The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) will celebrate the Commonwealth’s 343rd birthday on Sunday, March 10, with free admission to many of the historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History and an exhibit of William Penn’s 1681 Charter at the Pennsylvania State Archives.
Pennsylvania was created when England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn in March 1681. The 343-year-old Charter, often referred to as Pennsylvania’s birth certificate, is written on parchment using iron gall ink. The Pennsylvania State Archives preserves the document in a high-security vault, shielding it from strong light and environmental fluctuations.
The 1681 Charter will be on display on Sunday, March 10, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, at the new Pennsylvania State Archives facility, 1681 N. Sixth Street, Harrisburg.
State-owned historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History will offer free admission on Sunday, March 10.
Participating historic sites and museums in Berks County include: Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf and the Daniel Boone Homestead in Birdsboro.
Other historic sites and museums nearby include: Ephrata Cloister in Ephrata, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum in Lancaster and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg.
The Pennsylvania Trails of History comprises museums and historic sites administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, organized along four theme-based “trails” crossing the commonwealth: Military History, Industrial Heritage, Historic Homes, and Rural Farm & Village.
