Elfreth's Alley Museum

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Elfreth's Alley Museum

A National Historic Landmark since 1960; home since 1713.
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The Museum of Elfreth’s Alley is a National Historic Landmark that celebrates three centuries of everyday Americans. You've heard the American story through its founders and rulers, come hear it through the lives and experiences of its citizens!

11/06/2023

Wow. Just wow. Starting our week over here at the Alley with immense gratitude 💛 Thank you to the over 2,200+ (a record breaking day for us!) visitors who joined us for our third annual fall Makers Market fundraiser on Saturday.

We are so grateful that this idea, wrapped in the artisan legacy of 300+ years at the Alley, has become a signature event in not only our neighborhood, but our city!

Between vendor fees, gift shop sales, and donations we brought in nearly $3,500 on Saturday, all going directly to our Museum Houses, our preservation efforts, and education outreach. That’s a big deal for our small street.

We’ll see you back on the Alley next May for our spring market. Next up, Deck the Alley! Tis the season ✨

With gratitude,

The Elfreth’s Alley Board of Directors

11/05/2023

Hey there Sunday visitors to Elfreth’s Alley - did anyone leave some glasses on the bench near the museum? We’re keeping them safe- let us know if they are yours.

11/04/2023

Rise & shine! It’s Makers Market time 🎉🎉

We’ll see you today from 11-4! The Museum House and gift shop are open as well. Stock up, give back and support our mission of preserving and protecting this special street and the many stories it shares.

Pictured

Additional vendors today include
Ribbons & Rye

11/03/2023

Tomorrow’s the day!

Meet more of our makers popping up along the Alley from 11-4 🎉

(pictured!)

& more!

11/02/2023

Mornin’! ☀️🍂

Introducing more of our talented makers joining us at the Alley this Saturday:

(pictured!)

& more! 🎉🎉

11/01/2023

ROLL CALL! 🎉🎉

Introducing some of our awesome artisans popping up at the Alley this Saturday!

philadelphia

& many more to be announced!

(Pictured from our spring ‘23 Makers Market)

10/31/2023

No tricks, just treats on the Alley this week! 🎃🎃

PS. Our Makers Market on Saturday is pet friendly 🐶🐶

10/30/2023

It’s market season, Alley friends! This Saturday we’ll gather some of the Philly regions best artisans and vintage slingers for a day of shopping local in support of city history. We hope to see you! The event runs from 11-4, and the weather, dare we say, looks perfect for an afternoon of crunchy leaves on our old cobblestone streets 🍂🍂✨

10/28/2023

Come and join us on the Alley for this beautiful fall weekend. Museum is open from Noon to 4pm both Saturday and Sunday and Fri-Sun through Nov 12th. Can you find the Ben pumpkin on the alley? Post and tag us at when you do!

10/11/2023

Mark your calendars! 📣📣

10/06/2023

Join us tonight on the Alley from 5-8pm for FREE First Friday! We’ll be talking about historical astronomy and astrophotography. The museum and gift shop will be open for free and we’ll have snacks 😋.

10/06/2023

Absolutely perfect weather for an Old City stroll today😌 Come visit us!

🔭We're hosting an astronomical First Friday tonight, 5pm to 8pm. Come enjoy our beautiful back garden with some wine, and learn about Philadelphia's rich history with astronomy. One of our Board Members will be doing Night Sky Photography and sharing observing tips. 🌌🌃

10/01/2023

We're loving this autumn weather, how about you? Our Museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November 12th, 12pm - 4pm.

And we have a very special First Friday coming up this week, October 6th. Come by between 5pm - 8:00pm to see the Alley after hours!

09/24/2023

One more week for any interested Makers Market vendors to fill out our google form! Each of our Markets has had over 2,000 visitors and fills our street with joy and commerce.

As we notice the fall chill it gets us so excited to think about our upcoming events🍂✨ Museum season is slowing down soon, but we're just getting started!

09/22/2023

Thank you for considering us part of a "Perfect Weekend in Philadelphia" ☺️ Our museum is open 12-4 this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, if you haven't yet perfected your weekend!

We've happily been home to Philadelphians since the early 1700s. Come for a stroll and visit our museum houses, where we take the opportunity to share stories of people who lived in these buildings. 🏘️

09/17/2023

Makers Market, Fall edition! Coming up in less than two months at Elfreth's Alley. What are you most excited to see?

If you want to vend on the Alley on Nov 4th, please remember to fill out the google form below BEFORE SEPT 30th❕❕ We'll reach out to our selected vendors immediately after the deadline. https://forms.gle/nGmwxnwqB4PEkt5J6

This pic from one of our first Markets features a fan favorite Madeline's flower truck 💐

09/15/2023

Beautiful capture of House 123 by 🏡 Did you know that many residents in this home were bakers by profession? There's a commercial-sized baking oven still in the basement, which is ~ 11' by 11' large!

Many houses on the Alley have little historical hints that we can look to to learn about the people who lived here. Physical evidence of workspaces (for baking, for wood turning, for tavern keeping, etc!) are exciting puzzle pieces that we combine with fire insurance records and anything else we can locate about who our past residents were.

