The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) will celebrate the Commonwealth’s 343rd birthday on Sunday, March 10, with free admission to many of the historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History and an exhibit of William Penn’s 1681 Charter at the Pennsylvania State Archives.
Pennsylvania was created when England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn in March 1681. The 343-year-old Charter, often referred to as Pennsylvania’s birth certificate, is written on parchment using iron gall ink. The Pennsylvania State Archives preserves the document in a high-security vault, shielding it from strong light and environmental fluctuations.
The 1681 Charter will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the new Pennsylvania State Archives facility, 1681 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg.
State-owned historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History will offer free admission on Sunday, March 10. Participating historic sites and museums include: Graeme Park, Horsham, and Pennsbury Manor, Morrisville, among many others.
The Pennsylvania Trails of History comprises museums and historic sites administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, organized along four theme-based “trails” crossing the commonwealth: Military History, Industrial Heritage, Historic Homes, and Rural Farm & Village.
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Learn more by visiting PHMC online.
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