PA Museums

Exploring the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle

Collage of four photos taken at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring the Artisans gallery with antique furniture and stained glass, the Our Landscape gallery with Pennsylvania Railroad and farming artifacts, a display of vintage ice cream containers and scoops from local dairies, and a Civil War exhibit showcasing a regimental drum, medical kit, and historic military photos.

The Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle offers an engaging and informative journey through 250 years of local heritage.

Gallery at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, displaying an impressive collection of tall case clocks handcrafted by local artisans, arranged in a symmetrical layout along the walls with a central glass case featuring miniature furniture and clock components on a polished hardwood floor under soft overhead lighting.

Housed in a beautiful brick building, the museum features 16 galleries that explore the region’s cultural, industrial, and social history.

Sign mounted on a red brick wall outside the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, displaying the Cumberland County Historical Society's name, founding year of 1874, and designation as a premier history and educational center, along with the organization's website address.

With a wide range of artifacts and interactive displays, this is a must-visit destination for history lovers.

Exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring an ornately carved mahogany sideboard topped with a wooden eagle sculpture, flanked by framed 19th-century portraits of a man and woman, all displayed in the Fine Arts Gallery section of the museum.

Directions | Hours | Admission Fees

The Museum of Cumberland County History is located at 21 North Pitt Street, Carlisle, PA 17013.

The museum is open Tuesday – Friday from 10 am – 4 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am – 4 pm (10 am – 2 pm November through March.)

Exterior view of the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, showing a symmetrical red brick building with arched windows, decorative cornices, green entrance doors, and a central archway flanked by shrubs and trees, all set against a glowing sky at sunset.

Admission to the museum is FREE!

Gallery exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, showcasing handcrafted 18th and 19th-century furniture including grandfather clocks, writing desks, side chairs, and a red velvet settee, along with a stained glass window and framed artwork, all arranged against a blue accent wall with natural light from arched windows.

Free parking is available in a lot behind the museum.

Parking lot behind the Museum of Cumberland County History and its gift shop in Carlisle, PA, with several parked cars and a large mural on the side of a historic brick building featuring local icons like Molly Pitcher and Jim Thorpe, set against a backdrop of trees and surrounding downtown structures.

What You’ll See at the Museum of Cumberland County History

One of the first galleries you’ll encounter is the Carlisle Indian Industrial School gallery, which documents the lives of Native American students who were brought to Carlisle in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA featuring large historical photographs related to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, period furnishings, a vintage fireplace, and display cases with memorabilia and awards, all arranged in a polished wood-floored gallery with soft lighting.

Another gallery called the Artisans exhibit showcases handcrafted furniture, stained glass, and silverware made by Cumberland County craftsmen.

Artisans gallery at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, showcasing antique furniture, grandfather clocks, stained glass, and silverware displays in a well-lit, thoughtfully arranged room with hardwood floors and blue accent walls.

A nearby gallery highlights the area’s industrial legacy with exhibits from companies like the PIEZO Crystal Company and various iron foundries.

Industrial history exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring cast iron stoves, fireplace surrounds, historic tools, a PIEZO Crystal Company sign, vintage photos of local foundries, and a colorful painting depicting steelworkers and factory scenes.

The Our Landscape exhibit explores Cumberland County’s agricultural and transportation roots, featuring tools, a child’s pedal car, and a large Pennsylvania Railroad sign.

Our Landscape gallery at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring a large Pennsylvania Railroad sign, antique farming tools, a child’s pedal car, a street sign from N. Hanover St., railroad memorabilia, historic photographs, and a display of bronze bells, all illustrating the county’s agricultural and transportation heritage.

Military history is also well represented, including a Civil War exhibit displaying a regimental drum, surgical tools, and portraits of Union officers.

Civil War exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring a painted regimental drum, a wooden case with surgical tools, a powder flask, and historic photographs and portraits of Union soldiers from Cumberland County.

Another moving exhibit details Cumberland County’s role in the Underground Railroad, complete with archival documents and a regional map of known stops.

