Two treasured castles in the heart of Bucks County, PA.
Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle Operating Hours:
Open Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays.
Hours subject to change.
Our Castles:
Yes, we have two castles!
They are located one mile apart in the heart of Doylestown, PA, and you will need to buy a separate ticket for each. At the moment, we cannot offer a combination ticket.
Please read about each castle below to ensure you are selecting the correct one before you purchase your ticket.
Ticket links are at the bottom of the page.
Mercer Museum84 S. Pine Street |
Fonthill Castle525 E. Court Street |
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| Learn more about the Mercer Museum. | Learn more about Fonthill Castle. |
| Open Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closed MondaysHours and program schedules are subject to change. |
Open Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closed MondaysHours subject to change. |
| Self-guided museum visit.
Gallery guides are available in the museum to answer any questions.
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60-minute guided tour with a tour guide only.
The last tour of the day usually begins at 4:00 p.m. and is subject to change. Plan to arrive 10 minutes prior to your tour’s start time and check-in at the Fonthill Castle Welcome Center. Late arrivals MAY NOT be accommodated on another tour. Last-minute tickets are not guaranteed on the day of your visit. Please book ahead to avoid disappointment. |
| History:
The Mercer Museum is a six-story reinforced concrete castle designed by Henry Mercer and completed in 1916. Today, it is one of Bucks County’s premier cultural attractions and a Smithsonian affiliate. The museum features local and national traveling exhibits, as well as a core museum collection of over 17,000 pre-Industrial tools. It is famous for the unique way that artifacts are displayed throughout its Central Court as if suspended in mid-air. |
History:
Fonthill Castle was the home and showplace of Henry Mercer. The castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete architecture and features forty-four rooms, over two hundred windows and eighteen fireplaces. Fonthill Castle’s interior features Mercer’s renowned, handcrafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the Arts and Crafts movement.
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| IMPORTANT:
Timed-entry slots for Mercer Museum:
All tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for a new date or time. All members and guests are encouraged to purchase online tickets prior to their visit. You can bring a print-out of your ticket or your mobile phone confirmation as proof of purchase. The ground floor of the Mercer Museum features a modern wing that is fully accessible and climate-controlled with a changing exhibit gallery, lecture space, museum shop, and restrooms. The historic castle portion of the Mercer Museum has an elevator and offers partial accessibility due to narrow passageways. It is not climate-controlled and may experience fluctuations in temperature and humidity, depending on external weather conditions. |
IMPORTANT:
Plan to arrive 10 minutes prior to your tour’s start time and check-in at the Fonthill Castle Welcome Center. Late arrivals MAY NOT be accommodated on another tour. You can bring a print-out of your ticket or a digital confirmation on your mobile phone as proof of purchase. Last-minute tickets are not guaranteed on the day of your visit. Please book ahead to avoid disappointment. Fonthill Castle is a unique historic site! It offers limited accessibility with steep stairs and narrow, uneven passages throughout the interior of the site. Fonthill Castle is not recommended for those with limited mobility, issues with stairs, those who cannot stand for long periods of time, or those with concerns about small spaces/claustrophobia. Fonthill Castle tours may not be suitable for younger children under the age of 5, as tours last 60-minutes and may be challenging for the patience of toddlers.
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| Ticket Pricing for Mercer Museum Admission:
Adult: $15 |
Ticket Pricing for Fonthill Castle Admission:
Adult: $15 |
| Parking:
Guests for the Mercer Museum will enter via the Helen Gemmill Plaza entrance, adjacent to the museum’s parking lot located on Scout Way, between Green Street and Pine Street. |
Parking:
Guests for Fonthill Castle will park in the designated areas of the site’s parking lot and should enter via the Swamp Road (Rt. 313) entrance. |
| Accessibility:
The ground floor of the Mercer Museum features a modern wing that is fully accessible and climate-controlled with a changing exhibit gallery, lecture space, museum shop, and restrooms. The historic castle portion of the Mercer Museum has an elevator and offers partial accessibility due to narrow passageways. It is not climate-controlled and may experience fluctuations in temperature and humidity, depending on external weather conditions. Service animals are permitted at the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle in accordance with ADA guidelines. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide is directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. |
Accessibility:
Fonthill Castle is a unique historic site! It offers limited accessibility with steep stairs and narrow, uneven passages throughout the interior of the site. Fonthill Castle is not recommended for those with limited mobility, issues with stairs, those who cannot stand for long periods of time, or those with concerns about small spaces/claustrophobia. Please notify us if your group includes individuals with accessibility needs. Fonthill Castle tours may not be suitable for younger children under the age of 5, as tours last 60-minutes and may be challenging for the patience of toddlers. The ground floor of Fonthill Castle is air conditioned. Many of the rooms on the second floor of Fonthill Castle do not have air-conditioning, although they have fans. They tend to fluctuate in temperature more and may reflect the temperature of the outdoors more than typical climate-controlled areas. On days with predicted excessive heat warnings, we will amend our tour routes of Fonthill Castle and aim to avoid areas with the most excessive heat fluctuations. Service animals are permitted at the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle in accordance with ADA guidelines. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide is directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. |
| Mercer Museum Tickets
Exclusive Hour Tickets for Seniors 65+ and Immunocompromised Guests |
Fonthill Castle Tickets |
* Hint: Search for the Mercer Museum date and time you want by clicking “Other Dates” and “Other Times” on the ticketing page.
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* Hint: Search for the Fonthill Castle tour date and time you want by clicking “Other Dates” and “Other Times” on the ticketing page.
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Before You Arrive:
- Tickets are available online. You can bring a print-out of your ticket or your mobile phone confirmation as proof of purchase.
- Any remaining tickets for timed-entry slots and guided tours will be available for purchase at our castles on a first-come, first-served basis each day.
- In an effort to keep our guests and staff safe, we ask that you kindly refrain from visiting the castles if you are feeling unwell.
Mercer Museum Library Hours:
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- Tuesday/Wednesday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
For library inquiries, please email mmlib@mercermuseum.org.
ADMISSION DISCOUNTS:
Members and Member Guests:
Member: If you are a member, please book a “Member” ticket type.
Member Guest: If you have a “Member Guest Pass” ticket to redeem, please book a “Member” ticket type on our online platform and present your guest pass at museum check-in.
Admit One Pass:
If you have an Admit One Pass to redeem, please book a “Member” ticket type on our online platform and present your Admit One pass at museum check-in.
Library Membership Pass:
If you have a Library Membership Pass, please book a “Member” ticket type on our online platform and present your Library Membership Pass at museum check-in. These Membership Library passes are good for up to four people in a party (good for any combination of adults or children). Use your own personal information, not the library’s name or address.
AAA:
$1 off adult ticket – AAA card required at check-in.
Discount code for online tickets is AAA.
Blue Star Families / Active Military:
Year-round free admission for active-duty military personnel and up to 5 family members – Active Military ID required at check-in.
Discount code for online tickets is MILITARY.
Local Teacher:
One free adult ticket for full-time teachers from PA, NJ and DE. – Valid School ID required at check-in.
Discount code for online tickets is TEACHER.
Veterans / Retired Military:
50% off an adult ticket for veterans or retired military.
Discount code for online tickets is VETERAN.
*Please select “adult” ticket type to receive this discount.
Please feel free to email us at info@mercermuseum.org with any questions. We are here to help!
