My last stop on my weekend trip to Lancaster County this past weekend was at the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia. I love a quirky, specific museum, and this museum was no exception. The museum is operated by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and was founded in 1977. Its collection includes over 12,000 clocks and watches, with about 3,000 of them on display in the museum. The museum is large enough that they hand you a map when you walk in! To be honest, I don't know the first thing about the mechanics or history of watches and clocks - although I know much more after my visit to the museum - but I really enjoyed my stop at the museum! The museum might be a little dated (especially the "Learning Center," but there were signs saying they were working to upgrade that area soon), but they had some interesting and beautiful pieces, but whether you're a collector of watches and clocks or don't know the first them about them, the museum is worth a stop! I'd be happy to return for another visit with friends or family! read more

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Rock Out with Your Clock Out The National Watch and Clock Museum houses the largest collection of timepieces in the country, with over 12,000 individual pieces. The Good: * Large, plentiful, free parking lot * Fairly inexpensive to visit at $15/adult and $10/child, plus there are additional discounts for families, vets, and senior citizens. * Research library available. * If you're into clocks, watches, and other types of timepieces, then boy howdy, is this the place for you. Lots to see and do. * Live demonstration (check schedule) The Meh: * If you're really not into timepieces then this probably isn't the place for you, but it's still an interesting place to learn history. The Ugly: * I wouldn't recommend bringing younger kids, as it's not within their attention span to enjoy these kinds of things, but I suppose it depends on the kid. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Fun place to check out if you're visiting Lancaster County, and especially if the weather outside isn't great. read more

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I'm driving in my car I hear the giant clock tickin' And I must be close Paid up my admission ($9) Maybe groupon will have something too Flashback, warm nights Almost left behind Suitcase of memories Time after Sometimes you picture me I'm walking too far ahead You're calling to me, I can't hear What you've said The signs says, "do not touch" And I fall behind The second hand unwinds If your lost in Lancaster, you can look on Yelp And you will find this museum (you will find this museum) Time after time If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting Time after time After my picture fades and darkness has Turned to gray Watching through windows You're wondering if I'm okay Secrets stolen from deep inside (deep inside) And the drum beats out of time If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting Time after time If you're lost, you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting Time after time Time after time I've got a suitcase of memories that I almost left behind Time after time Time, time, time But you say to go slow but I fall behind Time after time after time (after time, oh) If you're into clocks ; time, or the history of time keeping this small museum is a must see. For such a small location it felt huge inside with all the rooms. Definitely you could spend a few hours here. Speaking of time passing, Happy New Year!!! read more

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I have lived in Lancaster County for many years and am sad to say it took me way too long to visit this great museum. I was really impressed and thought this was a great way to spend a few hours and see the fabulous collection of items from multiple centuries and various countries. I especially enjoyed the 1pm Engle clock show. We arrived at 10:30am and spent 90 minutes walking through the museum. Then we had a very quick lunch in Columbia and came back for the 1pm show. The show only lasts 15 minutes, but it was unique and reminded me of a mini version of the astronomical clock in Prague. Highly recommend this museum! read more

National Watch and Clock Museum - View when entering the first part of the museum - Museums Near Me - Columbia, Pennsylvania

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Ok. It's a museum dedicated to watches and clocks. All about how we measure the passage of time. One would think that's pretty dull. Not so. Clocks also measure history and technology. This museum shows the change in technology from the simplest of sundials to the most complex atomic clocks. Fascinating displays in every room, all in a well organized progression from start to finish. I recommend setting at least 2 hours aside for your tour. read more

This museum is definitely worth a visit for anyone vacationing in the Lancaster, PA area who has an interest in seeing "how things work". You'll learn about the history of Horology and see amazing antique timepieces, from large tower clocks of the sort used in cathedrals and seats of government down to the tiniest watches. Most people are familiar with animated cuckoo clocks, but at this museum you'll find all sorts of animated timepieces, from the big to the small. A glassed-in workshop enables visitors to watch as skilled professionals restore centuries-old clocks. There are also special displays showing the history and artistry of famous brand timepieces. read more

