What are the opening hours?

Monday 12pm - 4pm Tuesday 12pm - 4pm Wednesday 12pm - 4pm Thursday 12pm - 4pm

Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University

Name: Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University
Address: 501 N. Earl Street, Shippensburg, PA, 17257, US
Telephone: (717) 477-1239
Price range: $

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Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University

Fashion Archives and Museum (FA&M) of Shippensburg University is located in Davis House (building #4)

08/18/2026

Good news, everyone! The exhibit catalog for our current exhibition, "Happy Birthday! American Milestones from Lafayette to Today" is out now. 🥳

Experience the exhibit from the comfort of your own home! The catalog includes pictures of all of the items on display and their accompanying labels. There's also new content for those of you who have already been out to see the exhibit! The catalog also includes essays on American history, the evolution of style, and how the celebrations of our country's anniversary have evolved through the years.

You can pick up a copy in our gift shop for $24.95 plus PA sales tax, or you can order online by giving us a call at (717) 477-1239. Please note that for online orders, there is an additional charge of $5 for shipping within the US (International shipping inquiries will be handled on a case-by-case basis). Pennsylvania residents will also have to pay PA sales tax on in-state orders.

08/13/2026

Take a look at this beautiful sea foam green cape from the early 1900s that came in recently! Despite its ornate draping, it’s actually all one big rectangle that’s been sewn closed in the back to emulate the style of the Northwest African burnouse. This piece didn’t come from quite that far, though—the previous owners were from Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Would you wear something like this for a night out on the town? Let us know in the comments!

08/05/2026

Some Accessions just speak for themselves, like this one that came in Monday...Enjoy :-)

08/03/2026

This dress came into our collection and needed a little stabilization and conservation. Dated to the late 1840s, this dress was updated in the 1850s. The arrival of the cage crinoline into women’s fashions necessitated alterations to the skirt, which was lengthened by adding plain cotton to the turn-down at the waist. The dress’s original late 1840s iteration is visible through the two lengthy single darts on the front pieces. The shot silk floral fabric was very popular as of approximately the mid-decade. The lining was also recycled and previously belonged to a back fastening gown. When this dress came to us, we found the underarm areas needed to be stabilized due to unsurprising sweat damage. The center front placket also needed to be stabilized on both the hook and the eye sides, and areas of wear required backing. For that, we used scraps of fabric from the areas of the turn-down that survived the skirt alteration. This beautiful dress was donated to the museum by Mrs. Kearns. She provided history of the item dating back to 1856-1934. She told us that this dress belonged to Sara Louisa G. Murphy who was married to James Thomas Murphy in 1856 and lived with 4 children in Delta, York, PA. The family oral history does raise some questions: is this indeed the wedding dress from 1856, or did items get confused along the way? This is very common when garments are passed down from one generation to the next.

07/17/2026

Here comes the bride! 🔔💒

On May 31, 1888, Salome Heisey married Simon Engle in this beautiful wedding dress. It has gorgeous mother of pearl buttons and is covered in embroidered lace. This dress also features a bustle! It is a classic example of the final years in which the bustle was still fashionable. Hers is also a restrained example--she converted to Brethrenism the day after the wedding. Pleated ribbons make up the collar and wrist decorations, and a long ribbon bow completes the back of the skirt. We even have a picture of the bride and her groom included at the end of this post!

In honor of World Emoji Day, reply down below with the emojis you think of when you see this! 👰🤵💕

07/14/2026

Happy National Pandemonium Day!

In celebration of the chaos of life, we wanted to show off one of our pieces here at the Fashion Archives. This "crazy quilt" style coat was made and worn by Jean C. Row in the 1960s. At that time, hippies and other counterculture movements had started experimenting with traditional crafts and needle arts in response to mainstream fashion. There's no better piece to showcase the beauty of controlled chaos!

This piece was previously featured in our 2024 exhibit "Instrumental Fashions: Attire and Song." While the exhibit is no longer up, we do have a printed catalog book available here in person... and they're free! We're open from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday and Saturday.

07/13/2026

Shippensburg Fashion Archives & Museums' own Dr. Karin Bohleke has an article posted in PieceWork Magazine for their Fall 2026 issue!! We have provided a sample of the article here, but if you would like to read the full article, you can visit https://pieceworkmagazine.com/ and subscribe to the magazine. Also, if you would like to come by and visit our America 250th Celebration exhibit, we are here Monday - Thursday from Noon to 4pm. Can't make it on a weekday? That's okay, we are open on Saturdays from noon to 4pm as well. We hope to see you soon.

07/11/2026

If you are in Hagerstown Maryland, stop by and see some of our collection on display at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Alphonso Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau exhibit.
Also remember that we are here at the Fashion Archives and Museum Noon to Four with our America 250 exhibit on display, so you can stop by and see us as well.

07/02/2026

***REMINDER**** We will be closed Saturday July 4th 2026 for the holiday. We will reopen Monday at 12:00. Stay safe and enjoy the weekend.

06/29/2026

This is a reminder post that the Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University will be CLOSED on Saturday in recognition of the 4th of July. We hope that everyone has a safe and memorable 4th and celebrates the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence.
But we did not want to leave you without something to enjoy here at the museum. This dress is an 1888 dress labeled by the donor as "Mother Engle's going-away dress". In 1888, before honeymoons became the norm, many brides packed a practical yet fashionable going-away dress to wear as they departed the wedding.
This elegant example reflects the refined style of the late Victorian era. Made in a rich chocolate-brown silk-satin fabric, the dress features a high-standing collar, dramatic puffed sleeves, fine knife pleats down the bodice, a decorative corded trim that accentuates the corseted silhouette, and a graceful floor-length skirt, which was designed for both elegance and travel.
Unlike the wedding gown, a going-away dress was intended to be worn again, making it both a symbol of a new beginning and a practical investment. Darker colors, such as Brown, Navy, and Plum, were especially popular because they hid the dust and soot of late nineteenth-century train travel.
Remember, we are here Monday through Thursday this week from 12-4, so stop by and see our 250th Celebration Exhibit on display now!

Address

501 N. Earl Street
Shippensburg, PA
17257

Opening Hours

Monday	12pm - 4pm
Tuesday	12pm - 4pm
Wednesday	12pm - 4pm
Thursday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

(717) 477-1239

Website

http://www.fashionarchives.org/

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