Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations

Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations Overview

Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations unveils the city’s long hospitality legacy. Starting with the First House in Bethlehem, guests will explore iconic establishments like the Crown Inn, Sun Inn, and Golden Eagle Hotel, and learn about some of Bethlehem’s most famous visitors!

This show is made possible, in part, through generous support from our Presenting Sponsor Historic Hotel Bethlehem.

This show runs from June 1, 2024 through January 26, 2025.

Checking In Combo Ticket

For the best way to experience Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations, purchase a Checking In Combo Ticket!

This ticket will include admission to the Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations exhibitions at both the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (66 W Church Street) and the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts (427 N New Street), as well as a self-guided tour and a Christmas City Spirits tasting experience, including a complimentary tasting glass, at the Sun Inn (564 Main Street).

Note: The hours of operation differ from museum hours. Please check here for the Sun Inn Hours.

Journey Through Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations

Starting June 1, be among the first to see this amazing new exhibition!

Moravian Museum of Bethlehem

Guests will “check-in” at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (66 W Church Street) where they’ll find themselves transported back nearly three-hundred years to the fictional Moravian Inn.

Moving to the guestrooms, guests will learn about the different types of visitors to Bethlehem, and how they were welcomed based on their religious background. Guests will be amazed to learn they are walking in the footsteps of many famous visitors to Bethlehem when they view our wall of fame.

Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts

The journey continues at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts (427 N New Street) where guests will find themselves transported to Bethlehem circa 1870 when the Eagle Hotel was in its prime. Here, guests will learn about the ways hotels created a sense of grandeur and explore late-nineteenth-century style, accessories, and culture. Guests will also learn about the rise of the Bethlehem bed and breakfast, and at-home hospitality.

In the very next room, guests will be astounded to learn that in Prohibition era, poker games and gangsters were a common sight in many a Bethlehem hotel room. Finally, guests will visit The Blind Tiger – the Kemerer’s very own speakeasy! Be sure to remember the secret password “Annie”, but make sure you don’t draw any attention to yourself – we don’t want any visits from the coppers!

The Sun Inn

Visit the Sun Inn (564 Main Street) next and enjoy a self-guided tour of the museum! For guests 21 and older, purchase a Checking In Combo Ticket which will include a Christmas City Spirits tasting experience and a complimentary tasting glass with a recipe.

Visitors will get to see the Sun Inn which opened in 1760, and explore various colonial rooms, such as the Gaststube or “Guest Parlor” and the Innkeepers Room. Learn about how it served as a gathering place for leading patriots, statesmen, and military leaders. The Sun Inn played a crucial role in the shaping of both Bethlehem and the United States. The fact that it welcomed such esteemed guests, such as George Washington, John Adams, and the Marquis de Lafayette, highlights its significance in American history.

Note: Admission can also be purchased to each site individually. The hours of operation differ from museum hours. Please check here for the Sun Inn Hours.

Note: Custom Tours outside of museum open hours incur additional fees. If you are interested in a Custom Tour, book yours today!