09/02/2023

NEW & OLD MAKERS MARKET VENDORS:

Our application form for our Fall '23 event is OPEN! Find it, and more information, here: https://forms.gle/yyM2CiqdWBPPc7n1A .

We're so excited to bring this market back once again to celebrate the working class artisans and crafters that made Elfreth's Alley as we know it today.

NOVEMBER 4th! 11am to 4pm! At

09/01/2023

Hint for our First Friday tonight, 5-8:30... the Elfreth's Alley Gallery!! 🎨🖌️🖼️

Our fantastic staff member went through our archives and unearthed some beautiful work that we have acquired over time depicting our beautiful street. She researched the artists, the pieces, and if we had a relationship with them!

Come see this extremely rare opportunity to peek into our archives, TONIGHT!

08/11/2023

Our 2023 exhibit centers around this object, a bonnet block, which was found with "Elfreth's Alley" and "H. Baugh" stamped into the bottom of the wood.

Upon further research, we know it was crafted by wood turner Harman Baugh who moved to Elfreth's Alley in 1836 and lived here for nearly 40 years. He lived and operated his wood shop in homes 125 and 127.

"Milliners", hat and/or bonnet makers, would use these blocks to steam fabric into the shape of the wood. As fashions in hat wear changed trends, the blocks needed to change shape and accommodate new styles. This brought business to word turners and to Baugh.

Come learn more about one of the many, MANY crafters, artisans, and working people that have lived on Elfreth's Alley in our exhibit!

08/08/2023

Happy National Dog Month from Elfreth's Alley 🐾 so many pooches stroll down our street, and we love seeing all the pictures! Be sure to share pics with us this month (every month, really, but especially this one.)

Thanks for the candid, what a model!

08/06/2023

TODAY: Volunteers, come learn how to give a tour of Elfreth's Alley! At 1pm, our volunteers are invited to come take a guided tour and learn more about our working class histories to further their own knowledge and/or to begin the process of giving tours themselves.

Hopefully soon, we will begin offering weekly tours to visitors who want a more engaging experience. Stay tuned!

We will meet in the museum garden just before 1pm. See you there 🚶

08/04/2023

Something is a new color on the Alley... can you spot it? 🔍

One of the most common questions we get at the Museum is "what are the residents allowed to change about their houses?" and the simple answer is: everything but the facade! They can renovate the insides, change back/side walls and rooms, and install HVAC/plumbing as needed.

The facade, or front of the home, must maintain as-close-as-possible originality. There's not a paint color requirement, but most folks who own these historical sites tend to enjoy a muted historical jewel tone.

07/27/2023

Always a great time when Kyle pays us a visit, and of course too 😉

This upcoming Saturday at the Elfreth's Alley Museum, we'll be hosting a welcome meeting for folks interested in volunteering with us! Come by at 2pm to learn more and experience the museum while it's open. See you there! 🏘

07/21/2023

Capturing the timeless summer sunshine on the Alley 🌞 Come visit us this weekend, the museum is open from 12-4pm!

Thanks for the pic,

07/16/2023

Are you interested in helping to lead the Elfreth's Alley Association and Museum? We are looking for new board members to fill our open Board of Director seats and if you have a passion for history, we would love to meet you.

No need for a degree in history or experience on a board, we are looking for all types of people with skills such as finance, fundraising & development, property management, education, business, event planning, exhibit design, project management, preservation, and strategic vision development. Have another skill? Let us know!

If you would like to learn more about joining our board there will be a Board Member Meet & Greet on July 25th at 6:00 pm. Please fill out this form, https://forms.gle/1v1BzxCdzZ18dZP78 , or email [email protected] for more information/to RSVP.

07/10/2023

Our July newsletter is going out this week! We're breathing some new life into our letters this summer: neighborhood features, historical facts, first looks at events & association updates, and more. You can sign up to receive it in your inbox through our website. 📜

We love this glamour shot by - thank you for capturing our glow 💫

07/07/2023

First Friday is happening now at Elfreth’s Alley Museum! We’re open until 8:30pm and hosting an historic building scavenger hunt along with refreshments. Learn how to read the clues on historic buildings and see how historic maps and insurance policies can help tell a story-all while enjoying a beautiful summer night in .

07/06/2023

Calling all historic building detectives and super sleuths! This First Friday, the Elfreth’s Alley Museum will be hosting an historic building scavenger hunt in their 18th century buildings and 19th century garden to test your 21st century minds!

Learn how to read the clues on historic buildings and see how historic maps and insurance policies can help tell a story-all while enjoying a beautiful summer night in Old City.

This event is part of the Elfreth’s Alley Association 2023 First Friday Series and is free to attend. (But donations are always welcome! )

The event will run from 5:00 - 8:30 pm at the Elfreth’s Alley Museum, 124-126 Elfreth’s Alley. For those new to the street, please do not drive on the street or allow your Uber/ Lift/ taxi to drive up the alley. It’s best to have your ride drop you off at Front St and Elfreth’s Alley. Many nearby parking garages can be found by searching your favorite mapping program.

