Your Innkeeper’s husband, Craig, comes from the “Museum World” having worked full time a good part of his career at The Smithsonian, The International Photography Hall of Fame, Tech 2000 (World’s first permanent gallery of interactive media), and two living museums: Hershey Gardens and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. We are, therefore, especially appreciative of exemplary museum experiences offered in the areas surrounding our Annville Inn B&B.
Travel Guide
Museums
A Site of “Transcendent Significance” In these words, Robert Vogel of the Smithsonian Institution described Cornwall Furnace. “With the exception of a mere handful of similar preservations in Sweden and Germany – and possibly a few in eastern Europe – I doubt that elsewhere in the world is there a 19th century iron furnace complex with the degree of historical integrity to be found at Cornwall…” The Furnace operated from 1742 to 1883.
A living museum, only a few miles from Annville Inn B&B.
Designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1970, this tunnel is the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. At the time of its construction, it was considered a work almost unknown in this country.
This Park features the historic canal and tunnel located within 109 acres of meadows and woods. Canal Boat rides through the tunnel are available on warm summer nights when we have a full moon. Other activities include hiking, picnic facilities, kite flying festivals, and fishing. There is hiking here as well as a connecting trail to the Rails To Trails.
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Architectural Digest says: Most beautiful Capitol building in the United States,” and that includes the National Capitol in Washington, DC. Your innkeepers have worked in both buildings and they concur.
Other publications have declared, “America’s Most Beautiful Building.”
See what President Roosevelt said at the building’s dedication below.
Pennsylvania Capitol Complex – (including the State Museum, which houses a planetarium, art, natural history and artifacts.)
Pennsylvania’s Capitol is, first and foremost, a public building belonging to the citizens of the Commonwealth. It is also a priceless
architectural and artistic treasure, a majestic symbol of history and power, and an icon of democracy and freedom.
When President Theodore Roosevelt attended the dedication of the building on October 4, 1906, he said, “This is the handsomest
building I ever saw.” The Capitol was designed in the American Renaissance style by Philadelphia architect Joseph Huston (1866-1940),
who envisioned the building as a “Palace of Art.”
Words here cannot fully describe the experience of visiting the Capitol. Be sure to notice all the details when you visit, from the faces
carved into the front door to the Pennsylvania Monrovian tiles in the floor. Our advice—take a tour if you can and especially, don’t forget to tilt your head back and look up!
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
A Smithsonian Affiliate Museum
Fort Indiantown Gap offers more than 17,000 acres and 140 training areas and facilities for year-round training for military forces, law enforcement
agents and civilians from across the nation. With state-of-the-art training facilities, Fort Indiantown Gap is always looking for ways to better serve
our citizen-soldiers, as evidenced by the ongoing renovations of existing facilities and construction of new facilities.
Annville Inn guests enjoy driving out to watch Black Hawk and large transport helicopters as well as pursuing an excellent military museum on base and observing one of the cars from the
famous “Freedom Train” sent throughout the USA by France following WWII. Around the base are displays of military aircraft. FITG is also the site of
the annual Battle of the Bulge reenactment each March, which attracts historians worldwide.
If you are familiar with Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC or other National military cemeteries, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is
respectful, quiet, dignified and strikingly beautiful. The architecture of the cemetery is intentionally designed to represent bombed out buildings of
the European WWII era. In 1976, a section of Fort Indiantown Gap was selected as the national cemetery for the states of Delaware, Maryland,
New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania donated Land for the 677-acre site to the Veterans Administration.
3-D Digital Projection Screen 6-stories high makes for unforgettable memories. Your Innkeepers enjoy a few hours excursion sometimes on Sunday afternoons.
SCIENCE & STAGE: Three entertaining options. One captivating destination. Three floors of interactive, hands-on exhibitions.
Located in Carlisle, the home to the Redskins football training camp for many years, an extensive military museum and even more famous for the Army
War College, where General Bruce Kendall was Commandant. General Kendall’s history is fascinating: He built the house that has become Annville Inn!
(USAHEC) U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center at Carlisle Barracks Indoor and outdoor exhibitions.
American Automobile Association National Museum
A Smithsonian Affiliate, here in Hershey
U.S. President James Buchanan’s beloved “WHEATLAND”, his home in Lancaster, our near neighbor just south of Annville Inn. Also visit the Lancaster Historical Society’s new museum complex page, Lancaster History.
While staying at Annville Inn, visit Gettysburg National Military Park, with over
1,000 monuments and cannon along over 40 miles of scenic roads, a battlefield shrine to the Union and Confederate soldiers who fought here.
Plan to visit the scene of the Gettysburg Address, Picket’s Charge, General Robert E. Lee’s Headquarters, Little Round Top, and the Devil’s Den.
You can even meet Abraham Lincoln! In Gettysburg, you can eat authentic Civil War era foods and discover over 25 museums and
attractions — some unlike any in the world. The turning point of the Civil War occurred in Gettysburg from July 1 – 3, 1863.
Pennsylvania, site of:
Our Nation’s First State Constabulary
Pennsylvania State Police Museum
Historical Education and Memorial Center
(HEMC) Hershey
Landis Valley Museum, Lancaster
Explore Pa-German Heritage
Just north and east of Annville Inn. We see this plane flying over our pool and gardens on nice summer days!
Wolf Museum of Music and Art, Lancaster
Surrounding communities, colleges and universities have many more museums and galleries open to the searcher for history and art. Here are a few
additional interesting locations near us. Check our Annville Inn Travel Guide regularly as we will update the guide periodically. Our travel blog is also
a good way to stay abreast of enchanting places to visit in our Central Pennsylvania neighborhood and Pennsylvania Dutch Amish Country.
David Dorsey Museum of Biblical Archeology, Myerstown just to our East
Pennsylvania Fire Fighters’ Museum
The Phillips Museum of Art, located at Franklin & Marshall College
The Susquehanna Museum of Art, please see our Website’s description of this exemplary museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate!
