of the list. I'll be honest, I didn't even know Zippo was invented and produced in Pennsylvania. It is so weird that for me seeing that I knew of Zippo my whole life, but not knowing it was a PA thing. Let me give you a piece of advice if you want to come here. Do not follow the GPS directions, they are not correct. If you do you will end up on a hill overlooking the town in the middle of a residential street. And this street is tiny as hell. What I found out is that when you get off of that exit, there are signs and just follow them to the location. When you get here, you are greeted by a huge Zippo lighter and Case knife on the front of a sleek looking building. The outside of this place is very interesting and inviting. You come up the drive to the building and the light posts have huge Zippos on them with the lights. There is a little plaza out front that has a flame as well. The interesting and inviting continues inside. You walk in and just kind of go at it. You are greeted with a timeline of how the area and Zippo came to be. There are lot of interesting things to see and interact with in here. There were three areas that stand out to me as highlights. I was enamored with the section dedicated to Zippo and their efforts during wars. Another was the section focused on Zippo in Hollywood. seeing that section I didn't even realize how much you see them everywhere. From 'Die Hard' to 'Wall-E.' And the other area is the area where you can watch employees make repairs to Zippos. It is kind of like watching behind the scenes footage. The portion that was for Case I really didn't pay much attention to as knives don't really do it for me. I did take note at certain areas, but I kind of took pictures so I could look at them later and continue on. Once you are done you can then browse the flagship store portion of this facility. They have what you would expect to find here, Zippos and knives, but then they have more to purchase with Zippo and Case being on shirts to mugs. I did end up buying my first Zippo while here since I have relied on the other lighters out there. Best part of it all, this is an absolutely free museum to visit. If you visit now, it is their 90th anniversary and there are shirts and other items commemorating that. read more

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A zippo lover haven! Absolutely everything zippo related. We went to lighterpalooza and had an amazing time. So many things to do for the whole family. read more

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Very pleasantly surprised with this hidden little gem. Was staying in Bradford to do some hiking at Kinzua and Allegeheny when mother nature stepped in and thwarted our last day with some pretty strong rains. We weren't quite ready to head back home quite yet so we made a stop at the Zippo/Case Museum and Flagship Store and enjoyed our visit. Cool little museum that told me everything you could want to know and more about the history of these companies. Can't pretend that I was ever really into either of these products, but I really was impressed by the founder of Zippo who was so focused on making a lasting product, promising to fix them free for life, talk about something companies today could learn from, they are thriving and I believe there is some connection to that business model. Some interesting stuff to look at and information, at this free museum. Flagship store including pretty much anything you could want Zippo or Case wise. They had pretty much any designs you could want, and even the option of creating your own. Interesting little stop if you are in or near the area, definitely would recommend! read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Dumbledore? outside the museum/store - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

Nice place. Worth the trip for a quick visit. Definitely needs more parking. Free to the public so you can't go wrong.

A cool, odd museum - but one worth visiting none the less! We made Bradford a stop on our way to Kinzua bridge, and the Zippo museum was absolutely on our list of places to check out! I'm a big fan of odd/different/unique museums, and the Zippo museum absolutely fits the bill. An entire museum dedicated to lighters and knives? Hi, Hannah K., nice to meet you. I don't know why I was so surprised to find this place so thoroughly informative, but I suppose after 500,000,000 Zippo lighters being manufactured and sold in the US, you probably have a few bucks to put together a really nice museum dedicated to its history! On the grounds outside you'll find the Zippo car, one of the early advertisers for the Zippo lighter! Of course, it's a replica of the original (and you'll find parts of the original in the museum itself), but it's such a cool eye-grabber. As far as museums go, it was incredibly thorough! When you enter the building you'll find yourself in the gift shop, and toward the back is the entrance to the museum. It's free to enter, so feel free to just walk around. Once you go through you'll be taken through Zippo/Case history, from the very origins of the company to different advertisers through the years, and ways the Zippo lighters changed America. Right, I wouldn't have thought such a small object would have such a huge impact, but the WWII exhibit was incredibly cool. Toward the back is the "Famous Zippo Clinic" - Zippos have a lifetime guarantee so if they ever get broken, you can send it in to the clinic and they will repair or replace! Unfortunately we were here on the weekend, so no one was in the shop, but it's still a fully functional facility! There's also a ton of info on the Case brand, which makes cutlery and knives - not as much as Zippo, but still a ton of cool info to read about! Even if you're not crazy about Zippos (I'm not), you'll still have a great time exploring this museum. There's some really cool art to see here (like the American flag made of Zippo lighters, and the neon signage). Highly recommend! read more

