National Museum of Industrial History

How Water Works: A Multi-Site Day of Tours & Demonstrations
2023-09-10 | Various, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 18015
On Sunday, September 10, 2023, see three centuries of progress in water pumping technology in action across the Lehigh Valley. Visit one, two, or all three sites that will be open and sharing the theme of water history.
National Museum of Industrial History: 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM
602 E 2nd Street, Bethlehem, PA, 18015
The most powerful operating steam powered water pumping engine in North America, the 115 ton Snow Corliss engine, will come alive, running on compressed air. It features a 14 foot diameter flywheel and once pumped 8 million gallons a day for the York Water Company. Included in NMIH admission.
National Museum of Industrial History: 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
602 E 2nd Street, Bethlehem, PA, 18015
Where did the terms hard and soft water come from? Learn stories like these, ask questions, and watch live demonstrations of water testing and treatment with John Baum, a nationally recognized water quality expert. Much in the same way water cleanliness extends the life of household plumbing, so does it affect the smooth operation and lifespan of essential industrial machinery. Included in NMIH admission.
Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, Bethlehem, PA: 1 PM and 3 PM
Tours Leave from the Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center, 505 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018
The 1762 Waterworks, recognized as a National Historic Landmark, Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and an American Water Landmark, was the first pumped municipal water system in America. The original building and a demonstration of the working replica 18 foot undershot water wheel powered water pump will be the highlight of colonial industrial quarter tours this day. Tickets and more information HERE.
Friends of the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center – People’s Water Company Pump House, Phillipsburg, NJ: 4:30 PM
No street address: From the intersection of JT Baker Way and N Main Street in Phillipsburg, NJ, go north on N Main Street (becomes River Road) for 3,773 feet. Turn left through the cattle gates and proceed 600 feet to the concrete pump house. If you see the railroad tracks along River Road, you went too far.
Tour the pump house home to Big Allis, the 1913 steam powered water pump, still in its original location. Rated for 6 million gallons of water a day, this three cylinder, two flywheel, vertical engine stands 51 feet tall and is surrounded by a complete steam plant with the original boilers, condenser, and backup turbine. The steam pump will not be running today, but an early 20th century open frame electric motor that once powered another pump will be demonstrated. This is a free tour, but donations are suggested. It will include stairs and irregular surfaces.

Bethlehem Steel Locomotive Engineer Experience
2023-09-03 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-08-20 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-08-06 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-07-16 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-06-04 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-05-21 11:00 - 15:15, 2023-04-16 11:00 - 15:15 (America/New_York)

S.T.E.A.M. Adventures
2023-08-20 11:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for a drop-in style family program to engage in S.T.E.A.M. concepts like building, engineering, and strategic thinking. As part of our Free Family Sundays program, all youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
This month’s activity is Make Your Own Hot Air Balloon

S.T.E.A.M. Adventures - Balloon Rockets
2023-07-16 11:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for a drop-in style family program to engage in S.T.E.A.M. concepts like building, engineering, and strategic thinking. As part of our Free Family Sundays program, all youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
This month’s theme is Balloon Rockets!

Bethlehem Steel Locomotive Experience
2023-07-02 11:00 - 15:15

Passport to History Month
2023-07-02 10:00 - 17:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States

Passport to History Month
2023-07-01 10:00 - 17:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Passport to History Month returns this July, featuring five weekends of old-fashioned summer fun.
More than 35 historic sites in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding counties invite you to step back in time with free admission, tours, activities, and programs for visitors of all ages.
What might you discover?

Museums, libraries, & special exhibitions
Historic sites including homesteads, colonial taverns, springhouses, mills, tileworks, schools, gardens, 18th-century mansions, and cemeteries.
Learn about the people, cultures, events, and innovations that shaped our community, from the original Native American inhabitants to modern day.
Living history re-enactments and heritage craft & skill demonstrations.
Live music, colonial field days, classic car shows, and mule-drawn canal boat rides
Antique book sales, flea markets, and gift shops.
For children and families: old-fashioned games, crafts, stories, scavenger hunts, farm chores, interactive exhibitions, and activities.

Join us for this celebration of the places, stories, and community that bring local history to life!

See our maps and schedules for each weekend in July:
Weekend 1: July 1 & 2
Weekend 2: July 7, 8, & 9
Weekend 3: July 15 & 16
Weekend 4: July 21, 22 & 23
Weekend 5: July 29 & 30
Special Exhibitions on View
Family-Friendly & Children’s Activities

S.T.E.A.M. Adventures
2023-06-18 11:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for a drop-in style family program to engage in S.T.E.A.M. concepts like building, engineering, and strategic thinking. As part of our Free Family Sundays program, all youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
This month’s theme is Build Your Own Paddleboat.

