National Museum of Industrial History

Changing Nature of Steelwork in the 20th Century
2022-03-10 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
Work in the steel industry has greatly evolved in the 100+ years since the death of John Fritz. What would Fritz have thought about the transitions facing steelworkers in the 20th century? Veteran Steelworker, Historian, and Author Donald S. Young explores the dynamic changes that steelworkers faced and continue to experience in the American Steel industry today. Free to museum members, $5 for non-members. Register for tickets HERE
Can’t attend in person? If you are an NMIH member, you can register to receive a zoom link to the event HERE.
In addition to co-authoring Bethlehem Steel: A Photographic History, Mr. Young spent 33 years working at the company’s Bethlehem plant, and 56 years total working for Bethlehem Steel as an electric furnace melt department foreman. In his retirement he enjoys volunteering with NMIH.

The Corliss Comes Alive
2022-03-19
The Corliss engine will run at 11:30am and 2:30pm.
Please note date change due to inclement weather to 3/19.
For more than a decade the museum’s staff, volunteers, and community partners worked to restore our massive 115-ton Corliss steam engine to working order, 105 years after being built by the Snow Steam Pump Works in Buffalo, N.Y. The engine was used by the York Water Company and pumped eight million gallons of water per day. Today the engine, the most powerful operating water works steam engine in North America, is a focal point of the museum’s 13,000 square foot exhibit space, where it has painstakingly been mechanically restored to its former glory and repainted its original color. Join us as we operate the engine and learn more about this fascinating piece of industrial history from the museum’s historian.

On Track: Building and Restoring Small Railroad Vehicles
2022-03-19 15:30 - 16:30 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Please note date change due to inclement weather to 3/19.
Did you ever wonder what it would take to create a brand-new human powered rail car or revive a rusty railroad “speeder” with a gas engine over 80 years old? Learn from the people who have done just that and see the rail cars in person.
The first of two talks will delve into the restoration of former Lehigh & New England Railroad (LNE) motor car 549. A brief history of its manufacturer, the Sheffield Velocipede Car Company, and its first owner, the LNE, will lead into a more detailed discussion of the history and operation of 549. The illustrated presentation will be given by Charles Smith, Secretary of the Volunteer Railroaders Association (VRA). The VRA is a non-profit all-volunteer group whose heart is running fundraising Santa & Easter Bunny train rides and operating motor cars (aka speeders). The VRA restored the 1894 NYS&W station in Hawthorne, NJ and operates it today. More information about the VRA can be found on their website www.vratrips.org
Bill McCarthy will then detail the design and construction of a modern replica hand powered rail car, known as a Velocipede. These vehicles were popular before internal combustion engines made cars like 549 practical. Over the past few years, rail bikes have seen a resurgence of popularity across the country. This particular machine was inspired by a three-wheel design also built by the Sheffield Velocipede Car Company. Bill McCarthy has been an operator and restorer of historic machinery for over four decades, doing business as Restoration Millwork in Riegelsville, PA. He has built everything from bar counters to fully functioning marine steam engines.
The presentations will begin at 3:30 PM on Saturday March 19, 2022 at the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, PA. Be sure to arrive early to see the Museum’s 115 ton Corliss stationary steam engine operate at 2:30 PM.
This event is included with the cost for museum admission.
Please note that if you plan to build or restore your own rail vehicle, you NEED permission to put it on a railroad track, even track that you have never seen a train on. The best way to get on the rails is by joining an organization such as the Volunteer Railroaders Association.

Youth Program: Women in S.T.E.A.M.
2022-03-23 13:00 - 16:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Calling all future engineers! During Women’s History Month, NMIH honors the women who received the Fritz medal, which has often been described as the “Nobel Prize for engineering.” Join us for this drop-in style youth program where we will read about women in S.T.E.A.M. and do fun, hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities.
Free with museum admission. Designed for all ages.
Support for this program generously provided by

