Janice T.
Yelp
This museum is executed in an engaging fashion. I'm generally not one for museums, unless they're interactive or the subject matter piques my interest.
Initially, my thoughts were THAT'S A LOT of READING BEFORE I experienced the Hershey Story, which it is, but it's in a digestible format. I found the approach interesting. The museum begins the timeline of young Milton Hershey, an illustration of his family dynamics & the failures Hershey endured & learned from throughout his life. I think what makes his story appealing & somewhat relatable is that he wasn't born wealthy, & even against all odds & the naysayers (even his own father) he possessed the tenacity to overcome his obstacles. In addition, Hershey was a Philanthropist, his legacy even continues to this very day.
It's pretty cool to see how the Hershey's product evolved, along with its advertising. Throughout the museum are displays of artifacts, personal items, the mechanisms/machines & vintage wrappers etc.
You are given a token for your group upon admission payment. A personal touch is added when you enter your name at the kiosk near the desk. The museum starts on the second floor & loops around. There are a total of 5 kiosks throughout the museum in which you tap the token to hear four different history bites. Be sure to tap the token after each fact, to hear all four. A neat animation pops up at each kiosk & will say your name.
You have options to design your own candy bar wrapper & have it emailed to you, press buttons and slide doors to reveal info, watch films, listen to recordings of people's testaments on the impact of Hershey on their lives. It's definitely a sensory experience.
The bottom floor of the museum houses a souvenir shop, a rotating exhibit, the hot chocolate tastings & Lisa's Cafe which closes at 2pm. The museum itself is open 9-5.
The hot chocolate tastings is an additional price & has different hours than the museum itself. It doesn't take very long. Duration varies on the individual's pace of tasting each of the six various countries' hot chocolate. It proceeds from bitter to most sweet.
They also have a chocolate lab where you pour your own chocolate & decorate, however I didn't partake in this activity which is also an additional charge.
This is a great rainy day activity. If you enjoy history or just learning about Hershey this is a perfect option. I'm not sure if younger kids or those with a short attention span would enjoy the museum as much, it could vary.
They do have restrooms upstairs & downstairs. Towards the end of the exhibits upstairs is a cute photo op.
If you need to leave the museum & want to come back the same day, I believe they allow it. Just be sure to consult with an employee at the desk & hold onto your token.
We left for an escape room in Strasburg & came back the same day.
Free parking is available behind the museum off N. Linden.
They do offer military discounts, just be sure to clarify if they do only active duty or whether dependent discounts are permitted.