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Free Sundays at the Museum

Looking for a place to spend a Sunday afternoon that both the kids and the adults will enjoy? Have trouble convincing your kids to join you in a museum visit?

We are proud to open the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts for free! Enjoy a range of exciting activities like Career Corner, the Family Room, and Museum Storytime, which are kid-friendly, but also intriguing for adults alike. Take a tour of our permeant museum collection filled with local history and decorative arts from the past, or check out our seasonal changing exhibit on special topics!

Free Sundays at the Museum take place at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, 427 North New Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018 and run from 1PM-4PM every Sunday, January 13 through the end of October.

Free Sundays at the Museum programs are funded with support from the Jones Children Fund.

Free Sunday Family Programs

1-4PM: Family Room Activities

Get crafty in the Family Room with fun rotating activities relating to our current exhibit. Kids can learn about history though these hands-on crafts and activities themed after artifacts in the exhibit. Many of our activities draw inspiration from those that were practiced by Moravian children in the colonial days - some of which are still practiced today!

1-4PM: Guided Museum Tour & Scavenger Hunt

Leaves on the hour from the Museum Shop

Our tour guide will lead you through the various restored rooms and galleries of the museum, giving you stories of the past surrounding each artifact.

Learn about the museum founder, Annie Kemerer, and her personal collection that started it all.

Kid-friendly artifact scavenger hunts are available for use during tours!

1:30PM: Museum Storytime

The Museum Storytime program allows kids to spend time in the museum learning about history in a unique and engaging way. Kids can come listen to a story that is inspired by an artifact in the collection. Each week features a different story and artifact!

Once Upon a Treehouse Interactive Playroom

Children will love this kids-only special interactive room where they can be hands-on, play dress up, use their imagination, and interact with beautiful handmade dollhouses themed after Kemerer’s very own historic dollhouse collection!

1-4PM: Self-guided Exploration of Seasonal Exhibition (first floor of museum)

PURSEonality: A Stylish Handbag History opens October 11

See over 300 handbags from the private collection of Ilene Hochberg Wood!

The purses on display are only a small fraction of Ms. Wood's world-class collection, believed to be the largest in the United States

Career Corner

Taking place throughout the year, this program brings professionals into the museum to present a children’s activity that demonstrates how they use design in their current job.

October 13 Costume Designer

Join Pennsylvania Youth Ballet costume mistress Kristy Dundon as she talks about her work as a costume designer and how she makes costumes for productions like The Nutcracker!

Free Sundays Activities Schedule

Sunday, October 6

1 - 4PM: Kid's Crafts

Make yourself a cozy fleece scarf to keep warm this winter, or try your hand at knitting!

1:30PM: Story Time in the Morning Call Reading Room

Join us in the Morning Call Reading Room to listen to "Knit Your Bit" by Deborah Hopkinson

Mikey's dad has gone to fight in Europe, and Mikey wants to do something big to help. Knitting socks is definitely not something big - and besides, knitting is for girls. Mikey's attitude changes when the Purl Girls challenge him and his friends to a competition at the Central Park knitting bee. Steven Guarnaccia's illustrations show that even something small can make a big difference.

2:30PM: Artifact Show & Tell

Learn about knit sweaters in the Kemerer Museum's collection

Sunday, October 13

1 - 4PM: Kid's Crafts

Put on a puppet show with your own handmade puppets!

1:30PM: Story Time in the Morning Call Reading Room

Join us in the Morning Call Reading Room to listen to "Corduroy Takes a Bow" by Viola Davis

Corduroy can't help but explore when Lisa takes him to the theatre for the first time. He sees the dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and even backstage. It's so exciting! But is there a place for Corduroy onstage? Jody Wheeler's illustrations perfectly portray the modern classic.

2:30PM: Artifact Show & Tell

Who doesn't like to play with puppets? View puppets owned by kids just like you, from the collection of the Kemerer Museum

Sunday, October 20

1 - 4PM: Kid's Crafts

Make your dolls a new place to live with your very own shoebox dollhouse

1:30PM: Story Time in the Morning Call Reading Room

Join us in the Morning Call Reading Room to listen to "Fancy Nancy: Fanciest Doll in the Universe" by Jane O'Connor

Nancy's little sister Jojo can misbehave a lot, like when she hid from Grandma in the children's coats department or dunked Frenchy the dog in a kiddie pool full of Easter egg dye. But she's really done it now - Jojo drew on Nancy's beloved doll Marabelle with permanent marker! To make Nancy feel better, Mom suggests a fancy doll party.

2:30PM: Artifact Show & Tell

Learn more about the dollhouses in the Elizabeth Johnston Prime collection

Thank you to our Free Sundays Sponsors

HBMS Free Sundays Sponsor The Morning Call

HBMS Free Sunday Sponsor Altitude Marketing

In the News

Learn more about Free Sundays at the Museum in the news.

"Family fun that’s free — if that sounds good to you, you’ll want to head to Bethlehem’s Kemerer Museum of the Decorative Arts on Sunday afternoons...You’ll find a range of programs and activities that caters to many ages and promotes creativity and exploration." - Article by The Morning Call

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Kemerer Museum Site Rentals

For a special occasion amidst priceless works that celebrate the decorative arts, the Kemerer is a one-of-a-kind destination sure to fascinate your discerning guests!

Able to accommodate up to 100 people, the Kemerer Museum provides a unique venue for your special event. This location is perfect for cocktail parties, family reunions, corporate dinners, birthday parties, baby showers, and so much more.

Read More About Site Rentals for: The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts

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Historic Bethlehem Partnership, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Registration and financial information about Historic Bethlehem Partnership, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999, or on the web at www.dos.state.pa.us. Registration does not imply endorsement.