State Museum of Pennsylvania
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History
On March 28, 1905, Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker signed legislation establishing the museum for "the preservation of objects illustrating the flora and fauna of the state, and its mineralogy, geology, archeology, arts and history." The State Museum of Pennsylvania mission statement was influenced by the many other state museums that were already established, including those in New York, Illinois, and Indiana.
Later in 1905, Pennypacker signed Act 481, giving the museum $20,000 in startup funding for its creation. On March 1, 1907, the museum staff and collection moved into the Executive Office Building. It became part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1945 and moved to its present building in 1964. It is located adjacent to the Pennsylvania State Capitol. The building is round, and the museum exhibits are on its ground, first, second, and third floors. The museum staff's offices and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission are on the fourth and fifth floors.
In 2014, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Exhibits
The museum's central hall features a large statue of William Penn, who founded the Province of Pennsylvania in 1681 during the British colonial era.
The museum includes a multi-media planetarium, as well as four floors of exhibits and displays covering Pennsylvania history from prehistoric times through current events. Visitation averages 315,000 people annually. Among the features are an extensive collection of artifacts and exhibitions related to the American Civil War and an extensive collection of industrial and technological innovations, including artwork, paintings, dioramas, and other audio-visuals aid in the interpretation.
There are over three million objects in the museum's collections. The museum has many exhibits that showcase Pennsylvania history. The state museum divided its exhibits into three categories; permanent, changing, and online.