PA Museums

Exploring the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton

Collage of four photos from the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, housed in the historic Tudor Revival–style Catlin House. The images show the museum’s Victorian parlor with antique furnishings and a blue gown on display, a Civil War exhibit with artifacts and portraits, a model of the D.L.&W. locomotive “Spyfire,” and the elegant exterior of the Catlin House, reflecting the region’s rich cultural, industrial, and architectural history.

Visiting the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton is like stepping into a time capsule of the county’s storied past.

Ornate fireplace display inside the Catlin House, home of the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The scene features a green-tiled hearth with brass andirons beneath two gilded framed portraits of George and Helen Catlin, set against a bold red wall with intricate crown molding, showcasing the home’s elegant early 20th-century craftsmanship.

Headquartered inside the Catlin House in Scranton’s Hill Section, the museum combines architectural beauty with fascinating exhibits that tell the story of Lackawanna County.

Informational sign at the George H. Catlin Memorial House in Scranton, Pennsylvania, describing the history of the Lackawanna Historical Society. The sign explains that the society was founded in 1886, originally known as the Lackawanna Institute of History and Science, and that the Catlin House was bequeathed to the society in 1942 by George and Helen Catlin. It highlights the home’s role since 1943 as the society’s headquarters and research center, preserving manuscripts, maps, documents, and artifacts related to Scranton and Lackawanna County history.

Once the home of financier George H. Catlin and his wife Helen, the residence now serves as a cultural hub preserving the region’s industrial, social, and artistic history.

Historic newspaper clipping on display at the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, announcing that George H. Catlin’s residence was bequeathed to the society. The article describes how Catlin, a prominent banker, left both his home and a $50,000 trust fund for its upkeep as a cultural center and museum, ensuring the preservation of one of Scranton’s architectural and historical landmarks.

Directions | Hours | Admission Fees

The Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in located at 232 Monroe Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510.

The museum is open for self-guided tours Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday, 12 pm to 3 pm (closed Sunday – Monday.)

Period-style bathroom exhibit inside the Catlin House, home of the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The restored room features a vintage clawfoot bathtub, pedestal sink, and hexagonal tile floor, with a mannequin dressed in a gold Victorian gown standing beside a wooden vanity under a lace-curtained window, illustrating early 20th-century domestic life.

Guided tours are available Tuesday through Saturday, 1 pm to 3 pm.

Two framed portraits displayed on a beige wall inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The larger portrait shows an older man with a long white beard wearing a dark suit, while the smaller one depicts a man in a suit and tie; both are set in ornate gold frames. A white ceramic umbrella stand filled with walking sticks and a carved wooden chair sit beneath the paintings, completing the historic interior display.

There is no fee to tour the museum.

Plaque honoring George H. Catlin at the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring his portrait and biography. The text details Catlin’s life as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who helped organize the Third National Bank, served as a director of several Scranton companies, and was a charter member of the society. It notes that he and his wife Helen built the Catlin House in 1912, later bequeathed to the Lackawanna Historical Society as its headquarters.

What You’ll See at the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum

The Catlin House itself is an architectural gem, built in the Tudor Revival style with ornate woodwork, patterned brickwork, and distinctive gables.

Front view of the historic Catlin House in Scranton, Pennsylvania, home to the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum. The Tudor Revival–style mansion features decorative half-timbering, striped awnings, red brick accents, and a covered front porch framed by lush greenery and an iron fence. The museum preserves and showcases the rich history and culture of Scranton and Lackawanna County.

Inside, visitors are greeted by beautifully restored rooms filled with period furnishings, including a Victorian parlor adorned with antique furniture, lace curtains, and a display of vintage clothing.

Elegant Victorian-era parlor inside the Catlin House, home of the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The room features ornate wood trim, a carved fireplace mantel, antique furniture with red velvet upholstery, lace-curtained windows, and a vintage blue dress displayed on a mannequin, capturing the refined style of Scranton’s early 20th-century elite.

Another room recreates an early 20th-century executive office, complete with typewriters, bookcases, and portraits of Scranton’s civic leaders.