This free First Friday event is generously sponsored by !

07/04/2023

Here, have a archival picture from an Elfreth's alley Fete Day celebrating Philadelphia history sometime in the 1940s, as we celebrate Philadelphia history here in the 2020s!

Our association was formed in 1934 so we were still just getting started, and it's incredible to look back at folks celebrating on the Alley 80 years ago! 🎉🎇

07/02/2023

The Elfreth's Alley Museum houses are ✨OPEN✨ today 7/2, Monday 7/3, and Tuesday 7/4!

Thanks to Monday will be a Pay-What-You-Wish museum day. Come see our new bonnet exhibit, stroll down the alley, and enjoy all the Philadelphia festivities.

06/30/2023

MUSEUM CLOSED 6/30
The Elfreth's Alley Museum will not have open hours today due to the AQI Philadelphia public health warning that is in effect until midnight tonight.

Take care, everybody! Stay tuned to for updated information.

06/24/2023

The museum is open this weekend, come take a stroll down the oldest residential street in the country! The thunderstorms are right during our hours, which is the perfect excuse to come inside 😉

Repost from - we love this pic, thank you! 🏡

06/22/2023

The Elfreth's Alley Museum will be open a few extra days for the weekend!

Fri 6/30 - 12-4pm
Sat 7/1 - 12-4pm
Sun 7/2 - 12-4pm
Mon 7/3 - 12-4pm*
Tues 7/4 - 12-4pm

*Partnering with we will be offering a Pay-What-You-Wish entry offer to the museum on this date!

We're excited to participate with a community of organizations welcoming folks for the holiday week. ❤️🤍💙

06/18/2023

Vanity Tintype will be joining us during museum hours on June 30th and July 14th, 12-4pm! 📻

Perhaps you're just dreaming of getting your portrait done! You can reserve a spot through her page or it's first come first served. Her process is fascinating and beautiful to see.

We're so happy she joined us at Makers Market and Fete Day and are excited to welcome her back again.

06/15/2023

Pretty in...maroon! Before we repainted the bollards...which are also maroon. What can we say, it's a good look on us.
If you're feeling blue, come take a colorful stroll down Elfreth's Alley. 🏡

The three clearest houses in frame, 130, 132, and 134 were built in the mid 18th century. Between them they housed taverns, hatmakers, firemen, bakers, and many many families throughout their history.

Repost pic from - thank you!

06/12/2023

We're a 2023 Art & Culture Grantee!! 🌟Thank you so much to for all the work you do.

This grant, approved by the Mayor and City Council, allows us to accomplish so much as an independent non-profit organization. Our mission is to preserve and protect the Elfreth's Alley historic district while interpreting the contributions of everyday Philadelphians to our American story. This will help us do just that. ❤️

06/10/2023

Beautiful day here at Elfreth's Alley! 💐Come by to visit the Museum, we're open between 12pm-4pm.

12/23/2022

As we go into our museum-closed off-season, a big focus for us here at Elfreth's Alley is recording and organizing our archival library! The Elfreth's Alley Museum is a repository for thousands of pictures that capture this amazing street, but it's hard to keep up with storing all of them. Our collection includes over 2500 images and archival material relating to the 300 year history of Elfreth's Alley. We are in need of new boxes and protective sleeves to preserve our stories and enable us to share them with you for decades to come.
Help us raise $1,500 to cover the cost of these supplies before the end of 2022. Your donation will make a difference!

$125 = 25 oversized images or documents into archival sleeves and a protective archival box.
$75 = 150 pictures into archival sleeves and a protective archival box.
Smaller donations help too! Each box costs us about $25.

Can you help us buy a box? Donate at elfrethsalley.org/donate !

12/13/2022

Elf-reth's Alley Association is just peeking out to show off the adorable elves created for us by designwithsol.com! They hid all around the houses during Deck the Alley and also seem to be hiding in our Bonfire store on mugs, shirts, sweatshirts, and notebooks 👀. https://www.bonfire.com/store/elfreths-alley-association/

Thank you so much Holly!

Address

124-126 Elfreths Alley
Philadelphia, PA
19106

Website

http://www.elfrethsalley.org

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Videos

Sums up how we feel headed into the weekend! • Super excited to have stumbled across the @visitphilly new GIFs set on Elfreth's Alley. These are things that all history nerds appreciate! . . . . #elfrethsalley #history #historicpreservation #thisplacematters #savinghistory #oldcity #philly #philadelphia #historicphilly #instahistory #nationalhistorifclandmark #visitphilly #travel #historicphilly #lit #friday #weekend

Happy Monday! We found this gem and got excited because it reminded us of our First Friday Sips and Strolls themes that will be starting up soon. Check back for details! . . . . #elfrethsalley #history #historicpreservation #thisplacematters #savinghistory #oldcity #philly #philadelphia #historicphilly #instahistory #nationalhistorifclandmark #visitphilly #travel #beer #firstfriday #tourism #sipsandsrolls #ortliebs