Harrisburg & Hershey Museum Guide

The State Museum of Pennsylvania

This historical treasure trove is the official museum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and includes an impressive collection of Pennsylvania heritage. Feel small next to a pioneer wagon and the skeleton of a Mastodon. Or really, really, small next to the 18-foot-tall William Penn statue in Memorial Hall! Turn back time with artifacts from the American Civil War, then take it way back with Archaeology, Anthropology, or Geology exhibits. A family favorite is Mammal Hall with its newly restored dioramas depicting the natural habitats of past and present Pennsylvania wildlife like elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, and bison. It’ll take you and your family about 2-3 hours to explore the various halls of the State Museum.

Days open: Wednesday through Sunday, year round

• Most Popular Exhibit: Mammal Hall. All 13 of the dioramas are based on real locations in Pennsylvania.

The National Civil War Museum

The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg presents an unbiased glimpse into the most turbulent time in our nation’s history using perspectives from both sides of the battlefield. To understand the emotion behind the war, you need to learn what the country was like before 1861. The first two exhibits “A House Divided” and “American Slavery: The Peculiar Institution” set the stage and illustrate the conflicts leading up to the First Shots at Fort Sumter in 1861. The Museum’s vast collection includes more than 24,000 artifacts like uniforms, hats, weapons and artillery, manuscripts, documents, photographs, and other printed materials that illustrate the story of the Civil War. From the medical tent that depicts a battlefield amputation to the turning point of the war at Gettysburg, their exhibits are heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.

• Days open: 7 days a week, year round, excluding some holidays
• Most Popular Exhibit: If you had the chance, what questions would you ask President Lincoln about the Civil War? The Meet Mr. Lincoln interactive exhibit allows you to pose questions about the war, politics, slavery, and his presidency to the man himself as well as the perspectives of those who knew him.

Fort Hunter Mansion

Fort Hunter Park is one of Harrisburg’s most beautiful and picturesque green spaces, offering panoramic views of the Susquehanna River set against an abundance of Pennsylvania history. The Fort Hunter Mansion is the centerpiece of the property’s history, serving as a private estate for several influential Harrisburg families. Fort Hunter was settled in 1725 as a war fort during the French and Indian War and later a self-sufficient frontier village with grist and saw mills, country store, tavern, blacksmith shop, a school and more. The property’s largest building, the Centennial Barn, was established in 1876 as a home for owner John Reily’s dairy cows.

• Days open: Tuesday through Sunday, May through late December
• Admission: $4 - $7 per person, plus military discounts.
• Most Popular Feature: The mansion actually has three distinct parts: the original cabin in the middle, the grand front mansion, and the wooden rear building. It’s fascinating to see its history through architecture.

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum

The Pennsylvania National Fire Museum occupies an 1899 Victorian firehouse, filled with precious artifacts, antique trucks, vintage helmets and parade hats, and all the bells and whistles (and alarms). While it’s tough to imagine a time when firemen arrived on the scene in horse-drawn carriages, the lineage of firefighting as told through the museum’s exhibits amazes its visitors. Don’t miss the 1920s antique alarm system that alerted firemen when and where one of the city's pull-down fire alarm boxes was triggered. It still rings today! 

• Days open: Tuesday through Sunday, year-round
• Most Popular Feature: The 1920s antique alarm system that alerted firemen when and where one of the city's pull-down fire alarm boxes was triggered still rings today! 

The Hershey Story, Museum on Chocolate Avenue

You know the chocolate, but how much do you know about Milton Hershey, the man behind the candy bars? From rocky road to riches to finding his formula for success, visit The Hershey Story, Museum on Chocolate Avenue to learn how Hershey’s persistence and innovative spirit revolutionized chocolate making forever. Through archival photography and enduring factory equipment, get a glimpse of life inside his 1930s chocolate factory including a working machine for wrapping Hershey’s Kisses. And of course, you can try some chocolate! Get a hands-on experience mixing the ingredients and decorating your own chocolate bar or sip a flight of warm drinking chocolates from around the globe. 

• Days open: 7 days a week, year round, excluding some holidays
• Admission: *Additional costs for the Chocolate Lab Class or Tastings. Discounts offered for military and guests of The Official Resorts of Hersheypark®.
• Most Popular Feature: Many of the exhibits have touchscreens for an interactive look at the history of Milton Hershey.

AACA Museum, Inc.

Car lovers young and old descend on the AACA Museum to marvel at the collection of pristine automobiles, buses, and motorcycles on display. The museum is recognized by the Smithsonian as an Affiliate Museum, an extremely rare honor that speaks well of the love and care for their automobiles. Their decade-themed exhibits take you on a road trip back in time starting with century-old cars in front of a panoramic painting of Hershey in the 1920s and leading you on a journey out west via Route 66 history. That’s not all - their lower level has the nation’s largest collection of vintage buses on display under one roof!

• Days open: 7 days a week, year round, excluding some holidays
• Most Popular Exhibit: The Cammack Gallery features the World’s Largest Collection of Tucker Automobiles and artifacts. Just 51 Tuckers were built by hand in Chicago in the 1940s. Get behind the wheel of an interactive vehicle – a perfect family photo op!