Mercer Museum
Located downtown, this eccentric museum opened in 1916. It displays a selection of the 50,000 pre-industrial, mostly American tools and objects collected by archaeologist and Arts and Crafts tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer, who worried that industrialization would wipe out evidence of the past. To house them, Mercer built a concrete, castle-like building similar to his nearby home, Fonthill Castle. The result is Instagrammable but tricky to navigate; use the museum's map. Boats, tables, chairs, and more hang from the six-story central court's ceiling; elsewhere, rooms are packed with objects organized by trade or purpose. A modern wing has a helpful introduction to Mercer and galleries for changing exhibits. The engaging The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution, about a local Loyalist family, will be on display throughout 2026.
