Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites

Mission Statement:

The mission of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is to bring history to life by educating the public about Bethlehem’s rich heritage, by preserving historic sites and by collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical and artistic objects that can be used to tell the stories of Bethlehem’s people.

Vision Statement:

Historic Bethlehem Partnership will establish itself as the premier historical organization in our region by presenting, powerfully and credibly, three centuries of Bethlehem’s unique history. Well maintained buildings and sites, collections that are accessible through exhibits and for research, and educational programs designed to engage diverse members of the community will engender a sense of place that connects one generation to another, showing the zeal and commitment of Bethlehem’s Moravian founders and the strength and foresight of our industrial community in forging our American nation.

Historic Bethlehem Partnership, Inc. T/A Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that formed in 1993 to consolidate the operations of several local museums and historic sites including Burnside Plantation, Inc., Historic Bethlehem Incorporated, Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Inc. and Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, Inc. We provide property management, financial management, fundraising, curatorial services, educational services, public relations/marketing, and oversight of daily operations to our affiliated member institutions.

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites maintains 20 historic buildings and sites in Bethlehem.

• The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem includes the 1741 Gemeinhaus, a National Historic Landmark, the 1752 Apothecary and herb garden, the 1744/1752 Single Sisters’ House, and the 1758/1765 Nain-Schober House.

• The Colonial Industrial Quarter, America’s earliest industrial park situated on a 10 acre site, includes the 1762 Waterworks, a National Historic Landmark, the 1761 Tannery, 1750 Smithy (reconstructed), 1780/1830 Miller’s House, 1869 Luckenbach Mill, 1750s Springhouse (reconstructed), and the archeological remains of the 1740s Pottery, 1770s Dye House, 1750s Butchery, and 1700s Oil Mill.

• 1810 Goundie House and Visitor Center which is housed in the 1830s Schropp Shop

• 1748/1848 Burnside Plantation, our 6.5 acre farm in the city, includes the 1748/1818 farmhouse, 1820s summer kitchen and corncrib, 1840s wagon shed and two 1840s bank barns, one with the only operating high horse-powered wheel in the U.S., a kitchen garden, an apple orchard, and two meadows.

HBMS has over 60,000 artifacts in its combined collections. In addition, the HBMS Library and Archives has 10,000 photographs, thousands of documents, letters, maps related to the history of our community. The library contains 2,000 volumes.

In 2003, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites became a founding member of the International Moravian Heritage Network, one of six key 18th century historic Moravian communities in the world.

We are part of an effort to bring World Heritage Site status to Historic Moravian Bethlehem. The site preserves and advances the ageless values of education, equality, industry, integrity and spirituality that have been part of the timeless community since 1741. Joining the World Heritage List will give Historic Moravian Bethlehem the same global status as the Great Wall of China, Pyramids at Giza, Acropolis in Athens and Sydney Opera House as well as Independence Hall, the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon here in the States.

Funding for Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.