Know Before You Go

Visiting and Parking:

Arriving at Pennsbury Manor on Pennsbury Memorial Road, there are three paths. Take the middle path through metal gates. Click here for directions to Pennsbury Manor. 

The parking lot is accessible via a tree lined path that curves around the front of the Visitor Center. Parking is free for Pennsbury Manor visitors. Pennsbury Manor has 6 designated handicap parking spaces located in front of the Visitor Center. The first 2 spaces on each side have room for unloading a wheelchair.

The outdoor picnic pavilion next to the parking lot is accessible to wheelchair users from the parking lot. 2 handicap stalls are available within pavilion bathrooms.

Approximately 20 feet from the parking lot, there is a 20-foot ADA compliant ramp with a gentle incline located in front of the Visitor Center on the left side. A power door button on the right side opens the right door to the Visitor Center.

Visitor Center:

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will assist you with what you need to know before touring the site.

Cost

There is a fee to visit the Museum; however, we do participate in several discounts and programs, such free admission for Active Duty military, free one-day passes at participating libraries, and the Museums for All program. We offer a $2 ticket for up to 4 people for families participating in SNAP/EBT & WIC. We accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cash as payment. Click here for information about tour times and prices.

Restrooms and water fountains

Men’s and Women’s restrooms with 1 handicap stall in each and accessible water fountains are located to the left and right of the front desk. Once you exit the Visitor Center, there are no bathrooms or water fountains on the site. Lockers are not available, so we urge guests to leave their personal belongings in their vehicle or to keep such items with them while on site.

Food

We do not have food service available in our museum, but we sell snacks in the gift shop. You are welcome to bring food and enjoy outside of historical areas. You must take trash with you back to the trash cans located in the Visitor Center.

Wheelchairs

We have 2 wheelchairs which can be borrowed free of charge. If you will need a staff person to help push the wheelchair, please let us know as soon in advance as possible.

Exhibit and video

A self-guided exhibit, William Penn: Seed of a Nation , is located inside the Visitor Center. This exhibit is included with the purchase of a Grounds Pass or regular Tour Admission and takes approximately 25-30 minutes to complete. This exhibit is wheelchair accessible. There are two benches located within the exhibit.

Before the start of a guided tour or school program, we will play a 15-minute introductory video inside the auditorium. The auditorium does not have any steps to get in or out. This video may be loud for those with auditory sensitivity. The video has English subtitles. In addition, the auditorium is dark while the video is playing. Those with difficulties seeing in the dark should ask a staff member to adjust the brightness of the lights.

Sensory room

For children with sensory differences, you may borrow noise cancelling headphones at the front desk. Staff can set up a sensory room with relaxing activities.

Animals

The only animals permitted on site are service animals. This includes those service animals in training, in accordance to federal and state policies. Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted at the site out of safety for our farm animals.

Gift shop

The gift shop is handicap accessible. It is open Wednesday – Sunday during museum hours. We accept all major credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and cash. We do not offer cash back.

Guided Tour of Historical Buildings

A guided tour takes an hour to an hour and a half from start to finish. Purchasing guided tour admission is the only way to enter the historic structures. If you would like to peruse the grounds at your own pace, consider purchasing a grounds pass. Currently, all tours are in English.

Boathouse

The first stop on the tour, located approximately 30 feet from the Visitor Center, is the Boathouse.  A paved wheelchair accessible path leads in and out of the Boathouse. There are benches located inside the Boathouse.

Main path

The guide will then lead you down the main dirt path from the Visitor Center to the historic buildings. The total distance of this path is approximately the equivalent of 2 city blocks. 4 benches are located along the right and left side of the path. The tour guide will accommodate you if you need to take a break. In addition, there are 2 painted musical benches on which you may sit as part of an art exhibition, nkwiluntàmën.

Manor House

The front entrance to the Manor House is located on the riverside through the “upper court.” The upper court has ample seating. To enter the front porch, there are 3 steps up and a step into the door. There are benches inside the Manor House.

The entrance for wheelchairs and walkers with seats is located between the Best Kitchen and the Great Hall of the Manor House. Your guide is trained to operate the lift, or you may choose to operate from the wheelchair ramp. Wheelchairs must have wheels that lock and a stable seat to safely use the wheelchair lift. Once inside, the 1st floor is wheelchair accessible.

The staircase to the 2nd floor of the Manor House is 25 steps. There is no elevator to the 2nd floor. We will provide a book with pictures of the rooms if you cannot get upstairs. There are benches on the 2nd floor.

To exit the Manor House, the guide will lead you down 3 steps into the medicine room or, if using a wheelchair, you will exit using the ramp that you used to enter.

Kitchen House

The Kitchen House is accessible via an ADA compliant door. The brick path leading to kitchen house is made of brick and may be uneven. The ground is flat inside; however, some wheelchairs may have difficulty getting through.

Educational Programs

Teachers and parents of students with special needs should be aware that, in addition to the locations listed above, the following locations are often used during field trips.

Kitchen Garden

From the Kitchen House, you can access the Kitchen Garden down 3 steps from the brick path. A ramp to the kitchen house is located on the side opposite the stairs. There is an active bee colony that we keep on the path to the garden.

Bee hive

We keep an active bee hive to assist with the pollination of our garden. You will see a fence with signage warning you about the bee hive. If you are concerned about the presence of bees, avoid the brick path to the left as you exit the Visitor Center that runs parallel to the main dirt path.

Joyner shop

The side door can open with a ramp up; however, this path requires traversing over grass to get to ramp. The ramp may be too narrow for wheelchairs.

Stable and Activity room

The stable is not accessible by wheelchair. There is a ramp leading into the barn, but there is a step down into the barnyard.

The activity room for quill pen writing is located inside the barn. The entrance inside the barn is too narrow for most wheelchairs. An alternative entrance has a wider doorway, but it requires traversing around 10 yards of uneven grass.

Blacksmith shop

The blacksmith shop is located in the barnyard, so it is not accessible by wheelchair. The entrance is flat.

River lawn

The river lawn is not accessible by wheelchair. To get to the river lawn, you may travel down a gently sloping grass hill or you may take the stairs down from the front court of the Manor House. The river lawn is about 4 city blocks away from the Visitor Center.

Nature trail

The nature trail is not accessible by wheelchair. You can only get to the nature trail via the river lawn or lower court.

Open on Special Days Only

Crozier House

This building is accessible via a narrow wheelchair ramp located behind the house.

Ice house

The ice house is not accessible by wheelchair. The interior of the ice house may be viewed either by going up two steps or up a grassy hill on the side.

Workers cottage

The workers cottage is accessible to most wheelchairs via the main path. The entrance may be too narrow for some wheelchairs.

Smokehouse

The smokehouse is viewable to those with wheelchairs via the main path. There is no public entrance to the smokehouse. The smokehouse does not store meat, so there is no odor.