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!

It's like an I-Spy book came to life! This collection is massive but I really appreciate how well…read moreorganized and categorized it is. It makes it easier for the eye to take in. The tram car goes at a super slow speed so you have time to take everything in. The tour is guided by a pre-recorded audio track but sometimes the driver will provide information as well. The museum also has a small walkable area to explore. There's also popcorn, candy, and drinks to purchase. Some of the items are truly impressive and there's definitely plenty for everyone to point out and find and enjoy. Highly recommend this fun attraction.

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

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!

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.

VERY INTERESTING!!! While visiting my daughter in PA from CA we checked out the Mercer Museum and…read moretruly enjoyed the experience. Plenty of free parking available and Admission @ $20 for adults and $ 17 for Seniors was fair. So much to see and learn, you literally had to look everywhere, no space was left unused! The staff was helpful and insightful and we learned a lot and were impressed with the collection. Down side was elevators we not working which was OK for us but might have been an issue for others. #2 issue was lack of air conditioning in parts of the building. I highly recommend you take the time to see this!

It was a random visit. A sunny day, a lovely ride, and we ended up in Doylestown, an area that…read morepiques my interest. Had no idea what was in the Mercer and was blown away by what we saw. Henry Mercer, a true renaissance man, built the Mercer Musem to preserve a vast collection of everyday objects from pre-industrial America. Watching a film at the outset -- most people skipped it -- gave us an idea of what was behind the exhibits. Everything is precisely categorized: tools used for meat preparation, tools for dairy production, tools used with fruit ..... (he had a fascination with tools.) In 1911-'12 Mercer built Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. For a period of time he was recognized as the premier maker of artistic tiles. A mile down the road is Fonthill Castle, Mercer's home and showplace for his tiles. Open to the public, but unfortunately closed Saturday because of a wedding. (What a cool place for a wedding!) Both properties are Smithsonian affiliates, operated by the Bucks County Historical Society. If you find yourself in the area, I recommend a visit. (Ladies, wear comfortable flat shoes; there are winding staircases of hard concrete, and I hate to imagine a fall.) After your visit, you might want to keep your car parked in Mercer's lot and walk a few blocks to State and Main Streets. A number of bars and restaurants.

There's a very famous nativity display that happens each year from about November 24 to January 28…read more And I'm very happy that I finally got to see it! There were over 60 nativity displays, and about 34 of them are from different countries around the world! It's wonderful to get a house tour here too! You can hear about the construction in the history of this family and this area. I recommend coming and seeing very creative styles of the nativity from around the world!!

Niche find, lots of cool stuff to look at. Would totally recommend for history lovers!read more

4/10/26 (Update) After many years, I was so excited to see…read morethe reopening of the refurbished Lambert Castle. You can purchase your tickets online or at the new visitors center. The admission tickets are $10. Zak was a wonderful tour guide. He gave us the history of the castle owners. In 1892, the castle was built by Catholina Lambert (the owner of the Paterson Silk Mills for his wife). Please see my original review for the history. We were informed "Not to photograph any of the interior in order to preserve the interior for future visitors". Upon entering the castle, you will be required to put booties on over your shoes. This is in order to preserve the floors. The castle does have 3 levels along with an elevator. In the foyer overhead, you'll see a magnificent colorful rectangle shaped Tiffany light fixture. It extends approximately 2' Wide and 6' in length. The furnishings were very elegant, yet very homey. All the rooms are filled with stunning sculptures and artwork. Some of items were on loan from different places. For example: The beautiful Grandfather clocks really caught my eye. They were on loan from the Ringwood Manor. (The Ringwood Manor is presently being refurbished and will be reopening soon). Hope everyone gets a chance to see this beautifully refurbished castle. Lambert Castle has two levels of parking.

I usually do not update my reviews but after hearing about the reopening of Lambert Castle in…read moreJanuary 2026 after a 5 year renovation project, I decided to visit and do an update review. Lambert Castle was built by Catholina Lambert in 1892 by an English immigrant who made his fortune in the silk industry in Paterson, New Jersey. The castle reflects the trappings of the Gilded Victorian Era. Lambert accrued a prominent American and European painting and sculpture collection which he showcased in a 100' x 35' art gallery. This luxurious residence was visited by notable rich and famous people of the day which included President William McKinley. Lambert Castle is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historical Places in 1976. Admission is $10.

