To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first successful oil well, and the birth of the American Oil Industry in 1859, the Museum presents this exhibit of vintage photographs of filling and service stations from the 1920s through the 1960s. Many of the images are drawn from the Milton Rutherford Photograph Collection, housed in the Museum’s Spruance Library. Photos are supplemented by artifacts from the Mercer and local private collections. Included with museum admission.

Children and parents explore Henry Mercer’s castle from basement to tower and learn about Mercer’s creative ideas through stories and prints. Children must be 6 or older and able to climb steep stairs. $10 adults, $9 seniors, $4 youth (age 6-17), $7 BCHS member adults, $3 BCHS member youth. Reservations required, call 215-348-9461.

View nearly one hundred works of fine and folk art across three centuries in this rare glimpse at the Mercer Museum’s extraordinary painting collection, housed in the Museum’s elegant Elkins Gallery. Included are works by such noted artists as Charles Willson Peale, Edward Hicks, Thomas Hicks, Martin Johnson Heade, William Trego, Thomas Otter, R. Sloan Bredin, and Daniel Garber. Selections from the Museum’s collection of oil on canvas paintings are supplemented by seldom-seen miniatures and works on paper, including some recently acquired works never before exhibited. Show runs through March 7. Included with museum admission.

Join historian and author Joseph Eckhardt for a half-hour gallery talk on the life and work of local artists Jonathan and William Trego as the Museum’s exhibit, “Three Centuries of Bucks County Art and Artists” comes to a close. Eckhardt has recently completed a biography of William B. T. Trego, and is currently compiling a Catalogue Raisonne of the artist’s works, several of whose paintings and drawings are on view in the exhibit. Included with museum admission.

The Friends of the BCHS present a first person performance “The Spirit of Lindbergh,” by Neill Hartley. Hartley takes his audience on the historic 1927 flight across the Atlantic Ocean that riveted the world.  Free. For information, call 215-345-0210, ext 132.

About Neill Hartley
Neill Hartley is professional actor, director and educator and can be seen in the feature film, No Boundaries and in the PBS documentary,Faith and the Founding Fathers. Neill has appeared with many regional theater companies including the Arden, InterAct, and the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival. He shared a best ensemble Philadelphia Barrymore award for Batboy, The Musical for 1812 Productions. Neill is also the artistic director of Acting Without Boundaries, a theater company for young adults with physical disabilities. Neill is an assistant professor of voice and speech at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has acted as a speech/dialect coach for several professional theater productions. 

Go green at the Mercer Business Associates’ annual Recognition and Networking Reception for business members, catered by Memorable Affairs. Become a Mercer Business Associate and be a part of the festivities. For information, call 215-345-0210, ext. 129.

Children, ages 6-12, will construct their own castle and test their skill with medieval siege engines. $9 youth/$6 member youth. Registration required, call 215-348-9461.

Join the Friends of the BCHS and play your game of choice. Light lunch is served, followed by card playing and door prizes. $7 per person/$28 table of four. Space is limited. For information, call 215-345-0210, ext. 132.

Popular tour travels up Fonthill’s tower and down through back passages. Visit portions of the castle not on the regular daytime tour including the Kitchen, Employee’s Quarters, Basement, and Terrace Pavilion.  Don't forget to bring a flashlight! $15/$12 members. Registration required, call 215-348-9461.

Back by popular demand, James A. Michener Art Museum, the Mercer and Fonthill Museums and the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works will once again offer a day of free admission and special activities. The 2nd annual “Doylestown Museums Free for All,” will also feature free shuttle service between the sites, courtesy of Bucks County Transport. Free parking is available at all four museum locations.

This year's Free for All will include the Following:

The James A. Michener Art Museums will provide free self-guided tours appropriate for young children, a free scavenger hunt activity and a free guided tour of the collections at 2:00 p.m. (space is limited), in addition to free general admission to the galleries where “Ask Me” docents are available throughout the day. The Museum Shop offers exhibit-related merchandise and gifts and jewelry by local artisans. The Max @the Michener Cafe—overlooking the outdoor sculpture garden—is open for lunch and light fare. The James A. Michener Art Museum is located at 138 South Pine Street in Doylestown. For more information, visit www.michenerartmuseum.org or call (215) 340-9800.

The Mercer Museum offers visitors a unique window into pre-Industrial America as seen through the implements used in everyday life. The collection features 40,000 tools of more than 60 early American crafts and trades on display. On March 28, the six floors of the museum will be open for self-guided exploration.  Families will enjoy the interactive exhibit, "Animals on the Loose."  Visitors can also enter a prize drawing to win a free membership to the Mercer and Fonthill Museums. The Mercer Museum is located at 84 South Pine Street in Doylestown. For more information, visit www.mercermuseum.org or call (215) 345-0210.

Henry Mercer's castle home, Fonthill, featuring an incredible array of the famed collector, scholar and tile-maker's handcrafted tiles, is offering free ground-floor open house tours. This open house format includes access to the Entrance Hall, Conservatory Library, Saloon, and Morning Room. In addition, other buildings on Fonthill's grounds will be open for exploration including the Terrace Pavilion and the Spring House, both of which are covered in colorful Mercer tiles. Full guided tours are also available with paid admission. Fonthill Museum is located at East Court Street and Route 313 in Doylestown. For more information, visit www.fonthillmuseum.org or call (215) 348-9461.

The Moravian Pottery & Tile Works is a National Landmark and working history museum producing handmade decorative tiles and mosaics. Operated by the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department, it is the only tile works in the country owned by a county government. The museum offers self-guided tours featuring ceramists making tiles in a manner similar to that employed by Henry Chapman Mercer over a century ago. Visitors can experience a behind-the-scenes look at mosaic setting and the kiln room, enter a prize drawing for a free tile and take advantage of discounted rates on select tiles. The Moravian Pottery & Tile Works is located at 130 East Swamp Road (Route 313) in Doylestown. For more information, call (215) 345-6722.

Two shuttle buses, courtesy of Bucks County Transport, make a continuous loop to the museum sites enabling visitors to conveniently experience all four locations. The pick-up/drop-off locations include Pine Street between Mercer Museum and Michener Art Museum and the parking area between Fonthill Museum and Moravian Pottery & Tile Works. Free parking is available throughout Doylestown on Sundays.