Bethlehem Steel Locomotive Engineer Experience
2022-04-03 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-01 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-15 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-06-05 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-06-19 11:00 - 16:00
The National Museum of Industrial History is excited to offer a hands-on train engineer experience on its newly-restored narrow gauge locomotive! Situated in the museum’s park area, the 1941 Whitcomb diesel-electric locomotive was used at Bethlehem Steel in the Electric Furnace Melt Shop where it moved charging buggies filled with scrap metal. Restored by museum volunteers and staff to working condition, the train operates on a little over 100 feet of demonstration track. During this educational experience participants will be able to climb into the cab, learn how the locomotive works, then take the controls under the supervision of museum personnel. The short but memorable runs will let you step back in time, putting you in the same engineer’s seat as the steelworkers who helped built the country.
Each experience is limited to two adults or one adult and one child. Each session lasts approximately 20 minutes and is weather-dependent. Tickets are $20 per session (includes 1-2 participants) and are non-refundable except in the case of inclement weather or cancellation by the museum.
Learn more about the locomotive’s restoration process and see it in action here: https://www.nmih.org/restoration-highlight-1941-bethlehem-steel-whitcomb-narrow-gauge-locomotive
Because of the nature of operating historic equipment, availability is subject to change without advance notice. Every reasonable effort will be made to keep your experience on track. Guests must be able to climb a three-step ladder to enter and exit the locomotive. Face masks are required. NMIH’s Bethlehem Steel locomotive experience is separate from regular museum admission.

GET TICKETS NOW!

Building the New Navy: Bethlehem Iron Company with Prof. John K. Smith
2022-04-07 18:00 - 19:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
By the 1880s, the United States was emerging as a huge world economic power. But its Navy, with a fleet of outmoded wooden hulled vessels, was one of the worlds’ most inferior. Learn how the Bethlehem Iron Company transformed and rebuilt the American Navy and changed the course of 20th century.
About the Speaker – John K. Smith, Associate Professor Emeritus – Lehigh University
Professor Smith, trained both as an engineer and a historian, specializes in the history of technology and business history. His research interests focus on the history of industrial research and development and the chemical industry. He is co-author of Science and Corporate Strategy: DuPont R&D, 1902-1980, and he has published articles in Technology and Culture, and Science.
Free for members/$5 for non-members
Registration required at https://newnavy.eventbrite.com

SouthSide Community Day Presented by Unity Bank
2022-04-23 10:00 - 17:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us for a free community day in appreciation of our South Side friends and neighbors. All visitors enjoy free museum admission, youth activities, and an opportunity to take pictures with TUG, a tow tractor that helped workers at Bethlehem Steel transport buggies at the Bethlehem plant.

This event is generously sponsored by

Meet the Manufacturer: Ocean Spray
2022-04-24 19:00
A Virtual Conversation Featuring
Chad Hammerly, Plant Director for Ocean Spray Lehigh Valley
The Ocean Spray story starts in 1930 when three passionate, independent cranberry growers found the key to expanding the superfruit’s success: a single cranberry-growing family. By coming together in one cooperative, Marcus Urann, John Makepeace and Elizabeth Lee worked together to create deliciously innovative products with the fruit they loved. They continued to grow their cranberry family along the way, which now includes over 700 grower families across North and South America. In 2014, Ocean Spray opened a 300,000 square foot facility right here in the Lehigh Valley.
Premiering April 24th at 7pm on the NMIH Youtube Channel.
Meet the Manufacturer is a virtual series featuring innovative companies throughout the Lehigh Valley and the people behind them. This series is generously sponsored by Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc. and Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and is presented in partnership with Made Possible in Lehigh Valley.

Family Program: Herbert Hoover & the Dam
2022-05-15 10:00 - 17:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Hoover Dam Image Credit: Pamela McCreight from Florida, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Join us during Free Family Sunday at the Museum for a drop-in program to learn about Fritz Medal recipient Herbert Hoover and the Hoover Dam in conjunction with our exhibition The Works of a Mechanical Genius: The Legacy of John Fritz. We will read a story about the Hoover Dam, learn how Herbert Hoover won the Fritz Medal, which has often been described as the “Nobel prize for engineering,” and do a hands-on S.T.E.A.M. dam building activity. Designed for all ages.
This program is included with admission. On Free Family Sundays, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Support for this program generously provided by

Teacher's Night Out
2022-05-18 16:30 - 19:30
Looking for a fun and easy way to earn Act 48 hours? Join members of Passport to History, including the National Museum of Industrial History, at the National Canal Museum located at Hugh Moore Park in Easton, PA for an evening of educational history.
Learn about the history of the Lehigh and Delaware canal while riding on a mule powered canal boat, pick from 1 of 4 educational sessions to learn about Lenape history, the silk industry, the hiding of the Liberty Bell in Allentown, or the Moravians and find out what these local organizations can offer your schools. Even more local organizations will be available to visit and chat with during our tabling time, during which we will have complimentary beverages and finger foods. All of this for the price of $10. You will walk away from the evening with 3 Act 48 hours and a head full of history and ideas for your classrooms.
To register, please visit https://canals.org/product/teachers-night-out/

