Chester County History Center

Chester County History Center CCHC is a non-profit educational organization that connects our community with its history.

June 3 is World Bicycle Day! World Bicycle Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate the b...
06/03/2026

June 3 is World Bicycle Day! World Bicycle Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate the bicycle as a sustainable, affordable, and healthy means of transportation. In this image from our collection from 1894, young Virginia Keeney tries out her new ride. Yes, we know it has one too many wheels for World Bicycle Day, but there isn't a World Tricycle Day - yet.

DID YOU KNOW?A Contributor Membership to CCHC unlocks immediate access to NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum associa...
06/02/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

A Contributor Membership to CCHC unlocks immediate access to NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum association).

NARM is a network of over 1,500 art museums and galleries, historical museums and societies, botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos and more! When you sign up for a Contributor Membership at CCHC, you can receive reciprocal membership benefits* across the USA, Bermuda, Canada, the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Rico!

With the exciting 250th Anniversary of America approaching, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the perks of a CCHC Contributor Membership and visit our friends at other institutions!**

Visit www.mycchc.org/membership to get started or contact [email protected] to upgrade your current membership.

*Some restrictions may apply. Search participating institutions at narmassociation.org.
**NARM privileges do not extend to members with a home institution within a 15-mile radius and may be restricted for concerts, lectures, special exhibitions, and ticketed events.

Can you guess what the folks in this image are so interested in? If you said a vote for a school bond measure, you’re th...
05/31/2026

Can you guess what the folks in this image are so interested in? If you said a vote for a school bond measure, you’re the winner! From the Daily Local News on November 8, 1966.

Before the days of social media and "epic fail" compilations, we had newspapers to document our most embarrassing moment...
05/30/2026

Before the days of social media and "epic fail" compilations, we had newspapers to document our most embarrassing moments. Check out these mishaps from the 1949 Devon Horse Show, currently the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse show in the country.

The Devon Horse Show

Have you heard about the America 250 Celebration at East Goshen Township Park on Saturday, May 30th? Starting at 3pm, th...
05/29/2026

Have you heard about the America 250 Celebration at East Goshen Township Park on Saturday, May 30th? Starting at 3pm, this event has something for the whole family, including vendors, live music, fireworks, and a public reading of The Declaration of Independence that you can sign. Visit our table, where members of our amazing Education Department will be on hand, get exclusive deals on upcoming programming, and shop some of our exclusive museum store merch!

Can’t wait to see you there!

East Goshen Township
West Goshen Township

The Chester County History Center (CCHC) is pleased to renew their participation in Blue Star Museums, a program that pr...
05/28/2026

The Chester County History Center (CCHC) is pleased to renew their participation in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families. Though this year’s program broadly began on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, 2026, and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026, CCHC further honors active-duty military personnel, their families AND veterans year-round by offering free admission.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.

Learn more and find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.

Thank you to all of our military personnel – past and present – for their service to our nation.



National Endowment for the Arts Blue Star Families

A very recent donation of a World War II military wallet is a poignant reminder of the individuals who paid the ultimate...
05/27/2026

A very recent donation of a World War II military wallet is a poignant reminder of the individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice in military service. Private First Class Wellington H. Gilbert died in action in France on January 31, 1945. This former student of the Chadds Ford Consolidated School served overseas for 22 months, arriving in North Africa and fighting through the invasion of Sicily and into southern France with the Seventh Army of General Patch. He was in the engineer division. The wallet contained his identity card and family photographs. As a result of the donor discovering the wallet in Colorado and doing some research, Gilbert will be added to the Chester County Hall of Heroes.

Hannah Wilson (1802 - 1870) had no idea that her 1819 sampler, embroidered at the West Marlborough School, would be the ...
05/23/2026

Hannah Wilson (1802 - 1870) had no idea that her 1819 sampler, embroidered at the West Marlborough School, would be the focus of so much attention 200 years later. Thanks to Amy Mitten’s reproduction kit and the funding support from the Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild, CCHC hosted a successful workshop on May 13. Even the more experienced embroiderers learned a few new techniques. Participants were onsite and from other states, with Amy Mitten tuning in from Calgary, Canada.

The Chester County History Center was proud to welcome New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. ...
05/20/2026

The Chester County History Center was proud to welcome New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands for an author talk and book signing for his new book, "American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington" this past Friday night. This very special event was a Chester County 250 partnership between Chester County History Center, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and our bookselling partner, Reads & Company (Phoenixville, PA.) Many thanks also to Alex Brubaker, who made this event possible.

For more of our upcoming events, check out our calendar by clicking on the link in our bio!

Reads & Company West Chester University of PA

Opening this Friday! The Great Valley, Valley Forge, and Jeptha Abbott Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolut...
05/19/2026

Opening this Friday! The Great Valley, Valley Forge, and Jeptha Abbott Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution are hosting a new traveling exhibit in partnership with the American Battlefield Trust. Come see it starting this Friday at Chester County History Center. The exhibit will be on view until June 18th.

"The American Revolution Experience" invites visitors to consider the choice faced by members of the revolutionary generation as tensions mounted in the 1770s: Would these ordinary citizens risk their lives and livelihoods in pursuit of liberty? Or would they remain loyal subjects of the British crown, coming into conflict with neighbors and family? What would you choose?








Link to the online experience: https://american-revolution-experience.battlefields.org/

Address

225 N High Street
West Chester, PA
19380

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+16106924800

Website

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