On the Campus of History you will learn about Lancaster County—one of America’s oldest communities, founded in 1729—and the unfolding of 300 years of remarkable history. From stories of the Conestoga Indians and the Underground Railroad to the political legacy of James Buchanan and Thaddeus Stevens to the stories of your own family, Lancaster’s history has something to offer every visitor to the Campus of History!

Come discover the warmth and hospitality of President James Buchanan’s Wheatland. Tour guides share Buchanan’s family stories that reveal a stern, yet lovable bachelor uncle who raised orphaned nieces and nephews, cared for Lancaster’s widows and orphans and was a successful attorney.

Rejoice in the magic of the holiday season at President James Buchanan’s Wheatland! It is 1875, and James Buchanan’s niece, Harriet Lane Johnston, and her family have decked the halls of Wheatland in high Victorian style. Join them for a one-of-a-kind Yuletide experience, complete with elegant decor and ample holiday cheer! Performances begin November 25 and run through December 30. Tickets now available.

Explore the stories of Lancastrians who sought freedom, fought for freedom, lived in freedom, and were denied freedom over the course of 300 years in LancasterHistory.org’s latest exhibition, FREEDOM: “to secure the Blessings of Liberty.” Learn about stories of hope, joy, struggle, and survival from Penn’s Holy Experiment through the 21st century.

Let us help you discover your Lancaster County connection! From maps and microfilm to diaries and Civil War muster rolls, LancasterHistory.org’s Research Library and Archives has many documents and services that can help visitors with their scholarly or ancestral research. Our expert staff, with a combined 97 years of experience, are also available to help you.

We need you! ... On November 14, 2017 from 10am – 3pm, LancasterHistory.org will conduct a History Harvest for World War I-era donations of documents, objects, photographs, and published material related to Lancaster County from 1910 – 1919. Learn more on how you can submit your WWI-era photographs, documents, and more on November 14!

Enjoy the changing of the seasons across the grounds of LancasterHistory.org in the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum, home to a large variety of mature species of trees from around the globe and an American Conifer Society Reference Garden.

LancasterHistory.org’s Museum Stores, located at 230 North President Avenue and 4 West King Street in Lancaster, offer unique and special home decorative items and books related to Lancaster County’s rich history. Stop by to view popular gift items, local folk art, and more.