Therese Boyd

Pennsylvania has many small museums in all parts of the state and Therese Boyd has picked a number of them for her book, personally visiting each one. They range from coal mines to agriculture to an elephant museum. Each museum is allotted a few pages of narrative, basic information (location, hours, relative cost, but surprisingly no internet url) and photographs. By reading the section, you can decide if the subject matter is of interest and the location is convenient before you go.

Of special interest to me were the museums I had visited before reading the book. Her description of the Boyertown Museum of Historical Vehicles was accurate and she stressed the history of automaking in Berks County, especially the contributions of Charles Duryea, so I was surprised when she mentioned Duryea Drive (the test site for Duryea cars in the early 1900s) in Reading leading to the Pagoda and failed to mention that it is the site of the famous annual Duryea Hillclimb.

Horseshoe Curve in Altoona probably the most fascinating site in Pennsylvania for railroad buffs. After viewing the railway history, you can ride a funicular to the top of the hill or climb 194 steps. (It was really only 194? – seemed like 1900.) Once there, the view of the curve and the trains coming in both directions are magnificent. The pictures in the book don’t do it justice but Boyd urges the reader to check this site on the internet.

On the second floor of a public library in New Holland is the New Holland Band Museum. It’s not really a museum of that particular band but a history of all the bands in the central Pennsylvania area and beyond, including the world famous Ringgold Band of Reading, the last band conducted by John Philip Sousa. There are instruments, uniforms, music, books, magazines and more.

Of the museums I didn’t visit, on my list I now have the Shoe Museum in Philadelphia, the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana (Pa.), Garners Candies in Tyrone (to compare with the Wilbur Bud Factory Museum in Lititz) and many others. But don’t wait too long. Many of these museums are run by their owners and may disappear like the Streitwieser Foundation Trumpet Museum in Pottstown when the owner decided to move “- lock, stock and trombone – back to his native Switzerland.”

A note of caution: the book was published in 2003. Although, as of the date of the review, most were still in existence, locations and hours can and will change. To be sure that a trip is not wasted, call ahead for current hours or check the information on the internet.… (plus d'informations)