Events: Family-Friendly

In The Spirit of Lydia

An African-American woman is dressed in period costume in front of a large gravestone.
Darlene Colon as Lydia Hamilton Smith.

Following the inaugural wreath-laying for Lydia Hamilton Smith, join LancasterHistory for a reception and family-friendly program with an appearance by Lydia herself! Children–and adults–will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about Smith’s life and times from Darlene Colon who has been interpreting the life of this remarkable Lancastrian for over two decades.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is appreciated so we can accommodate everyone. This program is suitable for all ages, and will be held at LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Avenue, from 2-4pm on Saturday, February 8.

To register for this program, please click here to register online or call 717.392.4633 to register over the phone.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Living History Program

February 8, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 2-4pm FREE | Registration Requested
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Storytime [May 1, 2025]

Gather ’round for Storytime each Thursday this May! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical theme or story, followed by a craft or activity inspired by that week’s book. Book choice coming soon!

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 1, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Required
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County Founding Day 2025

Celebrate Lancaster County’s 296th Birthday on the Campus of History!

On May 10, 1729, Lancaster County was born. Since then, 10 generations of Lancastrians have lived, laughed, loved, and eaten shoofly pie in our community. Join LancasterHistory for the annual County Founding Day celebration and life a glass to everyone who has called Lancaster County home over the last 296 years. Enjoy extended museum hours, flash talks from local historians, pop-up exhibits, and, of course, birthday cake!

County Founding Day 2025 will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 530-8pm.

Stay tuned for more information and tickets!

Open House Family-Friendly In-Person Event Reception

May 8, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 5:30pm

Storytime [May 8, 2025]

Gather ’round for Storytime each Thursday this May! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical theme or story, followed by a craft or activity inspired by that week’s book. Book choice coming soon!

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 8, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Required
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Storytime [May 15, 2025]

Gather ’round for Storytime each Thursday this May! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical theme or story, followed by a craft or activity inspired by that week’s book. Book choice coming soon!

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 15, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Required
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Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour

A white flower with long petals. It is a star magnolia.
A Star Magnolia bloom.

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum for their Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour on Saturday, May 14 at 10am. Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Board Members Jeffrey (Jeff) Hazlett and Bob Davis will lead attendees on a walking tour through the Arboretum for a glimpse at what’s new, what’s blooming, and what’s to come with the approach of warmer, sunnier months. In particular, attendees will learn about the many flowering trees on the grounds, the pollinator gardens, and the two recognized Pennsylvania Champion Trees that call the Arboretum home!

Jeff Hazlett is the current Vice President of the Board of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and past president of the organization. He studied horticulture at Penn State University and is currently the president of Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care in Lancaster, PA. Jeff is a nature lover and an active volunteer for the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and LancasterHistory.

Bob Davis is a member of the Board of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and a former Board member of the American Conifer Society. He also serves as the Chair of the Program Committee of the Lancaster County Garden Club and has done so for 20 years. A tree and nature enthusiast, Bob maintains a personal collection of trees at his home and is the dedicated caretaker of the American Conifer Society Reference Garden in the Tanger Arboretum.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour,” will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 10am at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $10/Adult (18+) and $5/Child. Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (717) 392-4633. The tour will last approximately 1 hour. If you would like to attend but have questions or concerns about the accessibility of the walking route, please contact Emily Miller at (717) 392-4633, ext. 133 or emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org for more information.

Purchase Tickets Online

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.

This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor Tour

May 17, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10am $10/Adults (18+) | $5/Children | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
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Storytime [May 22, 2025]

Gather ’round for Storytime each Thursday this May! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical theme or story, followed by a craft or activity inspired by that week’s book. Book choice coming soon!

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 22, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Required
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Storytime [May 29, 2025]

Gather ’round for Storytime each Thursday this May! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical theme or story, followed by a craft or activity inspired by that week’s book. Book choice coming soon!

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 29, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Required
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Wheatland “Go-At-Your-Own-Pace” Tours

McMaster’s portrait of Buchanan hanging above the mantle in Wheatland’s parlor. (Courtesy of Larry Lefever Photography)

Explore President James Buchanan’s Wheatland at your own pace. On this self-guided tour, you can explore the President’s home and see what you want for as long as you want. Tour guides will be stationed around the mansion to provide visitors with information about the spaces, objects, and people who once called Wheatland home.

At-Your-Own-Pace tours are great for families (pick up a scavenger hunt from reception on your way in!) and those who want to take their time viewing the mansion in contrast to our regular ‘guided tour’ experience. Spend as little or as much time (within operating hours!) as you’d like in President Buchanan’s beloved home.

“Go-At-Your-Own-Pace” Tours are only available on Saturday, June 7. Entry times are every 30 minutes from 10am (first tour entry) until 3pm (last tour entry). Ticket purchase also includes self-guided access to LancasterHistory’s museum exhibitions. Tickets are $17/Adult (14+), $15/Senior (65+), $10/Youth (6-13), and free for children 5 and under. LancasterHistory Members receive complimentary admission. This tour is eligible for our Museums for All rate!

To purchase tickets in advance, please go online or call (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets are strongly recommended.

At Your Own Pace Tour Family-Friendly In-Person Event Tour

June 7, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA Tour Entry Every 30 Minutes, 10am - 3pm FREE/Members | $17/Adults (18+) | $15/Seniors (65+) | $10 (11-College ID)
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Nature Series | Creeks & Critters

A graphic with the title of the program and an image of the speaker.Summer is a fantastic time to explore life in our local creeks. On Saturday, June 7, Lancaster County Park Senior Naturalist Lisa Sanchez will bring the creek to LancasterHistory for our Nature Series program, “Creeks & Critters!” Examine various “critters” representing a sample of life from a creek and learn about the life cycle of the many insects that begin their lives in the water. Aquatic insects, such as dragonflies, mosquitoes, and mayflies, play a valuable role in our ecosystems and help tell us a lot about the quality of the water and the health of our creeks and streams.

Lisa J. Sanchez has been a naturalist at the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Center for 30 years. Teaching students of all ages to explore and value the wonders of nature is her passion. She enjoys helping people reconnect with the earth through education and observation. Lisa can often be found in her garden or kayaking on the river.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Creeks & Critters” will take place on Saturday, June 7 at 10am at LancasterHistory. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults and $5/Children (17 & Under). Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets recommended as walk-in tickets are not guaranteed.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.

This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

 

The 2025 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care! Thank you for your support!

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

June 7, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 10am $10/Adults | $5/Children (17 & Under) | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
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