Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) will host the Holiday Marketplace from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Thursday, November 16 and from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Friday, November 17 in the Village Square of The State Museum of Pennsylvania.
Open to local residents and employees working in or near the Capitol Complex, the Holiday Marketplace features booths showcasing Pennsylvania-themed gifts from several of PHMC’s historic sites and museums.
“Shoppers will find special gifts from The State Museum Store, Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, and Somerset Historical Center,” said Beth Hager, director of The State Museum. “Artisans from the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen will be on hand to demonstrate their crafts and offer art works for sale.”
Items for sale include holiday ornaments, Moravian stars, jigsaw puzzles and bayberry candles, local maple syrups, heirloom seed packets, crafts from museum demonstrators, cookbooks and more.
The Holiday Marketplace was previously held in the Commonwealth Keystone Building at the Capitol complex. PHMC is renewing the event by hosting it against the backdrop of the vintage storefronts of the museum’s Village Square, decorated for the holidays.
In addition to the main entrance doors, the museum’s Plaza doors will be open, offering direct access to the Marketplace. Admission is free for shoppers.
At 6:30 pm. on Friday, November 17, shoppers and visitors can preview the new exhibit, Every Thing of Interest Shown: T.M. Fowler’s Pennsylvania Bird’s-Eye Views, 1885-1905, showcasing roughly 30 panoramic bird’s-eye views, or maps, of Pennsylvania communities as they appeared during the late 19th century. This preview is presented as part of 3rd in the Burg, Harrisburg’s monthly celebration of art and culture.
The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 24 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. The State Museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s fascinating heritage. With exhibits examining the dawn of geologic time, the Native American experience, the colonial and revolutionary eras, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the commonwealth's vast industrial age, The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania's story is America’s story.
For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.
Media Contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639