Everhart Museum | Scranton

Information

Landmark: Everhart Museum
City: Scranton
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America

Everhart Museum, Scranton, USA Pennsylvania, North America

The Everhart Museum is an art, science, and history museum located in Nay Aug Park, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

It houses diverse collections spanning natural history, science, and fine art.

Visual Characteristics

The museum building is constructed primarily of stone, featuring a Romanesque Revival architectural style. It has a prominent tower and a red tile roof. The exterior walls are a light-colored sandstone, with darker stone accents around windows and doorways. The building is approximately three stories in height.

Location & Access Logistics

The Everhart Museum is situated within Nay Aug Park at 1901 Mulberry Street, Scranton, PA 18510. It is approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) southwest of downtown Scranton. Ample free parking is available in the museum's dedicated lot. Public transport options include the COLTS (County of Lackawanna Transit System) bus route 15, which stops near the park entrance on Mulberry Street.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The museum was founded in 1908 by Dr. Isaiah Everhart, a local physician and naturalist. The building itself was designed by the architectural firm Harding & Seaman and completed in 1908. Its original purpose was to house Dr. Everhart's extensive collections of natural history specimens and art, intended for public education and enjoyment.

Key Highlights & Activities

Visitors can explore exhibits on local natural history, including dinosaur fossils and taxidermied animals. The art collection features American and European paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts. Science exhibits include interactive displays on physics and astronomy. The museum also hosts rotating special exhibitions.

Infrastructure & Amenities

Restrooms are available on the main floor. Limited seating is provided within exhibit areas. Cell phone signal (4G/5G) is generally reliable within the museum. No on-site food vendors are present, but concessions may be available during special events. Shade is provided by the building's structure and trees in the surrounding park.

Best Time to Visit

The museum is open year-round. Weekday mornings, particularly outside of school holidays, tend to have lower visitor numbers. The best time of day for photography within the museum is during daylight hours when natural light enters through the windows. No specific tide requirements apply.

Facts & Legends

A notable artifact in the museum's collection is a rare fossil of a mastodon discovered in the nearby Wyoming Valley. Local lore suggests that the park itself, Nay Aug, was named after an Iroquois word meaning "big water" or "great fall," referring to the waterfall within the park.