LOVED spyscape! Amazing for family or group event. Clean facility and well coordinated from staff…read more It was a nice break from the hustle! The staff was beyond helpful finding a lost piece of jewelry! Forever grateful for their professionalism and diligence with recovery!!

This was such a fun and unique experience! I surprised my boyfriend with this for his birthday, and…read morehe absolutely loved it. The challenges, puzzles, and games really make you think--you definitely have to process the clues carefully! There are multiple levels to complete, and throughout the experience you're asked questions that determine what type of agent you are, which was a really cool touch. It was challenging, but in the best way. Now that I understand how everything works, I definitely want to go back and do it again to see if I can do even better! If you're looking for something interactive, different, and a lot of fun, I highly recommend checking this place out. We'll definitely be back!

I visited the Michener Art Museum a few weeks ago on a Saturday when my husband and I were in…read moreDoylestown. It was my first visit, and I really loved it. The Michener isn't huge, but it's a lovely museum. It's located inside a historic 19th century prison building, which sounds like it wouldn't be beautiful - but it is beautiful: stone walls, an arched entry, a courtyard. It's named for the novelist and Doylestown resident James A. Michener, who established the endowment for the museum and donated significant funds and some paintings from his private collection to the museum, which opened in 1988. As a regional art museum, it collects both historic and contemporary American works, with a focus on the art of the Delaware Valley. Its permanent collection includes nearly 4,000 artworks, including works by famous Pennsylvanian artists. I happen to love Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima and was thrilled to see their work in the museum! I wish we'd had more time so that I can could read for a bit in the Nakashima Reading Room - don't miss it. The museum also has a small outdoor sculpture garden, a small gift shop, and a little cafe if you need a coffee. And on top of all that, their staff are friendly and helpful AND they have great exhibits! We visited for an exhibit currently at the museum - "Anila Quayyum Agha: interwoven" (I had seen her work at a gallery in Houston about a decade ago and was thrilled to find another opportunity to see her work) - but really enjoyed their permanent collection as well. A small but charming and regional art museum with an impressive and unique permanent collection and great exhibits. Definitely check it out if you're in the area!

Yes. THAT James Michener, Pulitzer prize-winning author who spun tales of far-away places. He was…read moreborn in Doylestown. Built on the site of the inhumane Bucks County Jail, not only is the art museum diverse, the grounds are fascinating. Before entering, you'll see sculptures and an imposing stone wall -- the site of the last man hanged in Bucks County. Exhibits are on one beautifully-designed level. Most of the artists and/or subjects celebrate the creativity of the region: paintings, sculptures, works that could be called "installations." With the exception of the Mona Lisa (and a few other pieces) I'm not a fan of Renaissance or religious art. Works here span the 1800s to present -- a lot of contemporary -- which may be why I soaked in everything I saw. Doylestown isn't as well known as New Hope ... but, what a charming town with beautiful old homes and good shopping. After going through the museum -- it takes an hour or so -- you may want to walk to Main Street and enjoy a coffee or spot of lunch. We lucked out and inadvertently timed our visit on the same day as Doyletown's popular art show. A stellar afternoon!

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!

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

Climbing the famous "Rocky Steps" in Philly's 93-degree heat made me feel I'd really accomplished…read moresomething when I reached the top. My reward -- a leisurely browse through the air-conditioned Philadelphia Art Museum. Augustus Saint-Gaudens' towering "Diana" sculpture welcomed me, then I gravitated towards familiar favorites: "Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen" by Degas, & Impressionist paintings; Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow"; & Diego Rivera murals. During my visit, Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" were temporarily on display, which are a treat to behold, as well as "Rising Up," an exhibit dedicated to boxing in the US & our fascination with the Rocky statue & steps here at the museum. Though the front of the building is iconic, there's a rideshare pick-up/drop-off point at the back West Entrance that's less congested with traffic & requires less walking for those not keen on a 72-step climb.

Nice museum to see a bunch of paintings and history. The prices are $30 for an adult, $28 for a…read moresenior (65+ years old), $14 for a student with valid ID, and $0 for those 18 years old and younger. The fountain out front was turned off. Inside is a ton of American history. Also, Japanese art, European art, and well pretty much art all around the world. Oh, and I love all of the Japanese samurai stuff. It's so cool seeing the armor warriors wore way back in the day when going into battle. Claude Monet, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, amongst plenty of other famous artists have paintings here. We probably spent 90 minutes to 2 hours in here. That was enough for us. A fun way to start your morning.