Did I know that the National Watch and Clock Museum existed? Of course, I did. "Any dungeon master worth his weight in geldings...goes nowhere without his 20-sided die." I mean... any amateur clock collector worth his weight in weight driven clocks knows about the National Watch and Clock Museum. It's right across the street from the school of Horology. Did I know that when I booked an event in Red Lion Pennsylvania for Yelpers to take a tour of a fabric mill followed by afternoon tea at Red Brick Bakery that I was a mere 20 minutes away from the National Watch and Clock Museum that I've wanted to visit for the 8 or so years: abso-freakin'-dutely not. This visit was sponsored by Sahar and Chris. I could not thank them enough! And I thank the great watchmaker in the sky for them being so adventurous and telling me about our proximity to the museum! We visited the museum on a Saturday around 4pm. We had just about an hour to tour the exhibit which was more than enough. The exhibit starts out with brief look at the concept of time and history of time keeping. Very appropriate... or shall I say... timely. Then you sort of go into hall of tall grandfather clocks. It almost reminded me of those red carpeted halls in castles where the knights flank you on each side. Then you get into watches, pocket watches, clock mechanisms, Asian clocks, early American clocks, the list just on and on. One really cool thing was the demonstration of this ENORMOUS cuckoo style clock that the museum acquired and restored. It used to be part of a traveling show, and has figurines from biblical stories that come out at certain points. It also has colonial soldiers, a man that changes from young to old. All sorts of bells, whistles, songs, and beautifully crafted movements. There was a museum docent there talking to a large group about that very large clock and we were able to get in and listen to the story. It was quite fascinating. There is an art deco clock section (Really enjoyed that). Things I wish the clock museum had more of: 1. Mid century clocks. I'm a huge fan of mid century clocks and would have loved to see a more fleshed out exhibit. 2. I wish it had a bigger collection of cuckoo clocks 3. And I wish there was more museum workers to talk about the exhibits. 4. Also... the gift shop could definitely use a little love. Will go back :) read more

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I like to check out interesting museums and this one fit the bill, so we made a visit when we were in Pennsylvania. There are some interactive exhibits and I found the Japanese clocks super intriguing, either because I've never seen anything like them or don't understand how to read them. I also was fascinated by a couple of clocks from the 1600s. They have a good collection of watches as well, and the pocket watches were neat to see. One seemed like it wasn't much larger than a dime! We were on a bit of a time crunch (no pun intended) so we buzzed through in about 40 minutes. We had already started walking through when I remembered someone mentioned the time clock you could punch in and out of during your tour, so we went back to get a time card punched. I actually used to punch a time clock at one of my jobs when I was much younger. Admission was $15 and the man who rang us up was friendly. Worth a stop if you are interested in timepieces! read more

Beautiful collection of clockworks. The skills and designs amazing. Since I'm an artist it was nice to see the reverse on glass art work. read more

My first thought upon entering this place is always, how do they stay in business? We came here us a goof years ago and every so often the kids enjoy (for whatever reason) the novelty of coming here yet whether it's been a weekday, weekend, summer, fall or winter the place is always deserted. Our most recent visit last month had us here around Thanksgiving and again nobody was here. The obvious upside to that recurring theme is that it allows you to see things at your own pace in an environment that is akin to a research library. Most of the displays are the same since our first visit a few years ago but a few vary and they do have a small room which offers different featured displays (the only place they never allow photography) that change once or twice a year. Currently it's a display about the religious symbolism on time pieces and a longer running James Bond display about the watches worn during several of the movies from 20-30 years ago. Of course the main event here is the Engel Clock. There are scheduled times every day when they run it and missing it would be a mistake as it's hard to explain without seeing it in person (ask up front when you pay or simply read the display in front of the clock). www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEfI9S-oGV4 Like I said in my original review, this place is not for everyone and if you're looking for interactive or if you have a short attention span you might skip it as this likely won't be for you. Lots of displays to read and lots of intricate detail to find and enjoy. If you're unable or unwilling, don't bother. Arguably two of the more interesting things you can do here don't even require a visit. The museum's online database of their collection is interesting in that it shows you how vast it is and how much stuff is NOT currently on display. The other thing is the general walk through of the place you can see on Google. It may not be 100% accurate as to what is on display currently but it's a very good overview. www.google.com/maps/@40.0370644,-76.5019577,3a,90y,319.62h,85.3t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s9zofIy9wQSKGrr3lSzTViQ!2e0!3e2!7i13312!8i6656 If you go: Check their website for exact hours as they change slightly by the time of year but for the most part it's Tuesday-Saturday in winter and daily in summer with no Mondays during the shoulder seasons. Admission rates are below but to be honest paying them is silly as the museum is on Groupon year round so a better deal can always be found. General Admission Rates Adult $ 9.00 Age 65+ $ 8.00 Child (age 5-16) $ 5.00 Child (Under 5) FREE Family $23.00 Turkey Hill Experience Add-On $8.95 read more

