The LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center

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Overview

LancasterHistory is a non-profit, local history organization that owns and operates multiple historic sites across Lancaster Township and City, including the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, President James Buchanan’s Wheatland, the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum, and the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy, newly opened in May, 2026.

At our main headquarters at 230 N. President Avenue, the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center offers a variety of history-focused opportunities for visitors (and locals!) to learn about Lancaster County’s unique history. A visitor favorite is our guided, in-person tours of Wheatland, the beloved, 1828 home of 15th U.S. President James Buchanan. LancasterHistory’s tours of Wheatland are unique in that there are few room barriers, allowing visitors to stand in the spaces once frequented by a former president and his family. (Visiting in November & December? Check out our special holiday tours called Yuletide at Wheatland!)

LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center also offers a changing series of museum exhibitions, featuring historic artifacts from its collections. Our major exhibition, Thieves & Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice in Lancaster County, chronicles key moments in the history of law and justice in Lancaster County from the 18th century to the 20th century.

Visitors interested in research or tracing their family’s roots to Lancaster County can purchase a pass to visit the Research Center. The Research Center contains more than 2 million historic documents, manuscripts, books, and maps. Plus there is access to the Library Edition of Ancestry.com and a variety of additional databases and resources. Need some assistance? LancasterHistory expert staff can help point researchers in the right direction on topics such as genealogy, Lancaster history, and scholarly research.

For those who wish to browse and stroll, LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center is also the home of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum. Across our 11-acre property, visitors can experience the lush, green grounds filled with a variety of trees from across the globe. Visitors can also check out the Museum Store, filled with a variety of history books, local gifts, and souvenirs.

HOURS

LancasterHistory is open to the public Mondays - Saturdays from 9:30am until 5pm. Tours of Wheatland are offered those days beginning at 10am and run on the hour until 3pm, the last tour of the day. Our Research Center is open Wednesdays – Fridays, and the first Saturday of each month, from 9:30am until 2pm.

Please visit our website for more information, to view any planned closings or exceptions to hours, and to purchase tickets.


GROUP TOURS

LancasterHistory offers customized tours for organized adult and student groups of 15 or more individuals.

We also now offer private tours of Origins of the Underground Railroad in Lancaster County. To learn about these tour options for your group, please visit https://www.lancasterhistory.org/ugrr.

To learn more and inquire for more information, please visit our website.

contact

230 North President Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 392-4633
America250

Amenities

  • Accessible
  • Mobile Payments Accepted
  • Motorcoach Parking
  • On-site Parking

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