The 1719 Museum, at 1849 Hans Herr Drive in Willow Street, is built around the oldest surviving homestead in Lancaster County. It pairs the 1719 Herr House with the Lancaster Longhouse, a replica Indigenous dwelling, so visitors can see early Mennonite settlement and Eastern Woodland Native life side by side. Formerly called the 1719 Herr House & Museum, it is operated by Mennonite Life.
Guided tours start inside the sandstone Herr House, whose steep roof and thick walls reflect the Germanic building traditions that Swiss Mennonite immigrants brought to colonial Pennsylvania. Guides explain how these families farmed, worshipped and settled on land long inhabited by Native peoples. The tour then moves to the Lancaster Longhouse, where the interpretation focuses on Eastern Woodland Indigenous history and gives the site a second perspective on the region’s past.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum welcomes walk-in visitors on Fridays and Saturdays from April through October, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours last about 75 minutes and begin at 10, 11:30, 1 and 2:30 (Visit Lancaster PA). The 2026 season ends this month, so plan on an October weekend or wait until spring. Morning tours are usually the quietest. You can buy tickets in advance through Mennonite Life. Schools and other groups can book field trips on additional days (FindGlocal). The site is a short drive south of downtown Lancaster, and a car is the most practical way to get there.
