Mercer Museum Hopes New Wing Draws Visitors

Ninety-five years ago today, dedication ceremonies were held for a concrete castle on Pine Street in Doylestown, built by Henry C. Mercer for the then-substantial sum of $39,000 and donated to the Bucks County Historical Society as a museum.

"During the remaining hours of the afternoon, the members and others present toured the museum building and voiced their delight, amazement and praise as they saw the size and construction of the building, the completeness of the collection and its remarkably fine arrangement for exhibition," the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer reported on the June 17, 1916 event. The unique structure, which houses the "Tools of the Nation Maker" collection, later became known as the Mercer Museum.

On Saturday, the Bucks County Historical Society will dedicate a 13,000-square-foot addition to the Mercer Museum that society officials hope will generate "delight, amazement and praise" from a new generation of visitors. The day-long celebration begins with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m.

The $12.5 million wing, construction of which began in December 2009, is the biggest expansion in the museum's history. There have been other changes over the years, including the Spruance Library added in the 1930s, but nothing of this magnitude.

For the first time, the museum will have a spacious gallery that will allow it to display selected items from the collection now kept in storage, and to put on changing exhibits.

The 3,500-square-foot, climate-controlled gallery opens with "A World of Things: The Mercer Museum A-Z." Displays keyed to each letter of the alphabet show the range of the museum's collection of 50,000 objects, of which only a third are displayed in the castle.

For example, "D" stands for Dog, a bigger-than-life cast iron Newfoundland Retriever from the mid-1800s, representing Mercer's beloved pet, Rollo. "M" stands for Music, including Mercer's German-made "fiddle" and an African drum he collected in 1900. The items under "U", for Unusual, are a lock of George Washington's hair presented to a woman in 1869, and the gallows hood worn by a wife-murderer hung in 1914 in the Bucks County Jail (then across the street).

Children especially may enjoy "Shoes That Speak," a display of men's and women's shoes from the 1840s to the 1920s with audio devices that narrate their owner's story. In another section, youngsters may test their musical talent on instruments such as a xylophone and a dulcimer.

"The gallery offers a nice cross-section of our collection," said Gayle Shupack, marketing and public relations coordinator.

The addition also includes a 1,000-square-foot Learning Center for educational activities, a combination entrance hall and gift shop, handicapped-accessible bathrooms, a room for the museum's mechanical systems and a loading dock. The exterior concrete walls suggest, but don't blend with, the original museum. The parking lot, with a permeable paved surface, has spaces for about 70 cars.

"Mercer built the museum to tell his story," said Cory Amsler, the society's vice president for collections and interpretation. The new gallery allows "contemporary storytelling" without altering the traditional character of the main building, which is noted for its objects hanging from balconies above a central courtyard.

About $11.4 million of the $12.5 million cost has been raised so far. The state contributed $5 million, Bucks County $500,000, the Warwick Foundation $1 million and Doylestown residents Sydney and Sharon Martin $1 million, with smaller donations making up the balance. Former Congressman James Greenwood helped raise money as honorary chairman of the drive.

"This addition will allow us to make the collection come alive in new ways. This will give us a new line of programming," said Douglas Dolan, the historical society's executive director.

The society, whose $2 million annual operating budget also includes the Fonthill Museum, has had to tighten its belt because of the economy, but Dolan said the wing is a long-term investment expected to bring in more visitors, members and donations. The Mercer Museum now draws about 70,000 visitors, including school groups, a year.

Dolan said he hopes the Mercer Museum will emulate the success of the James A. Michener Art Museum, across Pine Street, in drawing repeat visitors with changing exhibits.

"People will have a reason--beyond Aunt Mary is in town--for wanting to visit the museum," he said, adding that Doylestown will become more of tourist attraction.

The addition has "green" features that should keep down operating costs, according to Dolan. These include a roof planted with vegetation, radiant heat concrete flooring slabs, water-saving bathroom fixtures and energy-efficient windows.

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Opening ceremonies for the new wing begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Mercer Museum, 84 S. Pine St., Doylestown. There will be performances, demonstrations and special activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum closes at 5 p.m.

The first 100 visitors on Saturday will get in free. Admission to the museum (both the new wing and main building) is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for children from 6 to 17 and free for children under 6 and historical society members.

More information is available on the Mercer Museum Web site, www.mercermuseum.org.