Slavery and Underground Railroad exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring historical narratives, a large portrait of a formerly enslaved man, a map showing Underground Railroad routes through the county, and archival documents including a runaway slave reward notice and slave registry records.

Visitors can also view a colorful wall timeline that traces the region’s development from the 1700s through the present day.

Interactive timeline exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring artifacts from various eras such as a spinning wheel, cast iron stove, mail collection box, vintage television, and phonograph, all displayed against a wall mural marked with key historical events from 1750 to the present.

The museum includes galleries dedicated to local folk art and decorative pottery, with many pieces made by area artisans.

Exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, showcasing a glass display case filled with handcrafted stoneware and pottery made by local artisans, featuring jugs, crocks, bowls, and pitchers with traditional glazes and decorative motifs, alongside textiles mounted on the adjacent wall.

Sports fans will enjoy seeing vintage baseball uniforms from Shippensburg and Churchtown.

Display at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring vintage baseball uniforms from Churchtown and Shippensburg youth teams, accompanied by a descriptive text panel and black-and-white photographs of local players and teams mounted on the surrounding walls.

An exhibit celebrating local food history even features old ice cream containers from beloved Cumberland County dairies.

Display at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring vintage ice cream containers from Kruger's, Molly Pitcher, and Rakestraw's alongside antique ice cream scoops, with tall case clocks in the background highlighting the county’s local dairy and dessert heritage.

The exhibit about the Pine Grove POW Camp at the Museum of Cumberland County History details the site’s role as one of only three World War II interrogation sorting centers in the United States.

Exhibit text panel at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, describing the secret World War II POW camp at Pine Grove Furnace, which operated as one of only three interrogation sorting centers in the United States, processing approximately 7,000 German and 100–200 Japanese prisoners between 1943 and 1945.

Interpretive panels and historic photos explain how the camp processed approximately 7,000 German and 100–200 Japanese prisoners between 1943 and 1945.

Historic black-and-white photo on display at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, showing the yucca-lined path leading to the entrance of the Pine Grove POW Camp, originally a CCC site, with buildings, fencing, and wooded hills in the background.

The Gift Shop

The museum’s gift shop is located just around the corner on High Street.

It offers a wide selection of books, artwork, locally made crafts, and unique souvenirs that reflect the region’s rich heritage.

Interior of the gift shop for the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, featuring shelves filled with local history books, framed artwork by regional artists on display, a rotating postcard rack, Carlisle-themed t-shirts, and a checkout counter beneath a decorative tin ceiling and warm lighting.

Final Thoughts

A visit to the Museum of Cumberland County History offers an unforgettable glimpse into the stories, people, and places that have shaped this corner of Pennsylvania.

Framed painting at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, depicting Revolutionary War heroine Molly Pitcher loading a cannon on the battlefield, surrounded by soldiers and supplies, with bold colors and dramatic action capturing her legendary bravery.

Whether you’re a longtime local or a curious traveler, there’s something here to fascinate everyone.

Illustrated map exhibit at the Museum of Cumberland County History in Carlisle, PA, depicting landmarks, towns, and historic buildings across Cumberland County with colorful icons, a county seal, and seating area with brochures and informational materials on a wooden table in the foreground.

Nearby Attractions

16 Must-See Attractions in Cumberland County is your guide to even more great things to see and do in Carlisle and the surrounding area.

A collage of four photos highlighting attractions in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The top left image features a serene lake surrounded by vibrant autumn foliage, with a wooden bench overlooking the water. The top right image shows a Civil War memorial in a cemetery, with a statue of a soldier, an American flag flying above, and headstones and memorial markers in the foreground. The bottom left image displays a preserved World War II Sherman tank on a concrete platform, set against a bright sky and open landscape. The bottom right image captures a bustling car show with colorful classic and modern vehicles, vendor tents, and crowds of visitors at a large outdoor venue.

Find even more great spots to explore all across Pennsylvania with the interactive PA Bucket List Travel Map!

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