1876 World's Fair Weekend
2023-06-10 10:00 - 2023-06-11 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Travel back in time and celebrate the engineering, industry, and culture of Philadelphia’s 1876 Centennial International Exhibition. Enjoy machinery demonstrations, pop-up exhibits, Victorian games, family activities, music and food!
June 10th 10am-3pm
June 11th 10am-3pm
Free with admission; Youth 12 and under FREE on Sunday

About the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition
145 years ago, in 1876, Philadelphia hosted the Centennial International Exhibition, considered the country’s first World’s Fair. Visitors from 37 countries trekked to the site, located on a sprawling 450 acre campus, with nearly 10 million visitors taking in the sights, sounds, and smells across the span of six months.
Machinery Hall, the second largest building on the grounds, plays an important role in the country’s industrial history. Everything from massive steam engines to intricate woodworking machinery were on display, fully introducing America’s industrial might on the world’s stage for the first time.
Tentative Schedule
Download the official event program with times and descriptions here.

SATURDAY PROGRAMMING
Riveting Demo 10:15
Explore the Ribbon Loom 10:30
Victorian Parlor Games 11:00
Corliss Steam Engine & Baxter Boiler Engine Demo 11:30
Meet & Greet with President Grant 12:00
Victorian Parlor Games 12:30
Explore the Ribbon Loom 1:00
Antebellum Marine Band 1:15
Corliss Steam Engine Demo with President Grant 2:30
Baxter Boiler Demo 2:30
SUNDAY PROGRAMMING
Explore the Ribbon Loom 10:30
Victorian Parlor Games 11:00
Corliss Steam Engine & Baxter Boiler Engine Demo 11:30
Meet & Greet with President Grant 12:00
Victorian Parlor Games 12:00
Explore the Ribbon Loom 12:30
Guest Lecture: 1876: The Inventors Republic, by Dr. John Smith, Lehigh University 12:00
Antebellum Marine Band 1:15
Corliss Steam Engine Demo with President Grant 2:30
Baxter Boiler Demo 2:30
ONGOING PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND
Meet and Greet President Grant
Printing Press Demos
Power Loom Demos
Tin Casting/Metal Melting for Kids
Tin Can Communications: Telephones and the Centennial Kids Activity
Model Steam Engines in Motion
Victorian Parlor Games
VISITING MUSEUMS
Bethlehem Public Library
South Bethlehem Historical Society
Sigal Museum
Moravian Historical Society
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (Sat. Only)
Rough & Tumble Engineers Historical Association (Sat. Only)
FEATURED EVENTS
Sat & Sun. at 11:30 and 2:30
Corliss Demo
Our massive 115-ton Corliss steam engine is a focal point of the museum’s 13,000 square foot exhibit space, where it has 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.
Sun. Jun. 11th at 12pm
1876: The Inventors Republic, lecture by Dr. John Smith. At the time of the Centennial our American patent system was one of the few institutions not limited to white men, which prompted a number of black and women inventors to apply for patents. Dr. John Smith, Associate professor emeritus at Lehigh University, initially went to school for engineering. His technological background has provided him a unique perspective on the history of technology and industry.
Sat. & Sun. at 1:15pm
Antebellum Marine Band
The 1876 World’s Fair Weekend will feature live music by the Antebellum Marine Band, which presents the US Marine Band of the 1800’s, its look and its music, with a full woodwind section to compliment the brass.
Sat & Sun. at 2:30pm
President Grant and the Corliss
The 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, opened the 1876 World’s Fair with great fanfare. After music, and a speech, he led the crowds to Machinery Hall, where he and Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil turned on the mighty Corliss Engine, an engineering marvel. Join us as we re-enact this historical moment in the 21st Century.
NEW ADDITIONS FOR 2023
Replica 1870s Velocipede Railroad Handcar Demo
Bill McCarthy will demonstrate his replica hand and foot powered rail car, known as a Velocipede, on a short section of temporary track. These vehicles were developed in the 1870s and remained popular until the internal combustion engine made them largely obsolete. This particular machine was inspired by a three-wheel design 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.

Operating Replica of an 1876 Gas Engine Demo
On Saturday, June 10th, only, an operating replica of a Schleicher Bros. Otto & Langen atmospheric gas engine, very similar to the type exhibited and operated at the 1876 Centennial Exposition, will be running at NMIH. This will be the first time the engine has been shown outside of Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association in Kinzers, PA. The primitive design does not use a crank, but instead relies on atmospheric pressure, gravity, and the vacuum created within the cylinder, after the fuel has been consumed, to turn a rack and pinion drive via a piston moving in a vertical cylinder. A one way clutch turns the flywheel, producing 1/2 of a horsepower. There are no spark plugs, no gas tank, and no muffler. It utilizes an open flame ignition that visitors can observe at the base of the engine. A modern approximation of illuminating (town) gas, not gasoline, is held in a gas bladder before being piped to the engine. The noisy and soon inefficient design was superceded by the Otto Silent Gas Engine. The successor design, utilizing the same four cycle principle of modern internal combustion engines, is exemplified within the Centennial Gallery at NMIH by the display of the oldest surviving American built four cycle engine, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. The visiting replica engine was built by Bill Hazzard of King of Prussia, PA. It is normally only seen by the public at shows held a few times a year at the Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association in Kinzers, PA.