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Cool museum with a lot of interesting clocks, watches, and educational displays. There is a few interactive exhibits that are informative. Be sure to check out the exhibits dedicated to time keeping, the longcase clocks, James Bond, and the Engel clock. There are specific times when the Engel clock is displayed, be sure to be around for it. read more

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"Time flies when you're having fun" This was a pretty fun museum, with all sorts of information about clocks, watches, the history of keeping time. It had all sorts of information from the earliest time pieces (sundials, water clocks, the Antikythera Mechanism) incense clocks, water clocks, to modern wrist watches, atomic clocks, and how they tell time in space. It literally has all you could ever want to know about Horology (the science of keeping time) Did you know the ancient Babylonians came up with the 60 second minute, and 60 minute hour? Pretty neat. Prior to the contiguous USA adopting the four standard time zones (eastern, central, mountain and pacific) in 1883 there were some 21 separate time recognized across the country. The exhibits were pretty nice, there were literally hundreds of time keeping devices there. It took us about 45 minutes to cruise through the museum, we didnt spend much time in the gift shop, though we did pick up a free poster. Fall Hours are Tues-Sat 10a-5p, Sunday Noon-4p, closed Mondays, Admission is currently 8.00 for adults, 7.00 for seniors, 4.00 for children. AAA& Military discount. read more

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They really did the absolute best with what they had. The topic is just really dry and there is not much you can do to make watches, clocks, and time really exciting. read more

A little hidden gem! The museums collection was much larger than I expected with clocks dating back to the 1500s! I found the history very interesting. Staff was extremely knowledgeable and very approachable with questions. read more

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I went to the museum based on a recommendation and was glad to have seen it. There is really a lot to see. It starts with the early history of methods people used to keep track of time and ends with watches. There is a lot of interesting information posted throughout showing the evolution of clock making and time keeping. The sheer number of clocks and watches is impressive enough but the information about how they work and are built was also fascinating. They do a demonstration of the monument clock with is massive and has a lot of working parts. The admission price is $9.00, $8.00 for seniors, $5.00 for children $5-16 and under 5 is free. They have a family price of $23.00 if you go with your family. It is really a wonderful place to visit. read more

National Watch and Clock Museum - Monument clock figures - Museums Near Me - Columbia, Pennsylvania

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A great little museum ( not that little ) to spend a few hrs. enjoying . They have nice bathrooms and gift shop . The museum presents a historiclal showcase of the evolution of timekeeping . There are sections( clock) full of various timekeeping instruments . Grandfather Clocks , Asian Clocks , Nautical , Automobile , Airplane . Further on , are sections devoted to the advent of pocketwatches and wristwatches . Many countries are represented . Pocketwatches developed with the burgeoning railroad system . Wristwatches with the outbreak of the first great world war . The dawn of aviation spurred further innovation . As always ... " necessity is the mother of invention ." Highlights include the monumental "Engle" clock , which was like a vaudeville show all its own , with many miniature mechanical , performances . A staffer is there to answer questions , and a shows off all of the Engles , bells and whistles, hourly. The section dedicated to the iconic Hamilton watch factory in nearby Lancaster city ( sadly defunct and exists as Condominiums today ) and the James Bond tributes , made this a museum of interest to a diverse crowd . read more

National Watch and Clock Museum - Museums Near Me - Columbia, Pennsylvania

Great collection of clocks, from tall to cuckoo to novelties. Lots of interesting history and good displays. The art section was weird, and I wish more clocks were going off but that would be a big job. Thei library is a great resource for info. Stay away from the salesman masquerading as a security guard. Otherwise a nice place. Kids will not be able to touch anything so take them to the dairy intown. read more

National Watch and Clock Museum - This art was a serious waste of sports equipment. - Museums Near Me - Columbia, Pennsylvania

Beautiful museum. Friendly staff, and very well cared for collections and exhibits. Expectations were superseded.

