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.

Delaware County Institute of Science is a fun and free way to spend a few very intriguing hours in…read moreMedia. Located on Vererans Square, adjacent to the DelCo courthouse, DCIS has been around to fascinate and educate for centuries. The institute was founded in 1833, and our guide told us the taxidermy bobcat was one of the original specimens in the collection. It was a wonder to me that taxidermy can last this long!!! Parents, prepare for a lot of taxidermy, and a way to explain this to kids (ahead of time). My 7yo was upset to hear our guide's stories about how to shoot the game so they weren't a bloody mess for the taxidermist. Our guide was a very kind long time DelCo senior, who meant well, and was very apt with his detailed knowledge, but today's kids watch Wild Kratts and have very different politics! I explained that many years ago we didn't respect animals as we do now, and taxidermy like this was the way to learn for most people, who didn't have TV, nor even the books to educate themselves. The most appealing part of this collection was that my son could touch a lot of it! They invite you to touch a whale rib bone, a sawtooth tusk, pangolin scales, petrified wood, and so much more! This is super exciting for kids! I love the petrified wood myself! DCIS is very proud of their minerals collection. We missed that this visit because they are renovating the first floor this summer and it will not reopen until September. I am very excited to go back and see it! My son is too! DCIS guides will proudly tell you more than once that they house the largest seashell collection in the state. It is not only a large (prolific) collection, but a varied and diverse one as well. And, some of the specimens are the largest shells I've seen (outside of some mammoth man-eating monster shell in a major city museum). I don't have a picture of the cabinet with those exact shells (looked like cowrie and welk, but I forget exact names) but they were as big as my head! The museum is three floors, and the top two floors are basically the periphery of an old 19thC theater and stage, with balcony acting as second floor. So not much floor space for this huge collection. But you can easily spend HOURS looking at everything. If you are into this stuff like we are, you could definitely visit the entire day's open hours. The volunteer guides make things come alive too! In addition to SO MANY taxidermy specimens, minerals, fossils, and shells, there is petrified wood, native tribal carvings, a collection of milk bottles from local DelCo dairies, old pharmacy bottles, and detailed collections of technology through the last 2 centuries. I never knew there were not only 4-leaf clovers, but 5-, 6-, 7-, and even 8-leafers, a bunch all pressed in a frame!!! They also have a pressed leaf piece with foliage (Holly and boxwood) from George Washington's tomb surrounding an old lithograph of him. Just so much interesting stuff! I am sure there is even more we didn't get to see. They let my son have a free shell at the end (a small one downstairs, not a display piece ;-) which he loves. This was a great afternoon treat for us, and we can't wait to return when the mineral collection reopens in September. Tips -- Only open Thursdays 10-3 (sometimes only 10-1) Free parking is available in residential streets if you're willing to walk a few blocks. There is no A/C in summer except on the first floor. Be prepared for heat! The view from the free law library at the top of the courthouse across the street is well worth the few minutes to walk over for a side trip. Just ask a guard when you enter the courthouse how to get to the law library.

A fascinating nugget of history in downtown Media. Much more of a "Natural Sciences" museum than a…read moretechnology museum, it is a place where you are not afraid to reach out and touch some of the history of Delaware County.

Visited on school trip. When we arrived, staff were waiting outside and grabbed our attention by…read moretheir traditional 1700's Quaker attire. Our tour consisted of the Blacksmith, Pond Life, Mill Tour, Miller's House and Hearth Cooking. I must admit I think the adults were a bit more intrigued by the program than the children. I specifically loved the Blacksmith demonstration. The gentleman showed us how tedious it was just to make a simple spoon and the amount of work that went into making items out of iron during this time frame. He explained that during this time 8-9 year olds would have been working on making nails and how important the Blacksmith was to the community. I would love to visit again and participate in learning more about the process. I not a bug lover so the Pond while the children thought it was cool to play in, I would pass. The Mill tour.. amazing the process of milling flour and the Miller's house displayed how the home would have been set up during the time period, including the brick oven. I also enjoyed the Hearth cooking.. the children learned how to make and "cook" cookies outside in a Hearth; the cookies actually tasted pretty good. Overall, I really enjoyed my time on the grounds. I look forward to returning and participating in another programs.

this place is HUGE! there are so many different trails to walk, beautiful waterfalls and a lovely…read morepicnic area. there are signs throughout showing the map of all the trails. I only wish there were signs telling you which trail you're starting because I struggle to read the map.

A surprisingly TODDLER friendly museum with many hands on exhibits !…read moreLoved how friendly the staff is and how many space related exhibits there were!