A Midsummer Night's Dream @ NMIH
2023-06-04 13:00 - 14:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
“Play On!” Community Tour
PA Shakespeare Festival launches its inaugural “Play On!” community touring program with Shakespeare’s classic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream performing in libraries, parks, and community centers throughout the region. These FREE performances will be an opportunity for everyone to enjoy Shakespeare’s hilarious mash-up of mistaken lovers, mischievous fairies, and amateur thespians. A dream come true for all ages.
These performances are a gift to the community and free for you to enjoy this summer at a variety of partner sites in the Lehigh Valley. Join us at the National Museum of Industrial History on June 4th at 1pm. For a full list of performance dates and partner sites, click here.

Metal Melting for Kids
2023-05-21 12:00 - 15:00, 2023-05-07 12:00 - 15:00, 2023-04-16 12:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
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.
Metal Melting for Kids is part of our Free Family Sundays initiative. Each Sunday, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Metal Melting for Kids occurs on the First and Third Sundays of the months of February through April from 12-3pm.

S.T.E.A.M. Adventures
2023-05-21 11:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for a drop-in style family program to engage in S.T.E.A.M. concepts like building, engineering, and strategic thinking. As part of our Free Family Sundays program, all youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
The theme for May 21st is Skyscrapers: Build a Marshmallow Tower.

The History that Speaks for Itself: Textile Industry and Needle Trades in the Lehigh Valley
2023-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
In the mid-twentieth century, the Lehigh Valley had a thriving needle trade and textile industry. The business owners were the largest employer of women in the area and many were pillars of the local Jewish community. The stories of the owners, their families, and their businesses have not been told.
From 2011-2018, Gail Eisenberg and Susan Clemens conducted interviews with about 40 people from 30 families. The team spoke to the owners, the wives, and children who took over the businesses. Join us to hear the stories of this once thriving industry and the people behind it.
This event is included with admission (and FREE to NMIH members). No pre-registration required.

Bethlehem Steel and the Lincoln Tunnel: The Bethlehem Plant Iron Foundry and Its Role in Tunnel History
2023-04-27 18:00 - 19:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Presenter: Trevor Shellhammer, Shellhammer Consulting
The first engineered tunnel to be dug under navigable water is thought to be crossing the river Thames in London, 1843. This presentation by former Bethlehem Steel research supervisor Trevor Shellhammer will give an overview of early underwater tunnel construction in America in the late 19th century, and Bethlehem Steel’s interest in the subject. The history of the Iron Foundry building in the Bethlehem Plant will be reviewed along with historical photographs. The foundry building was one of the first in the early iron works in Bethlehem, PA, and is still standing, adjacent to the National Museum of Industrial History. Details of the production of the steel and iron castings by the plant’s Manufacturing Division for the 3rd tube of the Lincoln Tunnel in the 1950’s will be presented. This will include specific information on sand molding procedures and metal specifications, as well as finishing processes, including machining, for the over 28,000 cast segments and keys required for the Lincoln’s 3rd tube. The Lincoln tunnel, with original superstructure, is still being used by over 50,000 vehicles every day. An actual tunnel segment is planned for display at the museum as an example of the tunnel segment castings.
FREE FOR NMIH MEMBERS
$5 FOR NON-MEMBERS
REGISTER FOR TICKETS HERE.

SouthSide Community Day
2023-04-22 10:00 - 17:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
NMIH is privileged to reside in the vibrant South Side of Bethlehem. Join us as we show our appreciation during South Side Community Day. Enjoy free admission and family friendly activities throughout the day!

Generously sponsored by:

S.T.E.A.M. Adventures - Weaving & The Silk Industry
2023-04-16 11:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for a drop-in style family program to engage in S.T.E.A.M. concepts like building, engineering, and strategic thinking. As part of our Free Family Sundays program, all youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
On April 16th, our theme will be Weaving & the Silk Industry.

Youth & Family Guided Tour
2023-04-14 13:00 - 14:30 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States

S.T.E.A.M. Into Spring Break: Youth Metal Melting & Shaping Workshop
2023-04-08 11:00 - 14:30 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States

Youth Steam Engine Workshop & Demonstration
2023-04-07 10:00 - 12:30 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States

S.T.E.A.M. Into Spring Break Series: Youth & Family Guided Tour
2023-04-06 10:00 - 11:30 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States

Metal Melting for Kids
2023-04-02 12:00 - 15:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
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.
Metal Melting for Kids is part of our Free Family Sundays initiative. Each Sunday, youth 12 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult.
Metal Melting for Kids occurs on the First and Third Sundays of the months of February through April from 12-3pm.
Upcoming Dates
4/2
4/16

Bethlehem Steel Locomotive Engineer Experience
2023-04-02 11:00 - 16:00 | National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015, United States
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 trains of 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 build 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 four steps to enter and exit the locomotive. NMIH’s Bethlehem Steel locomotive experience is separate from regular museum admission.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED HERE.