Add the National Watch and Clock Museum to the "Who knew this even existed?" list. I randomly discovered this place during a search for things to do between Lancaster and York PA and was excited to check it out. It's like taking a trip through time - literally. We first walked through the "time tunnel" into the first gallery showing how cultures first told time with displays featuring ancient timepieces like sundials. From there we took a chronological tour through time in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Then on to American and European clocks and a display with information about horology. Any type of timekeeping can be found here from grandfather clocks to pocket watches, novelty clocks to electronic clocks. One highlight of my visit was the special exhibit James Bond Wore The Quartz Revolution. Very cool, especially for anyone who grew up watching James Bond films. It was also interesting to see the clockmaker's shop display. I admire the craftsmanship that went in to making these time pieces. The masterpiece of the collection here though is by far the majestic Engle Clock. Designed by clockmaker Stephen Decatur Engle, the clock once toured the world. It's easy to understand why when you see it in person. There are so many moving parts, features and characters it's hard to believe this clock was created in the late 1800s. If you're lucky one of the museum docents will let you in on the show that occurs round the clock. The collection itself at the National Watch and Clock Museum should impress anyone. Worth checking out but I wouldn't recommend lingering unless you have earplugs. After maybe 20 minutes or so, all the tick-tocking kind of started to drive me mad. read more

Interesting museum. So glad I visited. I initially thought how interesting can a museum of clocks be? All the displays kept my interest and peaked my curiosity. Watched the demonstration of the Engel clock, which is something every visitor must do. Charming! read more

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I went in the first time thinking, "OK, clocks and watches". It was SO much more than that. They have everything from a 3/4 size replica of a Stonehenge Trilithion to the atomic space watches. There is an interactive exhibit on how a grandfather clock works which you'll want to try. The exhibits range from pocket watches, to wristwatches, water clocks, sundials, grandfather- and bookshelf clocks, to the wristwatches worn in space. They have the watch worn by President Hoover. There are novelty clocks and watches that were cereal box promotions. Every sort of clock or watch you can imagine, they have. The first time, we only spent 45 minutes there because my grandson got impatient. The next time we spent almost 2 hours looking at everything. There are seats at various spots and you can sit among the clocks and just listen to the ticking of the operating ones. It's very soothing. The gift shop has books, toys, and novelty items related to time and to history. This museum is a great stop on a day trip to Lancaster County. read more

A pretty good place to visit. It was recommended by the owner of the bed and breakfast that we stayed at and happily there was also a Groupon deal. There are a TON of clocks/watches here and after a while the pocket watches all looked the same. Even so, it was definitely interesting and it gives you an idea of the complexity and history of watches/clocks. Definitely a good way to spend 2 hours. read more

Time will definitely be on your side as you tour this museum! We took advantage of National Museum Day for free admission in September. The day we went there was a mini watch sellers flea market inside and a local radio station and food truck outside to add to the festivities. Inside we saw ancient clocks, advertising and political watches, pocket watches, and vintage wrist watches of all varieties. Naturally, as others have mentioned, there is the Engel Clock with regular scheduled displays for visitors. Hard to imagine that this attraction once captivated the eyes and minds of young and old alike. The digital age has certainly spoiled us, it would seem. Overall, I was intrigued by the wide variety of watches and clocks from different eras and countries. Lots to see and read and watch (pun intended). The gift shop is small and nothing to write home about, but was nice. You owe it to yourself to take some time to visit this museum if you like history, time pieces or unusual items. read more

This was an awesome place!! I found out about this museum via a Groupon deal and came here with a couple friends. Despite being in a run-down town, the museum was top notch and very fun. You can learn a lot about the ways in which people have kept track of time throughout the ages and you can learn a lot about more modern clocks by simply viewing the larger ones in action (my favorite part of the museum). There is also a large automaton clock that is definitely worth checking out. You can spend about 1.5-2 hours in here and definitely be satisfied. Great place! read more