Youth Program: Hands-on History
2022-06-09 13:00 - 16:00
Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead! Join us as we inspire future innovators in this free drop-in family program presented in partnership with Bethlehem Area Public Library. We’ll read about different aspects of S.T.E.A.M. throughout the summer!
Inventors
June 9th 1-4pm
Location: Bethlehem Area Public Library, 11 West Church Street, Bethlehem, PA
Join us and read about different inventors and do fun, hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities. Enjoy tinkering and experimenting with different objects!
Planes & Trains
July 14th 1-4pm
Location: National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA
Join us and read about different construction vehicles, planes, and trains. Experiment with fun, hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities.
TUG! & Bethlehem Steel
August 11th 1-4pm
Location: National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA
Meet TUG, NMIH’s restored Bethlehem Steel tow tractor and the subject of a children’s book produced in collaboration between NMIH and BAPL.

The Corliss Comes Alive
2022-06-11
The Corliss engine will run at 11:30am and 2:30pm.
For more than a decade the museum’s staff, volunteers, and community partners worked to restore our massive 115-ton Corliss steam engine to working order, 105 years after being built by the Snow Steam Pump Works in Buffalo, N.Y. The engine was used by the York Water Company and pumped eight million gallons of water per day. Today the engine, the most powerful operating water works steam engine in North America, is a focal point of the museum’s 13,000 square foot exhibit space, where it has painstakingly been mechanically restored to its former glory and repainted its original color. Join us as we operate the engine and learn more about this fascinating piece of industrial history from the museum’s historian.

Guest Lecture - Target: Lehigh Valley
2022-07-07 18:00 - 19:00
Throughout World War Two and the Cold War, enemy attack was a real and present danger threatening American industry. Find out how the Lehigh Valley and local industries responded to these dangers and incorporated Civil Defense into everyday life in a time when Armageddon could come at any moment.
Tyler Gordon is a current DeSales University student and long-time historian from Bethlehem Township. Since around the age of ten, Tyler has been fascinated with discovering former fallout shelters, collecting gas masks, and documenting Pennsylvania’s unique Civil Defense history. Currently, Tyler serves as a marketing intern at NMIH where he applies his marketing skills in NMIH’s efforts to share fascinating pieces of local industrial history with the community.
Free for NMIH members. $5 for non-members. Pre-registration here.

Youth Program: Hands on History
2022-07-14 13:00 - 16:00
Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead! Join us as we inspire future innovators in this free drop-in family program presented in partnership with Bethlehem Area Public Library. We’ll read about different aspects of S.T.E.A.M. throughout the summer!
Planes & Trains
July 14th 1-4pm
Location: National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA
Join us and read about different construction vehicles, planes, and trains. Experiment with fun, hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities.
TUG! & Bethlehem Steel
August 11th 1-4pm
Location: National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA
Meet TUG, NMIH’s restored Bethlehem Steel tow tractor and the subject of a children’s book produced in collaboration between NMIH and BAPL.

Bethlehem Steel Locomotive Engineer Experience
2022-07-17 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-08-07 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-08-21 11:00 - 16:00, 2022-09-04 11:00 - 16:00
The National Museum of Industrial History is excited to offer a hands-on train engineer experience on its newly-restored narrow gauge locomotive! Situated in the museum’s park area, the 1941 Whitcomb diesel-electric locomotive was used at Bethlehem Steel in the Electric Furnace Melt Shop where it moved charging buggies filled with scrap metal. Restored by museum volunteers and staff to working condition, the train operates on a little over 100 feet of demonstration track. During this educational experience participants will be able to climb into the cab, learn how the locomotive works, then take the controls under the supervision of museum personnel. The short but memorable runs will let you step back in time, putting you in the same engineer’s seat as the steelworkers who helped built the country.
Each experience is limited to two adults or one adult and one child. Each session lasts approximately 20 minutes and is weather-dependent. Tickets are $30 per session (includes 1-2 participants) and are non-refundable except in the case of inclement weather or cancellation by the museum.
Learn more about the locomotive’s restoration process and see it in action here: https://www.nmih.org/restoration-highlight-1941-bethlehem-steel-whitcomb-narrow-gauge-locomotive
Because of the nature of operating historic equipment, availability is subject to change without advance notice. Every reasonable effort will be made to keep your experience on track. Guests must be able to climb a three-step ladder to enter and exit the locomotive. Face masks are required. NMIH’s Bethlehem Steel locomotive experience is separate from regular museum admission.