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With free entry, I would call this a must visit! On display are several lighters and knives as well as machinery used in their manufacturing. You can also watch an educational video. Of course, there is a gift shop where you can take home your own Zippo lighter or Case knife. read more

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Really cool museum to visit while traveling. The only things is missing is a penny pressed, would make a great souvenir. read more

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Fun place to visit. Lots of history of the Zippo lighter and Case knives. Really nice store also. Public restrooms available. Plenty of parking. Museum is free to visit. read more

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I love little museums like this that showcase pieces of American culture and manufacturing. This had been on my radar for a visit the next time we were in the general area. Finally we were nearby and decided to zip on over to Bradford (a town that has seen better days). The museum is well done and I learned a lot about this iconic product and its history. I liked the displays on how it is manufactured and on the lighters' role in many movies. They also have an extensive display of Case knives one of the companies they now own. Overall worth a visit if in the area - truly a fun Roadside America stop. read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - This car is hot! - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

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Great little museum. The history of Zippo goes way beyond a bunch of lighters. They touched many different walks of life throughout the years and it is a great display and history lesson. Enjoyed it immensely. No cost. Self guided. Made in America with Pride! We need more companies like this. read more

A free history lesson with the coolest displays. The museum is small but the amount of history they pack in is immeasurable. Not to mention the gift shop as well. I visit this area often and come here every time. read more

Excellent place to visit find whatever Case Knives and zippo products you want it's here read more

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Took a nice motorcycle trip to Bradford, PA. Toured the Zippo museum. Gotta admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the history of this American brand. There was a lot of planning and thought that went into this layout. Its kid friendly and senior friendly. They share the site with their sister brand, CASE. The shared gift shop is loaded with every price point you'd care to share your cash with, wearables, trinkets and hard core git 'er done knives, handwarmers, lighters and even... get ready... TYPHOON MATCHES. I really wanted those matches, went didn't I get them?? Ample parking and lovely grounds! read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

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Fun stop with free admission A good bit of History and makes you feel proud of American manufacturing commitment to excellence. No made in China here!! Vets and bikers will especially enjoy read more

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Okay, I'm a nerd about this, but it's awesome! Worth it! All of the street lights to it are zippo lighters! Really cool history, you can look in on them working on zippos! You can buy zippos there! I don't even smoke, I still have some cool zippos! Small but COOL! Oh yeah, it's also free...stop in, check it out, and buy one :) read more

Wonderful and interesting place to see in Bradford Pa. You won't be disappointed. Home of the Zippo lighter

This museum was nicer than I expected! But I wish there was more to it! The people working are friendly, which is a plus. It was a nice little 30 minute stop to break up our road trip though! read more

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We were on a road trip down to Virginia, and happened to drive past this place ... and decided we had to stop. It is a great museum, attended by people who are really enthusiastic about the company and the history of the brand. It is a perfect roadside attraction -- you get to see every little bit of the company history, and there are beautiful, well-curated displays of the collectible lighters. It was idle at the time of our visit, but there's a section where you can see repair technicians do work -- Zippos have a lifetime guarantee, and they have a fun section that shows some of the more mangled examples of the lighters. They also have an extensive exhibit of Zippo during wartime, which was really when the lighters became iconic. The gift shop is pretty great - you can get a large variety of lighters (and Case knives, also made there) and there's a lot of other little cool trinkets and T-shirts and stuff. If you're headed through the area, it is definitely a worthwhile place to stop for sure! read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - In front of the museum - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

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Great museum with lots of history and a gift shop. Great use of an extra hour if your in the area- and it's free!

Hidden in Pennsylvania Wilds is Bradford, PA. Home of Zippo lighters - still made in the USA along with Case Knives. The museum and store are full of history of the lighters and even the knives. You can see all the different Zippos from the $20 ones most have seen in stores, up to ones that are a few hundred dollars. You can learn when Zippo took over Case and even Ronson. Added bonus is the beautiful drive to and from and not too far away is the Kinzua Skywalk. read more

Lovely free little museum to visit in Bradford. You learn about the history of Zippo and the importance it played during war, one even saved a soldier's life! The self guided tour takes about 15 minutes (longer if you watch every movie clip and read everything posted along the wall). At the end of the tour, you enter a souvenir shop where they have all sorts of Case knives and Zippo lighters (which are lifetime warranty BTW) for sale. The craftsmanship on these shiny beauties are spectacular and you do appreciate them more after the tour. read more