Historic office exhibit inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, showcasing an early 20th-century study with antique furnishings. The room features a large wooden desk with vintage typewriters, glass-front bookcases filled with old volumes, framed portraits and documents on the walls, and a bust of Abraham Lincoln, recreating the atmosphere of a period office once used by Scranton’s civic leaders.

The museum’s art galleries feature oil paintings, formal portraits, and historic photographs documenting the rise of Scranton’s industrial age.

Art and history exhibit inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring two formal portraits of distinguished men flanking a central painting of an industrial coal scene. Beneath the framed artwork sits a wooden display case filled with historic photographs and documents, all set against elegant wood-paneled walls that reflect the Catlin House’s early 20th-century craftsmanship and Scranton’s rich industrial heritage.

Exhibits throughout the home highlight the city’s connection to coal mining, railroads, and local veterans.

Coal mining and railroad exhibit inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The display features two detailed wooden mine car models labeled for regional railroads, surrounded by framed historic photographs of rail lines and mining operations, along with glass cases containing artifacts that highlight the area’s industrial and transportation heritage.

One display tells the story of the “Breaker Boys,” young laborers who worked long hours in the area’s coal breakers.

Exhibit at the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring a historical display about the “Breaker Boys.” The exhibit includes a vintage photograph labeled “Breaker Boys at Work, Scranton, Pa.” showing young boys sorting coal in a breaker, along with a descriptive panel explaining their harsh working conditions, long hours, and meager pay during the early coal mining era in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Another focuses on the Lackawanna Railroad, featuring memorabilia from the famous Phoebe Snow passenger train.

Display case at the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring vintage railroad memorabilia from the Lackawanna Railroad’s “Phoebe Snow” campaign. The exhibit includes 1950s timetables and promotional materials depicting Miss Phoebe, a character created to promote the railroad’s clean-burning anthracite coal trains, along with an informational plaque explaining the history and legacy of the Phoebe Snow route.

Military history enthusiasts will find an impressive collection of Civil War artifacts, including uniforms, weapons, and portraits of local officers.

Civil War exhibit inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring display cases filled with historic military artifacts. Items include swords, a saddle, uniforms, and personal effects from local soldiers, accompanied by framed portraits, documents, and interpretive panels that highlight the region’s contributions to the war effort and its veterans’ legacy.

Additional rooms showcase Scranton’s fashion, transportation, and community life, connecting visitors with the people who shaped the region’s past.

Fashion exhibit inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, showcasing vintage women’s clothing and accessories from the mid-20th century. The display includes colorful dresses, a bright orange hat with long blonde wig, black boots, and period magazines from *LIFE* and *Vogue*, all set against a deep red backdrop highlighting Scranton’s cultural and social history.

Final Thoughts

A visit to the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum offers both beauty and insight – an intimate look at Scranton’s transformation from coal town to cultural center.

Display of a model locomotive labeled “D.L.&W. Spyfire” inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The intricately detailed replica of the early Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad engine sits on a wooden base in front of a lace-curtained window, illustrating the region’s deep connection to railroading and industrial history.

Whether you’re drawn by architecture, history, or nostalgia, the Catlin House provides a window into the city’s proud and enduring heritage.

Exhibit room inside the Lackawanna Historical Society Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, featuring an intricately carved wooden roll-top desk filled with drawers, cubbies, and display materials. An antique green cabinet with small labeled drawers stands beside it, while portraits of prominent Scranton figures hang on the cream-colored walls above. The historic furnishings and decor reflect the museum’s mission to preserve the legacy of local business and community leaders from the city’s early days.

Nearby Attractions

15 Must-See Attractions in Lackawanna County is your guide to more great things to see and do in Scranton and the surrounding area.

A collage of four photos taken in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Top left: Historic steam and diesel locomotives displayed at the Steamtown National Historic Site turntable. Top right: A Stegosaurus skeleton on exhibit inside the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art in Scranton. Bottom left: A vibrant mural of Dwight Schrute from the television show "The Office" painted on a wall in Scranton. Bottom right: A serene waterfall flowing through the rocky landscape of Nay Aug Gorge at Nay Aug Park in Scranton.

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