Boyertown Museum Adds Displays in New Carriage Barn

BOYERTOWN PA – Now there’s even more to see at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles.

The museum’s Carriage Barn, a gallery that features unique, exciting and in some cases never-before-displayed examples of horse-drawn vehicles, officially opened Saturday (Dec. 16, 2023) at its 85 S. Walnut St. location.

The Carriage Barn addition in part represents the museum’s effort in recent years “to improve its facilities inside and out,” it said in a media release. As the museum’s newest upgrade, it intends “to both enhance the visitor experience, and better protect the cherished pieces of transportation history” on exhibit, it added.

The new display there includes:

• A durable Skeleton Break, used to break, train, and exercise carriage horses;
• A Hansom Cab, a closed carriage referred to as the most popular cab in London; and
• An extravagant Bavarian State Coach used to convey royalty or high officials during official business.
• Also displayed in the gallery is the museum’s Two Horse Hearse, which was moved from its main floor to the Carriage Barn where it occupies “a place of prominence.”

A ticketed visitor’s reception was held Saturday evening at the Carriage Barn. It offered guests full access to the museum’s historic collection, with docents on hand to answer questions about the vehicles and provide insight into the rare horse-drawn examples.

They also had an opportunity to watch live blacksmithing demonstrations in the original Jeremiah Swinehart Carriage Factory. It’s part of the galleries, and open to the public daily.

The museum is open 7 days a week

More than 90 locally manufactured cars, trucks, carriages, bicycles, and motorcycles are on display throughout the museum. So are two examples of roadside architecture: a 1921 cottage-style Sunoco gas station, and a 1938 Jerry O’Mahony diner.

The museum is open daily Mondays through Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, and $9 for seniors and AAA members. Those age 15 and younger are admitted free.

The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles is a non-profit organization founded in 1965 by Paul and Erminie Hafer. Its mission is to preserve and display examples of Pennsylvania’s road transportation history in former factory buildings of the Boyertown Auto Body Works. For more information, call the museum at 610-367-2090 or send an e-mail to mail@boyertownmuseum.org.

Photo from the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles