Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Unveils March 2024 Events

March 7th, 2024 | In The News

Events include “A Conversation with Shanita Hubbard,” a live art auction and seven historic tours.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (March 7, 2024) – Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) today announced its lineup of activities and events during March 2024, including “A Conversation with Shanita Hubbard,” “Got Art!,” and seven historic tours: Old Bethlehem Walking Tour; Church & Chapel Tour; Heart & Soul: Moravian Music Tour; Moravian Stories Tour; Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel; A Walking Tour of Bethlehem for People Who Like to Jump, Skip & Run (family-friendly) and A Tour of the Moravian Museum with Things for Young Hands to Do (family-friendly).

“Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is thrilled to present an array of enriching experiences that celebrate our vibrant heritage and foster meaningful connections within our community during March. From thought-provoking discussions with esteemed authors like Shanita Hubbard to the creative showcase of local talent in ‘Got Art!’ and the immersive exploration of Bethlehem’s history through our historic tours, our events embody our commitment to preserving, educating, and inspiring,” said President and CEO of HBMS LoriAnn Wukitsch.

“A Conversation with Shanita Hubbard,” taking place on Thursday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Luckenbach Mill, is a free event that features an open and honest dialogue between author Shanita Hubbard and Professor Andrew McIntosh. The conversation will explore themes in Hubbard’s published writings and recent book, “Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women.”

HBMS’s second event, “Got Art!,” features artwork donated by Lehigh Art Alliance members and other artists throughout the Lehigh Valley area. Each ticket holder will receive an original work of art during a live drawing on Friday, March 29, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Luckenbach Mill, with an art preview on Thursday, March 28, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The art pieces are valued at $300 or more and include paintings, drawings, collages, ceramics and sculptures. During the drawing, ticket holders will choose a piece of art when their name is randomly called.

HBMS is resuming seven historic tours: Old Bethlehem Walking Tour; Church & Chapel Tour; Heart & Soul: Moravian Music Tour; Moravian Stories Tour; Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel; What About the Kids: Walking Tour; and What About the Kids: Moravian Museum Tour.

A certified guide leads the Old Bethlehem Walking Tour in period dress and shares the 275-year history of Bethlehem’s unique beginnings since 1741. The Church & Chapel Tour takes visitors to Bethlehem’s oldest places of worship to explore the history of the buildings and the structure of the worship services still held here. The Heart & Soul: Moravian Music Tour explores

Bethlehem’s musical past, sharing the tradition of polyglot singing and presenting sounds of instruments rarely played today, including the serpentine and krumhorn, while guiding guests through the very places early Moravians sang and played instruments. The Moravian Stories Tour recounts the story behind Bethlehem’s founders, the Moravians. The tour delves into what made the Moravian community unique and how the historic buildings reflect the Moravian’s daily lives.

On the Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel Walking Tour, guests learn about Bethlehem Steel, which was once the second-largest steel producer in the country and helped build some of America’s most significant landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Chrysler Building. The 90-minute walking tour features up-close views of the former steel plant and an in-depth look at the steel-making process and the workers’ roles in our country’s history.

HBMS offers two family-friendly tours: What About the Kids: Walking Tour; and What About the Kids: Moravian Museum Tour. Both tours include activities for kids two years of age and up.

The following tours are regularly scheduled on weekends:

• Fridays
  • 1 m. – Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
  • 3 m. – Church & Chapel Tour
• Saturdays
  • 11 m. – What About the Kids: Moravian Museum Tour
  • 1 m. – Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
  • 3 m. – Heart & Soul: Moravian Music Tour
• Sundays
  • 1 m. – Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
  • 2 m. – What About the Kids: Walking Tour
  • 3 m. – Moravian Stories Tour

Interested visitors can book custom or group tours on dates not on the calendar through HBMS’s website at www.historicbethlehem.org/visit-us/group-tours.

ABOUT HISTORIC BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS & SITES

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is a not-for-profit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. Historic Bethlehem tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, America’s first municipal water pumping system, and one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. Historic Bethlehem is located in eastern Pennsylvania, only a 1-hour drive from Philadelphia to the North and 2 hours west of New York City. Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and part of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, which is a National Historic Landmark District and candidate for possible nomination to the World Heritage List. For more information, visit historicbethlehem.org

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