We were visiting from out of town and decided to stop here for a fun activity to do with my kids (9…read more& 6). They were loving all the exhibits and thought the snakes were so cool. We enjoyed the interactive activities. The kids enjoyed the nature nook where we stamped with mushrooms for an art activity. However we were told the sandbox experience started at 2:30 and when we got there at 2:28 the guy wasn't exactly kind about it or understanding. The kids were sad they didn't get the full experience. It was much smaller than expected though for the price you pay. Probably wouldn't go back but we did have a good time.

I visited Winterthur for the first time with my mom on Christmas Eve for their Yuletide exhibit…read more I'd been mildly curious about the mansion over the years, and it seemed like a fun thing to do on my day off from work. The mansion is ornate, truly massive, and opulent. It's a true peek into the lifestyles of the rich. The Yuletide theme this past year was centered around Christmas and children's books, like Alice and Wonderland, Twas the Night Before Christmas, etc. When we arrived, we were a bit confused on where to park, as my mom has a handicap sticker. We ended up parking right at the visitor's center where the tram retrieves guests. We didn't have a long wait. On the tram, the driver recommended starting at the house and then walking down to the galleries. She didn't mention the enchanted woods/garden, so I didn't even realize they were there until I got home later that night -- bummer. Some of the folks working the rooms were pleasant, others felt like security guards. One chided my mom for leaning her hand against a wall at one point. Some were knowledgeable, and others clearly didn't want to be there. I appreciated the girl in the garden entry room who snapped our photo with the decorated trees before we stepped into the house! I took many pictures while in the house, and then we traipsed over to the galleries. The gallery building had a doll house, a really well-done gingerbread train station, furniture and other exhibits on the ground floor, and a rotating, very interesting exhibit on African American history on the second floor. After the galleries, we stopped by the museum store, and while most everything was dramatically overpriced, I did find a few cool items in my price range. We were on the grounds for roughly 2-3 hours I'd say before having lunch nearby. Arriving early was a good choice. They do offer reciprocal garden access with other garden memberships (I have one at home in Richmond, VA), so perhaps one day I'll use that access to see the gardens that I missed!

This was not on our list of museums to hit but since the weather was so darn hot we changed what we…read morewere going to do after spending the morning at Longwood Gardens. It helped that we got free admission with our reciprocal museum membership. It was 2:30pm we when we arrived so we didn't have a lot of time. We were given good advice on what to do in our limited time from the folks at the ticket office. We took the garden tram tour which was educational and got off at the house where we did the self guided tour. You only see a small fraction of this giant mansion but that was enough for me. While most of the docents had interesting facts the actual contents of the collection were not that interesting to me. If you are really into this era of American decorative furnishing supposedly they have more in-depth guided tours. We still had time to see a bit more of the grounds around the house but with big thunderstorms rolling in we headed out. I am guessing for some this place is a must... I am glad we got free admission.

Such a special place! How had I never heard of this museum?…read moreIt's magic! As others have said, they are not open every day, festival days are held the first Sunday of every month (June-Nov). It is quick and easy to buy tickets online in advance. You can choose admission to the grounds with house tour, admission with rides, or the full package. This was really helpful because though I'd love to someday see the house, it's much easier to just do rides for young kids. With general admission, you do get to see the museum located behind the house, with antique cars, and Lionel trains. The model trains are set up and running, which the kids love. You also get free popcorn from the antique steam-powered popcorn machine. It was really good! Around the grounds, there is a train theme play structure, a pond with fountain and bridge, picnic tables, and a corn hole game. They also had era-appropriate live music, and an ice cream food truck! The Steamin' Days events are from 12:30pm-4:30pm, and if you choose rides, you get 4 with your ticket. They punch the ticket each ride. There is a ride-on steam train, ride-on diesel train, a steam bus, and two convertible cars from which to choose. You can ride 4 times on the same thing, or any combo you like! My son had a blast on everything, but my favorite was the convertible car. The day was all for my son, and I did not think I'd enjoy myself as much as I did, which is always a happy surprise! I can't wait to go to another! Also as others have mentioned, the volunteers were really knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and engaging. They really put their all into creating a spectacular day for everyone. Every detail was covered, from the crossing guard at the entrance making sure everyone was safe, to the "purse parking" table at the train boarding, to the exciting train conductors' uniforms. This place is immaculate looking, and the experience is 1000% streamlined to care for everyone's needs. It was like a VIP event, but my ticket was only $12, and my son's was $4!!! If you have an ACCESS Delaware pass, you get $2pp admission for up to 4 people. The experience is worth so much more! *One caveat was a woman helping with boarding the train; she randomly, and very unnecessarily and harshly, warned my son to keep his hands inside the car--BEFORE he even sat down--with a threat of ejecting him from the ride, and did not give the same misery to any other passenger. You don't speak that way to a 2yo! But overall, I cannot recommend this place enough! It should be all over the brochures of the Brandywine Valley. Such an exciting, fun, amazing place!