In the heart of Abington, and about a hundred yards away from the Roslyn train station, you can…read morefind Briar Bush, a hidden nature preserve tucked away on Edge Hill road. With scenic walking trails, an outdoor classroom, day camps and a small indoor animal habitat, Briar Bush is a great spot for small children, couples on a date, or anyone looking for a brief respite from the urgency of the modern world. With free admission for locals and a small fee for out-of-towners, the preserve is accessible to all patrons provided that they are able to walk down some wooded trails that circle through the admittedly short walking routes. The centerpiece of the trails is a picturesque, secluded pond with benches for sitting and an interactive sign with information on the local fauna and flora. The indoor animal habitat has a small gift shop, pamphlets on upcoming events and information on other parks in the area, and several interesting animals such as a blind possum named Odin, a bearded lizard named Karl, and several other unique turtles and reptiles. All of Briar Bush can be walked through in an hour or so, but the low admission, interactive nature events and scenic walking trails will have you wanting to return again soon.

I take my 2 y. o. granddaughter nearly every week. There are so many wonderful things to explore…read moreand learn from. They have a walking path through the woods with a natural playground and sandbox, a bird house building to watch and interactive displays, a mini zoo inside a house with small animals and activities including a treehouse. They also have weekly activities and seasonal events for elementary school kids. My granddaughter calls Briar Bush "The Animal House" and loves to put a donation in the collection box before we leave.

For me, it was way too hot today for hiking/bird-watching, so this comment is focused on the indoor…read moredisplays and the house tour. I'm not a "bird person," whatever that means. What I mean is, I'm not a bird watcher and don't know much about bird habits or the sounds they make or their migration. But I can say that I learned a lot from the displays here today and enjoyed walking through the entire thing. It gave me a better appreciation for birds in nature, how they fly, the threats to their survival, etc. And the place isn't preachy. Just a very informative, pleasant learning experience. There's good information here that's well and efficiently presented; it's just enough - it's not stuffy or oppressive. The staff is helpful. We were fortunate that a house tour was beginning during our visit, and we joined that tour (included in the admission price). The tour is given by a volunteer docent. It was very informative, and we learned a great deal about Audubon (the good, bad and the ugly) and his life, marriage, his work and his valuable contributions to the field of bird studies. I'm giving this 5 stars for what we saw, and I'm assuming (confidently) that a walk/hike through the grounds on a nice day would be great.

Upon leaving I said to the receptionist, "I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would." To…read morewhich he replied, "thank you. I guess." When I go to an art museum I rarely read placards. Just interested in the art. At the Audobon center, I read everything. So interesting to learn about migration, how birds fly, their physiology ... and John James Audobon himself. What a colorful character. The mission of the center is to educate people to cherish and protect the natural world by preserving Audobon's artistic and scientific legacy. I had no particular interest in birds, but I was fascinated. The center is located on a bird sanctuary -- and the grounds are beautiful. There are trails which visitors are free to explore. BTW, if you're looking for a venue for a special event, check this place out. Staff was setting up for a wedding while we were there, and I was impressed.

This tour was unexpectedly awesome! As it was a rainy day in the Poconos, we had to divert from our…read moreoriginal plan and look for something else to do. We stumbled upon this museum and decided it was worth a try. It exceeded our expectations! Our tour guide, Janet, was wonderful. She was clearly well informed regarding the subject matter and answered about 50 questions from us. Do know that you'll be taken into the mine via a small train cart with low headway. Once inside the mine, it is cold and damp so dress accordingly. Either before or after your mine tour, you can spend some time browsing the small museum. The tour inside of the mine lasts about an hour, so it's a brief activity. But the museum is only a hop skip and a jump away from the town of Jim Thorpe so you can easily add this in. Should be enjoyable for the entire family. I imagine most kids would be fascinated.

Terrific coal mine visit and neat albeit rustic museum. The immersive experience starts with a rail…read morecar trip into the mine. Right after entering, a wall of 51 degree dank air hits and transports you a hundred years in the past. Our tour guide Zach gave an animated and informative presentation. Afterward, we watched a movie that gave historical context and brought alive stories of the miners and the social movements of the time. Make sure you budget enough time to watch it and take in the exhibits. Bonus: got a chunk of anthracite coal as a souvenir. Nb: before coming here and we stopped at Perch in Jim Thorpe. Great restaurant featuring healthy food.

This is well worth the trip out to see this place!! This is not just a museum, it's a world history…read moretour of different places around the world and their folklore, their myths and legends! The artifacts are absolutely jaw dropping, and incredible to behold. Cursed items, haunted items, priceless items. The place the houses all of these items is just a walk-through history and through time. Fabulous adventure

Wow, amazing small museum but very informative. If you're into the vampire paranormal definitely I…read moremust say.