GET TICKETS NOW!

Metal Melting for Kids
2022-07-17 12:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on Free Family Sundays for this special program on select dates. Science, art, and manufacturing come together in these hands-on, kid friendly, demonstrations where participants learn how to prepare sand molds to receive molten tin and create a product to take home. Included with Museum admission. On Sundays, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Drop in between 12pm to 3pm on the following dates…

July 17

Aug 7

Aug 21

Sep 4

Sep 18

Oct 2

2022 Anthracite Railroad Ramble
2022-07-29 09:00 - 18:00
The National Museum of Industrial History is proud to work with the Reading & Northern Railroad to host this special train ride on Friday, July 29, 2022. The day-long trip will depart Outer Station in Reading, PA, at 9 AM, with guests riding aboard a pair of open window Budd RDCs (self-propelled Rail Diesel Cars). The train will have three scheduled stops: Tremont, Minersville, and Port Clinton, PA. This will be the first passenger excursion to Tremont, PA in over two decades. In addition to photo run-bys in the median of Cres Street, the Anthracite Mine Rescue Station will host tours of their facility and rescue truck. Visitors will learn how skilled personnel prepare for underground coal mine rescues and witness demonstrations of the gear that helps save lives.
Early afternoon will feature a lunch stop in Minersville, PA. Guests are welcome to detrain and enjoy an ethnic buffet style lunch at the train station or a meal at the historic Washington Hotel. The train station lunch will feature local favorites such as Halushki and Pierogi, with the backdrop of Central Railroad of New Jersey 0-6-0 steam locomotive Number 113. The Historic Washington Hotel will be open special hours for lunch and will host a pop-up display from the Minersville Historical Society. Both lunch options are $15 per person.
Another highlight will be a stop at Port Clinton, PA for a tour of the Reading & Northern Railroad steam shop. Attendees will get an up-close look at recently restored steam locomotive 2102. This 4-8-4 type locomotive weighs 441,300 pounds and was built to operate in the anthracite region served by the Reading Company.
Guests can bring their own lunch or RSVP (online when purchasing your tickets, no later than two weeks ahead of the trip) to enjoy the meal at the train station or hotel. Light snacks and drinks will also be available for sale on the train. Seating is limited and expected to sell out. Guests must arrange their own transportation to and from Outer Station, Reading, PA (3501 Pottsville Pike, Reading, PA). Sales stop one week ahead of the trip. All tickets must be purchased in advance on a first come first served basis. Seating is limited. No sales day of the trip. The railroad reserves the right to substitute motive power as conditions require. Itinerary subject to change.
Tickets
$112 for NMIH Members (optional lunch is additional $15)
$125 for Non-Members (optional lunch is additional $15)
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

Lehigh Valley Passport to History Month
2022-07-30 10:00 - 2022-07-31 16:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
This July, join us for Passport to History Month! The month is a celebration of local history and the community that brings Lehigh Valley history to life. Each weekend in July, different participating locations will open their doors to the public with tours, activities, and programs for visitors of all ages.

NMIH will be free admission on Saturday & Sunday July 30th and 31st from 10am to 4pm. For a full list of participating sites visit lvhistory.org.

Thank you to our sponsors:
First Class Sponsor- Working Dog Press;
Bon Voyage Sponsors – Embassy Bank, Kutztown Folk Festival, Webfoot Digital;
Backpacker Sponsor- EBC Printing
Videography Sponsor – Heliovue
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This project is made possible in part by the County of Lehigh and County of Northampton’s Hotel Tax Program, and the Institute of Museum & Library Services.

