Williamsport- The Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society will reopen to the public on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 for touring and research after closing on December 12, pursuant to Governor Wolf’s orders. The Taber Museum was recently voted the ‘Best Museum’ in the area by the readership of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.
The Museum is featuring a holiday exhibit entitled, “A Holiday Jewel Box at a County Gem: Quilts, Silver and Jade at the Taber”. The Community Room of the museum will shine and sparkle with the shimmering beauty of silver, the exotic splendor of jade, and the remarkably-intricate blending of fabric and lace in Wendy Etzel’s award-winning quilts. Several of the quilts feature depictions of homes on Millionaires’ Row as well as quilts that embrace the Christmas and winter celebrations, many of them incorporating the traditional colors of red and green. Due to the closure of the museum for much of December, the exhibit will be extended through Saturday, February 27.
The museum, founded in 1907, interprets the regional history of northcentral Pennsylvania. In a series of vignettes and galleries, the museum explores the history of the region from Native American occupation, colonial exploration and settlement, further development of the region with the birth of the Pennsylvania Canal, 18th and 19th century immigration, and the harvesting of timber, leading to Williamsport’s accolade, “Lumber Capital of the World’. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, it is said that more wealthy men and women lived on Millionaires’ Row in Williamsport than any other place on earth.
Other exhibits and galleries highlight the decorative and fine arts, military history, farming, crafts, industry and the Twentieth Century. The incomparable Larue Shempp Model Train Collection of over three hundred model trains and two layouts is a ‘must see’ on any tour.
Face masks are required and social distancing is strongly urged. The museum is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:30am until 4:00pm and on Saturdays, 11:00am until 4:00pm. The museum is located at 858 West Fourth Street, Williamsport, with ample parking behind the museum and on the street. For further information, please call 570.326.3326.