The Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle present their 2020 Holiday programming schedule with community events that will take place throughout the holiday season at Fonthill Castle, 525 E. Court St., Doylestown, the home and showplace of Henry Chapman Mercer.
This year, there are three different ways to visit Fonthill Castle during the holiday season: Daily one-hour historic house tours with a guide; 30-minute “On Your Own Tours”; and 45-minute evening historic house tours with a guide.
Tickets to all three experiences are available now at mercermuseum.org. Book early to avoid disappointment.
“Winter Wonderland: Fonthill Castle” daily one hour guided tours, Nov. 20 to Jan. 3, except the first three weekends in December, showcase Henry Mercer’s home decked out for the holidays while sharing the history of Mercer and the construction of this property.
Fonthill Castle is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Fonthill Castle’s interior features Mercer’s handcrafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the Arts and Crafts movement, and the castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete architecture with 44 rooms, 200 windows and 18 fireplaces.
Tours will be limited to five guests and one guide per timed entry.
Holiday Lights Meander – 30-minute “On Your Own” Timed Holiday Experience, Saturdays and Sundays: Dec. 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. with 30-minute timed entry slots, every 15 minutes.
Explore the special 2020 Holiday Lights Meander route with your loved ones and spend 30 minutes gazing at the splendor of the holiday decorations of historic Fonthill Castle on your own at your own pace. Tour guides will be available along the holiday route to answer your questions.
Tours will be limited to six guests per timed entry.
Fonthill Castle Guided Evening Tours, Nov. 23 and 24, Dec. 9 and 10, Dec. 15, 16 and 17, and Dec. 22, all beginning at 5 p.m.
See Fonthill Castle decked out for the holidays. Discover Mercer’s ceramic tiles during these intimate 45-minute guided historic tours of the castle’s unique rooms and artifacts. Tours will be limited to five guests and one guide.
Advance tickets are highly recommended for all of these holiday events as they sell out every year and capacity has been reduced due to COVID-19 precautions.
Arrive 10 minutes prior to your start time for all tours. Late arrivals may not be accommodated. There are steep stairs and narrow, uneven passageways on all tours.
Fonthill has implemented new procedures and adapted the capacity of its seasonal programming in order to meet the needs of staff and guests as safely as possible.
All staff and guests (ages 3 and over) are required to wear a face covering while they are inside the buildings, and hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the castles.
For information on schedules and to purchase tickets, visit mercermuseum.org or call 215-345-0210.
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