I have not, but dear Amy has. Check out her awesome post about it, which includes beautiful images like the ones you see above. She also has a flickr set with more photographs from her visit. This place looks insane, it is now on my list of must-visit museums around the world (in case you’re wondering, it’s in Pennsylvania).
Just to give you an idea of what this place is all about, here is a blurb from the website which, if you are anything like me, will have your little handmade heart jumping out of it’s hidey hole. It reads:
“By 1897 handmade objects were being discarded in favor of new machine-made goods. Historian and archaeologist Henry Mercer (1856-1930) recognized the need to collect and preserve the outmoded material of daily life in America before it was swept away by the Industrial Revolution. Mercer gathered almost 30,000 items ranging from hand tools to horse-drawn vehicles and assembled this encyclopedic collection in a system of his own devising. To enhance the collection’s educational value, and to share it with the public, Mercer decided to design and build a museum to display the artifacts.”
Are you with me? Are you with me? I am flipping. out.
WOW…looks stunning…I would LOVE to go there.
Will head over to Amy’s now.
Thanks for sharing.
Char
March 5th, 2010 | #
Doylestown is my hometown! It’s so crazy to see it on your blog. The Mercer Museum is completely wonderful, you should look at pictures of the fonthill castle. It’s a castle made entirely by pouring concrete over scaffolding and inset with moravian tiles.
March 5th, 2010 | #
I live a few minutes from the Mercer Museum! Fonthill (the preserved home of Henry Mercer) and the Tileworks (Henry’s handmade tile factory) should be on your “to see” tour when you come. They are all worth the trip! Certain times of the year you can take behind the scenes tours also.
March 5th, 2010 | #
looks like an amazing place, we’d love to visit (a little too far for us this weekend maybe, but still). thanks for showing us – just read amy’s post too, great pics.
March 5th, 2010 | #
Oh my! How exciting (although a very long way from me). I’m an Historian and a handmaker so this is the perfect museum for me! I’ve only just subscribed to your blog and already I’m more than rewarded.
Really, *really* love your book by the way and can’t wait to get to Paris and use it. Until then I just dip into it regularly for a little Paris-hit. 🙂
March 6th, 2010 | #
OMG! I adore these pics…so beautiful. I would LOVE to visit this amazing place! Heading to Amy’s flickr set…thanks Pia!
March 6th, 2010 | #
thanks so much for sharing. amazing photos.
🙂
xo Alison
March 6th, 2010 | #
my brother lives in pennsylvania! now i can’t wait to visit him so that i can go see this museum!
March 6th, 2010 | #
eva! we both follow pia and yet i haven’t been out to heber to see you since we reconnected–fun to find you here. pia, i love love love this! flipping out so appropo! thank you! ps: can’t wait to get your amsterdam book 🙂 thanks. again.
March 7th, 2010 | #
I’ve been there! I grew up near Doylestown: another museum I recommend near there is the Moravian Tileworks. Henry Mercer created tile designs decades ago that are still honored today. The building is gorgeous too: cement, just like the Mercer Museum, and inlaid with bits of tile everywhere. Each june the Tileworks hosts a wonderful Tile Festival. I can’t wait!! So fun to see the Mercer Museum here.
March 8th, 2010 | #
My friends live right through the woods from there! It’s a magical place (the whole area) PLEASE COME!
March 12th, 2010 | #
hey pia. when you’re off of your blog break, you can check out my post on the fonthill castle. it was the home of henry mercer and is so magical.
http://brand-eye.blogspot.com/2010/03/twas-perfect-day-for-castle-visit.html
March 20th, 2010 | #