Metal Melting for Kids
2022-08-07 12:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on Free Family Sundays for this special program on select dates. Science, art, and manufacturing come together in these hands-on, kid friendly, demonstrations where participants learn how to prepare sand molds to receive molten tin and create a product to take home. Included with Museum admission. On Sundays, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Drop in between 12pm to 3pm on the following dates…

AUG 7

AUG 21

SEP 4

SEP 18

OCT 2

Youth Program: Hands-on History
2022-08-11 13:00 - 16:00
Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead! Join us as we inspire future innovators in this free drop-in family program presented in partnership with Bethlehem Area Public Library. We’ll read about different aspects of S.T.E.A.M. throughout the summer!
TUG! & Bethlehem Steel
August 11th 1-4pm
Location: National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA
Meet TUG, NMIH’s restored Bethlehem Steel tow tractor and the subject of a children’s book produced in collaboration between NMIH and BAPL.

Metal Melting for Kids
2022-08-21 12:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on Free Family Sundays for this special program on select dates. Science, art, and manufacturing come together in these hands-on, kid friendly, demonstrations where participants learn how to prepare sand molds to receive molten tin and create a product to take home. Included with Museum admission. On Sundays, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Drop in between 12pm to 3pm on the following dates…

Aug 21

Sep 4

Sep 18

Oct 2

John Fritz's Birthday Celebration
2022-08-21 14:00 - 17:00
Join us to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Fritz, General Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the Bethlehem Iron Company, with a series of public events.
In September of 1892, hundreds of guests gathered to celebrate the 70th birthday of John Fritz. They held a dinner celebration at the Wyandotte Opera House in Bethlehem, PA and after dinner held a mock trial in which Fritz was “prosecuted” in jest for the “crime” of transforming the peaceful, rural Lehigh Valley into an industrial powerhouse. They took the photograph above the following day during their tour of the Bethlehem Works and visit to the proving grounds to witness a demonstration of how well the new armor plate being produced stood up against shell fire. Fritz is seated in the front row, 10th from the right. Distinguished attendees included Thomas Edison, Robert Sayre and Rear Admiral George Wallace Melville.
2PM Book Launch and Birthday Cake
Join us for a reading of “The Giant Moves,” a children’s book exploring the history of the museum’s 19th century bending press envisioned by ironmaster John Fritz & stay for some birthday cake.

3:30PM The History of the Bending Press
Join Museum Historian Mike Piersa to learn about the history of the recently relocated Whitworth Bending Press. Applying up to 7,000 tons of force, this nearly million pound press shaped steel armor plate bound for battleships that bolstered U.S. efforts in both World Wars.

4PM A Historic Move: Bringing the Bending Press to NMIH
In September 2020, NMIH began the monumental move of a 900,000 lb Whitworth Bending Press to its new home at the museum. Installed in 1891 when Bethlehem Steel was still Bethlehem Iron Company, this hydraulic armor bending press utilized 7,000 tons of force to create armor for battleships. Hear from Nick Lykon, General Manager of A&A Machinery Moving, an MEI Company, about the tremendous undertaking of moving the press to NMIH.

All programs will take place outdoors, weather permitting. In the case of inclement weather, programs will occur inside the museum. All programs free with museum admission.

The Rise of Bethlehem Steel: 1904 – 1945 Bethlehem Steel Steps Onto The World Stage
2022-08-25 18:00 - 19:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Hear the incredible story of how a single steel plant company along the Lehigh River in eastern Pennsylvania grew into world prominence.
Free for NMIH Members
$5 for Non-Members

Purchase tickets HERE.
About the Presenter
Robert W. Bilheimer is General Manager of the Industrial Archives & Library in Bethlehem, Pa. He has had a 40+ year career in private sector and non-profit management including 22 years at Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the last 5 of which as General Manager- Public Affairs. Joining Bethlehem Steel as a member of the Loop Management Training Course in 1981, Bilheimer spent his entire career at Bethlehem in Public Affairs, primarily in government and community affairs and corporate communications until 2003 when the company was sold to the International Steel Group (ISG). He also served for 6 years as Director – Public Affairs at Bethlehem’s Burns Harbor Division in Burns Harbor, Ind. Returning to Bethlehem in 1998 as General Manager – Public Affairs, he was responsible for corporate communications, including oversight of the Schwab Memorial Library and where he served as the last editor of Bethlehem Steel’s renowned corporate magazine, the Bethlehem Review. Coming from a Bethlehem Steel family whose heritage at the company goes back over a century, Bilheimer has spent a lifetime of service, experience and study in the American steel industry and is a foremost expert in Bethlehem Steel Corporation history. Mr. Bilheimer is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Business Administration, magna cum laude, and holds an MBA from Lehigh University.
