National Museum of Industrial History

08/30/2026

Discover the fascinating world of yeast at our upcoming lecture with Dr. Gregory Lang! 🍺

✨ Join us on September 12 at 1:00pm, as Dr. Lang reveals how yeast shapes the flavors of beer and drives scientific breakthroughs.

Whether you’re a beer lover or curious about science, this lecture is for you! Lecture is included with admission to the museum.

nmih.org/event/the-awesome-power-of-yeast-lecture-by-gregory-lang/

08/28/2026

Answering some of your questions regarding scratch blocks...

📍 602 E 2nd St, Bethlehem, PA
💲 30/scratch block
🔥 Return design for iron pour by 10/9 at 5pm
📏 Scratch blocks are roughly 5in x 5in
📅 Steel Weekend - October 10 & 11

👇 Get your Scratch Block today and start carving!

https://national-museum-of-industrial-history.myshopify.com

08/25/2026

✏️ Industrial history, through a different lens. ⚙️

On August 22, artists and history enthusiasts joined industrial artist and licensed steam engineer Alex Karnes for our first-ever Sketch & Steam session at NMIH. Participants put pencil to paper while learning how to understand the massive engines, pumps, and machine tools throughout the museum, from their proportions and moving parts to how workers interacted with them.

It was an opportunity to slow down, look closer, and experience industrial machinery as both engineering and art. 🎨🏭

08/20/2026

A Look Inside the Next Level 👀⚙️

Our Next Level expansion is still in progress, but the second floor is already starting to take shape.

These photos offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work happening upstairs, along with artifacts that have already made their way into the space and are waiting to become part of future exhibitions.

There’s still plenty of work ahead, but it’s exciting to see the space coming together and imagine what will eventually fill it. 🏭✨

The next chapter of NMIH is taking shape, stay tuned for what’s to come!

Photography by Ally Kelly Photo

08/15/2026

Scratch Blocks are officially on sale! Create your own design, carve it into your block, and then bring it to Steel Weekend this October to watch molten metal transform your design into a one-of-a-kind casting. ⚙️

🧱 Purchase your Scratch Block online
✏️ Pick it up at NMIH and carve your design at home
🔥 Bring it to Steel Weekend
⚙️ Watch your design come to life in molten metal

Whether you make something artistic, meaningful, or completely wild, you’re the one designing it.

👇 Get your Scratch Block today and start carving!

https://national-museum-of-industrial-history.myshopify.com

08/12/2026

History looks better up close. ⚙️

There’s plenty to discover at the National Museum of Industrial History, from massive machinery to the artifacts and stories that bring American industry to life.

Take your time exploring the galleries, get up close to the machines, and see what catches your attention. Whether it’s your first visit or you haven’t been in a while, there’s always something new to discover. 🏭

Plan your visit and come explore NMIH! 👀✨

08/10/2026

Join industrial artist Alex Karnes in the first ever sketching session at NMIH on August 22 ⚙️

Alex will guide participants as they put pencil to paper, envisioning massive engines, pumps, and machine tools through their own style. Being a licensed steam engineer, Alex will also explain what is being sketched, the relationships between parts, their proportions, how people interacted and worked with the machines, and how to accurately imagine and blur motion to bring pieces to life.

📅August 22 at 5:00PM
✏️ No experience is necessary
📓BYO Sketchbook

08/08/2026

Our first ever Sketch & Steam brings industrial history and creativity together as guests sketch the massive machinery that powers NMIH!

Led by industrial artist Alex Karnes, participants will learn how to draw these incredible machines and learn how they work to bring them to life on paper!

08/07/2026

The “Made in Lehigh Valley” Time Capsule is now on display at the National Museum of Industrial History, showcasing products and experiences that help define the Lehigh Valley.

A partnership between the museum and LVEDC as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, the Time Capsule captures a snapshot of the region in 2026 and memorializes what the Lehigh Valley has long been known for: making products and making places.

The Time Capsule will remain on display until being sealed later this year. It will be opened in 2076, when the nation celebrates its 300th birthday.

The museum, now celebrating its 10th year, is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

08/05/2026