Awesome house and grounds - be sure to go to a Steaming Sunday and take a ride on the scale model…read moresteam train - visit the beautiful Victorian manor house and walk through the Stanley Steam Car Museum - plenty of volunteers on hand to answer questions.

Living part time in NYC where I'm reliant on public transportation, it's kind of a treat to ride in…read morethe car when I'm back in PA. I was game when my husband suggested visiting Hagley Museum in Wilmington, DE. Hagley is the DuPont family's first U.S. "home," though I'd describe it more as an estate. The property encompasses 235 acres along the banks of the Brandywine with historic buildings, a research library and black powder mills. The gardens and grounds are spectacular. There's shuttle service between the visitors' center, powder yard and DuPont residence. What particularly impressed me are the friendly and knowledgeable docents leading tours at key sites. Demonstrations are pretty cool, including a blast -- a literal blast! -- at the black powder mill. (As I learned, gunpowder is made from black powder, so not exactly synonymous.) Wear comfortable shoes. Some paths are rocky. And if you can, avoid visiting on a broiling hot day. (I should've taken my own advice!)

Hagley is a little hard to describe, but I spent hours there this past weekend, so I'll do my best!…read moreHagley is one of many properties in the area associated with the du Pont family. Hagley is where Éleuthère Irénée du Pont founded his black powder mills in 1802. For more than 100 years (the factory was the largest in the world but then closed in 1921), it was the center of the du Pont family's work, wealth, and success. The reason it's hard to explain? Hagley has multiple areas and attractions - it's not just one place or one thing. There's the Powder Yard, Workers' Hill, the historic home and gardens, and the Nation of Inventors (a museum/exhibit exploring inventors/patents in 19th century America). When you arrive at the visitor center, a friendly staff members hands over a map, which you'll need during your visit. You can walk around most of the property, but you do have to take their shuttle to get to and from the historic home and gardens. Since I was already at the visitors center, I explored the Nation of Inventors first and found it interesting and fun (with some interactive aspects). Then I walked along the Brandywine River and the mill race to the Powder Yard. There, I visited the Powder Yard Orientation Gallery (for some context), explored the roll mills (historic structures where the black powder was produced), and visited the millwright shop. At the millwright shop, the friendly staff turned on some of the 19th century machines in the machine room, explained about the work that happened at the factory, and demonstrated a small, contained black powder explosion. From there, I took the shuttle to the historic home and gardens. I visited the barn (where you can see carriages and antique vehicles), the pollinator garden, and the restored French kitchen garden, before taking a tour of the house and the First Office (a structure next to the house that served as DuPont Company headquarters). After all this, I looked at my phone to realize I had spent about 2 hours longer than I had intended to at Hagley and I was starving. It says a lot that I had intended to spend about 2 hours at the museum and then go grab lunch in Wilmington and instead spent at least 4 hours at the museum. And I didn't even make it to Workers' Hill (where you can visit another house, the Sunday school, a picnic pavilion, and the workers' garden)! There is so much to do at Hagley. I learned a ton (big thanks to the docents that helped me to learn at Hagley - Pete, John, and Jonathan), and I had a great time. Visiting Hagley is easy - most sites have tours or demonstrations on the half hour, so you're never waiting for long for something new to begin. The shuttle makes it easy to get around, but the property was also beautiful to walk around. Hagley would be great for anyone interested in history, science, or the Brandywine region. Definitely plan to spend a long time here to fully experience what it has to offer!

A very interesting museum located very close to the Brandywine River Museum and Brandywine…read moreBattlefield. An eclectic interpretation of local history, American History and Military History. Christian was a friend of N.C. Wyeth and several of Wyeth's paintings are on display in the Christian C. Sanderson Museum that you won't see at the Brandywine River Museum. The are also artifacts from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Ancient Native Americans, Sanderson's personal correspondence, his time as a teacher, musician, radio performer, etc.

Quirky and curious. A fascinating insight into "the collecting mind". The story of the museum is as…read moreinteresting as the museum itself.