Second Saturday to bring Underground Railroad to life

Join us at Second Saturday Aug. 9 for Living the Experience, an immersive Underground Railroad reenactment that brings Lancaster’s hidden history to life through interactive storytelling and first-person interpretation. This acclaimed program, housed at Lancaster’s historic Bethel AME Church, has captivated audiences from around the world with its powerful portrayal of the people and events that made Lancaster a crucial stop on the Underground Railroad.

Learn more

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Cabinet of Curiosities, Ep. 7: Bird of Paradise Hat

June 18, 2024
2024 06 CoC Social Bird Of Paradise

Hats with a feather need special care

Fashion, globetrotting explorers and a bird that couldn’t catch a break. Hear from Emily Immel of our Collections Department as she dives into the interesting story of our Bird of Paradise Hat, in this month’s Cabinet of Curiosities video. Why did hats with feathers become a sign of status? Why are these hats a thing of the past? How do we take care of it?

Watch all the episodes on our YouTube channel:

Episode 7: Bird of Paradise Hat

Episode 6: Santons

Episode 5: Scott Tissue Dress

Episode 4: Boiler Bolt and Lantern Ring

Episode 3: Plaster Fruits and Vegetables

Episode 2: Ebony and Ivory Elephants

Episode 1: The Colobus Monkey Fur Cape

About the Series

With close to 90,000 artifacts in our collection, the York County History Center has many items that are seldom or never on public display. In this video series, Cabinets of Curiosities, we introduce you to some of the oddities in our vast collection.

Watch the video here.

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