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My friend and I were camping at Allegany State Park. We drove into Bradford to buy some groceries and we stumbled upon the Zippo Museum. We decided to check it out. It was actually fun! It's free, which is awesome. We walked around and looked at the different zippo cases from throughout the years. There's actually a lot of history in that building. My favorites were the classic Disney and Beatles cases. This is a very small museum and is not time consuming at all. We even enjoyed the gift shop and each bought a case. They had so many to choose from. I settled on a Beatles case. read more

Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store - Museums Near Me - Bradford, Pennsylvania

As someone who exclusively uses Zippo lighters and has spent my entire life admiring the manufacturing of these beautiful little pocket size fire lighters, I have thoroughly enjoyed the museum. I would say this is the best Bradford attraction. read more

Very cool place to visit, great chronicle on the history of the zippo lighter through wars, etc. They even checked out my personal lighter.

Really interesting museum, featuring both the iconic Zippo lighter snd Case knives. Interesting examples of historic models, with video features and even the legendary repair shop. A great afternoon for the collector and interested novice. A well stocked gift shop rounds out the experience, allowing for great take home souvenirs. read more

They allow dogs! This was a very interesting place and for being free it was definitely worth it! The gift shop had a lot to offer as well!

My boyfriend and I walked in and I was so excited to buy a lighter that we stopped in the store before going into the museum. After about 15 mins browsing (with no one asking if we needed help but asking others) I made up my mind and went to the counter to ask for it. We waited at the counter and watched as the two associates supervised customers handling merchandise and answered questions from others who walked up. Neither made eye contact with us or acknowledged us at all. One of them finally responded after I repeated "ma'am" several times as she walked to a back room to get merchandise for another customer. After 10mins, a male associate in a pink shirt came out and asked a woman standing next to us if he could help her. Of course, we looked to the other associates to let him know that we were there first, but that did not happen. We both said quietly (but within earshot of an associate) that we couldn't believe it. We began to leave and saw both associates watching us walk out without saying a word. While I am hesitant to accuse anyone of racism, we were the only black people visiting the museum and this kind of treatment makes me wonder... Visited July 2015 read more

I have to admit that I am a big fan of both Zippo lighters and and Case knives. If you were to run into me, it would be a pretty safe bet that I have at least one of each on me. So, this place is something I thought would be interesting. The problem was that Bradford is a little off the beaten path, or at least the paths I beat. As it happened though, a couple of weeks ago were were driving directly from Buffalo to DC which brought us through Bradford during the day so we stopped by the Museum. Here is the thing about these places, you have to consider any product/company museum to be a marketing tool for that product or company. If you walk in the door knowing that, the information presented can actually be quite interesting. This was the case with the Zippo Museum for me. I found the history of the company rather interesting. It was also rather cool to actually see the Zippo Clinic, a place I have sent more than a few Zippos over the years for repair. While I can not say I could spend days or even hours engrossed in the place, nor can I say that the hour or so we spent looking around was a waste of time. The gift shop was interesting too. I wound up buying a t-shirt for junior and a hat for myself along with a couple of bottles of lighter fluid. I would not however buy a lighter here as they were all MSRP and can be had for considerably less from most other sources. read more

Great place to learn and visit and to pick up the all time gift for your friend who is a smoker

We've visited the Zippo/Case Museum several times, as my hubby is from Bradford- home of the Zippo! It's really a great history or the product through the wars, presidents, and every-day users like we used to be (we quit smoking). It's nice to see the other products that Zippo has developed, like fire starters for camping, a cool hand warmer that never quits, and lots of fun retro shirts that boast their "windproof lighters". Walking through the actual museum is fun, too. Zippo is one of the few companies that will fix your product no matter what. (I think Case will continue to fix and sharpen your blades for the life of your product, too.) You can see the "Zippo Clinic", where people are in there fixing broken Zippos! There are also letters from notable and regular folk, praising Zippo for their customer service. I've been to many museums in my life and I like nostalgic, made-in-America places like this. If you're lucky, the Zippo car may be out front! read more

Very nice and interesting museum in the city of the lighter! You can actually see, during the week, how lighters are made. And if you want any kind of special lighter (I wanted a pipe lighter), they can take any cover you choose and change the innards for a pipe lighter. Lots of souvenirs to choose from. The whole history is fascinating! Cool place. read more

All american lighters and Case pocket watches also all american. SUPPORT AMERICA!!!! This place is chuck full of the history of the company which is great. If you ever drive through Bradford, PA its worth taking a short cut to go here and look around. read more

As cool as people think Zippos are. It should be just kept to "think." Seriously maybe I've been exposed to too many other museums already, but the Zippo museum here was a complete waste of 10 minutes of my life. But hey on the bright side did you know they made like Zippo clothing and purses? read more