On my way back home from Hershey; thought we'd stop by this "Clock Museum"...This place is fantastic!! The museum takes you back in time from the early days of timekeeping all the way to modern day. Mechanical, self-winding, automatic, digital... watches worn in movies, collectibles, priceless artifacts.... all so fascinating. I would highly recommend this place to anyone of all ages. To be honest, however, ...their gift shop could use ...a lot more. It needs a lot more souvenir type things for their museum (that promotes the "NAWCC"). I mean they do have sweaters, tees, and hats...but they need (better quality) fridge magnets, pins, snow globes, etc. read more

Awesome little museum off the beaten path. Super surprised by the vastness of the exhibits and size of the museum. A true little gem that should most definitely be visited if you get the chance. read more

i went here for national musuem day on saturday 9/29 because i got a free ticket. i liked it so much that i will be back even if that means paying! their admission prices seemed very reasonable - i think it was $6 for an adult but i could be wrong. the entire tour took me about 1.5 hours and it was fascinating. never in my life have i seen so many clocks - everything from ancient sundials and exhibits on stonehenge to grandfather clocks to cuckoo clocks. they had a special exhibit on the importance of clocks in the military that was really neat, complete with taped interviews of WWII vets. the building itself is amazing and even if you just have a casual interest in clocks or horology you will enjoy going back in time to learn about the history of watch and clock making throughout the world. it was especially neat to see watches and clocks that were produced in pennsylania - many from lancaster and philadelphia. i would definitely recommend taking the family to the national watch and clock museum! read more

A Great museum. This is a really great gem. I loved the pocket watches. They need to do way way way way more to promote it.

Its one of those unique places in our society wherein a certain type of object is collected in its every form, shape, style and variety; and by dint of this repleteness; becomes something transcendent. Its as if it should figure in one of Einstein's "thought experiments" or something. "Imagine a place where all the world's timepieces are gathered together, and suddenly the spin of the earth on its axis begins to accelerate, which one of them.." read more

Admittedly, I'm biased because I'm something of a geek when it comes to clockworks, but despite the modest size, there's plenty to make a trip worthwhile. It's kind of part history and part mechanical in what it offers. They've got numerous examples of clocks from various points in history and around the world. I learned about how historic Japanese clocks and that they had a completely different way of marking time. And there was a section devoted to a series of clocks demonstrating the different escape wheel mechanisms. They also have a large, historic clock that has all kinds of clockwork figures that move around, which one of the museum curators will give a demonstration and talk about. It's interesting to see how it works and hear about its history. read more

9/5/2013 Tick.Tick-Tick-Tock-Tick ... More clocks and watches than you will ever see and hear in one place. From old clocks from around the world to modern timepieces, this museum seems to have it all. The museum is well laid out and takes you through the centuries (and you thought I would say "takes you through time.") Along with an interesting movie about time, a wonderful dome and special exhibits (alarm clocks when we visited) this museum is well-worth the cost (very reasonable). read more

I could stay here for hours! Actually, I have stayed here for hours! You may be a little leery about such a focused museum, but this place can hold your interest. The history section as well as the room full of grandfather clocks are my favorites. A little gem to check out when you have the time ;) read more

I personally don't find watches and clocks the least bit interesting, so I'm not writing from that point of view.. My husband is a watch and clock enthusiast, so I took him here during a trip to Lancaster. He enjoyed it... lots of varieties, history lessons, some interesting and creative pieces. He was able to get a few great pics. Wish the gift shop had more options. We got a Groupon for $7 for 2 adults. Overall, the museum served its purpose. read more

This place is a true gem. If you are at all kind of close to the area, it is definitely worth a detour. Make sure to plan a few hours if you are into how things work! They have rooms and rooms of clocks and watches of many different styles and mechanisms, and they do a fantastic job explaining how clocks work and how they have developed and changed throughout history. read more

I visited this museum today for the first time. Please find out what times that they demonstrate the giant old clock that has toy people coming out of it. You will be amazed at how cool that it is. They have big clocks, small clocks, pocketwatches, and several other kinds of watches and clocks. The museum has a lot to see for the money. They have many very old clocks and newer clocks from the 70s, 80s etc. read more