Montclair Art Musuem is a small, regional museum. Emphasis is on whatever special exhibits they…read morehave on as well as Native American and American art. They have an excellent collection, some of which is always on display, is George Inness, the landscape artist who lives in Montclair. The selection of paintings is well curated and often highlights different themes and techniques in the art work. Drawbacks - It is too small to spend more than an hour, two on the outside, there. Some exhibits do not have exhibit plaques next to the paintings, so you have to use on the the bound books to figure out who painted what. Personally I found this unnecessary cumbersome. Very much worth a visit.

Attended the 20th Anniversary Birthday Bash Tasting celebrating Amanti Vino!…read more Wine tasting was awesome! The food from Turtle and The Wolf restaurant and the Van Hook Cheese & Grocery were delicious! Great accommodations at Museum!!

Please touch museum....the name itself sounds so fun!!…read more The museum itself is not tgat big but plenty to see. Water play area, Alice in Wonderland maze, Pretend store area (kinda like Kizania), and Foam play area, and car/bus/space shuttle play. Our family spent about 3hours. The museum is part of Blue Star Program so active duty and dependents can get in for free for certain months. Thank you for supporting military families. And free parking!!

I'm probably not the target audience for this museum considering I am, in fact, an adult and not a…read moresix-year-old, so take this review with that disclaimer in mind. I came as part of a 52 Firsts event, which was lovely. We were given wristbands and got a special tour that included access to the large Centennial Exhibition model downstairs. That was actually one of my favorite parts of the visit. The model recreates the 1876 Centennial Exposition that once occupied Fairmount Park and gives you a fascinating look at what Philadelphia looked like when it hosted the first World's Fair in the United States. The level of detail is impressive, and it's one of those exhibits where you keep noticing new things the longer you look. Our guide was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and clearly passionate about the history. As for the museum itself, it absolutely delivers on its name. This is a place designed for children to touch, climb, explore, sing, build, and generally burn through every ounce of energy they have. If you're a parent looking for somewhere to tire your kids out, I can definitely see the appeal. That said, it is loud. Very loud. There are interactive activities everywhere, constant movement, and lots of sensory stimulation. I noticed a few overwhelmed kids having meltdowns in quieter corners while others were having the time of their lives singing and participating in group activities. Kids who thrive on interaction and hands-on play will probably love it. Kids with sensory sensitivities may have a tougher time. The building itself is stunning. Memorial Hall is worth seeing even before you step inside. The architecture is gorgeous, and the replica Statue of Liberty arm is such a fun and unexpected piece of history to encounter. The entire space feels grand in a way that contrasts nicely with all the children's activities happening inside. One minor downside was that some of the floors were pretty sticky. Then again, thousands of children are running through here touching everything and spilling things, so I can't say I was particularly shocked. My shoes occasionally sticking to the floor bothered me more than it would bother the average child. Overall, I'm glad I finally visited since seeing all of Philadelphia's museums has been on my bucket list for years. While I probably wouldn't return on my own as an adult without children, I'm happy I got the chance to experience it. And honestly, that Centennial Exhibition model downstairs alone was worth seeing for anyone interested in Philadelphia history.

What can you really say about interactive art!? Well I'll tell you! It's so cool!! Being able to…read morefinally go to a museum where you can touch and draw and just be immersed in the experience of art is so much fun! The Arte is actually a really great exhibit. I've been to one that has the slightest edge on the Arte but only because the Arte is actually quite small in comparison. I do wish they had a few more rooms for you to go in especially for it being in NY you would think it would be overwhelmingly huge but nope. We bought the cafe experience with our tickets and it honestly was a little blah. It's only $5 so I won't take away a star for that but the tables had interactive art on them so that was a bonus. The cons are once you enter the cafe you can't go back through that's it! Tour over! So make sure you do all the things before you get there! I do give it a 5 out of 5 because it's still really cool and fun to just go have the experience!

An 'OK' experience. I don't think it's as immersive as it's made out to be, but is midly…read moreinteresting nonetheless. You go from room to room, and the rooms are big enough so that even when there's a lot of people there's still plenty of room. The rooms are also dark and mirrored, and I saw a couple people hit the wall. If you're into Instagram and whatnot, you'll love this place. Otherwise this place is pretty meh. The price could also stand to be half of what it is.

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.

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!